Cuba is one of the many countries sanctioned by the U.S. Because of this, there are restrictions in place against U.S. persons traveling to Cuba (and vice versa). However, general licenses issued by OFAC permit the travel of a U.S. person to Cuba under certain circumstances; therefore, U.S.persons can travel to Cuba in certain cases.
OFAC (The Office of Foreign Assets Control in the Department of the U.S. Treasury) defines a U.S. person as any U.S. citizen, a permanent resident alien, an entity organized under the laws of the U.S. (including foreign branches), or any person in the U.S. Under general licenses, U.S. persons are allowed to travel to and from Cuba under 12 categories.
The 12 categories are listed below:
Family visits
Official business of the U.S. government and certain intergovernmental organizations
Journalist activity
Professional research or meetings
Educational activities
Religious activities
Public performance, clinics, workshops, athletic (and other) competitions of exhibitions
Support for Cuban people
Humanitarian projects
Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes
Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials
Certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing
Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S. owned or controlled foreign firms
Individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction can travel between the United States and Cuba under general licenses according to the specific conditions outlined above. Carrier services related to travel between the two countries are authorized but may require additional permissions from various U.S. government bodies. Additionally, those providing travel or carrier services must retain certifications from customers indicating their authorization for travel to Cuba for at least five years.
If a U.S. person’s travel to Cuba does not fall under one of the twelve outlined categories, the individual can apply for a specific license from OFAC. Typically, however, if the reason for travel is not one of the twelve, OFAC will not authorize the travel.
If you have any questions regarding travel to Cuba, feel free to contact our office.
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