FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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arriving in Cuba
HOW DOES CUBAN CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION WORK ?
CUBAN CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION
When you arrive in Cuba you will first enter the immigration area where a Cuban immigration officer will ask you for your airline ticket, tourist card/visa and passport, he/she will stamp and retain half of the tourist card/visa and return the other half, you will need this portion of the tourist card/visa for your departure. Your passport may or may not be stamped. You will then pass to the baggage claim area and finally the customs checkpoint where you will be asked for your Customs Declaration Form. This form will be provided by the airline. As you depart through the doors of the airport a representative of INVICTA GROUP SERVICES will be holding a sign and gathering the group together. When everyone is together you will be led to board your transfer bus to the hotel.
IMPORTANT: Never leave your bag unattended at the airport!
WHAT CAN I NOT BRING INTO CUBA?
RECTRICTIONS
The government (airport customs) does not allow pornography, fresh fruit, or meat into the country. They will also restrict the import of household electrical items such as toasters and hotplates. Hair dryers are allowed. There are no restrictions on camera gear and you can bring a video camera if it is not the larger professional variety used to make documentaries. Laptop computers are allowed.
WILL I BE SAFE IN HAVANA ?
SAFETY
The biggest threat to most tourists in Cuba is getting run over by a car. Unlike the United States, pedestrians do not have the right of way. Do NOT expect a Cuban driver to slow down for you… you are expected to jump out of harms way. And NEVER blindly follow the person walking in front of you as you follow the tour group across the street. PLEASE BE AWARE AT ALL TIMES!! Public safety is a concern in any major city, but less so in Havana. Numerous police officers patrol the areas where tourists congregate and crime consists mainly of petty thievery of non-attended items. Violent crime is rare in Cuba; this is due mainly to the fact that there are no guns or drugs and severe penalties for breaking the law. It is not recommended to go on a solo journey thru Centro Habana with $5,000 worth of camera gear hanging from your neck. As with all big cities, common sense prevails.
