Journalist license?

I'll try the easier question concerning flights: NO.

As to the former, I'd take a can of paint and a brush with me as well. That way you'll have something to do if either side decides to throw you into one of their many available cells - paint it!

For the straight poop on journalist's license you should contact OFAC, if memory serves they aren't granting individual licenses any more.

#! above is correct on the flights you ask about, but he takes pleasure in harassing posters, hence his nasty second sentence.

#2 is correct about the license information. But license rules have changed drmatically since July 1, 2004, and from a journalists viewpoint your chance of obtaining a license today unless you are being sent by one of the major news services, is close to zero. Just because you write and she writes and you may be able to get something printed, does not in OFAC's eyes qualify you for a license to travel to Cuba.

. . . . would it just be easier to take the trip as Jane Q. Citizen? Yes - if you want to go to Cuba, this is the way you should go.

i'm an american journalist who has been to cuba twice on the sneak. i'm glad i went as a civilian because it allowed me relative freedom to hang out and interact with people, without fear of screwing up their lives. my impression is that cubans who talk to american journalists are subject to all kinds of hassles from big brother. the regime really does have spies everywhere, which is less of an issue for you than for the cubans you talk to.

good luck.

Tilegoddess: forget about getting a licence to visit as a journalist. It's not worth the hassle you have to go through at both ends.(Speaking from experience). From the US end, it's probably not possible now anyway. Even some of the big-time media pros are now having difficulty at the US end.

Fredsanford: your post, as usual, is utterly worthless.

I know journalists that go regularly to Cuba on tourist visa. If your intention with the journey is recreation and not work, you shouldn't apply for journalist visa, as that will put a searchlight upon you making it more awqward to interact with people. If you take notes and pictures when you travel on tourist visa, act as a tourist, and not as a professional journalist.

The tools of the trade can be unconspicuous, a compact camera, an mp3 player with dictaphone function etc. It's often easier to work if you travel light. A laptop computer with USB will be sufficient for storing any pictures and notes taken onto flash memory if you don't let it just remain on the memory chips for the camera. You can have umpteen SD cards in your wallet or in the camera pouch. They come up to 8G size by now, stores helluvalot more than you'd think of storing on film rolls. Of course an SLR might be "better", and won't necessarily catch much attention, but a compact as G6 or G7 or any other good quality compact is easier to tote.