Cuba Guide
Entry requirements
Citizens of most Western countries must have a ten-year passport, valid for at least six months, a tourist card (tarjeta de turista) and an onward ticket. Tourist cards are valid for thirty days and although you can buy one from Cuban consulates you will get more efficient service if you buy it from your tour operator or travel agent. The charge in the UK is £15–20, in Australia Aus$35, in New Zealand NZ$44 and in Canada Can$24. American citizens can travel to Cuba on tourist cards purchased in Canada, Mexico or other countries, and the Cuban authorities will on request stamp the card instead of your passport when you enter and leave Cuba.
Note that you will pass through customs much more smoothly if you have entered the name of a state hotel on your tourist form as your destination. If you don't have an address you may have to pay on the spot for three nights' accommodation in a hotel of the state's choosing.
Since the United States continues to maintain a trade embargo with Cuba, US citizens are not allowed to travel there freely and must instead apply for a licence. If you think you have a case for being granted permission to travel, perhaps as a journalist, student or as part of a humanitarian mission, contact the Licensing Division, Office of Foreign Assets Control, US Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20220 ( 
202/622-2480, 
www.treas.gov/ofac ). You can also get information from the Cuban government through the Cuban Interests Section, 2630 16th St NW, Washington DC 20009 ( 202/797-8609 or 797-8518). For most US nationals who want to visit Cuba for other reasons less acceptable to the government, like tourism, travel involves catching a flight from a third country.