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| In Cuba: Festivals Workshops US to Cuba Travel
News Restrictions on Traveling from Cuba to the US Private houses Cuban Law
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Traveling to Cuba
Traveling to Cuba can be one of those life transforming experiences. Here we present some practical information to help make that a reality. There are always two aspects of going to Cuba, the part having to do with the Cuban government, of course, and, especially in the case of the US, the part having to do with your country of residence. For the Cuban government end, see Cuban Government sites in Cuba, Cuban Interests Section in Washington DC, and Cuban Law, Visas, & Security. If you are a Cuban American living in the US, see the very informative new site by the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, DC. You fall under a separate system than other Americans and must tend to those details. For the US government end, see US Government. If you are not subject to US law, skip this next section. If you are
not a US national and a resident in the US, you are still subject to these restrictions. Tthese regulations have changed and will continue to change, see Changes in US Licensing Rules - 5/12/99 and especially the new State Department site up as of 10/99. Also, the number of people being fined for going down illegally is up, people are being sent fine letters without being "caught in the act," raising suspicions that Canada and Mexico turn over passenger manifests. This appears unlikely given the numbers, however. Of between 25,000 and 100,000 illegal visits in 2002, only some 600 received letters for fines. Currently, in order to go down legally if you are a US citizen you need a Treasury license, which you obtain from OFAC, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. If you are Cuban-American or married to one, you can go down once every 3 years under a "general license" for humanitarian reasons (grave illness in the family, etc) and you only need to notify them via a form, but you do not need to get a license from them before leaving. If you are a "U.S. and foreign government official traveling on official business, including a representative of international organizations of which the U.S. is a member; or a journalist regularly employed by a news reporting organization," you also qualify for this "general license." Otherwise you need to get a license from OFAC to avoid being at risk for large fines ($3,000 to $10,000 typically!). Check out http://travel.state.gov/cuba.html and http://www.treas.gov/ofac/cubapage.html A category which used to provide an out was to be fully hosted by a Cuban entity. The level of proof now required is high - you must have full documentation for every expense. There are still some categories which qualify for a treasury
license: full time students, musicians, dancers, anyone going down for professional
reasons, journalists, and so on. Treasury tends to encourage group travel and frowns on
individual researchers, which makes you wonder who is the collectivist here.... Note that Cuban Americans and Americans who are married to Cubans have a general humanitarian license to go down periodically in case of a grave problem such as a serious illness in the family. This used to be once a year, it has now been pushed back to once every 3 years. Others who apply for a license that they need to receive in their hands
are subject to resource scarcities within Treasury, the body that grants licenses. Unless
of course you get one through your academic institution if they have had the foresight
(perhaps with some help from you, dear reader!) to get a general license enabling them to
issue licenses to their students, staff, and faculty. We do not recommend going through the Bahamas. US Customs there have been known to confiscate religious objects. Also, as one reader reports: "Jamaica, Bermuda, and the Dominican Republic permit US Customs and CIA 'stations' in their major airports; Mexico does not." Note that the CIA is probably more focused on spying than law enforcement, so the determining factor is more likely the presence of Customs. When you travel via Cancun, you pass customs in the US. Via Canada, you
pass US customs in Canada, but they seem more reasonable and less apt to 'tag' you. Do not
bring cigars back, they are very illegal... and if you've been bad and have asked the
Cubans and the Mexicans not to stamp your passport (bribing the Mexicans with $20 folded
into your passport, although some say that is not necessary), then be sure to tell the
truth if later on a US Customs agent asks you where you've been. It's a worse sin (a
felony) to lie to a federal officer than to go to Cuba without a license, which is
punished by fines, typically hefty these days. Be aware that you have to ask both the Cubans and the
Mexicans to not stamp your passport or they will. The Cubans will honor this request
for free... When you come back from Cuba under a license, you are able to bring in items protected by the Berman amendment: books, CDs, videos, even works of art. |
The regulations on this vary from airline to airline -- check with them. Cubana is among the strictest, and will even refuse to take on excess bags or will charge you charge $7 a pound. Mexicana/Aeromexico are among the most generous. Check with your carrier ahead of time. Their stated policies are sometimes stricter than what they do on the ground...
