Travelling to Cuba before a stopover in the US
Sep 20, 2015, 10:52 am
#1
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Travelling to Cuba before a stopover in the US
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!
Sep 20, 2015, 11:10 am
#3
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Sep 20, 2015, 11:20 am
#4
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I was doing this when relations were much worse than now, and as a non US citizen it was fine. Maybe some questions as to whether I had some cigars on me (and on non US routings there may have been a bit of Romeo y Julieta going to a supplier restaurant in Edinburgh), but that was about it. For the last few years even that has gone away, and I would guess in a few months AA will be flying MIA-HAV.
If you are not Global Entry you will need to declare the places you visited before landing in the USA. I would put Cuba as well as Mexico on that card.
If you are not Global Entry you will need to declare the places you visited before landing in the USA. I would put Cuba as well as Mexico on that card.
Sep 20, 2015, 11:27 am
#5
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I was doing this when relations were much worse than now, and as a non US citizen it was fine. Maybe some questions as to whether I had some cigars on me (and on non US routings there may have been a bit of Romeo y Julieta going to a supplier restaurant in Edinburgh), but that was about it. For the last few years even that has gone away, and I would guess in a few months AA will be flying MIA-HAV.
If you are not Global Entry you will need to declare the places you visited before landing in the USA. I would put Cuba as well as Mexico on that card.
If you are not Global Entry you will need to declare the places you visited before landing in the USA. I would put Cuba as well as Mexico on that card.
It does remind me of a funny (for me) story about 15 years ago when a girl I was sailing with at Antigua Race Week, and who had been in Cuba with her boyfriend the week before, asked me what I thought of her Crayola colouring project as she tried to change the 'Cuba' entry stamp in her US passport to 'Aruba'. I told her that I was pretty sure that USBP had seen both a Cuban and Aruban entry stamp before and that this was not the super-clever route. She made it back in at Miami, but a few years later ended up in prison near San Francisco for 18 months or so for embezzling a few million dollars from her IT-company boss.
Last edited by LondonElite; Sep 20, 2015 at 12:41 pm Reason: Minor grammar, additional details
Sep 20, 2015, 11:33 am
#6
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Indeed. As a non-US citizen it was fine even in the dark days. Now it will be much easier.
It does remind me of a funny story when a girl I was sailing with sailing with at Antigua Race Week and who had been in Cuba with her boyfriend the week before asked me what I thought of her colouring project as she tried to change the 'Cuba' entry stamp in her US passport to 'Aruba'. I told her that I was pretty sure that USBP had seen both a Cuban and Aruban entry stamp before and that this was not the clever route. She made it back in but a few years later ended up in prison for a 18 months or so for embezzling a few million from her IT company boss.
It does remind me of a funny story when a girl I was sailing with sailing with at Antigua Race Week and who had been in Cuba with her boyfriend the week before asked me what I thought of her colouring project as she tried to change the 'Cuba' entry stamp in her US passport to 'Aruba'. I told her that I was pretty sure that USBP had seen both a Cuban and Aruban entry stamp before and that this was not the clever route. She made it back in but a few years later ended up in prison for a 18 months or so for embezzling a few million from her IT company boss.
Sep 20, 2015, 11:36 am
#7
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I was doing this when relations were much worse than now, and as a non US citizen it was fine. Maybe some questions as to whether I had some cigars on me (and on non US routings there may have been a bit of Romeo y Julieta going to a supplier restaurant in Edinburgh), but that was about it. For the last few years even that has gone away, and I would guess in a few months AA will be flying MIA-HAV.
If you are not Global Entry you will need to declare the places you visited before landing in the USA. I would put Cuba as well as Mexico on that card.
If you are not Global Entry you will need to declare the places you visited before landing in the USA. I would put Cuba as well as Mexico on that card.
Sep 20, 2015, 11:44 am
#8
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Sep 20, 2015, 11:51 am
#9
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When I last went to Mexico, I just got an entry stamp and no exit stamp.
When I last went to Cuba, I did not get either an entry or exit stamp.
Unless things have changed, I don't see why a US immigration official will know you have been to Cuba.
You are just transiting through US on way back from CUN
When I last went to Cuba, I did not get either an entry or exit stamp.
Unless things have changed, I don't see why a US immigration official will know you have been to Cuba.
You are just transiting through US on way back from CUN
Sep 20, 2015, 11:53 am
#10
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Sep 20, 2015, 12:33 pm
#11
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Major lols at your story, though - it's not like a genuine Aruba stamp is inconspicuous, either!
Sep 20, 2015, 1:42 pm
#13
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Aye when i lived in cayman lots of people went to cuba. Everyone had cuba stamp a card and not passport and no one is any wiser. Interesting cws declares it but understandable now with the better relations, but even 5 years ago being caught with just cuban cigars could become a problem, sometimes the customs folks saw them and didnt care yet the cuban cigar seller at gcm airport still removes the labels.... Folks in cayman took the conservative options just in case there was that one immigration or customs officer.... Enjoy the trip to cuba!
Sep 20, 2015, 2:31 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Since there's a cuba discussion on this board I wil re-post a question that I asked on the IB board but has not had a reply after a few days.
I'm a UK passport holder flying from MAD-HAV. Will IB supply the tourist card or shall I arrange one via the Consulate in London ?
I'm a UK passport holder flying from MAD-HAV. Will IB supply the tourist card or shall I arrange one via the Consulate in London ?
Sep 20, 2015, 3:48 pm
#15
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AA already fly MIA-HAV a dozen times a week at the peak, along with TPA-HAV and MIA to 5 or 6 other Cuban airports. I think you mean you guess in a few months AA will be flying scheduled commercial flights to HAV.
MIA Terminal D has APC kiosks as you know, so unless you get asked specifically about it by a CBP officer there is no declaration of places you have been on the trip already because the kiosks don't ask for this and you no longer need the blue form with it written on.
MIA Terminal D has APC kiosks as you know, so unless you get asked specifically about it by a CBP officer there is no declaration of places you have been on the trip already because the kiosks don't ask for this and you no longer need the blue form with it written on.
