Havana Travel Forum

I will be traveling to Cuba through gateway city Mexico City. With the new requirement for US travelers to have a passport for entry/exit to Mexico, Has anyone traveled to Cuba through Mexico since January 2008 and if so, what is the situation with Mexican officials stamping your passport upon entry/exit into Mexico?

Thanks,

There is no problem entering and leaving Mexico. If the Cuban Customs officials stamp your U.S. passport, then you're in trouble GRANDE.

If after landing you stay "airside" and take a connecting flight to Cuba, your passport won't get stamped. If on the other hand, you are leaving the airport, which means you enter Mexico proper, you will go through passport control before you pick up your baggage and your passport should be stamped.

You will have no trouble with your passport entering and leaving Mexico. However, since it's illegal for US residents to visit Cuba, you may have big problems if you have your passport stamped by Cuban Customs officials. The problems will start when you return to the US with a Cuban stamp in your US passport. Most US citizens who travel to Cuba have dual passports and use the non-American one for the trip.

On the other hand, you can get permission to visit Cuba and perhaps you have already done this and it's no problem.

Cuba is not in the habit of stamping peoples passport and the custom of even putting a small stamp stopped nearly 10 years ago. you will have no problem as far as cuba is concerned and you will find out that Americans are truly welcomed by the cuban people. They are not stupid to think that individual american people are responsible for their governments policy. if you are just transiting, like the other poster said, there is no problem.
if you wish to book mexicana from mexico to havana, you can do so on their website but choose rest of the world and it is easier if you have a non american credit card. otherwise call them in mexico city and reserve a ticket. and then pick it up at the airport.
when you arrive from mexico city, the usa immigration and customs officials ( which are two separate departments, as is the agriculture) are very rarely suspicious of your visit to Cuba.
The chances of you getting into trouble is very small, but take care not to bring cuban momentos including rum, cigars (even legal travellers are not permitted to bring these).
All the best and welcome to Cuba

Do you think the US will ever lift its ban on travel to Cuba? My father used to visit every year and just loved it. I've never been there and would love to see the places he talked about . . . and gave me lots of pictures of.

It seems you can only book Mexicana flights between Mexico city/Cancun--Havana online provided if you have american express issued in Mexico, otherwise you have to call the office in Mexico city and reserve your ticket. You can pay for your ticket on phone only by american express, not visa and mastercard.

Without special permission from the govornment it is illegal for USA citzens to travel to Cuba and especially to spend money there. Even if Cuba does not stamp your passport, how do you answer the question from imigration when you return "where have you been on this trip?" If you tell the truth, you are admitting that you have broken the law, if you lie you are committing very serious federal crimes. If imigration does not think you are telling the truth, and they are very well trained to spot people who are not telling the truth you can spend hours explaining where you have been and having your luggage and history searched (did you use a credit card in Cuba, it will show up, did you use a credit card to buy an airline ticket to Cuba, they can find that when Homeland Security starts looking.) How many laws do you want to break? How many ways do you want to run the risk of being caught? Lobby congress to change the laws, but don't break them, and don't post in a public forum asking how to break laws without getting caught.

DG

Agree. People are innocent, but have to obey the "Law".