Tourist visas for anyone, American or not, as long as you were not born in Cuba or are not visiting Cuban relatives, are easy to obtain and come as a part of your travel package when you buy your ticket. Visas for journalists and researchers declared as such are a separate matter and require an application to the Cuban Consulate in your country (Washington, DC for the US). Cuban Americans born in Cuba also need to get special permission as they are viewed with somewhat more suspicion and have to be checked out... see Cuban Interests Section.
Be sure to understand some essentials of Cuban law. You will need to have a hotel
room arranged in Cuba before you get there, or at least have one to declare to Imigracion
when you arrive. You can stay at a friend's house or a licensed private boarding house,
but we suggest you do that only if they have cleared the way for it. Cuban citizens
can be fined $1,000 (a fortune in Cuba) for having a foreigner as an overnight guest if
they themselves don't
1) get permission from Imigracion or
2) pay $100/month or more for a license to do this on a commercial basis.
This fine can be doubled if not paid in 30 days, after which they go to jail at the rate
of $1/day. Cubans can get permission to have a foreign friend stay at their house,
but this requires that they go and declare you with Imigracion and you will need to go and
show your passport. As of spring, '99, this procedure has been simplified and anyone
can have a foreign guest by paying for a $50 ($40?) stamp ahead of time with Imigracion,
which gives one permission to have a foreign guest for a determined stay.
Once in Cuba, be aware that some Cubans are eager to hustle you and that this can
be severely punished - prostitution can get the woman 5 years in jail and, under the new
laws, 20 years or more for the pimp. Informal street vending can be punished by fines and jail time. Ordinary Cubans
walking the streets with foreigners are automatically subject to a check on ID papers to
the point where many Cubans refuse to walk with foreigners as they could be fined if their
papers are not in order. This is even more the case for black cubans, who will
be singled out when white cubans are let by.
In general, Cuban police lean over backwards not to molest tourists since Cuba is so
dependent on tourism for income and since Cubans are basically very polite people and
hospitable to strangers.
Personal security on the island is in general quite good. Until recently, crime was
little known. That is changing with the continued economic hard times and we have
seen a rise in crime which reached dangerous levels in '97 and '98 in certain areas such
as Old Havana (Habana Vieja) and parts of Santiago, where purse snatchings and muggings
were common. Because of this, there is now extra vigilance by the police who
have taken to asking for IDs a lot more frequently and crime has gone down all
over. Such ID checks are common in tourist and high visibility areas such as the
Malecon along the Havana shore. It is less common in non-tourist areas. There
are recent (2001) changes in the penal code which drastically increase prison sentences,
though prisoners are eligible for parole after serving half of their sentences, unlike the
US where parole is increasingly not part of the picture. Already a Cuban can get a
jail sentence of up to 70 years for fighting with or attacking a tourist. Even so, best to
consult local Cubans on what are the safe areas and what aren't. However, with the
crackdown, folks report that foreigners feel they can walk the streets again...
The level of crime in the worst places is not even comparable to US levels, though hard numbers are not easy to come by. Many Cubans are in fact supportive of the current crackdown as there is a tremendous personal fear triggered by a few murders. They have nothing to compare this to and are unaware that their murder rate is far, far less than what can be experienced in any major US city.
The dollar is no longer recognized in Cuba. You will need to change them into Convertible.
Credit cards, including Visa/MasterCard, are recognized in Cuba so long as they are not from a US bank. People report mixed results with travellers' checks. Non-US based checks definitely work, as do checks bought in the US via companies such as Thomas Cook. Some have reported that US based CityBank traveller's checks work but American Express don't -- perhaps this is a result of some past dispute. Others say American Express checks work fine. However, we did get a note from an American Express employee who lost her checks in Cuba and was refused reimbursement. So it may be the case that you can cash checks bought in the US or from a US company, but you may not be able to get your money back if they are stolen! Check on this matter with whoever you buy from...
