If you are a US citizen, you can still visit Cuba in 2024. However, unlike your neighbors traveling from Canada, you will be subject to specific regulations from the US government.
For example, doing “tourism,” like staying at a resort on a Cuban beach, isn’t allowed. Your trip must fall into one of 12 categories of authorized travel to Cuba. You must also comply with certain financial restrictions while on the island.
This article offers our first-hand experience organizing trips from the US to Cuba for over seven years. We will answer all your questions about going to Cuba as an American, including the entry requirements, the 12 categories of authorized travel, People-to-People travel, the Support for the Cuban People license, and much more.
In this guide, we cover all of it.
Can Americans Travel to Cuba in 2024?
The simple answer is yes. It’s perfectly legal for Americans to travel to Cuba, except for explicit tourism purposes.
Americans can’t go to Cuba for tourism thanks to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations of July 8, 1963, which imposed a trade embargo on the island.
However, you can travel legally to Cuba if you comply with certain Cuban and US government regulations.
Specifically, the Cuban government asks you to bring the following documentation:
- The Cuban Tourist Card (a.k.a Cuban Visa).
- Health travel insurance.
- Customs and health declaration forms.
On the other hand, the US government requires you to:
- Self-certify under one of the 12 travel categories of authorized travel to Cuba
- Avoid spending money at certain restricted businesses.
- Keep your travel receipts and records for five years.
Does that sound like a lot? In the sections below, we explain how to meet these requirements so you can travel legally to Cuba from the US.
The Cuban Tourist Card
The Cuban Tourist Card is a tourist visa that almost everyone traveling to Cuba for tourism must bring. They come in two colors: pink and green.
In most cases, US citizens must get the pink Cuban Tourist Card because they fly directly from a US airport to Cuba. However, if you plan on leaving from a non-US airport, you will need the green version.
In any case, we suggest you purchase the Cuban Tourist Card through your airline or on EasyTouristCard.com.
Buy it From Your Airline
The cost of the Cuban tourist visa is usually bundled into the ticket price. However, in some cases, you will need to purchase the visa separately. Prices range from 50 to 80 US dollars, depending on the airline.
Please note that only a few US airlines fly to Cuba. Check out Skyscanner to find all available flights from the US to Cuba.
Purchase it on EasyTouristCard.com
If you can’t get the Cuban Tourist Card through your airline, the best alternative is to purchase it online from Easy Tourist Card, a widely trusted provider.
The pink version costs about 100 US dollars, while the green version sells for roughly 35 US dollars.
Mandatory Travel Health Insurance
Travel health insurance is an entry requirement to Cuba.
Your policy must cover emergency medical treatment, hospitalization, and repatriation. The Cuban government won’t allow you to leave the country with outstanding medical bills!
Based on our assessment of the most popular travel health insurance providers for Cuba, we recommend Insubuy.
On Insubuy, coverage for medical emergencies, hospitalization, and repatriation starts at 8 USD per week per person and is pretty comprehensive.
Customs and Health Declaration Forms
Cuba requires all travelers to bring a Sanitary Statement and a Customs Declaration form.
You can complete the documentation at D’Viajeros, the government’s website. It will save you time and annoyance at the Havana Airport!
The 12 Categories of Authorized Travel to Cuba
A “category of authorized travel to Cuba” is also known as a “travel license” or “general license.”
Confusingly, even though it’s called a license, it is not a physical or digital document. It’s a self-certification you need to do when travel providers, such as airlines and hotels, ask you about it. In most cases, it’s just about ticking a box.
Obviously, before you tick that box, you should review whether you meet the criteria for traveling to Cuba under your chosen category.
There are 12 categories of authorized travel to Cuba, as defined by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC):
- Family visits
- Official business for the US government, foreign government, and certain intergovernmental organizations
- Journalism
- Professional research and professional meetings
- Educational activities
- Religious activities
- Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions
- Support for the Cuban People
- Exportation, importation or transmission of information or informational materials
- Humanitarian projects
- Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes
- Certain export transactions
In 90% of the cases, a US citizen will travel to Cuba under either the Education Activities or the Support for the Cuban People categories.
