Travelling to Cuba before a stopover in the US
Sep 20, 2015, 3:58 pm
#16
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 797
Hi everyone,
I am going soon to CUN for a few days and since Mexico is not that attractive to me, I would like to go to Cuba during those days. I found quite good tickets with CU from CUN to HAV.
The issue is that on the way back from CUN I am flying CUN-MIA on AA then MIA-LHR on BA. Since in the US we always need to proceed to immigration even if just connecting, will they say something about my recent stay in Cuba? Is there any chance they won't let me pass immigration and I would miss my connecting flight to LHR?
As anyone had the same situation?
Thank's for reading!
I am going soon to CUN for a few days and since Mexico is not that attractive to me, I would like to go to Cuba during those days. I found quite good tickets with CU from CUN to HAV.
The issue is that on the way back from CUN I am flying CUN-MIA on AA then MIA-LHR on BA. Since in the US we always need to proceed to immigration even if just connecting, will they say something about my recent stay in Cuba? Is there any chance they won't let me pass immigration and I would miss my connecting flight to LHR?
As anyone had the same situation?
Thank's for reading!
You won't have any problem. Even the Pope is doing it
Sep 21, 2015, 1:26 am
#17
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
Israel don't stamp any more (at TLV, they do at Erez, not sure about other land borders), they do attach a hard-to-remove security sticker though.
Sep 21, 2015, 4:08 am
#19
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA; SQ; Hyatt; Hilton
Posts: 422
Sep 21, 2015, 4:31 am
#20
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
If the OP omits to mention Cuba on the card, he better not have anything from Cuba with him (souvenirs, receipts, etc....). An omission may be viewed as a lie and lying to the US authorities can have worse consequences.
Sep 21, 2015, 6:01 am
#21
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Glossop
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 344
LAst week we flew SJO - HAV (with Cubana). Tourist cards were available at SJO airport and you had to have one in order to be checked in. $30 US
Sep 21, 2015, 7:32 am
#22
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYZ/YTZ/YUL
Programs: BA Gold, TK Elite
Posts: 1,558
There is no reason to do it: if you're not a citizen the US simply don't care whether you've been to Cuba or not, as the Embargo only applies to US citizens.
On the other hand, lying, or omitting countries in your declaration card will, if caught, definitely get you into trouble.
Sep 21, 2015, 8:03 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,983
I am not aware of anyone having trouble in the US as a result of having been to Cuba (as a non US resident).
Your bigger problem is likely to be the whole transit process at MIA. My last experience there was farcical, which is a shame because I quite like the ambience and layout of the airport, but the whole clear immigration and customs routine, even if your case is checked through, is pathetic.
By way of example, on my last trip there the queue for security (for transit passengers) was very long, so they filtered some of us through a door and directed us to a security checkpoint from the main terminal, which meant entering the main terminal and entering security from there. Upon arrival at the said checkpoint some jobsworth was refusing to let passengers through (even though we had been sent there) if they were unable to identify which gate they were flying from. My boarding pass did not have the gate, and as I had left a lot of time for transit (because I know MIA is sh*t) my flight was not showing any gate, so I was not allowed through. Thankfully one of this bloke's colleagues appeared a few minutes later and then corrected him stating that it was not necessary for there to be a gate number stated- there were quite a few disgruntled people standing around having been refused entry. The lady colleague and the jobsowrth then had an argument and I saw passengers just walk in (which is neither here nor there anyway because your BP is scanned shortly afterwards anyway, so anyone who should not be there would be turned away at that point). I then tried my luck again, showing my BP to the lady (who clearly had a brain unlike her colleague) and I was let in, but the whole thing is so unecessarily tiresome. I try to avoid MIA, but a lot of traffic goes through there, especially from central America and Caribbean.
Your bigger problem is likely to be the whole transit process at MIA. My last experience there was farcical, which is a shame because I quite like the ambience and layout of the airport, but the whole clear immigration and customs routine, even if your case is checked through, is pathetic.
By way of example, on my last trip there the queue for security (for transit passengers) was very long, so they filtered some of us through a door and directed us to a security checkpoint from the main terminal, which meant entering the main terminal and entering security from there. Upon arrival at the said checkpoint some jobsworth was refusing to let passengers through (even though we had been sent there) if they were unable to identify which gate they were flying from. My boarding pass did not have the gate, and as I had left a lot of time for transit (because I know MIA is sh*t) my flight was not showing any gate, so I was not allowed through. Thankfully one of this bloke's colleagues appeared a few minutes later and then corrected him stating that it was not necessary for there to be a gate number stated- there were quite a few disgruntled people standing around having been refused entry. The lady colleague and the jobsowrth then had an argument and I saw passengers just walk in (which is neither here nor there anyway because your BP is scanned shortly afterwards anyway, so anyone who should not be there would be turned away at that point). I then tried my luck again, showing my BP to the lady (who clearly had a brain unlike her colleague) and I was let in, but the whole thing is so unecessarily tiresome. I try to avoid MIA, but a lot of traffic goes through there, especially from central America and Caribbean.
Last edited by South London Bon Viveur; Sep 21, 2015 at 8:55 am