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🇨🇺 Cuban citizens · 🇬🇧 UK · Tourist / Visitor

UK tourist / visitor visa success rate for Cuban citizens (year to March 2026)

80.1% of Cuban UK tourist visa applications were approved in the year to March 2026, across 1,002 decisions — the remaining 19.9% were refused. Approval is up from 75.7% in year to March 2025. Unlike the Schengen figures, this is grouped by the applicant's nationality rather than by where the application was lodged, and it is broken down by visa type, so it describes Cuban tourist applicants specifically. Withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded from both sides of the fraction. It remains a nationality-wide outcome rather than a prediction for one case. On the money side: No set minimum. Show you can cover the trip without working in the UK and have clear reasons to return home. The estimator below weighs your own finances, ties, travel history and refusal record against that.

Last reviewed August 2026 per our editorial standards. Rate: UK Home Office — outcomes of entry clearance visa applications by nationality and visa type (Vis_D02) . Rules: GOV.UK — UK Home Office .

For Cuban citizens applying, a tourist visa to the United Kingdom is decided mainly on whether you are a genuine visitor who will return home on time. Public statistics point to an approximate base approval of around 55% for this route — but your own profile can move that figure a lot in either direction. Published approval rates for Cuba run at 29.1% on US visitor visas in FY2025 and 78.2% on Schengen short-stay applications in 2025.

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Your trip

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Key requirements

  • Passport valid for the whole of your stay
  • Online application, up to 3 months before you travel
  • £135 fee for a standard 6-month visit visa (2026)
  • Proof of funds, accommodation, and plans to leave the UK
  • Evidence of ties (work, family, studies) that draw you home

Visa fee (cost)

£135 for the standard 6-month visitor visa (April 2026 rate).

Money & funds

No set minimum. Show you can cover the trip without working in the UK and have clear reasons to return home.

Typical timeline

Apply online and provide biometrics; standard visit-visa decisions take around 3 weeks from many countries.

Common refusal reasons

  • Doubt that you will actually leave the UK
  • Funds not credibly explained or recently deposited
  • Inconsistent or unsupported trip purpose
  • Previous UK or immigration breaches
  • A host or sponsor who is not credible or well documented

Where Cuba sits in the official data

Two governments publish visa outcomes broken down by country. Neither predicts an individual decision, but together they show how Cuban applicants fare relative to everyone else, and which of the destinations we cover currently refuses the fewest applications from Cuba.

US visitor visas — FY2025

A 70.9% adjusted refusal rate places Cuba 189th of 199 nationalities the State Department publishes — a lower refusal rate than 5% of them. The median nationality sits at 31.8%, so Cuba is 39.1 points above it.

Schengen short-stay visas — 2025

Across all Schengen consulates in Cuba, 21.8% of short-stay applications were not issued — 80th of 127 countries with a meaningful application volume, and 6.2 points above the 15.6% median.

Schengen short-stay applications lodged in Cuba in 2025, by issuing state. All rows use the European Commission's methodology, so they are comparable with each other — the US figure is computed differently and is shown separately above.
DestinationRefusedIssuedDecided
Spain11.6%88.4%18,764
Portugal17%83%1,074
Italy34.3%65.7%5,076
France34.9%65.1%2,973
the Netherlands38.7%61.3%1,936
Germany42.9%57.1%2,551

Among Schengen states, applications lodged in Cuba were refused least often by Spain at 11.6% and most often by Germany at 42.9% — a gap of 31.3 points on a like-for-like basis. That gap reflects who applies where as much as how strictly each state decides, so it is a starting point for choosing a main destination, not a ranking of leniency. You must still apply to the state where you will spend the most nights.

Demand and outcome moved together for Cuba between 2024 and 2025. Schengen consulates there decided 37,226 short-stay applications, against 46,118 the year before — down 19.3% — while the refusal rate went from 19.6% to 21.8%. Had 2024's rate held, roughly 805 of the 37,226 applicants refused in 2025 would have been issued a visa instead.

Sources: U.S. Department of State — Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas Only, by Nationality and European Commission — Schengen short-stay visa statistics for consulates . Schengen figures are grouped by the country an application was lodged in, not by passport.

Frequently asked questions

What is the UK tourist visa refusal rate for Cuban citizens?

19.9% in year to March 2026, against 24.3% in year to March 2025 — meaning 80.1% of decided cases ended in a visa. Entry clearance tourist visa applications from Cuba nationals decided in the year to March 2026, as a share refused. The Home Office publishes decisions by nationality and visa type; withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded from both sides of the fraction. It is a nationality-wide outcome, not a probability for an individual application. Your own case is assessed on its own evidence, so use the estimator on this page rather than the average.

Where does this UK refusal-rate figure come from?

From UK Home Office — outcomes of entry clearance visa applications by nationality and visa type (Vis_D02), covering year to March 2026. We restate the published figure without adjustment and link the source file directly, so you can check it yourself.

What matters most for a UK tourist visa?

Officers focus on whether you are a genuine visitor who will return home on time. In practice the single biggest lever is return intent, so make that part of your application as strong and well-documented as possible.

Does a previous visa refusal affect my chances?

Yes. A prior refusal weighs on new applications until its underlying reason is addressed. Find out exactly why you were refused, fix what caused it, and clearly show what is different this time.

Is this a guarantee of approval?

No. GetVisaOdds is an educational planning tool, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Only a consular or immigration officer can decide your application. We show approximate odds and the reasons behind them so you can prepare better.

Is my information private?

Completely. The estimate runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server or stored — there is no sign-up and nothing to leak.

How much is a UK visitor visa in 2026?

A Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for a stay of up to 6 months. Long-term visit visas (2, 5, 10 years) cost more.

Can I study on a UK Standard Visitor visa?

Yes, for short courses of up to 6 months. Longer study needs the Student route.

Why are UK visit visas refused?

Most refusals come down to the caseworker not being satisfied you will leave — weak ties, unclear funds, or an unconvincing purpose.

How long does a UK visitor visa take?

Standard processing is around 3 weeks in many countries, though it varies. Priority services can be faster where available.

Explore related visa odds

UK tourist visa odds for other nationalities

Helpful guides

UK ETA 2026: who needs it, cost (£20) and how to apply → How long does a visa take? US, UK, Canada & Schengen (2026) → How to prepare for a tourist visa interview → How to build a travel history that strengthens your visa applications → Invitation and sponsorship letters that actually help → How to read visa approval and refusal rates →