Yes! Contrary to popular belief, you can travel to Cuba! In fact, not only is it legal, but it is also highly recommended!

The confusion regarding Cuban travel lies in there being many articles and headlines using the word “ban” to explain the travel regulations. Yes, there are some restrictions and hoops to jump through but, overall, the process is quite simple once you read through the stipulations in minute detail. Lucky for you, I did that part so you don’t have to!

Before I lay out the step-by-step process, I want to first provide some historical context. I have done this through a brief, mostly-factual* 60-year timeline of international relations between the United States and Cuba. This will help explain why traveling to this island nation has stipulations that don’t exist elsewhere. If you don’t care about the backstory of two star-crossed lovers and just want to learn about how you can travel to Cuba, feel free to scroll right on past!

HISTORY

It is safe to say that if Cuba and the United States were on Facebook, their relationship status would be “it’s complicated”. Trade embargoes, travel restrictions, and political prisoners have kept the two countries at least 6 feet from each other for quite some time now. Some would even say Cuba and the U.S. diplomatically distanced before it was cool. Too soon?

1959: President Fulgencio Batista (a military dictator backed by the U.S.) is overthrown by Fidel Castro and company in the famous Cuban Revolution.
1960: Among other things, Castro raises tariffs on U.S. imports and strikes a deal with the U.S.S.R. President Eisenhower despises this and, among other things, bans U.S.-made exports to Cuba.
1961: Referred to as the “Bay of Pigs Invasion”, President JFK sends more than 1,000 CIA-sponsored Cuban exiles overseas to overthrow Mr. Castro. Long story short, they don’t stand a chance and get stamped out quickly.
1962: In case the spies didn’t piss off Castro enough, JFK decides to forbid all trade with Cuba drastically affecting their economy. Remember how Castro struck a deal with the Soviets in 1960? Well, 6 months after JFK’s trade embargo is announced, the U.S. discovers Soviet nuclear missile bases in Cuba. This catalyzes a 13-day tiff also known as the “Cuban Missile Crisis”. With the world staring a nuclear war in the face, the U.S. strikes a deal with both the Soviets and Cubans. The U.S. tells the Soviets, “We’ll take our nuclear death toys out of Turkey if you take yours out of Cuba”. The U.S. tells the Cubans, “Even though we don’t like you, we won’t invade your country.”
1963: JFK still doesn’t like Cuba and forbids U.S. citizens from traveling there. Later this year, JFK is assassinated.
1966: The U.S. opens its borders to Cuban residents and passes immigration bills allowing Cubans to obtain their permanent residency one year after arrival. These bills aren’t perfect though since preference is given to migrants with family living in the States but it’s a step in the right direction.
1977: President Jimmy Carter and Fidel Castro hash out some of their differences and decide that they can be acquaintances (note: still not BFFs). Travel to Cuba is designated as “chill”.
1982: President Ronald Reagan doesn’t like Castro’s new profile picture thinking it sponsors terrorism. With this, he disallows travel for U.S. citizens to Cuba (along with the tightening of trade restrictions).
1985: The U.S. starts broadcasting news and entertainment programming to Cuba but the Cuban government is like, “Get your propaganda outta here”. Castro also suspends immigration agreements with the U.S. this year.
1992: President George H.W. Bush increases sanctions on Cuba following the Soviet Union’s collapse.
1994: President Bill Clinton puts the “wet foot, dry foot” policy into effect. This means Cubans who make it onto U.S. soil are allowed to remain and pursue residency after one year while those caught at sea are sent back.
1996: Clinton signs the “Helms-Burton Act” reinforcing the still-present trade embargo and penalizing foreign companies for doing business with Cuba. Clinton states, “Until the Castro bros leave office, adopt democracy, and release our peeps from political prison, they are not invited to any of my birthday parties.”
1998: Five Cuban spies are arrested in Miami for trying to get invitations to Clinton’s 43rd birthday party.
2000: Although Castro didn’t receive any birthday invites from the Clinton administration, he got one from Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. The exchange involves Venezuela sending cheap oil to Cuba and getting health care, technological, and educational resources in return. Why does this matter? Well, it just so happens that at the time, Venezuela was one of the largest suppliers of foreign oil to the United States.
2008: Fidel Castro steps down from power and his brother, Raúl, steps in. With Raúl comes a sliver of light that perhaps diplomatic change could be afoot. In other words, the U.S. and Cuba are friends on MySpace but they aren’t in each other’s “Top Eight”.
2009: President Barack Obama scales back trade and travel restrictions. The trade embargo still remains.
2014: President Obama and Raúl Castro follow each other on Instagram; full diplomatic ties are restored.
2015: The United States and Cuba reopen their embassies in each country, but the trade embargo is still in place.
2016: President Obama visits Cuba and meets with Raúl Castro making him the first serving president to do so in close to 100 years. To boot, commercial flights between the two countries resume for the first time in over 50 years.
2017: President Donald Trump retweets travel and economic restrictions of presidents past. This act cancels out much of the headway Obama forged to move diplomatic relations between the two countries forward.
2018: Raúl Castro steps down marking the “end” of the Castro era (the quotes demarcate his plans to serve as First Secretary of the Communist Party until 2021). Later this year, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton utters that Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua are part of the “Troika of Tyranny'“. You could say this ruffled some feathers.
2019: President Trump further strengthens travel restrictions to Cuba. No longer can U.S. citizens travel to Cuba under the travel category “people-to-people”. You guessed it, the travel embargo still remains to this day.
2020: Trump advisers are currently in talks to return Cuba to the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism joining Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. This comes five years after Obama removed Cuba from this infamous list. This potential ploy to increase his chances of getting reelected would surely increase tension between the two countries.

