If you plan a trip to Cuba from the United States you should know that it can be a somewhat complicated process due to the U.S. embargo on the island that does not allow traveling for tourist purposes. But don’t worry, because in this post we will explain in details all the documents you need to present and the legal loopholes that make your visit to the country possible.
Be patient and write down everything we tell you below because it will take you some time to gather all the necessary documentation: passport, OFAC authorization, visa, travel insurance… We also answer any questions you may have before your trip and give you tips to make your vacation preparation quick and easy. Are you ready to embark on your trip to Cuba?
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Why can’t you take a trip to Cuba from the United States for tourism purposes?
Under the Trading with the Enemy Act, the Cuban Assets Control Regulation of July 8, 1963, prohibits tourist travel for American citizens.
However, over the years the law has become more permissive and currently OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control), allows travel as long as it is justified by one of the 12 authorised categories covered by the law. These categories do not include tourism. However, there are categories such as “Support for the Cuban People”, which due to its ambiguity justifies almost any type of travel.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
Documents required for traveling to Cuba from the United States
1. U.S. Passport
The first thing you will need to travel to Cuba is a valid U.S. passport. Make sure before you set out on your trip that your passport has a minimum validity of 6 months.
2. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) travel license and the 12 categories
In order to cross the Cuban border you will need an Office of Foreign Assets Authorization certifying that the reason for your trip is not tourist, but falls under one of the 12 legal travel categories.
To get clearance you will need to justify the reason for your trip. For this you will need to submit a detailed daily itinerary to the customs authorities if requested. You should list everything you plan to do, including the cities you will visit, where you will stay, what cultural activities you will participate in, how much time you will have for leisure, etc. The good news is that they don’t usually look at it too closely, even so, it’s a good idea to always have it handy.
These are the categories of travel to Cuba from the United States proposed by OFAC. If you want to analyze them in detail we invite you to read this post: 12 legal travel categories for Cuba.
12 categories of legal travel to Cuba
- Family Visit: this category allows U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba to visit close relatives. The family relationship may be by blood, marriage or adoption, and may not be more than three generations apart.
- Government Activity: U.S. citizens may travel under this category for diplomatic purposes. Involves diplomatic negotiations, bilateral meetings and international conferences.
- Journalistic Activity: travel for reporting and news coverage in Cuba.
- Professional Research: trips for scientific research or conferences that promote the exchange of knowledge and advances in areas such as science, medicine and technology.
- Educational Activities: allows travel to participate in accredited academic programs at Cuban institutions or educational activities organized by U.S. institutions.
- Religious Activities: spiritual trips, attendance to ceremonies and service activities in Cuban religious communities.
- Cultural and Sporting Activities: this category allows participation in cultural events such as musicals, exhibitions, performances and sporting events.
- Support for the Cuban People: this is the most lax category. And although in theory it only allows travel to provide humanitarian aid, direct assistance and provide resources to communities in need. It is easily justifiable and allows movement around the country and spending in local businesses.
- Humanitarian Projects: travel for medical projects, construction, environment, education, among others. Unlike the previous one, this category can only be used at specific times in critical situations.
- Private Foundation or Research Activities for Education Institutes: allows the collaboration between educational institutions and non-profit organizations, fostering research and educational growth.
- Exchange of Information or Informational Material: justifies the trips whose purpose is to participate in events or conferences to share publications for mutual enrichment.
- Authorized Export Activities: travel related to authorized commercial exchange of goods and services between the two countries.
3. Customs and health form
All travelers wishing to enter Cuba must present a Health Declaration and a Customs Declaration form. You will be able to complete the form at the airport. But if you want to save time, we recommend that you complete it before starting your trip. You can download the form at DViajeros, an official government website specifically for this purpose.
4. Travel medical insurance
To travel to Cuba from the United States you will need medical insurance to cover the costs of any unforeseen health event on the island. There are many private companies offering these services, so you’ll be spoiled for choice.
It is not necessary for the insurance to include trip protection or cancellation, delay or baggage loss clauses.
5. Visa
Both U.S. and non-U.S. travelers will need a visa to enter Cuba. This document allows you to stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days and is valid for 6 months.
Some US airlines provide this document with the purchase of the ticket. This process requires an extra cost ranging from 50USD to 100 USD, and can be done online or at the gate.
