Can I travel to Cuba if I am a U.S. citizen?

Yes. U.S. citizens can legally travel to Cuba as long as their trip falls under one of the general license categories authorized by OFAC, such as “Support for the Cuban People.”

My photo tours are specifically designed within this category: we work exclusively with Cuban private businesses (casas particulares, paladares, local guides, drivers, and independent projects), so your money goes directly into the hands of local people and your itinerary has a clear, meaningful purpose.

You do not need to apply for any special permission from the U.S. government; you simply self‑certify under the appropriate category and keep your itinerary and reservations as supporting documentation. You will also need a valid passport, a Cuban tourist card, travel medical insurance, and a return ticket, according to current regulations.

That is the short explanation. Here is the longer one:

Under this category, your trip must have a meaningful purpose and clearly benefit everyday Cubans through the way you travel, where you stay, and whom you hire during your time on the island.

What does “Support for the Cuban People” mean?

“Support for the Cuban People” is a legal travel category focused on direct interaction with and support for private Cuban individuals and businesses, rather than state‑controlled entities.

In practice, this means: staying in casas particulares instead of state‑run hotels; eating in independent restaurants (paladares) and using small local services; hiring private Cuban guides, drivers, hosts, artists, and entrepreneurs instead of state‑run tour agencies; and following an active, meaningful itinerary that connects you with Cuban life, culture, and people—not just a resort vacation.

All of my photo tours are intentionally designed to match this philosophy and help you meet the requirements of the “Support for the Cuban People” category.

How my photo tours support the Cuban people

My services are based 100% on Cuban private businesses. Every stage of your trip is centered on local people and independent projects: you stay in casas particulares run by Cuban families, where your payment goes directly to them; we eat in local paladares and small family‑run restaurants, supporting private entrepreneurs instead of large state restaurants.

We work with independent Cuban drivers and local guides, not state‑run tour buses. Many of our photo sessions take place in neighborhoods, countryside areas, workshops, and cultural spaces where we collaborate with real people: farmers, boxers, musicians, artisans, dancers, and everyday characters from Cuban life. This way, the money from your trip flows directly into the hands of Cuban people and small businesses while you experience and photograph the country in an honest and respectful way.

Do I need special permission from the U.S. government?

You do not need to apply for an individual license or obtain a special letter from the U.S. government. Travel from the United States to Cuba works under what is called a “general license.”

This means you certify yourself that your trip falls under one of the authorized categories (for example, “Support for the Cuban People”). When your airline, travel agency, or a U.S. official asks about your travel category, you simply state “Support for the Cuban People.”

You must keep a record of your daily itinerary and reservations that shows how your time in Cuba supported the Cuban people through your activities and choices. My photo tours are structured to help you maintain a compliant itinerary, with full days of meaningful, people‑focused experiences.

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