US travelers frequently either pay in cash or use travelers checks from Thomas Cook. One easy way is to establish Canadian card is Transcard, a debit card where you can deposit funds before your trip, even if you do not live in Canada. If you travel through a third country, you can buy travelers' checks in that country (not American Express!) before getting into Cuba, and they will be recognized in Cuba as well as reimbursed if lost.
US dollars in Cuba are known as "fula" and pesos, "nacional"
Sending money to Cuba: see Money Transfers and Package Delivery
| Location | Name | Phone Fax |
Email/Web site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Anais Valdez: Montreal
Daily flights |
Tel: 1-866-526-0022
(toll free) (514) 526-0022 Fax: (514) 526-6662 |
Voyages.Multi-destinos@videotron.net |
| Cuba | Cuba Linda: former CIA agent Phillip Agee's travel service in Havana! | +53-7-553980, fax +53-7-553686. | www.cubalinda.com
|
| Olivia King Center | Not a travel agent, but organize itineraries around the religion and the culture. Based in Havana | ||
| Europe | Cuba Viva | UK | |
| Cuba Linda | France | Reserve a private house in Cuba, "casa particular." | |
| Mexico | Cuba Travel Corporation Cancun, Mexico Roberto Paneque |
52.98.80-8160 52.98.80-8184 FAX (98) 48-0175 CEL (98) 74-2822 |
rpaneque@cuba-travel.com.mx |
| USA | Marazul Tours: New Jersey and Florida | 800 223-5334 | www.marazultours.com |
| Common Ground Travel | 617 661-7653 | www.commongroundtravel.com | |
| Caribbean Air Services | 305 681-3007 | avstop.com/index/Cuba.htm Caribbean-Air-Service@avstop.com |
|
| Cuba Travel Service | Tel: 310-772-2822 Fax: 310-645-9460 |
LA to Cuba www.LAtoCuba.com |
|
Visit their web site, http://www.cuba-travel.com. Roberto Paneque is Cuban and knows his island well. He can fix you up with a variety of deals. Cancun is a flexible departure point, with many flights to Havana. AeroMexico is among the most lenient airlines for excess weight, charging only $1 pound as of 6/99 (double check!).
The grand-dady of the Cuban tour operators. Many tours covering a variety of subjects. Like any US group, they must insure compliance with licensing requirements. Departures via Miami and other points. See: http://www.marazultours.com.
Ms Valdez, a Cubana, is experienced in putting together those Quebec charter flights
that are such good deals. Departures from Montreal are on Friday and the weekend, less
frequent than Cancun. Ms Valdez can also route you via Cancun, Toronto, or other points,
of course.
"Los Jueves y Sabados las salidas son Montreal-Habana
(vuelos directos y con horarios interesantes para todos). Los Domingos son vuelos con
escala en Varadero para las personas de Matanzas. Tambien ofrecemos vuelos a Holguin,
Ciego de Avila. Ofrecemos vuelos nacionales reservados desde Montreal. Hoteles para todos
los bugets. Alquileres de autos. Alquiles privados de aviones de 2 hasta 7 pasajeros.
Excursiones culturales. Paquetes de grupos especializados para todos los eventos."
