CUBA · US VISAS
Key Facts
- —Power Index Cuba ranks 14th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 22.5 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What is happening US visa suspensions on Cuban nationals remain in force under presidential proclamations, covering immigrant visas and tourist, business, student and exchange visas.
- —Why it matters Families in the United States cannot count on bringing relatives from Cuba, because family ties are no longer a broad exemption.
- —The numbers Proclamation 10998 took effect on Thursday, 1 January 2026, and a separate 75-country immigrant visa pause, including Cuba, ran from 21 January to 21 August.
- —Who is who The State Department issues US visas, and Judge Jeannette Vargas of the federal court in Manhattan struck down the separate 75-country pause.
- —What to watch Whether the government appeals the 21 August ruling, and whether the proclamation’s country list changes.
- —What it means for you Cuban families should check State Department visa pages before paying fees or booking travel, because an interview does not guarantee a visa.
US visa suspensions on Cuban nationals remain in force. A court ruling in August struck down only a separate immigrant visa pause.
Cubans still face a US suspension on tourist, student, exchange and immigrant visas. A presidential proclamation in force since Thursday, 1 January 2026 keeps Cuba under partial entry restrictions.
A court ruling on Friday, 21 August ended only a separate pause on immigrant visas for 75 countries, including Cuba. It did not touch the proclamation, so the Cuban restrictions stand.
What the Proclamation Does
Proclamation 10998, signed on Tuesday, 16 December 2025, expands US entry restrictions on foreign nationals from several countries. For Cuba, it states that entry stays suspended and limited as set out in an earlier proclamation, number 10949.
Proclamation 10949, signed on Wednesday, 4 June 2025, suspended immigrant visas and tourist, business, student and exchange visas for Cubans. Other visa types for Cubans can be issued only with shorter validity.
The restrictions cover only people outside the United States on the effective date who lack a valid visa. Visas issued before that date are not revoked solely because of the proclamation, though border admission is not guaranteed.
Who Is Exempt
Exemptions include green card holders, who are US permanent residents, and dual nationals travelling on a passport from an unrestricted country. Holders of some diplomatic and international-organisation visas, and athletes at major sporting events, are also exempt.
The proclamation also allows case-by-case exceptions in the national interest. The Attorney General, Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security can each decide such cases.
The proclamation says family-based immigrant visas will no longer be a broad exception. It lists no family-specific exception for Cuba, so marriage or an approved petition alone does not lift the suspension.
What the August Court Ruling Changed
Judge Jeannette Vargas, of a federal court in Manhattan, struck down the State Department’s 75-country immigrant visa pause on Friday, 21 August. Plaintiffs including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, a US legal nonprofit, sued Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The pause, in force since 21 January, halted immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, including Cuba. The court found it unlawful and voided refusals based only on it.
The State Department has announced the pause is no longer in effect as of 21 August. The ruling does not approve any application, and officers can still refuse visas on other legal grounds.
The government may appeal the ruling. Plaintiffs filed a motion on 26 August asking the court to enforce the judgment.
What It Means for You
US citizens and green card holders with Cuban relatives face continuing limits on immigrant and visitor visas. An approved petition or an interview date does not by itself guarantee a visa.
Cubans who held a valid US visa on 1 January 2026 were not stripped of it by the proclamation. Border officers still decide admission, and green card holders are exempt.
Travel to Cuba by Americans follows separate US Treasury rules. The Rio Times guide to Americans travelling to Cuba explains them.
Related reports cover arrests of Cubans by US immigration agents and Cuban green card approvals. More is on the Cuba hub.
The guide to Cuban politics and government explains who holds power in Havana. It gives background to the tense US relationship behind the visa limits.
What Is Not Known
The State Department’s visa pages and the court docket could not be opened. The State Department’s announcement is known from a legal association’s summary.
Whether the government has appealed, and how the court ruled on the 26 August motion, was not confirmed. How many Cuban applications were refused under the pause is also unknown.
The proclamation gives no Cuba-specific reason, and it says some supporting details are classified. How consulates decide individual Cuban cases is not known.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are US visas for Cubans suspended?
Yes. Proclamations suspend immigrant visas and tourist, business, student and exchange visas for Cuban nationals, with exceptions such as green card holders.
Did the court ruling lift the Cuba visa suspension?
The 21 August ruling ended only a separate immigrant visa pause on 75 countries. The proclamation restrictions on Cuba still stand.
Who is exempt from the Cuba visa suspension?
Green card holders, dual nationals on an unrestricted passport, some official visa holders and certain athletes are exempt. Officials can also grant national-interest exceptions case by case.
Do family ties help Cubans get a US visa?
Not automatically. The proclamation lists no family exception for Cuba, so a petition or marriage alone does not lift the suspension.
Sources: White House, Proclamation 10998, Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals (signed 16 December 2025, effective 1 January 2026); US District Court, Southern District of New York, judgment of 21 August 2026 in Catholic Legal Immigration Network v. Rubio, case 1:26-cv-00858 (docket not opened); US State Department, Visa Services (pages not opened); Proclamation 10949 (signed 4 June 2025); Federal Register, 19 December 2025 (Proclamation 10998).
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
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