Educational Activities (People-to-People Travel)
People-to-people travel falls under the Educational Activities category. This license aims to promote people-to-people contact, support civil society in Cuba, and encourage the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities.
You can travel under this license provided that your trip is:
- Organized by a US travel company (the “sponsoring organization”).
- Escorted by an employee of the sponsoring organization.
People-to-people travel is the best option for Americans who want to go in a group and prefer to avoid the hassle of planning an itinerary in compliance with the US-Cuba travel regulations.
However, not everyone likes the crowds or having a chaperone around. Besides, traveling to Cuba independently is still legal, easy, and safe. For those, there is the Support for the Cuban People category.
The Support for the Cuban People Travel Category
The Support for the Cuban People category intends to promote US travel to Cuba to strengthen civil society on the island. It covers activities that:
- Foster closer connections with the Cuban people,
- Contribute to the development of Cuban civil society, or
- Advocate for the independence of the Cuban people from the government; and
- Involve meaningful engagement and interaction with individuals in Cuba.
American travelers love this category because it’s pretty vague. You have lots of wiggle room and can pretty much do many of the activities you would in any other country.
Here are examples of activities that can “strengthen Cuban society”:
- Visiting museums and historical sites.
- Eating at locally-owned restaurants (paladares).
- Taking Cuban cooking classes.
- Taking salsa dancing lessons.
- Touring a tobacco farm and learning how to roll Cuban cigars.
- Taking a tour through the best of Havana.
- Volunteering with a local organization or non-profit.
How does it sound?
However, we must remind you that you still can’t do tourism in Cuba under the Support for the Cuban People license. In fact, you should spend about 6-8 hours on a schedule of activities actually supporting the Cuban people.
That said, it’s not like an American official will call you daily to verify your schedule, so don’t stress too much about it.
You can also support the Cuban people in less subtle ways by:
- Bringing inexpensive items as gifts for locals. Most essential products you take for granted (toiletries, hygiene products, etc.) are hard to come by in Cuba. Bringing a thoughtful gift will show your appreciation and may meet your hosts’ vital needs.
- Tipping. The base wage for workers in Cuba is the equivalent of a few US dollars a month. Therefore, locals expect and highly appreciate tipping.
Finally, considering that the Internet is limited in Cuba, you should arrange your activities before you land on the island.
Restricted Businesses and Accommodations
The US Treasury Department doesn’t like Americans spending money anywhere in Cuba.
The Treasury keeps a list of businesses to which Americans must refrain from giving money. Most of these businesses are owned by the Cuban military or security services, with which the US still has a frosty relationship. You can see the full, updated list here.
The US government also forbids Americans from staying at specific accommodations listed in the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List.
To be safe, we recommend renting a room from Cuban Airbnbs, also known as “casas particulares.” These privately owned and highly affordable accommodations can provide you with an authentic Cuban experience.
Check out Skyscanner for the latest listings of “casas particulares” and hotels in Cuba.
Travel Receipts and Records for Five Years
The US government can ask you for your travel records and receipts for up to five years after your Cuba trip.
This sounds spooky, although anecdotally, it doesn’t happen very often. But it’s better to be safe than sorry, so keep your records safe for five years if you’re questioned about your trip.
Bonus Tip for Americans Traveling to Cuba: Stick to Private
Generally, you should purchase most travel services and products from Cuban private businesses.
We know you can’t always stick to this principle because the Cuban government owns most of the travel facilities and services on the island, including hotels, car rental companies, tour agencies, and souvenir shops.
But whenever you can support Cuban entrepreneurs, please do so. You will strengthen the legality of your trip and genuinely help Cuban society.
Besides, if you want to cut your trip to Cuba costs, purchasing from locals will get you more bang for your buck. Not only is it more affordable, but you will likely pay in Cuban currency, the Cuban Peso, which is hugely devalued compared to the US dollar.
This includes:
- Booking tours from local guides.