voyages.multi-destinos@videotron.net
"We have flights 3 times a week. Thursday and Saturday, the flights are Montreal to Havana, direct flights with convenient hours. Sundays are flights with stops in Varadero for those going to Matanzas. We also offer flights to Holguin and Ciego de Avila. We also offer internal flights reserved from Montreal. Hotels for all budgets. Car rentals. Private plane rentals from 2 to 7 passengers. Cutlural tours. Specialised group packages for all events." voyages.multi-destinos@videotron.net
2016 Joliette, Montreal
Canada, H1W 3G6
Tel: 1-866-526-0022 (toll free)
(514) 526-0022
Fax: (514) 526-6662
voyages.multi-destinos@videotron.net
Cuban Government Web Sites
http://www.cubagov.cu
http://www.cubaweb.cu
(esp)Cuban Interests Section
Washington, DC
A little piece of Havana in DC! 202 797-8518 and 8519
For the consulate: 202 797-8609, 8610 (frequently busy, you may have to redial 50 times)
See also our page on them, where we list events we hear about: Cuban
Interests Section
For travel to Cuba, the visa is given directly by the travel agency/tour operator so you don't need to contact the Section. Only Cuban Americans, journalists and researchers need to clear their visas through the Cuban Interests Section.
They seem to have only a page on the Swiss Embassy site:
www.eda.admin.ch/washington_emb/e/home/cuban.html
See especially OFAC's Cuba
Sanctions Program - Guidelines and Information
and also their Cuba legal page: http://www.treas.gov/ofac/legal/index.html
There are two pieces on efforts to defend the right to
travel to Cuba:
Wall of Lawyer to Defend Travel Right
Global Exchange mounts challenge to Treasury's control of travel rights
| From: LisaCubaSi@aol.com Date: Sun, 28 Jun 1998 22:27:53 EDT Subject: Cuba Travel Folks, As most of you are aware, despite impressions in media to the contrary, travel by
Americans to Cuba and VISAS for Cubans coming to the US are more difficult than ever
before to obtain for common folks. With the change in regulations
stating the new catagory "presumed guilt," there really is no way to travel to
Cuba without risking fines and harassment, EXCEPT and ONLY with a license from the US
Treasury. America, once "Land of the Free'" is anything but that. We no |
| Treasury regulations made public May 12, 1999 (www.treas.gov/ofac) state that: * Universities and nongovernmental organizations in the United States will be able to apply for two-year permits for travel to Cuba, to be used by any member. Such travelers now must apply for individual licenses for each trip. * Academic researchers enrolled in degree-granting institutions can travel to Cuba without prior U.S. approval, but may be asked to provide proof of their work when they return. They now need individual trip licenses. * The amount that U.S. visitors to Cuba can spend per day is increased from $100 to $185. * Anyone in the United States, not just Cuban exiles, will be allowed to remit up to $300 every three months to friends or relatives on the island, but not to senior Cuban government or party officials. U.S. groups, now banned from sending money, can seek special permission to send money to groups or individuals in Cuba. * A regulation requiring Cuban exiles to have "an extreme humanitarian need" to qualify for travel to Cuba is amended to remove the word extreme. * The process for approving nonimmigrant U.S. visas for Cubans on cultural or scientific exchanges will be significantly quickened. For further info, consult: www.treas.gov/ofac |
| Web Site Informs on Cuban Issues To help Americans understand the rules and regulations governing travel to Cuba, the U.S. embargo against the island and other issues, the State Department has unveiled a special Web site, reports The Associated Press. The Web site address is: http://www.state.gov/www/regions/wha/cuba/index.html For the first time since the early 1960s, there are direct passenger flights between New York and Cuba starting Friday Dec 17, 1999. The flights by Marazul Charters go from Kennedy Airport to Havana. The round-trip fare will be $629, about $300 less than from New York to Havana via Miami. |
At Jose Marti Airport, Havana
http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/78224.html
We have heard that from Montego Bay you can take a boat to Santiago de Cuba in Oriente for $40.00. Seems like a nice way of getting there without an automated passenger manifest... That's all we know, folks. For further details, consult a travel agent. You can also check out http://www.heaveho.net/, it might be about this trip, we don't know!
Cubanonet
www.cubanonet.com/pub/home.html
Google Directory - Regional > Caribbean > Cuba > Travel and Tourism
Travel to Cuba
http://www.1click2Cuba.com
Besides hotels, there are private houses ("casas particulares"), which, under license, can rent rooms or apartments. Note that without a license, the Cuban runs a risk of up to a $1,000 fine.
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