Cayman changes visa requirements for nationals from four regional countries

The Cayman Islands will require nationals of Peru, Venezuela, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic to obtain visas for entry or transit from April 2, 2026, following Cabinet approval of amendments to its Customs and Border Control regulations — a move the government says is necessary to prevent the territory from becoming a transit point for irregular migration, amid growing displacement pressures across the Caribbean and Latin America.

The Cayman Islands Cabinet has approved amendments to the Customs and Border Control (Visas, Entry and Landing) Regulations, introducing new visa requirements for nationals of four countries — Peru, Venezuela, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic — effective April 2, 2026.

Under the revised rules, Peruvian and Venezuelan nationals must now obtain visas for both entry into and transit through the Cayman Islands. Nationals of Haiti and the Dominican Republic face a narrower requirement: in-transit visas when passing through the territory en route to other destinations.

Home Affairs Minister Nickolas DaCosta, announcing the changes on March 30, described the amendments as a “proactive and essential measure” to prevent the Cayman Islands from being used as a transit point for irregular or unlawful migration, while maintaining compliance with international obligations.

The regulations — formally cited as the Customs and Border Control (Visas, Entry and Landing) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 — also formalise the existing schedule of visa fees and extensions, with no changes to current costs.

Specific exemptions have been built in to protect legitimate travel. Cruise ship passengers completing short-term transfers — those who, within 24 hours of arrival, transfer to another vessel, depart on the same ship, or leave by air — are exempt. So too are commercial airline crew, private jet charter crew, and air ambulance personnel contracted to a recognised Cayman healthcare provider.

Customs and Border Control Director Bruce Smith said the updates strengthen the territory’s ability to screen travellers and manage risk “without disrupting legitimate movement.”

• Effective date: April 2, 2026 • Peru and Venezuela: visas required for both entry and transit • Haiti and Dominican Republic: in-transit visas required when transiting through Cayman • Visa fees remain unchanged • Exemptions apply to cruise transfer passengers (within 24 hours), airline crew, private jet crew, and air ambulance personnel • Amendments formally cited as the Customs and Border Control (Visas, Entry and Landing) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 • Cabinet approved the amendments following a March 30 government announcement.

For Haiti and the Dominican Republic — two of the Caribbean’s most populous nations — the new in-transit visa requirement adds a bureaucratic hurdle to travel routes that often pass through well-connected hubs like Grand Cayman. For Haitians in particular, already navigating one of the region’s most challenging travel environments, the added requirement is likely to complicate onward journeys. The measures signal a broader trend of small Caribbean territories tightening border controls in response to regional displacement.

“Nearly eight million people had fled Venezuela by 2025, according to one source, as economic and political instability continued to drive one of the largest displacement crises in the Western Hemisphere.”

— Source content citing regional migration data