US visa wait times for Cuba — what Havana actually processes

Cuba is not a normal row in the State Department’s wait-times report. The US Embassy in Havana runs a deliberately partial visa operation: green-card cases yes, several work and exchange categories yes, routine tourist visas no. The “not available” entries below are policy, not a data gap.

What the official report shows for Havana

Havana shows "not available" across every category in the official report — this post is not currently scheduling routine visa interviews. Check the embassy website for where your case is processed instead.

Source: U.S. State Department Global Visa Wait Times (source last updated 2026-06-18; retrieved 2026-07-13). Waits are estimates and change without notice — verify at travel.state.gov.

The actual state of visa services in Havana (June 2026)

  • Immigrant visas (green-card cases): processing in Havana. Family-petition and other immigrant-visa interviews take place at the embassy. Note that in January 2026 the State Department announced a pause on immigrant-visa issuances for nationals of several countries including Cuba — applicants may still attend interviews while that policy is litigated and applied; check cu.usembassy.gov for the current state.
  • Work and exchange visas (A, G, H, J, L, O, P, Q, R): restored. Havana resumed these nonimmigrant categories in September 2024.
  • Visitor visas (B1/B2): still suspended. Cubans need to apply at a third-country post. Which post works best depends on where you can legally travel — and each post’s own appointment calendar applies.
  • B1/B2 bond requirement: as of January 21, 2026, embassy guidance says Cuban nationals approved for B1/B2 may have to post a bond of up to $15,000 before issuance.

What this means in practice

If you are in Cuba and need a visitor visa, your wait time is not Havana’s — it is the wait at whichever third-country post you can reach, plus the travel logistics of getting there. If your case is an immigrant visa or one of the restored work/exchange categories, Havana is your post and its scheduling runs through the National Visa Center or the petition process as usual.

Last verified: 2026-06-11.

General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney or other appropriate professional.