Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories
From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Charlie Smith)
Subject: *NEW* TRAVEL INFORMATION -- Cuba
Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die
Distribution: wstd
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1992 16:02:06 GMT
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Cuba
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Cuba - Consular Information Sheet
 October 27, 1992

U.S. Representation:  The United States does not maintain an 
embassy in Cuba.  U.S. citizens who travel to Cuba can contact and 
register with the U.S. Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy.  The 
U.S. Interests Section is located in Havana at Calzada between L & 
M, Vedado; telephone 33-3550 through 33-3559.

Country Description:  Cuba is a developing country under the 
Communist rule of Fidel Castro.  The United States has no direct 
diplomatic relations with Cuba.  

Entry Requirements:  U.S. citizens need a Treasury Department 
license in order to engage in any transactions related to travel to 
and within Cuba.  Information and the required license may be 
obtained by contacting the Licensing Division, Office of Foreign 
Assets Control at the Department of the Treasury (202/622-2480).  
Should a license be granted, a passport and a visa are also required 
for entry to Cuba.  For current information on Cuban entry and 
customs requirements, travelers can contact the Cuban Interests 
Section, an office of the Cuban Government located at 2630 and 2639 
16th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009, tel: (202) 797-8518.

Medical Facilities:  Medical care does not meet U.S. standards.  
Many U.S. medications are unavailable.  It is useful for travelers 
to Cuba to bring with them any prescribed medicine which is for 
their personal use.  A copy of the prescription and a letter from 
the physician explaining the need for prescription drugs will 
facilitate entry into the country.  U.S. medical insurance is not 
always valid outside the United States.  In some cases, supplemental 
medical insurance providing specific overseas coverage has proved 
useful.  For additional health information, travelers can contact 
the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline at 
(404) 332-4559.

Crime Information:  Due to the deteriorating economic situation in 
Cuba, robberies, including those resulting in injuries, are 
increasing.  Even the low-budget traveler has many items, including 
currency, that are attractive to thieves.  Useful information on 
guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling 
abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip 
Abroad".  It is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. 
Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 20402.

Currency Regulations (Cuban):  The Cuban Government prohibits 
currency exchange except at the official rate and at government 
offices.  Failure to properly declare currency and foreign goods 
brought into Cuba upon entry is punishable under Cuban law by 
imprisonment for two to five years.  Questions about Cuban currency 
and import regulations may be directed to the Cuban Interests 
Section in Washington, D.C.

Currency Regulations (U.S.):  Effective November 1, 1991, a limit 
of $500 was placed on funds that U.S. citizens or residents may pay 
to Cuba relating to fees imposed by the Cuban Government relating to 
travel to Cuba.  A limit of $300 per three-month period has been 
placed on family remittances sent from the U.S. to relatives in 
Cuba.  The Treasury Department has also prohibited returning Cubans 
>from taking more non-Cuban currency home than they brought to the 
U.S.

Currency Regulations (Credit Card Restrictions):  U.S. citizens and 
permanent resident aliens are prohibited from using credit cards in 
Cuba.  U.S. credit card companies will not accept vouchers from 
Cuba, and Cuban shops, hotels, and other places of business do not 
accept U.S. credit cards.  Personal checks drawn o U.S. banks may 
not be accepted in Cuba.  Travelers checks may be acceptable, 
however.

Currency Regulations (U.S. Treasury Department Restrictions):  The 
Cuban Assets Control Regulations of the U.S. Treasury Department 
require that persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction be licensed to 
engage in any transactions related to travel to and within Cuba.  
Failure to comply with these regulations could result in prosecution 
upon return to the United States.  For further information on the 
U.S. Treasury Department's licensing requirements, travelers can 
contact the Office of Foreign Assets Controls.

Other Information (Dual Nationality):  The Government of Cuba 
considers all Cuban-born U.S. citizens to be solely Cuban citizens.  
The Cuban Government does not recognize the right or obligation of 
the U.S. Government to protect dual U.S./Cuban citizens and has 
consistently denied U.S. consular officers the right to visit 
incarcerated dual U.S./Cuban nationals to ascertain their welfare 
and proper treatment under Cuban law.  Dual U.S./Cuban nationals are 
required by Cuban law to enter and depart Cuba using Cuban 
passports.  Using a Cuban passport for this purpose does not 
jeopardize one's U.S. citizenship; however, such persons must use 
their U.S. passports to enter and depart the U.S. and to transit any 
countries en route.  Dual U.S./Cuban nationals may be subject to a 
range of restrictions and obligations, including military service, 
in Cuba.

Other Information (Restriction on Photography): Photographing 
military or police installations or personnel, or harbor, rail and 
airport facilities is forbidden.

Drug Penalties:  Penalties for the possession, use, and dealing of 
illegal drugs are severe, and convicted offenders can expect lengthy 
jail sentences.  Those accused of drug-related and other crimes can 
expect lengthy legal proceedings and delayed due process.

Tips for Travelers:  The Department of State's pamphlet "Tips for 
Travelers to the Caribbean", which offers general information on 
travel to the area, is available from the Superintendent of 
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.

Registration:  Americans who register at the U.S. Interests Section 
in Havana can obtain updated information on travel and security 
within the country.  Transportation and communication within Cuba, 
including Havana, can be extremely difficult.  Telephone service 
within Cuba and between Cuba and the United States is very poor.  It 
may therefore be very difficult for the U.S. Interests Section in 
Havana to assist distressed Americans, should an emergency arise.

 No. 92-067