Again, any persons subject to US jurisdiction are taking a substantial risk by flouting US regulations on Cuban travel. Unlicensed travel to Cuba (and most business trips and all leisure trips are NOT licenseable) is illegal and subject to severe punishment.

IMHO, Cuba will be fully open to Americans within the next couple of years at the most anyway, so it's just not worth risking the ire of Uncle Sam.

------------------
Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines, a proud member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

Several hundred Americans are fined every year for their little jaunts to Cuba. Do not go!!! Just wait for the bearded little Hitler to die and for Cuba to become free again.

If you really have to go to a spanish speaking socialist paradise try southern California. :-)

[This message has been edited by dfwbob (edited 10-08-2002).]

Yes, but that is why you should go now. It will all change. So if you want to see the only country without a McDonalds or a 7-11 on any streetcorner go NOW. Was there 3 years ago, go and visit this proud, great and lovely people.

Dunno about your research, but a "friend" traveled to Cuba last year and wouldn't trade the experience for anything. The policy is an anachronism, lingering only because neither political party wants to cross the kooky fanatic Eli�n Gonzales-kidnapping Cuban expats in South Florida.

Just be careful about passport stamping, and purchase a bankcard/bank account in Canada (or Mexico?) to fund your trip. A google search will give you all the information you need.

The security clearance worries seem hard to believe. Also, I have a (real) friend who traveled to Cuba the old-fashioned way--legally through a religious group--and he wisks through Customs regularly without a problem.

If an American travels to Cuba in a 100% legit manner (with a license duly obtained from Treasury), then none of what has been discussed applies. The trouble comes when an American (or other person subject to US jursidiction) travels to Cuba without that authorization, including on technically legal "fully-hosted" trips.

Some advice for you if you do get to Cuba--they do not accept American Express travellers cheques, or any cheques drawn on a US bank. The ironic thing is that they only accept US currency from foreigners. Wierd. Get some Canadian bank issued travellers cheques, and cash those if you need to.

As a Canadian, I go to Cuba often (once every couple of years) for vacation.

I have received questions from the INS when coming back to the US, questioning why I travelled there, and I respond with "great beaches, and fantastic coffee". It's never a problem for me. That said, if you are a foreigner, avoid getting an entry/exit stamp in your passport from Cuba, as it will just create more questions from the INS.

I traveled "legally" with a license issued by the OFAC. We were a group of 5 Rotarians on a Humanitarian Mission. What a great place to visit! The people LOVE Americans and make us feel welcome wherever we visited. Go . . and enjoy a wonderful country and wonderful people.

Thanks, all, for the myriad replies.

After some other web research, I guess the biggest question at this point for "my friend" is whether it makes to lie on Customs forms re-entering the US.

I.e., they ask, "What countries have you been to?"

If you're not travelling with a license, you can say Cuba but refuse to give any more details. If they can't prove you spent money there--a technical violation of the embargo--can they still go after you? Any reason not to take the Fifth?

Of course, you could lie and just not mention the whole Cuba portion of the trip, but that's actually perjury--a criminal offense with possible jail time--and seems worse to me than some fine, however large, that's unlikely to be enforced.

I'm very curious about US citizens with experience on this front.

Thanks again!

The way the statute is written, you are assumed to have spent money in Cuba unless YOU can prove that you didn't.

That information can be found on page 7 of this document and states that :

I really don't understand why you are so scared, If you are going via Canada or Mexico no one will ever know you have been in Cuba. Offcourse you can not use your american creditcard. I know some US people being there. They will not stamp your passport, like they don't stamp your passport in Isreal because of the problem you can have later entering an arab country.

MEX1K- You mentioned that you went to Cuba from Mexico. I too am a US Citizen living in Mexico and have been keeping a trip to Cuba in the back of my mind. Did you find any cheap airfares? So far the cheapest I have seen have been in the $300 range with a stop in Canc�n.

Also, what was your money plan? Did you use Am Ex travellers cheques drawn on a Mexican bank?

Saludos.
Lesley

B747-437B, you remain an oracle; thanks very much.

bjerregaard, in response to your question, "I really don't understand why you are so scared, If you are going via Canada or Mexico no one will ever know you have been in Cuba."

I think the specific worry is that US Customs will note the exit stamp from Mexico and then the reentry stamp, and wonder where he went in between.

I dont know if Im just plain lucky or have a too often stamped passport, but its never happened to me that the immigration officer would try to retrace when and where I entered and exited a country. Is it just me?

It's happened to me several times, esp. on the way back from trips to places like (or even near) China, Korea, Turkey, Malaysia....

The whole issue for me is the embargo itself. I know there are ways around the law but it irks me that I have to go through all that to travel to a country I might want to visit. All because of something that should have been done away with long ago.