The recent relaxation of travel rules for Americans who want to visit Cuba has inspired a big jump in interest and activity. In fact, the jump is so high that the tourism officials of other Caribbean countries are worried it will drain the income they rely on from visiting Americans.
The simplified travel rules outlined in December included dropping the need to obtain a special, restricted travel license. The categories for legitimate travel also expanded to 12, including family, religious, and educational activities.
As Miami’s WLRN news noted, there is a bill wending its way through the Senate that would make tourist travel—plain old, everyday tourist travel—legal. But it’s far from law.
And this is the American government we’re talking about, though. (Hashtag big fat bureaucracy.) So Americans might be forgiven for being pretty sure if they check the wrong box on their form they’ll wind up in Guantanamo with a Disney villain as a cellmate, instead of dando un paseo por el Malecón.
To obviate some of these fears, the U.S. State Department hosted a Q&A on Twitter. Potential travelers fired questions at the @TravelGov account using the hashtag #AskTravelGov.
Some of the more interesting questions included these. OFAC is the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
.@cubadomains Great Q! We recommend checking w/OFAC. There are ways that you can bring materials/tools for private Cubans. #AskTravelGov
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) June 25, 2015
You still need a license to travel to Cuba but you can approve yourself.
.@macolon2 In 01/15 OFAC made general licenses available in all 12 categories of authorized travel. You self-certify for a GL. #AskTravelGov
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) June 25, 2015
The time has not come where you can take Trixie, Dildorf, Bong, and Hutch and fanny pack your stroller into the jungle with no more than a passport.
.@STLbohemian Tourism to Cuba is not permitted under OFAC’s 12 categories of authorized travel. See more at http://t.co/2mQ0wSeOlp.
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) June 25, 2015
“Foreplay” asks perhaps the most important question in U.S.-Cuba relations.
.@Foreplay9TG If you go today for authorized travel, you can bring up to $100 of cigars back with you for personal use. #AskTravelGov
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) June 25, 2015
Make it $100 worth of cigars and $300 worth of guayabera shirts and songo records.
.@sfmovingroovin You can bring back up to $400 of goods for personal use ($100 of which can be for alcohol and tobacco). #AskTravelGov
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) June 25, 2015
Better safe than sorry.
.@USCUBADem_YLG U.S. citizen travelers can find info. about the security situation in #Cuba here: http://t.co/k2JGi0N33o. #AskTravelGov
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) June 25, 2015
Illustration by Fernando Alfonso III
