Consulates

Entering Cuba on a foreign passport: Cuba's HE-11 and the 1971 rule

HE-11: entry to Cuba on a foreign passport for Cubans who emigrated before 1971. $20 to apply, $130 if approved, and the page's expired July 2024 note.

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Entering Cuba on a foreign passport: Cuba’s HE-11 and the 1971 rule

The HE-11 (Habilitación de entrada con pasaporte extranjero) is the entry authorization the Cuban Consular Office in Washington, DC, processes so that a Cuban citizen who emigrated before January 1, 1971 can enter Cuba on a foreign passport, such as a US passport. It is not a passport, and it is not a visa for non-Cuban travelers. It costs $20 USD to apply (plus $20 USD if sent by mail) and $130 USD for issuance if approved (fee published by the Cuban Consular Office, checked October 3, 2026). The catch is on the page itself. It says these travelers must present their Cuban passport to enter Cuba, with accommodations “until July 2024”. That date has passed, and the page does not say what applies now.

Versión en español

What the page says about the July 2024 date

This is the “Importante” note in the HE-11 section, quoted in the original Spanish as it appeared on the consular page we checked October 3, 2026:

«Para las personas que emigraron antes del 1 de enero de 1971, que viajan con visa HE-11, deberán presentar su pasaporte cubano para ingresar a Cuba; conforme a lo establecido en la Constitución de la República, aprobada en 2019 en referéndum popular. En este sentido, se les otorgará facilidades hasta julio del 2024, para que puedan viajar a Cuba y realizar los trámites del pasaporte.»

In English: people who emigrated before January 1, 1971 and travel with an HE-11 must present their Cuban passport to enter Cuba, under the Constitution approved by referendum in 2019, and would be given accommodations until July 2024 so they can travel to Cuba and complete their passport procedures.

The same page’s list of migration measures in effect since July 1, 2023 includes this item: for people who emigrated before January 1, 1971, a requirement to present their Cuban passport to enter Cuba.

What this means, and what it does not:

The July 2024 date has passed. The page has not been updated on this point and does not say what applies after July 2024. It announces neither an extension nor the end of the HE-11.
The page still publishes the HE-11 requirements and fee at the same time (below). It does not explain how the two fit together.
We do not know the current rule, and we will not guess it. Before you pay or buy a ticket, confirm with the Consular Office by phone at (202)-797-8518 or by email at recepcion@usadc.embacuba.cu, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The general rule: a valid Cuban passport

For Cubans who live outside Cuba, the rule the page publishes sits in its passport-renewal section: nationals who live permanently abroad must carry a valid, unexpired Cuban passport to travel to Cuba.

The July 1, 2023 measures also changed the passport itself. Validity is now ten years for people 16 and older and five years for minors, and the requirement to extend passports every two years was eliminated. For the passport procedure, see our guide to renewing a Cuban passport from the US.

What the HE-11 is and is not

Point	What the Consular Office publishes (checked October 3, 2026)
Official name	Habilitación de entrada con pasaporte extranjero (HE-11)
Who it is for	Listed under “Servicios consulares para ciudadanos cubanos”; the requirements include proof of leaving Cuba before January 1, 1971
Who authorizes it	The Dirección de Identificación, Inmigración y Extranjería (DIIE)
Validity	One entry, for 90 days from the date of entry into Cuba
Extension	The 90 days can be extended when justified reasons warrant it
Cost	$20 USD application (+$20 USD by mail) and $130 USD issuance if approved
Processing time	Not published

It is not a visa for foreigners. The page’s own note calls it a “visa HE-11”, but the service is named an entry authorization (habilitación de entrada) and sits in the list of services for Cuban citizens. Resolución 38/2023 classifies it the same way, as “Habilitación de entrada al país para los ciudadanos cubanos”. For people who are not Cuban, the page has a separate list, “Servicios consulares para extranjeros”. It includes the tourist visa (tourist card), the A-2 family visa, which the page describes as a service for the foreign spouses and children of Cuban citizens, and others.

Under Cuba’s new Citizenship Law. Ley 172 (published May 5, 2026; in force 180 days after publication) says Cuban citizens “tienen la obligación de identificarse con esta condición a su entrada, durante la permanencia, tránsito y a la salida del territorio nacional” (must identify as Cuban citizens on entry, during their stay, in transit and on leaving), and that while in Cuba they “no pueden hacer uso de una ciudadanía extranjera” (cannot use a foreign citizenship) (Article 14). None of the laws and regulations in that Gaceta issue mentions the HE-11 by name, and as of October 23, 2026 the consular page still describes it. See Cuba’s 2026 migration and citizenship laws.

Required documents

From the section “Habilitación de entrada con pasaporte extranjero (HE-11)”:

Two completed application forms (Anexo 2, Planilla para trámites consulares; file anexo_2._planilla_para_tramites_consulares_0.pdf, which has an “HE-11” box). Enter the given name(s) and both surnames exactly as registered on the Cuban birth certificate.
Two high-resolution color passport-style photos, light background, facing forward, face and head uncovered, no dark glasses.
A photocopy of the valid foreign passport.
Proof of leaving Cuba before January 1, 1971. The first option is the original passport used to leave Cuba, showing a legible exit-date stamp, or the original Certificate of Naturalization issued up to 1975. Any other supporting document must be authenticated by the Department of State of the state that issued it.

