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U.S. GOVERNMENT APPROVED TRAVEL TO CUBA

Background

On January 05, 1999 President Clinton, announced his decision to expand academic, cultural exchange and people-to-people contact between Americans and Cubans. Among the President's initiatives was the streamlining of the approval process for these visits.

Many Types of Travel to Cuba are now Authorized

Travel is now generally authorized for professional research, athletic, educational, cultural and performance activities, including those undertaken by secondary school students.

There are two types of license;

General license and Specific license

1. General license: This category allows you to travel to Cuba without having to obtain special permission from the U.S. Treasury Department. No physical license is issued in this case. If you qualify for General license you just go to Cuba. Be prepared, if asked, to demonstrate why you are qualified for this category of travel.

2. Specific license: This category requires you to apply for a license. The procedure is straight forward. The Treasury Department provides written guide lines and sends you the license in the form of a letter which you carry with you.

Select the Appropriate License Category for You or Your Group

Authorized Travel Requires a Cuba Travel License - To travel to Cuba under these new regulations you or your group need a "Cuba travel license" This is the responsibility of the U.S. Treasury Department.

There are two types of license; General license and Specific license

1. "General license" This category allows you to travel to Cuba without having to obtain special permission from the U.S. Treasury Department. No physical license is issued in this case. If you qualify for General license you just go to Cuba. Be prepared, if asked, to demonstrate why you are qualified for this category of travel.

2. "Specific license" This category requires you to apply for a license. The procedure is straight forward. The Treasury Department provides written guide lines and sends you the license in the form of a letter which you carry with you.

 

1. "General License Categories" The following are some categories of travelers that are permitted to spend money for Cuban travel without the need to obtain special permission from the U.S. Treasury Department:

  • Full-time professionals whose travel is directly related to professional research in their professional areas, provided that their research 1) is of an academic nature; 2) comprises a full work schedule in Cuba; and 3) has a substantial likelihood of public dissemination.

    Full-time professionals whose travel is directly related to attendance at professional meetings or conferences in Cuba organized by an association, institution, or international professional organization, that regularly sponsors such meetings or conferences in other countries. The association, institution, or organization, sponsoring the meeting or conference may not be headquartered in the United States unless it has been specifically licensed to sponsor the meeting.

    2. "Specific License Categories" Specific licenses may be issued on a case-by-case basis authorizing travel by the following categories of persons in connection with the following activities:


  • Professional Research and Professional Meetings - Persons traveling to Cuba to do professional research or to attend a professional meeting that does not meet the requirements of the relevant general license (described above).

    Educational Activities - Persons traveling to engage in educational activities, including educational exchanges not involving academic study pursuant to a degree program when those exchanges take place under the auspices of an organization that sponsors and organizes such programs to promote people-to-people contact.

  • Public Performances, Clinics, Workshops, Athletic and Other Competition, and Exhibitions Ð Persons traveling to participate in a public performance, clinic, workshop, athletic or other competition (that does not meet the requirements of the general license described above), or exhibition.

    "Specific License" (Categories for educational institutions)
    Specific licenses authorizing travel to certain educational activities by any students or employees affiliated with a licensed academic institution. Once an academic institution has received such a specific license, the following categories of travelers affiliated with that academic institution are authorized to engage in travel without seeking further authorization:

  • Undergraduate or graduate students participating in a structured educational program as part of a course offered at a licensed college or university.

  • Secondary school students participating in educational exchanges sponsored by U.S. secondary schools and involving the students' participation in a structured educational program offered by a secondary school and led by a teacher or other secondary school official. A reasonable number of adult chaperones may accompany the students.

  • Persons doing Cuba-related academic research in Cuba for the purpose of qualifying academically as a professional (e.g., research toward a graduate degree).

  • Full-time employees of a licensed institution organizing or preparing for the educational activities described above. An individual engaging in transactions must carry a letter from the licensed institution stating 1) the institution's license number and 2) that the individual is regularly employed there.

    Applying for a specific license

    Persons wishing to travel to Cuba under a specific license should send a letter specifying the details of the proposed travel, including any accompanying documentation, to Steven Pinter, Chief of Licensing, Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20220, Telephone 202-622-2480. Academic institutions wishing to obtain one of the two-year specific licenses described above should send a letter to the same address requesting such a license and establishing that the institution is accredited by an appropriate national or regional accrediting association.

    More Information - Additional information concerning the programs of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the U.S. Treasury Department is available for downloading from the Office's Internet Home Page: http://www.treas.gov/ofac or in fax form through the Office's 24-hour fax-on-demand service: call 202-622-0077 using a fax machine or fax modem or a touch-tone telephone.

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    This page last updated 09/09/05