Entry Requirements

Travel to Cuba for tourist activities remains prohibited by statute. However, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued general licenses for 12 categories of travel. Individuals who meet the regulatory conditions of the general license they seek to travel under do not need to apply for an additional license from OFAC to travel to Cuba. The 12 categories of authorized travel to Cuba are: family visits; official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; journalistic activity; professional research and professional meetings; educational activities; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials; and certain authorized export transactions.

For details on Cuba sanctions regulations, including fact sheets on recent changes and information about applying for an OFAC license, please visit this Department of Treasury webpage on Cuba sanctions. The Department of State also provides information on Cuba sanctions and travel restrictions on its webpage on Cuba sanctions.

In accordance with the National Security Presidential Memorandum on Strengthening the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba of June 2017, the State Department also publishes a list of entities and subentities that are under the control of, or act for or on behalf of, the Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or personnel and with which direct financial transactions would disproportionately benefit the Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or personnel at the expense of the Cuban people or private enterprise in Cuba – the State Department’s List of Restricted Entities and Subentities Associated with Cuba (“Cuba Restricted List”). Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction will now be prohibited from engaging in certain direct financial transactions with entities and subentities identified by the State Department on the Cuba Restricted List. Certain transactions will be excluded from this prohibition pursuant to exceptions detailed in the NSPM.

Visas

Please note that neither the U.S. Embassy in Havana nor the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. process Cuban visa applications. To apply for a Cuban visa or for any questions regarding Cuban consular services, please contact the Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C.:

Embassy of the Republic of Cuba
2630 16th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Website: http://misiones.minrex.gob.cu/en/usa
Phone: (202) 797 8518 – Ext. 600

Dual Citizens

All U.S.-Cuban dual citizens should note that the Government of Cuba treats U.S. citizens born in Cuba as Cuban citizens and may subject them to a range of restrictions and obligations. The Cuban government requires U.S.-Cuban dual citizens who departed Cuba on or after January 1, 1971 to enter and depart Cuba using a Cuban passport. Using a Cuban passport for this purpose does not jeopardize one’s U.S. citizenship; however, such persons must use their U.S. passports to enter and depart the United States. Cuban-Americans who departed Cuba before January 1, 1971 may travel to Cuba on their U.S. passport but must apply for an HE-11 visa from the Cuban Embassy. Cuban authorities do not always notify the U.S. Embassy of the arrest of dual nationals and may deny U.S. consular officers access to them.