- Staying in “casas particulares.”
- Eating at “paladares” (check out our food safety guide for Cuba).
- Riding in private taxis, including “almendrones,” Cuba’s old classic cars.
- Buying souvenirs directly from local sellers.
For more tips and tricks you can pull in your trip to the island, read our 58 travel tips for Cuba.
US Legal Travel to Cuba, Summarized
If you are an American traveling to Cuba, you can break down the process into five relatively simple steps:
- Choose the best travel category to Cuba based on your travel purpose. If you are going in a group, it will likely be Educational Activities (People-to-People travel) or Support for the Cuban People if you travel independently.
- Ensure your itinerary has a full schedule of activities covered by your chosen travel category.
- Avoid booking an accommodation included in the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List.
- Do not spend money on the specific prohibited businesses in Cuba.
- Keep your records and receipts for five years.
Once you overcome the legal (but easy!) challenges of traveling to Cuba, you will see that the effort was well worth it. If you feel ready but don’t know when, check out our guide to the best time to travel to Cuba.
Have you traveled to Cuba as a US citizen? We want to hear from you. Please share your experience in the comments below!
Essential Travel Logistics For Cuba
Cuban Tourist Card – If your Cuban Tourist Card (a.k.a Cuban Tourist Visa) isn’t bundled into your airline ticket or travel package, buy it only through EasyTouristCard.
Travel Health Insurance – Travel medical insurance is an entry requirement for Cuba, so you can’t skip it. Travelers can get travel health insurance for Cuba via Insubuy. Travel protection benefits such as trip interruption and cancellation, baggage delay insurance, etc., are not required.
Essential Items to Pack – Bring the essential travel necessities that you may not be able to get in Cuba:
- First aid kit
- Hand sanitizer
- Face masks
- Water bottle with filter
- Sunscreen
- Mosquito repellent
- Pin adapter (for Europeans)
- Travel guide
- Spanish-English phrasebook
- Suggested Reading: The Cubans: Ordinary Lives in Extraordinary Times
Read our complete packing list for Cuba.
Find Accommodations – Find hotels or casas particulares (private accommodations) on Skyscanner, which lists thousands of accommodations available in Cuba.
Book Your Flight – Book cheap flights to Cuba on Skyscanner, our favorite flight search engine to find deals on flights to Cuba.
Assuming we meet all the other qualifications, is there no way for an American to go a beach in Cuba?
Hi Kat,
Unfortunately, Americans are not allowed to simply go to the beach. I also don’t see going to the beach as an activity covered by any of the 12 travel categories. Honestly, if you go to the beach, it is unlikely that you will be fined since it’s hard for an US official to know that you did. However, it is not permitted.
Hola, queria saber si mi novia con ciudadania estadounidense y salvadoreña tiene que pedir algun tipo de visado especial ? Yo soy cubano con pasaporte cubano aun vigente.
Hi we booked our tour package from Canada, flight plus stay at the resort. I understand that my husband (Canadian citizenship) won’t have any problems, but for me (US Citizenship, Canadian resident) do I need to book separately a casa particulares to get into the country? And when i get in there, can I stay with my husband at the resort?
Hi juju,
According to the regulations, you shouldn’t.
First, you need to make sure that the resort is not on the restricted list.
Secondly, keep in mind that Americans are not allowed to go to Cuba only for tourism purposes. Therefore, you should have an schedule of activities that fall under any of the 12 general licenses to travel to Cuba, as explained in the article.
The question: “Do you need a password to Cuba?” Should be: Do you need a PASSPORT to Cuba?
Fixed. Thanks a lot!
Thank you for the great information , very helpful .
As an European flying from Miami to Havana with a valid ESTA visa could I enter back the USA with on the same Esta visa . Not easy to get as answer on the official us pages .
Thanks .
It appears that you will need to apply for a visa to re-enter the United States. Read more here.
I tried to buy the pink visa on easy tourist but almost at the end my country is not on the list. Puerto Rico is part of USA but can’t complete the order. They wrote me but do not get the problem of the country. Where else can I buy online?