These requirements apply to first-time HE-11 applicants. People who have traveled with this authorization before may submit photocopies of the supporting documents.

Cost

Fee published by the Cuban Consular Office, checked October 3, 2026:

Item	When you pay	Amount
HE-11 application	When you apply	$20.00 USD
Non-personal procedure charge	Only for mail applications	$20.00 USD
Issuance (otorgamiento)	Only if approved	$130.00 USD

Resolución 38/2023 (signed June 29, 2023), section 8.a, “Cuando viaja con pasaporte extranjero”, sets 130.00 in its US column, matching the page. Payment is by USPS Postal Money Order. The page says a request paid with any other money order is returned.

Step by step

Confirm the current status of the July 2024 note with the Consular Office first.
Gather the documents, including your proof of leaving Cuba before 1971.
Apply in person or by mail. In person: 2639 16th St NW, Washington DC, 20009, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. By mail: Embassy of the Republic of Cuba, 2630 16th St NW, Washington DC, 20009. The page gives two different street numbers, 2639 for visits and 2630 for mail, so use each exactly as published. By mail, include a prepaid return envelope and leave it unsealed; the page recommends a tracking number.
Pay $20 USD for the application, plus the $20 USD non-personal charge if you apply by mail.
Wait for the DIIE decision.
If approved, deposit $130 USD for issuance.
Enter Cuba once. The stay is 90 days from entry and can be extended for justified reasons.

Your US immigration status

The HE-11 list on the consular page (checked October 3, 2026) asks for a valid foreign passport and proof that you left Cuba before January 1, 1971: preferably the original passport you left with, showing a legible exit stamp, or an original certificate of naturalization issued up to 1975. Apart from that proof of departure, the list does not ask for US immigration documents. The page does not address US rules on travel to Cuba or how a trip could affect an immigration case. For those questions, look for pro bono legal help.

Official sources

Cuban Consular Office in the United States, “Servicios Consulares” (notice of the July 1, 2023 migration measures and section “Habilitación de entrada con pasaporte extranjero (HE-11)”), Spanish page: misiones.cubaminrex.cu/es/eeuu/servicios-consulares. The page shows no visible last-updated date; its HTML metadata gives a last-modified time of April 4, 2024. The office’s English-language page is older and out of date, so this guide relies on the Spanish page only.
Resolución No. 38/2023, Cuban Foreign Ministry consular fee schedule, section 8.a: resolucion_38_de_2023_sobre_el_arancel_consular.pdf

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. The official page contains an expired date (July 2024) that has not been updated, so the current rule for people who emigrated before 1971 must be confirmed with the authority. Verify directly with the Cuban Consular Office in Washington. Not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is Cuba's HE-11?

It is the Habilitación de entrada con pasaporte extranjero, an entry authorization for travel on a foreign passport. The Cuban Consular Office lists it among its services for Cuban citizens. It is authorized by the Dirección de Identificación, Inmigración y Extranjería (DIIE) and is valid for one entry, for 90 days from the date of entry into Cuba, extendable when justified reasons warrant it.

Is the HE-11 a visa for Americans who are not Cuban?

No. The consular page lists it among the services for Cuban citizens and requires proof of leaving Cuba before January 1, 1971. For foreigners, the same page publishes a separate list of services, such as the tourist visa (tourist card) and the A-2 family visa for foreign spouses and children of Cuban citizens.

Can people who emigrated before 1971 still enter Cuba with an HE-11?

The page says these people must present their Cuban passport to enter Cuba, and that they would be given accommodations until July 2024. That date has passed. When we checked on October 3, 2026, the page had not been updated and did not say what applies after July 2024. It still publishes the HE-11 requirements and fee at the same time. Confirm the current situation with the Consular Office.

How much does the HE-11 cost?

The page lists $20 USD for the application, an extra $20 USD non-personal charge if the application is made by mail and, if approved, $130 USD for issuance (checked October 3, 2026). Resolución 38/2023, section 8.a, sets 130.00 in its US column for the entry authorization when traveling on a foreign passport.

What document proves I left Cuba before 1971?

The page asks, as the first option, for the original passport the person used to leave Cuba, with a legible exit-date stamp, or the original Certificate of Naturalization issued up to 1975. Any other supporting document must be authenticated by the Department of State of the state that issued it. People who have traveled with an HE-11 before may submit photocopies of these documents.

Can Cubans living in the United States enter Cuba on a US passport?

The general rule the page publishes is different: nationals who live permanently abroad must carry a valid, unexpired Cuban passport to travel to Cuba. The HE-11 is the exception described for people who emigrated before 1971, subject to the July 2024 note explained above.

Does the Cuban passport still need an extension every two years?

Not according to the consular page. The migration measures in effect since July 1, 2023 extend the regular passport’s validity from six to ten years for people 16 and older, set it at five years for minors, and eliminate the requirement to extend passports every two years.

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General information, not legal advice. MigrantUSA is an independent publisher and is not a law firm; using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship, and this content is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. US federal, state, and local government procedures, fees, and forms change. Always verify current details directly with the relevant agency before acting. For immigration, tax, or other legal matters specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney or BIA-accredited representative.