This week, something amazing happened. My dad called and informed me that we may be taking a family trip to Cuba!
My father knows that I am a fanatic of the country’s culture, so I was ecstatic to hear that the possibility of traveling there is not as far-fetched as I had originally thought. Recently I have been researching restrictions for American citizens who are traveling to Cuba, and I have found that the restrictions are few and far between.
For anyone out there who is considering a journey to Cuba, keep reading to find out more!
Courtesy of Fox News
You need to find your category of travel.
As long as you fit into one of the twelve categories of authorized travel to Cuba, you can go legally. Going to Cuba as a citizen of the United States is not difficult, as the categories include educational activities, journalism, and support for the Cuban people. So basically, you need a sound reason for being there. That isn’t so hard. I mean, going to Cuba in itself is an educational activity. You could pretty much take any aspect of the trip and call it educational.
Traveling to Cuba for tourist purposes is illegal, so my suggestion would be to keep it educational.
Strategically choose your flight.
Let’s say you were going to fly out of Florida. You wouldn’t pick the first flight that comes up on Skyscanner, would you? No! Compare flights from different airports. A flight to Cuba costs about $50 to $100 less at Orlando airports than Miami airports. Carefully consider all of your options and make economically smart choices so that you can get the bang for the buck.
You are only allowed to spend up to $400 in Cuban goods.
American travelers are limited in purchasing Cuban items. Of the $400 that is allowed to be spent, only $100 can go towards Cuban cigars and alcohol. Understand what qualifies as a good and what qualifies as a service before you go. Get an idea of what you might like to buy so you don’t end up flying home without souvenirs.
You can mail a package from Cuba.
The mailing service between the United States and Cuba has been restored, so travelers are now able to send mail and packages to and from.
You may use U.S. dollars to conduct transactions in Cuba.
Not only can you use American money in Cuba, but you may also use your credit or debit card. As an authorized traveler, you can even open your own bank account in the country while you are there!
I highly suggest reading through the National Treasury’s documents regarding the restrictions on Cuba for further information. You can find the link below if you are interested!
Happy traveling!
HC XOXO,
Megan
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/travel-to-cuba_us_56733708e4b014efe0d4d0c8
https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_faqs_new.pdf