Hi,
I’m Italian and I would like to travel to Cuba via Miami, but it seems the nationality doesn’t matter because we need to declare a specific category.
But what if I just need to go to Cuba from USA with a one-way flight and I will come back home directly from Cuba to Europe?
How did it go? Where you able to do the trip as mentioned?
I am an adult
I was born in the US.
Lived here my whole life.
My mom and dad were born in cuba, came to America in the 90s, and got their citizenship over 8 years ago.
I believe for my parents to travel to cuba they may need a Cuban passport because I read that cuba does not recognize them as American, just Cuban.
However, I also read that because both of my parents were born there, I am the daughter and I too am a Cuban citizenship under Cuban law
I’ve read that a few times in a few pages and I wanted to know if it was true. And if I would need to get a Cuban passport myself
Please let me know! Thanks .,
Hi Aileen,
If you were born in the US, you don’t need a Cuban passport to enter the country.
In your article, when quoting OFAC, the text “during his or her four-day trip” was included. Are visits to Cuba limited to four days?
I am a professional orchestral and choral conductor and composer, and my associate is a full-time jazz pianist and composer. We want to visit Havana to listen to Cuban salsa, jazz, etc, and to engage in one to one conversations with Cuban musicians—and maybe even join in playing, if invited!
Six to eight hours per day would hardly be enough for us: we’d start at 17:00 and leave when everybody goes home—and that’s just the evening.
Which category would you recommend for us?
EXCELLENT website! Thanks so much!
kayak wont quote flights to me as of today siting regulatory issues…. has something changed?
Hi Danial,
That’s correct. It appears that Kayak is not quoting flights to Cuba currently. I suggest you use Skyscanner instead.
So to be clear. We still can’t bring back any alcohol or tobacco from Cuba back into the US? I read in this article that there Is now no value restrictions like there used to be.. Can you advise please?
Hi Mark,
No, legally, you cannot bring Cuban tobacco or alcohol to the US.
Ummmm damn I guess I’m the only one with this problem. Can felons go? Not on parole and the case is over and done but I know some counties trip and some don’t. So what’s cubas stance on it?
Hi Mike,
According to Felony Record Hub, felons can enter Cuba as long as they don’t have an outstanding felony warrant or are not on a no-fly TSA list.
Hope it helps!
Hey great information!! Thank you
When you say you have to declare your license(which mine would fall under the 12) during booking, what does that mean? How do you declare it?
Hi Orlando,
Usually, travel providers will provide you with a form where you have to select the license you are using traveling to Cuba. You don’t have to get an “actual” license. That’s it 🙂
The only licenses that do require a physical license from OFAC are:
– Professional research and professional meetings.
– Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions.
Hello! This is a great article. I am a US citizen considering sailing my boat from the Dominican Republic to Cuba and then on to Belize. Some of our crew (US citizens as well) may fly directly back to the US from Cuba. Is this plan legal and possible? Will the Cuban authorities have a problem with this plan? Will the US authorities have a problem with it once we return?
Hi Christopher,
Did you ever find out if you can go to Cuba by private boat?
Thanks,
Sarah
My fiancée from Ukraine suggested we take a winter trip to Cuba. Since she is booking through a Ukrainian travel agency our stay and flight – is it okay to stay as her guest at a prohibited resort and when would I declare my travel intent/licensing? We would otherwise try to use up 6-8 hours per day supporting the local economy.
Hi Gerald,
Usually, travel service providers (airlines, travel agencies, booking sites, etc.) ask you to declare your travel category while booking the trip, not after. I’m not sure at what point the Ukrainian travel agency would ask you about it or if they will do it at all.
Unfortunately, if you are a US citizen, you shouldn’t stay at a prohibited accommodation in Cuba, regardless of where you are flying from.
my concern is nobody writes how long does it take to get permit to travel there, on one of our government pages it says up to 6 months ??
Hi there,
You don’t need to apply for an actual license unless you are traveling under any of these two categories:
– Professional research and professional meetings
– Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions.
