Traveling to Cuba: What To Know

The United States first imposed an embargo on Cuba in 1958. Since then, various presidents have broadened and then reinstated the embargo restrictions. Travel to Cuba for U.S. residents is still very restricted, with no travel for purely tourist reasons.

However, the government has 12 categories of authorized travel allowing qualifying individuals to visit Cuba. If you’re interested in travel to Cuba, it’s essential to understand the continuing travel restrictions. For more information about legal travel to Cuba, talk to an international lawyer for legal advice.

Travel Restrictions to Cuba

On June 30, 2025, President Trump issued a memorandum, Strengthening the Policy of the United States Towards Cuba, affirming the government’s policy to “ensure adherence on the statutory ban on tourism in Cuba.”

There are currently no plans to reopen travel to Cuba for tourist activities. However, there are several categories of travel for U.S. citizens to visit Cuba under specific conditions. To qualify, you have to apply for a general license through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

People under U.S. jurisdiction are also prohibited from engaging in certain financial transactions on the Cuba Restricted List. In addition to Cuban government ministries and the military, the restricted list also includes hundreds of hotels, tourist agencies, marinas, and stores in Cuba.

The 12 Categories of Authorized Travel for U.S. Citizens

Americans can visit Cuba, but not simply as tourists — instead, they need to have a reason that fits into one of the 12 travel license categories issued by the OFAC. These categories include:

1. Family visits
2. Official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
3. Journalistic activity
4. Professional research and professional meetings
5. Educational activities
6. Religious activities
7. Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic events, other competitions, and exhibitions
8. Support for the Cuban people
9. Humanitarian projects
10. Activities of private foundations, research, or educational institutes
11. Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials
12. Certain authorized export transactions

First Time to Cuba? Tips To Know Before You Go

When travel restrictions eased, online travel agencies quickly began advertising flights, ferry rides, and day trips to Havana. Most people undertaking independent travel to Cuba should still travel with groups, says Peter Quinter, an international law attorney at Gunster in Miami.

“People who have never been, they should not do this independently,” he adds as a travel tip. “The people-to-people tours organize everything for you. That’s what people should do on their first trip.”

Tour operators can help gather the necessary documents to qualify your trip for authorized travel, apply for a Cuba tourist card, and get the required health insurance.

One of the most common venues for traveling to Cuba is under the “support for the Cuban people” category. Tour organizers working with U.S. customers can arrange a tour with cultural activities to comply with U.S. government travel restrictions.

Currency and Payment Restrictions

A big issue for travelers from the U.S. is money. Travelers need to bring the money they will use for their travel because U.S.-based bank cards will not work in Cuban ATMs. Since 2021, Cuba has simplified the national currency. Travelers will no longer have to deal with the separate currency of the convertible peso (CUC).

Travelers need to convert their U.S. dollars (USD) to the official Cuban currency exchange rate (the Cuban peso (CUP) or moneda nacional) for hotels, restaurants, car rentals, tour operations, and purchases. Travelers can also bring Euros to exchange at authorized banks, CADECA currency exchanges, airports, or hotels.

Where To Stay

Casa particulares are rented rooms in a private home (similar to Airbnbs). These provide an alternative to hotels and resorts, with basic accommodations in the home of a Cuban family.

Hosts may only speak Spanish, and there may be limited facilities (such as no WiFi). However, this may give you a chance to interact with Cuban people in their daily lives.

Other Travel Tips

Travelers planning a trip to Cuba may want to consider travel insurance. A Cuba tour organizer may offer insurance, but it may not provide as extensive coverage as a separate policy. Make sure you understand what your travel insurance covers, the exclusions, and what you need to do to make a claim.

The U.S. Department of State has up-to-date travel safety information on its website. Check the U.S. State Department travel advisory before traveling to Cuba.

Investing in Cuba?

When the U.S. eventually lifts the embargo, Cuba will be open to direct investment from the U.S., say C. Ryan Reetz and Pedro Martinez-Fraga of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in Miami. Reetz is the managing partner of the Miami office. Martinez-Fraga’s family escaped Cuba when he was a small child. He is co-leader of the firm’s international arbitration team.

Individuals can’t buy stocks, but large institutional investors — investment houses and firms that manage mutual funds and 401(k)s and the like — could see Cuba as more of a financial opportunity.

“As Cuba becomes more and more opened up to investment from the U.S., people will find themselves, understandably, having more interests in Cuba,” says Reetz. “There are many reasons to believe Cuba would welcome investment from U.S. sources.”

Is Cuba Ready for U.S. Tourism?

In order to build a vigorous hospitality industry and strengthen economic ties to the U.S., Cuba would need a financial infrastructure and trade agreements with the U.S.

However, U.S. companies that operate everything from hotels to highway toll booths would want assurances that the state won’t appropriate their investments. Martinez-Fraga says the Cuban government has had a good track record with foreign investment over the past decade. “The rest of the world already invests in Cuba,” he notes.

Thousands of visitors from Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, and Russia travel to Cuba every year for tourism. Even with the travel restrictions, tens of thousands of people from the U.S. travel to Cuba every year.

Many Americans just want to know if they can order cigars, Cuban food, or a case of rum. Not yet, Quinter says, though one day that may be possible. U.S. visitors to Cuba used to be able to bring limited personal items and up to $100 worth of liquor and cigars. However, since September 24, 2020, U.S. travelers can no longer bring back any Cuban alcohol or tobacco products.

You can consume Cuban rum and smoke Cuban cigars during your stay in Cuba, but you can’t bring them home.

Legal Advice About Cuba Travel?

The U.S. government takes Cuban sanctions laws very seriously. Violations of State Department policies and the embargo can carry penalties, including expensive fines and possible jail time. If you have questions about what you can and cannot do when traveling to Cuba, talk to an international law attorney.