anyone ever been to Cuba?

my daddy's 50th bday is coming up and my mom wants to surprise him by taking him to cuba!

they'd most likely go to mexico first and then fly to cuba from there. has anyone ever done this? i've read that you can ask the mexican/cuban officials not to stamp your passport..i dunno, seems kinda shady to me!

wondering if anyone has done or knows someone who's done this...? (oh and if it helps, my mom is a citizen and my dad is a resident)

tia!!!

i've heard of the not asking them to stamp your passport before also--but i dont' know anyone personally who has ever done it.

my mom's family in puerto rico says it happens all the time--but again--its always 'My cousin told me' or 'my friend's newphew' lol

Can people get in trouble if Cuba is stamped in their passport??

Duh me its illegal.

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Posted by Songstress

Can people get in trouble if Cuba is stamped in their passport??

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Yes-because you have to have a special visa/permission in order to enter the country. american citizens are not supposed to enter cuba due to the embargos against them and the fact that they are a communist nation. if you were to enter the U.S. and immigration saw the stamp in your passport--you could be detained and questioned....as it could be considered an act of treason for going there without permission.



ETA: this if rom the State Dept. Website:


ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS/TRAVEL TRANSACTION LIMITATIONS: The Cuban Assets Control Regulations are enforced by the U.S. Treasury Department and affect all U.S. citizens and permanent residents wherever they are located, all people and organizations physically in the United States, and all branches and subsidiaries of U.S. organizations throughout the world. The Regulations require that persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction be licensed to engage in any travel-related transactions pursuant to travel to, from, and within Cuba. Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada. U.S. law enforcement authorities have increased enforcement of these regulations at U.S. airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries. Travelers who fail to comply with Department of Treasury regulations could face civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States.

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Posted by MJDoc12

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Posted by Songstress

Can people get in trouble if Cuba is stamped in their passport??

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Yes-because you have to have a special visa/permission in order to enter the country. american citizens are not supposed to enter cuba due to the embargos against them and the fact that they are a communist nation. if you were to enter the U.S. and immigration saw the stamp in your passport--you could be detained and questioned....as it could be considered an act of treason for going there without permission.

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God this is so ridiculous to me.

Dh told me when he and his grandfather were coming back from Cuba, his grandfather forgot his VISA or something like that and they held him up with machine guns. DH said it was the most terrifying experience of his life! They almost kept him in Cuba!

Have the rules become more strict in the US because DH's passport was stamped. He still has it.

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Posted by MJDoc12

ETA: this if rom the State Dept. Website:

Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada.

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yeah! see that's the part that i'm over...they know that ppl sneak into cuba via mexico & canada...if my parent don't get detained i'll let you guys know if it works or not!