*I paraphrased much of the above historical information from the Council on Foreign Relations’ website. CFR is a nonpartisan think tank whose purpose is to address “the need for Americans to better understand the world“. The debatable anecdotes did not come from this website and are my own.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW CAN I TRAVEL TO CUBA?

The Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) bans travel to Cuba for “tourist activities” but what does that mean? To make a long story short, it means that a vacation to Cuba to sip piña coladas while lounging on the beach for a week isn’t going to happen. Unfortunately, you also cannot take a cruise ship to a seaside resort.

Don’t let that deter you though because you can absolutely still travel to Cuba! While tourist activities are prohibited, the OFAC has issued licences for 12 categories of authorized travel. There used to be 13 categories but in 2019, President Trump repealed “people-to-people” travel, lowering the number of authorized travel categories from 13 to 12. I make note of this because it made traveling to Cuba without a tour group more difficult for U.S. citizens. If you plan to backpack through Cuba, the category you will select is “Support for the Cuban People” (more on what that means below). The other 11 categories are:

Activities of Private Foundations or Research/Educational Institutes
Certain Authorized Export Transactions
Educational Activities
Exportation, Importation, or Transmission of Information or Informational Materials
Family Visits
Humanitarian Projects
Journalistic Activity
Official Business of the U.S. Government, Foreign Governments, and Certain Intergovernmental Organizations
Professional Research and Professional Meetings
Public Performances, Athletic and Other Competitions, Exhibitions, Clinics, and Workshops
Religious Activities

WHAT DOES “SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE” MEAN?

As you can tell, traveling to Cuba is slightly more difficult than traveling to other countries. Not only do you need to select an authorized travel category but you also need to obtain certain documentation and follow specific regulations. Below is what traveling to Cuba in “Support for the Cuban People” entails. Note: You can find more information in this FAQ document created by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Follow a full-time schedule of activities in support of the Cuban people.
- This full-time schedule must include details on where and how you will spend your money at local, privately-owned places of business (restaurants, art shops, casa particulares, etc.).
- This does not necessarily mean booking a guided tour but you must have a detailed itinerary on you at all times in case you are questioned (I never was but had a copy on me just in case).
- The FAQ document referenced above is quoted as saying: “A group of friends traveling to Cuba could maintain a full-time schedule volunteering with a recognized non-governmental organization to build a school for under-served Cuban children with the local community. The travelers would need to ensure that their activities promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba and that they engage in a full-time schedule of activities that enhance contact with the Cuban people, support civil society in Cuba, or promote the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities, and result in meaningful interaction between the travelers and individuals in Cuba.” Does this seem a little fuzzy to you? Me, too. My itinerary was not nearly as robust as this but included activities such as renting bikes from local vendors to explore museums and going to a privately-owned restaurants performing live, traditional music. The gray area here is frustrating but to be safe, I encourage you to be overly-cautious with your itinerary and plans.
Do not spend money at state-owned businesses (including hotels) on this list (follow the most up to date document).
Keep all records and receipts for 5 years.
Obtain a Tourist Card
- More information regarding this process below.

WHAT HAPPENS ONCE MY AUTHORIZED TRAVEL CATEGORY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED?

There are three main pieces of documentation needed for travel to Cuba as a U.S. citizen: a valid passport, a tourist card (corresponding to your identified travel category), and proof of Cuban health insurance. A valid passport is self-explanatory but more on the other two pieces of documentation below. Note: Some country’s citizens will need a visa instead of a tourist card but the number of these countries is small relatively speaking (more information below).

WHAT IS A TOURIST CARD?

In principle, a tourist card is similar to a visa but it is important to note that they are two separate entities. Citizens of some countries need visas while citizens of other countries need only a tourist card. The most up-to-date list can be found here.

There are two types of tourist cards: pink and green. Pink cards are for travelers whose last flight is from the United States to Cuba while green tourist cards are for citizens whose last flight is from any other country to Cuba. Given the track record of international relations between the U.S. and Cuba, the pink tourist cards are naturally more expensive. If you are a U.S. citizen though, both cards serve the same purpose. They allow for travel throughout Cuba for 30 days and can be extended once (for an additional 30 days). Different countries have different travel regulations regarding the length of their tourist cards (For example, Canadian citizens are granted 90 days of travel).

HOW DO I OBTAIN A TOURIST CARD?

There are three main ways to obtain your tourist card under the travel category “Support for the Cuban People”: through your airline, at the airport, or in advance via online purchase. Note: To get a tourist card for any of the other 11 categories, you must purchase them online through the Cuban Consulate.

