Travel Requirements

Pure tourism or recreational travel to Cuba is not permitted for U.S. travelers — there's no general category for tourism. Every traveler must qualify under one of the following categories and self-certify accordingly:

• Family visits
• Official U.S. government business
• Journalistic activity
• Professional research and professional meetings
• Educational activities
• Religious activities
• Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, exhibitions
• Support for the Cuban People — the most common category for our travelers
• Humanitarian projects
• Activities of private foundations, research, or educational institutes
• Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials
• Certain authorized export transactions

Most travelers qualify under a general license, which means self-certifying your travel category at booking or check-in — there's no application or approval wait required. A specific license, which involves a formal request submitted to and approved by U.S. regulators in advance, is only needed for purposes that fall outside the 12 approved categories. This is uncommon for most travelers.

If you're traveling under Support for the Cuban People, here's what to keep in mind:

• Stay in private accommodations (casas particulares) — not state-run hotels on the restricted accommodations list
• Eat at privately owned restaurants (paladares), not state-run restaurants
• Engage in meaningful interactions with Cuban individuals
• Purchase goods and services from independent Cuban entrepreneurs
• Maintain a full-time schedule of activities that support Cuban civil society
• Avoid purely tourist or leisure activities
• Self-certify your travel category — we can help you structure a fully compliant itinerary from the start

Travelers should retain trip documentation — accommodations, itinerary, and receipts — for up to 5 years in case of a future compliance inquiry. This applies to charter flights too: every traveler on a chartered flight must still self-certify individually under one of the 12 categories.

Cuba considers anyone born in Cuba to be a Cuban citizen, regardless of current nationality. If this applies to you:

• You must enter and exit Cuba using a valid Cuban passport, not a U.S. passport
• Cuban passports are obtained through the Cuban Embassy — our consular services team can help with this
• eVisas do not apply to Cuban-born travelers (as of July 1, 2024)
• If your passport was issued before January 1, 2010, or you left Cuba before December 31, 1971, you'll need a “New Passport” application
• If your passport was issued after January 1, 2010, you'll need a “Passport Renewal” application
• Processing time is typically 2–4 months, so plan well ahead

Citizens of the following countries require an additional A-1 Visa on top of the standard eVisa: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iraq, Iran, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, and Yemen.

Hotels on Cuba's restricted accommodations list cannot be booked by U.S. travelers. Casas particulares — private, independently owned accommodations — are compliant and generally the preferred option. If you made a qualifying booking before September 23, 2020, that booking remains valid.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your departure date — this is a U.S. requirement (Cuba itself only requires validity for the duration of your trip). Keep a photocopy or digital backup of your passport with you in Cuba at all times. Store your physical passport securely, such as in a hotel safe — you'll typically only need it for currency exchange or money transfers.

Cuba requires travel insurance for all visitors. We don't sell insurance directly, but we partner with Travelex Insurance Services (reference 05-1544, phone 800-228-9792) for coverage that includes trip cancellation, lost baggage, delays, and medical expenses.