Re: What is involved for a Cuban to visit Canada?

[Canuks]

Back from another fantastic trip to Cuba and laundry (almost) done.
 
 For thoes who know, here's a question.......
 If a Cuban wanted to come visit us here in Canada what needs to be done to make it happen?  This individual does not want to leave Cuba but would enjoy (she thinks) seeing Canada.

[Steve_YYZ]

Canucks, while I laud your thoughts of bringing a Cuban to Canada to visit, for all practical purposes this is impossible.
 
 The difficulty is not in getting them out of Cuba, or getting them permission to travel. The major obstacle is getting permission from Canada for a visitor's visa.
 
 If the person in Cuba has a Direct Relative living in Canada, ie, Son, Daughter, Mother, Father, then permission can be obtained. But for a non relative to just visit a friend, it just won't happen.
 
 We've tried several times to get that permission and not a single person I know has been successful.
 
 The basic steps are easy enough.
 
 1. The first step is to issue a LETTER OF INVITATION, legal document in which the person who invites makes a commitment to afford all the expenses of the invited person in Canada (trip and stay). This document can be issue at any of our Consulates or if it was already done before Public Notary, it has to be legalized. In both cases, charges are 224.00 CAD. The Cuban Consulate will send the Letter to Cuba.
 
 2.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, receive the document and legalize it before sending it to Consultorķa Juridica Internacional, institution that will contact the invited person to continue the process.
 
 3.   The whole process will take approximately 3 months. The Letter of Invitation is valid for one year, to allow the person to choose the appropriate moment to travel.
 
 The invited person have to be older that 18 years old.
 
 To obtain the Cuban form to apply for the Letter of Invitation, click HERE
 
 4. Once you Cuban friend gets their official permission to travel in Cuba, they take that to the Canadian Embassy in Havana and apply for a Visitors Visa. (Cost $150 CDN approx last I knew)
 
 4. If successful, then the Cuban needs to get a Cuban passport, have an air-ticket (paid by you) plus Medical Insurance for while in Canada (paid by you) then they can travel.
 
 So that's the process and what you can likely expect for an outcome. You'll pay just under $400 total and take 3 months just to get the application to the Canadian Embassy in Havana, and it generally takes them about 10 seconds to say NO!
 
 Sorry if I sound like I'm discouraging you as it's something we've all thought about, and tried. But the harsh reality is that Canada doesn't want visitors from Cuba who might be of the slightest risk to stay in Canada or head across the border to the USA from Canada.
 
 ciao
 Steve