Are Americans not allowed to vacation in Cuba?

Question

My American cousins told me this, and somehow I get the feeling that they are bullshitting me.

Answer 1

Well, technically, it's illegal for a US citizen to conduct any monetary transactions relating to Cuba, the Cuban government, or any one, business, or entity residing in Cuba.

So if you can achieve having a vacation in Cuba without any monetary transactions, you'll be fine!

EDIT - Those who said Americans can't go to Cuba are completely wrong. WRONG! The only correct answer before mine came from a Canadian!

Answer 2

Vacation To Cuba From Usa

Answer 3

Americans are generally not allowed to visit Cuba, but there are exceptions. The reason Americans are not allowed is that the US government has sanctions against Cuba. The Cuban government is happy to allow American passport holder into Cuba. But if you go without US government permission you risk being arrested and fined. The fine is something like $5000-$10,000. The US government makes some exceptions for people who have family members in Cuba, journalists (but not travel writers) and people who are traveling for cultural exchange/educational purposes (Not something you can do alone but there are group tours from the US to Cuba--you visit schools, hospitals etc. and you have to stay with the group.) Americans who visit Cuba by first flying to another country like Canada or Mexico are still breaking US law and are subject to arrest. In recent years the crack down on people traveling to Cuba via a third country has gotten stronger and US immigration is watching for people who travel via a third country. The best thing for now is to skip Cuba altogether or go on a group cultural exchange tour.

Answer 4

They are not allowed b/c of all the sanctions the US has imposed to prevent Cuba from development. However, there are ways you can go, like thru Canada or The Bahamas. Im not sure how it works but it works, I have many Cuban friends who became citizens and go to Cuba thru Mexico.
And for the ignorants, Cubans can do nothing about what happens in the country, everything is up to the government, there is no freedom of speech... Don't bullshit me, I was born and raised there for 15yrs!!

Answer 5

American born without no relatives in Cuba due to the emabrgo , no they cant go to Cuba legally.
The only american citizens allowed by the US goverment to go to Cuba EVERY 3 YEARS ONLY are the people born in Cuba nationalized in US with inmediate familly in Cuba and for that you have to request a licence to travel to Cuba where it asks you the ID # of the person you are visitng and his name , address and relation to you.
Take a look at the application on the second link:

Answer 6

No, i do no longer agree. The more suitable that the elementary persons of Cuba see of the american way of existence the more suitable they're going to favor it themselves. it is the way it fairly works. back earlier the fall of the Berlin Wall, thousands and thousands of people trapped on the incorrect aspect of it used to music in to West German television - were given each and each of the severe-kicking ladies on a Saturday evening, the game shows, the soaps and so on. What this did grow to be to teach all of them into Westerners - capitalists in the making. If it truly is not any longer already being achieved, why isn't American television being beamed into Cuba so as that Cubans can a minimum of have a good time with what's on provide and what they recognize they favor and receives at last besides. Castro is a death guy. quickly he will now no longer be an element of the game. no longer certain who's taking on or who has already taken over, yet they do no longer want as a lot as a pinch of Castro's air of secrecy and capacity over the folk. This guy actually hypnotised his target audience with 5 hours speeches.

Answer 7

Because of the Cuban Embargo which has been in place since 1962 it is illegal for Americans to travel to Cuba without special permission from the US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets and Control. It is also illegal for any American company to do business with Cuba.

Answer 8

An American can not go to Cuba from the USA.
Americans visit Cuba from other countries.

Answer 9

Americans ARE allowed to go to Cuba.


HOWEVER, Americans who do not have a special permit are not allowed to "to engage in any travel-related transactions related to travel to, from, and within Cuba. Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada."

In other words, you cannot spend any money in Cuba, nor can you spend any money on travel to and from Cuba, even if you go through a third country.


HOWEVER, certain groups of people are entitled to a special license to visit Cuba:
- Journalists and supporting broadcasting or technical personnel (regularly employed in that capacity by a news reporting organization and traveling for journalistic activities)
- Official government travelers on official business.
- Members of international organizations of which the United States is also a member (traveling on official business).
- Full-time professionals whose travel transactions are directly related to research in their professional areas, provided that their research: 1) is of a noncommercial, academic nature; 2) comprises a full work schedule in Cuba; and 3) has a substantial likelihood of public dissemination.
- Full-time professionals whose travel transactions are directly related to attendance at professional meetings or conferences in Cuba organized by an international professional organization, institution, or association that regularly sponsors such meetings or conferences in other countries. An organization, institution, or association headquartered in the United States may not sponsor such a meeting or conference unless it has been specifically licensed to sponsor it. The purpose of the meeting or conference cannot be the promotion of tourism in Cuba or other commercial activities involving Cuba, or to foster production of any bio-technological products.
- Travelers who have received specific licenses from OFAC prior to going.
- Specific Licenses to Visit Immediate Family Members in Cuba

Answer 10

No American is allowed to travel to Cuba without the permission of the government. This is due to economic sanctions on Cuba's communist government. Due to the ideological differences between the Cuban regime and ours, we try to hamper their import/export industry and their tourism industry. Same reason Cuban cigars are illegal here.