I just found this concerning my question on banks in Cuba from US government site.
Wonder what the alternative/s is to have funds in Cuba?
U.S. credit and debit cards do not work in Cuba. The Cuban Central Bank announced new restrictions on the use or conversion of U.S. dollars beginning June 21, 2021. U.S. dollars in cash cannot be converted to local currency, may not be accepted for payment, and cannot be used to pay fees or taxes at the airport. Travelers should confirm alternative payment options before traveling, as policies concerning the use of U.S. dollars in Cuba are subject to change. The Cuban government requires that travelers declare cash amounts over the equivalent of 5,000 USD.
Great article, but severely lacking in one area, at least for me.
You have nothing on banking inside Cuba. I don’t like to carry large sums of money. Do the banks there work for US banks for ATM’s? Are they few (only in banks) or difficult to receive money from such as small limits for withdrawals??
With limited internet there, I’m assuming if someone changes around to different home casa’s then cash is the only way to purchase rooms? ATM again.
Thx!
Hi Mark,
We actually wrote a whole guide to using money in Cuba as a tourist. Check it out here – https://www.tourepublic.com/blog/cuban-currency/
But I think you figured out the answer to your questions: U.S. credit and debit cards do not work in Cuba.
Hi,
Are you currently operating tours given the political climate in Cuba? Today is November 15, 2021 and there were planned protests etc.
Thank you,
Ash
Hi Ashley,
At the moment, we are not operating tours in Cuba.
Are the covid restrictions still in place?
Hi MZ,
They are, but most will be lifted on November 15th, 2021 (next week!). We will update the article accordingly.
Hey MZ. Just wanted to give you the heads up that we updated our guide to the latest Cuba travel restrictions. Check it out!
I want to travel to Holguin Cuba to visit friends I have dual citizenship USA-Uruguayan. If I leave from Uruguay do I need to do all of these activities? What happens if I don’t book tours i visiting friends what do you recommend
Hi Alicia,
Unfortunately, the current US travel restrictions to Cuba apply to all persons subject to US jurisdiction, regardless of where that person is residing. Therefore, if you are a US citizen, you will need to follow the US regulations to travel to Cuba, even if you use an Uruguayan passport.
Follow the steps and advice outlined in the article and you should be fine. I believe that Support for the Cuban People is the right category for you -unless you have family in Cuba- but then again, we can’t offer legal advice.
I am a retired dentist and would like to visit hospitals and dental clinics in Cuba. I would like to professional Oral surgery to people of Cuba. Can I get any information?
Hi Peter,
I think you should contact the US embassy in Cuba for more information – https://cu.usembassy.gov/
Thanks,
Why don’t you give advise for foreign tourists who fly to miami then onto Cuba. What can we do and what can’t we do as non Americans. I plan to visit Cuba in febuary/march 2022 via miami/fort laudedale.
Hi,
I have the same problem as you. I’m Italian and I would like to travel to Cuba via Miami, but it seems your nationality doesn’t matter, we need to declare a specific category.
But, if we choose the ‘Support for the Cuban People’ category, when we have to declare all the activity that we have done?
And I didn’t understand if they will check every day’s activities or we just need to show them some of the activities done in the week.
Hi Alessia,
You won’t need to declare all the activities you will do in Cuba. You only need to choose the Support for the Cuban People category, and that’s it. In Cuba, no one will monitor what you will be doing.
Hope it helps.
So essentially it’s the U.S. government enforcing these restrictions and calling it “Support for the Cuban People” when it really means interacting mostly with civilians likely to oppose the Revolution and tell a one-sided narrative about what it’s like to live in Cuba. U.S. travelers are being carefully kept away from actually supporting Cuba as a sovereign nation whose government has made remarkable progress in health and education, putting the U.S. to shame. This explains why the few friends who went to Cuba come back with a story about happening to run into a Puerto Rican who disses the Cuban government. It’s all a set up, and extremely lame on the part of the U.S. Get over it–Fidel defeated your and overthrew your puppet dictator. Stop this ridiculous embargo and these stupid sanctions.
you’re 100% right, Ann. it’s embarrassing
The U.S. will do anything to make Cuba look bad and undo the revolution. I was looking to travel there to actually learn from and support the Cuban people, not support the counter-revolutionaries
Grow up Ann. Stop trying to aggrandize La Revolución.
