You Can Still Visit Cuba – Here’s How
President Trump recently announced that the United States will reinstate travel restrictions to Cuba , partly reversing Obama’s previous policy changes. So, can you still visit Cuba? Differently.
Tourism to Cuba has always been illegal
First, let’s quickly clear up an important misconception. Even with the opportunities previously created by Obama’s Cuban policy, travel to Cuba from the United States for the sole purpose of tourism was and remains illegal .
Even before Trump was announced, US citizens were only allowed to enter Cuba for one of twelve reasons : visiting relatives, official government affairs, journalistic activities, professional research or meetings, educational activities, religious activities, public speaking or sporting events, humanitarian projects, supporting the Cuban people and a few other very specific goals.
Trump’s tightening of tourism policies in Cuba closes loophole
Many travelers have bypassed the no-tourism rule with so-called “one-to-one travel between people,” which involves participating in an organized tour through a school, artist’s community, or volunteer project. This is a legal loophole that exploited a law that was not as clearly defined as it could have.
But Trump’s upcoming changes will temporarily close that loophole. Americans will no longer be able to visit Cuba without a special US government license issued for one of the reasons mentioned above, or without traveling with an organized “group of people.” Basically, this means that you and your partner can’t just book a flight to Cuba, go there on your own, rent a hotel room, hang out with a guide during the day, and then do whatever you want to do for the week.
Following the imposition of the new sanctions against Cuba, you will only be able to visit the country if you book travel through educational travel organizations that offer group tours such as Cuba Educational Travel , the Center for Cuban Studies and Smithsonian Journeys . Or you can book a cruise on cruise lines such as Carnival , Ponant and Pearl Seas . But then again, any time you spend ashore will be with a group of a guide, and group tours and cruises will cost you a pretty penny (thousands of dollars, for example). You will also still need a visa (also known as a tourist card) to enter Cuba, but this is usually included in your group tour package.
You can still visit Cuba for specific reasons and buy Cuban cigars (for now)
The good news is that if you’ve already booked a trip to Cuba (even using a one-to-one loophole), the US Treasury has assured travelers that they can go further and see it through . And if you meet one of the other non-personal reasons previously outlined by the US Treasury Department , you can still travel there as long as you have a valid passport, you can get a visa and purchase travel insurance for Cuba.
The good news is, for those legally eligible to travel to Cuba, you can still return up to $ 400 worth of souvenirs – at least for now. This includes Cuban rum and Cuban cigars worth up to $ 100 . There is still no official date for these new sanctions, so timing is critical for travelers desperate to set foot on Cuba’s long-banned land.