The most common way to get the visa, is through the official government website or at the consulate or embassy of the country. On the internet the visa can be obtained in less than a week, and through the consulate or embassy the process can take several weeks. Our recommendation is that you do not apply for the visa more than 3 months in advance as it has a maximum validity of 6 months.
If you are traveling from the United States it is worthwhile to get the visa with the ticket as the price is lower. If you process the visa through the website or embassy the price can go up to 150 USD for a 90-day trip. From other countries the visa is not so expensive. For example, from Spain it costs €31 if processed three days in advance and €55 if processed one day before.
The two types of visas depending on your country of origin are:
- Green Visa: This visa allows entry to Cuba to everyone through international airports not in the United States. It is the standard visa that allows you to stay in Cuba for up to 90 days, and you can extend your stay for additional 30 days. In the case of Canada, it is allowed to extend the stay 90 days more.
- Pink Visa: this visa allows U.S. citizens to enter Cuba from U.S. airports for a period of 90 days, with the possibility of extending it 30 days more.
If before arriving in Cuba you are going to make a stopover in the United States remember that, regardless of your country of origin, you will need the ESTA and the Pink Visa.
To get the visa you will need to present a copy of your passport with a minimum validity of 6 months from the beginning of your trip and travel insurance in addition to paying the corresponding fees. If you want to know more about visas in Cuba you can find out in this post: Visas for traveling to Cuba from the United States.
6. Return airline ticket
A return ticket is required when traveling to Cuba to demonstrate that you intend to leave the country before your permitted period of stay expires.
Verification of the return ticket usually occurs when applying for the visa, during check-in at the airport of origin or when boarding the plane. Immigration agents in Cuba may also request it upon arrival in the country.
What else should I know before traveling to Cuba?
- The currency of Cuba is the Cuban peso.
- The official language is Spanish, but you will also be able to communicate perfectly well in English.
- U.S. credit and debit cards don’t work in Cuba; you’ll need to bring cash and exchange it for Cuban pesos.
- Travel with a first aid kit with basic medicines, there may be shortages in pharmacies.
- Don’t forget to include light clothing, insect repellent and sunscreen in your luggage
- Cover yourself for medical emergencies: travel insured.
- Always drink bottled water.
- Take sunscreen with you, especially in the summer months, as well as light clothing that covers you from the sun’s rays and stay hydrated.
- Always carry your travel documents with you.
- If you are an American, you must keep all Cuban tikets and receipts for 5 years.
How to organize a trip to Cuba
Register or download the Passporter App and discover all of its possibilities.
- Get inspired by other travelers’ experiences, photos and itineraries.
- Organize your trip by the categories that suit you best: dates, number of days or typology (beach, mountain, restaurants…).
- Add your friends so they can see and modify all the plans and information of the trip.
- Create your own itinerary of your destination with everything you feel like visiting each day.
- Add the stops that interest you the most, including your accommodation, restaurants, museums…
- Book your flights, accommodations, transfers and activities through a single app.
- Save all your documents in the app to always have everything at hand: reservations, boarding passes, important documentation…
- Make any modifications you need and you’ll be all set for your trip
- Share your experience with other users. Upload photos of the places you have visited on your trip to the app and inspire other travelers with your experience. In addition, you will be able to share your own tips on how to travel to Cuba from the United States.
If you have doubts about how to do it, you can check our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.
Frequently asked questions about a trip to Cuba from the United States
To travel to Cuba you will need your passport, visa, travel medical insurance, return airline ticket, customs and health form. And if you are traveling from the United States you will also need the Office of Foreign Assets Control Travel License.
To travel from the United States you will need the Pink Visa, which allows you to stay in the country for up to 90 days.
U.S. residents may travel to Cuba provided they present the necessary documents and authorization under one of the 12 legal categories.
The category will depend on the type of travel you will be doing, but if your objective is to travel for tourism purposes, the best option is to select the category of “Support for the Cuban People”.
To enter the country you need to have a medical insurance that covers health incidents. It is not necessary to cover aspects of the trip such as flight delays or lost luggage.
The visa takes about 3 days to process online and about a week at the consulate. If you pay more, it can be processed in 24 hours.
The price depends on the place of origin and the urgency with which you need it. It ranges from 25€ to 100$.
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