Many of us who actually lived in Cuba under the regime know the truth.
The problem with fanboys and fangirls (like you and Anthony) is the same as the problem with haters: instead of objectively evaluating things, they just say what feels “truthy” to them.
For instance, a “hater” will say that the Cuban government has not accomplished anything in education or healthcare. But a fan has the opposite problem: they oversell it. So to them—to you—Cuba’s 14.4 average years of education and life expectancy of 73 or so “put to shame” the 77 year of life expectancy and 16 or so years of education of the United States. Someone looking at the situation might give the government some credit by pointing out that this is notably better than the average for the Caribbean or Latin America, without feeling the need to exalt the government with incorrect statements.
I might also mention your assumption, and that of Anthony, that staying at someone’s house means interacting with someone who does not support the Cuban government.
I’m noticing Kayak and Expedia aren’t showing any flights from Boston to Cuba – do you have any info on this? Any other suggestions on how to find flights from Boston to Cuba
Hi Michaela,
Sadly, I don’t have much information on this. Did you try Google Flights? I played a little with dates for BOS-HAV flights and found one-stop flights with JetBlue in May, but nothing else 🙁
Hello, I understand that we are able to stay at hotels that are not on the restricted list. Except for the first two days (48 hours) of quarantine required after arrival till receiving PCR test results, if we participate in local guides, local shopping visits, local business services during day activities, hire cuban local to spend time with beach activities, but without staying at Casa Particular, do these qualify for Support for Cuban People license?
Hi there, I am a dual national British and American. I have a UK passport and an American passport. I live in the UK, and my partner (British) and I want to go to Cuba in May 2020. We will be using airmiles from British Airways/American Airlines to get there. There is no availability from Cancun…we tried. As I will be going from the US to Cuba, can I still use my British passport and avoid all of the legal hoopla – and restrictions, or do I need to go on my American passport (since we will be leaving from the US) and comply fully. Don’t want to get turned away at the airport after planning/booking the trip.
Hi John,
According to the UK’s government advice on traveling to Cuba, it seems that you will have to comply with the US law if you are traveling to Cuba from the US, regardless of the passport you use. It means that you will have to declare a travel “license” and cannot be for tourism purposes.
This might seem like a dumb question but can I pack my smokes & take them w/me?
I’m wondering if participating and supporting (both economically and artistically) a starting art project would be considered in the “Support for the Cuban people” category. Thank you.
Hi Mari,
It could be considered as such as long as you have a daily full-time schedule of activities (6-8 hours) to support the private art project. Also, document everything you do while in Cuba. For more specific legal advice, I would suggest you talk to a legal specialist.
I was born in Cuba and would like to take a cruise there. I came to the states in 1961 at the age of 5. I am an American Citizen and was told I need to get a form H-11 from the Cuban Embassy in the U.S. in order to travel to Cuba. I have tried to contact them via email and phone several times, but I’ve not heard from them. Do you have any suggestions?
Best to use an agency rather than try to communicate directly with the Cuban consulate – especially after the US government expelled most of those who work in the visa section.
World Nomads is no longer providing (ar least Canadians) insurance for Cuba. Please suggest another all encompassing insurance provider?
Thank you
Hi Dylan,
Thanks for the heads up! They for Americans, but haven’t confirmed if their plans are also available for Canadians. Another popular travel insurance provider for Cuba is RoamRight. UPDATE: It seems that they don’t offer insurance for Canadians either. We will do some research and get back with some alternatives. Thank you again!
Can we book a family and friends group to Cuba, intending to do all the required activities?
Yes! You can do it Bee, as long as those activities are covered by the travel license that you declare.