Exploring Cuba: Activities For Americans To Enjoy

Americans travelling to Cuba must ensure their trip falls under one of twelve categories of authorised travel, known as a 'general license'. The most popular category is 'Support for the Cuban People', which requires travellers to have a full schedule of activities that demonstrate meaningful interaction with local people and support for private businesses. Educational Activities, Religious Activities, and Journalism are also categories that allow Americans to legally visit Cuba.

Educational Activities

It is important to note that Educational Activities must be the primary purpose of the trip, and travellers must be able to demonstrate that they are meaningfully interacting with local people and supporting private businesses. It is the traveller's responsibility to keep a record of their daily activities, including the names of the businesses they visit and their expenditures, as the US government reserves the right to audit trips for up to five years.

Support for the Cuban People

If you're an American travelling to Cuba, your trip must fall under 12 categories of authorised travel, known as a 'general license'. Most Americans' trips will qualify under the 'Support for the Cuban People' reason. To meet this guideline, you must have a full schedule of activities that demonstrates you are meaningfully interacting with local people and supporting private businesses. You must not support any government-run entities. It is your responsibility to keep a record of your daily activities, including the names of the businesses you visit and your expenditures, as the US government reserves the right to audit your trip for up to five years.

Examples of activities that count as 'Support for the Cuban People' include taking a private cooking lesson, which can also double as a Spanish language exchange.

Religious Activities

However, it is important to note that there is no actual license issued, and it is based on an honour system. Therefore, it is the traveller's responsibility to ensure that their trip falls under one of the twelve pre-approved categories.

When participating in religious activities in Cuba, Americans can connect with locals and partake in their culture. This could include attending religious services, visiting places of worship, or participating in religious events and festivals.

It is important to keep in mind that the US government reserves the right to audit trips to Cuba for up to five years. Therefore, travellers should keep a record of their daily activities, including the names of the places they visit and their expenditures.

Professional Research

The US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) oversees Cuba travel. There are twelve themes under which Americans can legally visit Cuba without any government documentation or permission in advance. These twelve categories are known as “general license” travel. There is no actual license issued. It is an honour system. If the purpose of your Cuba travel falls under any of the twelve pre-approved Cuba travel categories, you can hop on a plane and visit Cuba.

The popular categories of Educational Activities (which People-to-People travel is part of), Support for the Cuban People, Humanitarian Projects, Religious Activities, Professional Research, and Journalism are fulfilling ways to witness Cuba and connect with islanders while partaking in their culture.

Educational Activities include study abroad for students, teachers, and school staff. Support for the Cuban People means you must have a full schedule of activities that demonstrates you are meaningfully interacting with local people and that you are supporting private businesses (and under no circumstances can you support any government-run entities). It will also be your personal responsibility to keep a record of your daily activities while in Cuba, including the names of the businesses you visit and your expenditures, as the US government reserves the right to audit your trip for up to five years.

Journalism

Journalists travelling to Cuba should be aware that the US government reserves the right to audit their trip for up to five years. It is the personal responsibility of the traveller to keep a record of their daily activities, including the names of the businesses they visit and their expenditures.

Journalists may also wish to consider other categories of general license travel, such as 'Support for the Cuban People', which requires travellers to have a full schedule of activities that demonstrate meaningful interaction with local people and support for private businesses.

Frequently asked questions