Through your airline: When you purchase your airfare to Cuba, be sure to read the fine print and/or check in with your airline. Some airlines include your tourist card in the ticket price although I would say it is rare.
At the airport: I flew JetBlue to Cuba (Chicago to Fort Lauderdale to Havana) and was able to purchase my tourist card from the JetBlue kiosk at the final U.S. airport on my itinerary. This costs $50 USD and must be purchased with a major credit card. Note: I was not able to buy my tourist card at the JetBlue kiosk in Chicago because it was not the final U.S. airport on my itinerary.
Via online purchase: I list this option last because you shouldn’t need to resort to this. Most airlines and airports will offer the option to purchase your tourist card through them. But in the event they do not, you can purchase your tourist card through Cuba Visa Services or Easy Tourist Card. Tourist cards on these two sites cost $85 USD and $103 USD respectively.

HOW DO I OBTAIN CUBAN HEALTH INSURANCE?

Luckily, all U.S. airlines include the price of Cuban health insurance ($25 USD) in their ticket prices. This means you do not need to do anything to obtain this insurance other than hold onto your boarding pass. This is important though because the boarding pass serves as your proof of insurance and will be stamped once you pass through Cuban customs. Note: This included health insurance is only valid for 30 days from your arrival date. If you extend your tourist card an additional 30 days, you will need to do the same for your health insurance.

WHAT IF I WANT TO TRAVEL THROUGH A TOUR AGENCY?

All of the above information is aimed at those looking to travel to Cuba without a tour group, but there are many travel agencies that have been running trips to Cuba for decades. A quick Google search will get you an extensive list. If you prefer this method of travel, I have a few pieces of advice. This may seem obvious, but be sure to do your research to ensure you are booking your trip through an operator that is licensed for Cuban travel. As with most things, I encourage you to shop local and book through an agency employing Cuban people and/or based in Cuba. Not only does this boost the local economy but you can’t beat first-hand experiences and information from someone who lives there!

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW BEFORE TRAVELING TO CUBA?

Passport & Itinerary: Be sure to carry both with you at all times. Park rangers and museum operators will likely ask to see your passport before entering their respective establishments. As mentioned above, no one ever asked to see my itinerary but you should have it on you to be safe.
Internet & Wi-Fi: Internet connection is extremely limited in Cuba. Some restaurants and casa particulares offer free Wi-Fi but I wouldn’t come to expect it. Don’t worry, you’ll know who has it since Wi-Fi is clearly (and loudly) advertised as a selling point for tourists. If there is Wi-Fi offered though, it is not always free. I recommend purchasing NAUTA internet cards at ETECSA offices and going early since stores often run out of their supply. Most offices are open from 8:30am-7:00pm and sell cards at a rate of 24 CUP/hour. Cards are sold in 30-minute, 1-hour, and 5-hour increments and are valid for 30 days.
- Here is a list of ETECSA locations you can purchase internet cards from. If you can’t find an ETECSA near you or if you don’t have internet to access the above link, all major hotels sell the NAUTA cards as well or you can buy them off street vendors at parks or squares (at a higher cost). Just be sure the cards sold to you don’t have the password scratched off yet.
- Here is a list of public locations where internet cards can be used to access Wi-Fi. If you don’t have access to the above link, you will know which locations these are since you’ll see dozens of tourists sitting outside them on their cell phones.
Cash, Credit Cards, & Debit Cards: Most U.S. credit and debit cards do not work in Cuba. There are exceptions but I recommend bringing enough cash with you to last the entirety of your trip. If you bring USD into Cuba, you can convert them into CUPs at the Havana airport. Even though the line will be long, it is a much better option than trading money with a street vendor (which I do not recommend).
Accommodation: Up until the 2000s, there was nowhere for tourists to stay outside of the government-owned, expensive hotels. Since then, other options for tourists have popped up but don’t expect to find hostels like you would in other countries. The main places to stay are known as “casas particulares” which are essentially guesthouses or B&Bs with private rooms. Some of these “casas” will have shared rooms but, generally, you should expect to pay for a room instead of solely a bed. The plus side of these “casas” is that in most cases you will be staying with local Cubans and their families as well as eating delicious, home-cooked meals. Since this is the case, I recommend brushing up on your Spanish before your visit as most locals speak limited English.
Cuban Cigars: If you are hoping to bring some of these home as souvenirs, be sure not to buy them off street vendors. Given the strict regulations behind cigar production in Cuba, real cigars can only be purchased in specialized shops. Don’t be fooled!

CONCLUSION

Even though there is quite a lot to know before you travel to Cuba, I could not recommend it any more. It is one of the most fascinating and welcoming places I have ever visited! There is no other country that can compete when it comes to the number of dinner invitations I received from Cubans while here. The people I met were curious to hear about life in the United States. It was a wonderful exchange because I was just as eager to hear about their life experiences in return!

Unfortunately, there are individuals and organizations from the U.S. with very loud opinions of this Caribbean nation and its people. These are the words and tweets most often internalized by its citizens. How can you change the narrative? Put differently, don’t just support the Cuban people as your tourist card says, but stand in solidarity with them instead.