Cuba Travel Restrictions

Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of José Luis Ruiz

Travel restrictions to Cuba were first put in place in the early 1960s in an effort to put pressure on the country's Communist government. Since then, depending on who occupied the Oval Office, Americans have been both forbidden and allowed to visit this Caribbean country.

Background

Travel restrictions to Cuba coincided with America's trade embargo with the country, which was enacted in the early 1960s as a result of Fidel Castro's ties to the Soviet Union.

Requirements

Americans who want to visit Cuba must go as approved group members. Only certain types of travelers are issued licenses that make it legal for them to visit Cuba.

Types

These types of American travelers are granted licenses: people with close relatives living in Cuba, professionals attending meetings or conferences, full-time professional researchers, journalists and government officials.

Additional Types

Specific travel licenses are granted to individuals engaged in educational programs, religious projects, athletics and humanitarian missions.

Considerations

Tourism travel to Cuba is restricted. Traveling to Cuba without a license subjects U.S. citizens to a possible punishment of up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.

Article Written By Kristi Miller

Before becoming a freelance writer Kristi Miller worked as an award-winning newspaper reporter for more than a decade, including her last assignment as a police reporter in the San Francisco Bay Area for the Contra Costa Times. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Long Beach.

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