How Americans Get a Visa for Cuba

So, can Americans travel to Cuba? Yes! Plus, it’s simpler than it seems.

As of 2022, the United States allows Americans and permanent residents to visit Cuba only under certain conditions. During the COVID-19 health crisis of recent years, both countries largely closed their borders to tourism. However, in late 2021 Cuba announced it would reopen to tourism.

This article provides insight to Cuba travel during “normal” conditions. For further updates on travel regarding COVID-19, consult the travel advisories of the State Department and Cuban resources.

There are travel 11 categories after U.S. President Donald Trump removed the “people to people” category. Now, most travelers will indicate that they are visiting under the “support for the Cuban people” category. The full list of categories are:

Family Visits
Journalistic Activity
Professional Research and Meetings
Religious Activities
Public Performances, Clinics, Workshops, Exhibitions, Athletic and Other Competitions
Support for the Cuban People
Humanitarian Projects
Activities of Private Foundations, or Research or Educational Institutes
Official Business of the U.S. Government, Foreign Governments, and Certain Intergovernmental Organizations
Exportation, Importation, or Transmission of Information
Authorized Export Transactions

You first will book your flight like you would for any other travel. I have been prompted to choose a category during the flight purchase process online.

You will purchase your visa at a check in counter prior to the flight that will land in Cuba. In 2019, this cost $50. In exchange, you will receive three documents. One is your tourist visa card, another is a customs declaration card, and the final form is a short health survey. They take less than 10 minutes to fill out at the gate.

When you arrive in Cuba, Cuban border control takes them and returns half of the tourist visa card to you for you to tuck into your passport until you leave the country. No stamps are left in your physical passport.

Watch the explanation:

What about when I come home?

I worried that U.S. border control would ask a lot of questions about what I had been doing in Cuba. In reality, they didn’t ask a single one. This is likely not a universal experience, so it is best practice to keep track of receipts if you can get them to prove you ate at privately owned restaurants or stayed with locals to “support the Cuban people” as you indicated to the U.S. government was the purpose of your travel.