Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2022
308. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason that his Department’s website was not updated until 7 October 2022 with information relating to the fact that travellers have been denied entry to the USA under the ESTA visa waiver if they have visited Cuba since January 2021. [59034/22]
View answerUS immigration regulation and operations are a matter solely for the relevant US authorities. The Department of Foreign Affairs updated its travel advice for Cuba upon receiving confirmation that the United States is now enforcing certain travel restrictions following the designation of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism by the US Department of State. The result of this decision is that those who have visited Cuba since January 2021 are no longer eligible to participate in the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) and must apply for a visa to enter the United States through a US Embassy or Consulate (ineligibility for an ESTA based on someone's previous travel does not automatically make them ineligible for a visa). Only the Governments of Cuba and the United States of America, through their respective Embassies in Dublin, can advise with authority on entry requirements for Irish citizens travelling to Cuba or the United States. It is the responsibility of the individual traveller to ensure adherence to any entry requirements applied by the receiving country. It is also the responsibility of the traveller to take into consideration the risks associated with travelling to any specific country.
