May 23, 2016
Cubans in the Dominican Republic are welcome to apply for visas in Santo Domingo. Unlike Dominican passport holders, two different kinds of tourist visa are available for Cuban applicants: the B1/B2 visa, a single-entry visa valid for six months, and the B2 visa, a multiple-entry valid for five years. Cuban applicants should be prepared to describe in detail exactly what they plan to do while in the United States. A clear travel plan will ensure the applicant receives the correct type of visa and encounters no problems at the airport.
Applicants who are dual nationals of both Cuba and the Dominican Republic may opt to present their Dominican passport when applying for a U.S. visa, in which a standard B1/B2 multiple-entry visa valid for 10 years may be placed. However, it is very important to inform the Consular Officer that you also hold a Cuban passport, which the officer may ask to see.
The applications of certain Cuban applicants, but not all, may be subject to additional administrative processing which will delay any eventual issuance of a visa. Therefore, all Cuban citizens, whether holders of a Cuban passport alone or both Cuban and Dominican passports, should anticipate a possible wait of at least a week to perhaps several months before actually being issued a visa to travel to the United States.
