sir_eccles

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/15/travel/how-to-go-to-cuba-right-now.html

Slight relaxation of the rules. It isn't quite a free for all yet, it still has to be one of the 12 purposes of trip but it doesn't have to be an organized tour any more.

Loveen

thanx for sharing this information. I will share this advice to my friends as well.

sherbert

Or, simply fly down to Mexico and take a flight from there .

mrken30

and use your British passport

username.exe

Are (were?) there any restrictions on PRs visiting Cuba?

Giantaxe

If you are a US resident, the legal restrictions are the same as if you are a citizen.

Pulaski

It is little understood that the prohibition on travel to Cuba for US citizens/ residents is more to do with financial sanctions enforced by the Treasury than passport restrictions under the auspices of the State Department (there are no passport restrictions).

It is illegal to transfer USD to Cuba except under very limited circumstances and with approval of the Treasury, so taking greenbacks to Cuba is a breach of US sanctions, and using your bank account, including writing a check, or using a credit card branded with a US issuer logo (VISA, Amex, M/C, Citi, Diners Club, Discover, etc.) puts both you and your bank in breach of US sanctions. The State Department cares a whole lot less about travel to Cuba.

mrken30

Are you telling me I would be fine if I just used my UK credit cards and my US passport? I'm sure they would still ask questions

Pulaski

What sort of credit cards are you planning on using that aren't branded with VISA or M/C logos, or run through networks owned by those or other US banks or finance companies?

And anyway, who would ask the questions? There are plenty of Americans who have been to Cuba, and the Cubans certainly don't have a problem with that. And given that the US doesn't yet implant tracking devices in its passports or citizens, the US is going to remain blissfully unaware of a US citizen's trip to Cuba so long as (i) they pay in cash, and (ii) they don't cause a diplomatic incident or attract publicity to themselves.

Giantaxe

and (iii) make sure they don't get their passport stamped; and (iv) make sure they don't bring Cuban goods back that could be discovered on re-entry to the US. (iv) is now a little easier as the rules on this have been relaxed recently.

mrken30

The ones that used to be owned by Visa Europe, I can't remember if Visa US successfully bought/merged with Visa Europe.

I found the answer

Visa Inc. and Visa Europe announced in November a definitive agreement for Visa Inc. to acquire Visa Europe, creating a single global company. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Visa Inc.'s fiscal third quarter of 2016 (April-June).

Pulaski

But as the US State department doesn't have a primary concern with travel to Cuba, I don't see getting your US passport stamped as a major problem.

Giantaxe

You don't think a Cuban stamp in the passport of a returning traveler might be a tipoff for the US to investigate? Especially when I see this on the State Dept website on travel to Cuba:

" U.S. law enforcement authorities enforce these regulations at U.S. airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries."

Cuba

Pulaski

Visa Europe only became "independent" of VISA Inc in October 2007, and mergered with VISA Inc in November 2015, ..... and in between had a licence to use the VISA brand and international networks. So given that VISA Inc is a US corporation, you can be pretty damn sure that VISA Europe was bound by the franchise contract with VISA Inc to abide by US sanctions against Iran and Cuba, and anyone else that the US happens to be miffed with, because Uncle Sam is not at all shy about fining international banks for breaching US sanctions. Banks that have been fined in recent years include Barclay's, Lloyds TSB, Credit Suisse, and HSBC, amone others.

Pulaski

Well empirically it hasn't stopped plenty of Americans from visiting Cuba. Maybe they're all dual citizens, or have conveniently "lost" a passport so they now have two passports?