Obtaining pink visa in Miami Airport
Sep 12, 16, 9:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 14
Obtaining pink visa in Miami Airport
I'm booked on a flight from Miami to Cuba in two days and made the mistake of getting a green visa instead of a pink one. Has anyone had the experience of getting a pink visa in the Miami airport between flights? If so--how long does it take to get one? Any information is appreciated!
Sep 13, 16, 2:04 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 14
Thanks! I was able to make contact with someone from Cuba Travel Services. She was reading from a script so I'm feeling pretty confident about it. Apparently there's a kiosk at the departure gate in Miami for "CubaReady" at which one can purchase the pink visa (yes: $100 and payable with credit cards). Supposedly the process takes a couple of minutes and is organized around folks that are coming from other connections.
One confusing bit of info is that they will also sell required medical insurance although the American Airlines ticket says a surcharge included insurance. Once the CubaReady kiosk folks check all your paperwork you get a stamp on your boarding pass indicating you're approved for flying. Sounds not unlike the process for confirming visas are in order prior to traveling to Russia.
I'll post a trip report once I'm back as to the setup. In one sense it seems like American has it together -- to keep folks from having (and posting) bad experiences. But honestly when I received the call from Cuba Travel Services shortly after booking tickets they never called me back so I assumed it was just a travel agent to which my info had been sold. If their first message to me had been "Please contact us for required documentation" instead of "Please contact us so we can assist you with your travel" I wouldn't have let it drop and gone elsewhere.
One confusing bit of info is that they will also sell required medical insurance although the American Airlines ticket says a surcharge included insurance. Once the CubaReady kiosk folks check all your paperwork you get a stamp on your boarding pass indicating you're approved for flying. Sounds not unlike the process for confirming visas are in order prior to traveling to Russia.
I'll post a trip report once I'm back as to the setup. In one sense it seems like American has it together -- to keep folks from having (and posting) bad experiences. But honestly when I received the call from Cuba Travel Services shortly after booking tickets they never called me back so I assumed it was just a travel agent to which my info had been sold. If their first message to me had been "Please contact us for required documentation" instead of "Please contact us so we can assist you with your travel" I wouldn't have let it drop and gone elsewhere.
Sep 13, 16, 2:53 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,667
Thanks! I was able to make contact with someone from Cuba Travel Services. She was reading from a script so I'm feeling pretty confident about it. Apparently there's a kiosk at the departure gate in Miami for "CubaReady" at which one can purchase the pink visa (yes: $100 and payable with credit cards). Supposedly the process takes a couple of minutes and is organized around folks that are coming from other connections.
One confusing bit of info is that they will also sell required medical insurance although the American Airlines ticket says a surcharge included insurance. Once the CubaReady kiosk folks check all your paperwork you get a stamp on your boarding pass indicating you're approved for flying. Sounds not unlike the process for confirming visas are in order prior to traveling to Russia.
I'll post a trip report once I'm back as to the setup. In one sense it seems like American has it together -- to keep folks from having (and posting) bad experiences. But honestly when I received the call from Cuba Travel Services shortly after booking tickets they never called me back so I assumed it was just a travel agent to which my info had been sold. If their first message to me had been "Please contact us for required documentation" instead of "Please contact us so we can assist you with your travel" I wouldn't have let it drop and gone elsewhere.
One confusing bit of info is that they will also sell required medical insurance although the American Airlines ticket says a surcharge included insurance. Once the CubaReady kiosk folks check all your paperwork you get a stamp on your boarding pass indicating you're approved for flying. Sounds not unlike the process for confirming visas are in order prior to traveling to Russia.
I'll post a trip report once I'm back as to the setup. In one sense it seems like American has it together -- to keep folks from having (and posting) bad experiences. But honestly when I received the call from Cuba Travel Services shortly after booking tickets they never called me back so I assumed it was just a travel agent to which my info had been sold. If their first message to me had been "Please contact us for required documentation" instead of "Please contact us so we can assist you with your travel" I wouldn't have let it drop and gone elsewhere.
I haven't been able to get info on insurance. Maybe they will be selling it in Miami? I'm just hoping the Assistur booth will be open at the late hour I land in Varadero (can't find any button on their site to order it online) or the border/immigration folks won't ask (as I've read they may not) and I will take my chances.
Sep 13, 16, 4:06 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 14
I haven't been able to get info on insurance. Maybe they will be selling it in Miami? I'm just hoping the Assistur booth will be open at the late hour I land in Varadero (can't find any button on their site to order it online) or the border/immigration folks won't ask (as I've read they may not) and I will take my chances.
Health insurance: The Cuban government requires all visitors to have health insurance for coverage throughout its territory. When you buy your ticket with us, a $25 fee for Cuban health insurance issued by ESICUBA is added to the price of your ticket.
This wasn't so obvious when I bought the ticket so I arranged for it through Nash Travel. Yes, I paid too much by buying what I already had but honestly they were very helpful and very responsive.
To loop back to your question: my understanding is that if you need it you can get insurance on the spot at the gate in Miami prior to boarding your flight to Cuba.
Sep 27, 16, 9:30 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,667
A report from week of Sept. 17:
Just before boarding the AA flight, there was a tiny portable cart stationed at the gate, from Cuba Travel Services, to sell visas to those who didn't have them yet, and also to check and stamp the boarding passes of all passengers (so the AA personnel at the desk/kiosk knew the passenger was all set to fly).
I was told by "the CTS cart lady" that insurance was included with the ticket price, but that was not what CTS rep had told me on the phone a couple of days earlier (which was something about tickets sold before August 30--the heavily discounted promotional ones-- not including insurance, but those sold after, yes, included). Anyway, the AA gate agents themselves asked nothing about this, nor did the Cuban "aduana" on landing.
The AA folks had some problems entering information into their own computer program, about which of the 12 reasons for travel a passenger was using, and other connected info.
There was no flight crew. One had been sent over and then diverted to another flight. So the flight was delayed until they could rustle up qualified people to get over to the gate.
This was a huge, 6 seats across plane. There were 13 passengers ! rattling around the cabin, and all the soda or OJ you could drink. LOL
Just before boarding the AA flight, there was a tiny portable cart stationed at the gate, from Cuba Travel Services, to sell visas to those who didn't have them yet, and also to check and stamp the boarding passes of all passengers (so the AA personnel at the desk/kiosk knew the passenger was all set to fly).
I was told by "the CTS cart lady" that insurance was included with the ticket price, but that was not what CTS rep had told me on the phone a couple of days earlier (which was something about tickets sold before August 30--the heavily discounted promotional ones-- not including insurance, but those sold after, yes, included). Anyway, the AA gate agents themselves asked nothing about this, nor did the Cuban "aduana" on landing.
The AA folks had some problems entering information into their own computer program, about which of the 12 reasons for travel a passenger was using, and other connected info.
There was no flight crew. One had been sent over and then diverted to another flight. So the flight was delayed until they could rustle up qualified people to get over to the gate.
This was a huge, 6 seats across plane. There were 13 passengers ! rattling around the cabin, and all the soda or OJ you could drink. LOL
