US Citizens Visa Regulations

US Citizens Overview:

For detailed and specific information about these programs or about the Cuban sanctions program, please contact the:
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/
U.S. Department of the Treasury Washington, D.C. & Miami, Florida
202-622-2520 / 305-810-5140

CUBA – RELATED TRAVEL TRANSACTIONS
Only persons whose travel falls into the categories discussed below are authorized to spend money related to travel to, from, or within Cuba. Persons licensed to engage in travel-related transactions in Cuba may spend up to the State Department Travel Per Diem Allowance for Havana, Cuba (for purchases directly related to travel in Cuba, such as hotel accommodations, meals, local transportation, and goods personally used by the traveler in Cuba  Most licensed travelers may also spend additional money for transactions directly related to the activities for which they received their license. For example, journalists traveling in Cuba under the journalism general license (described below) may spend money over and above the current per diem for extensive local transportation, the hiring of cable layers, and other costs that are directly related to covering a story in Cuba. Licensed travelers may also spend an additional $100 on the purchase of Cuban merchandise to be brought back with them to the United States as accompanied baggage, but this $100 authorization may be used only once in any 6-month period. Purchases of services unrelated to travel or a licensed activity, such as non-emergency medical services, are prohibited. The purchase of publications and other informational materials is not restricted.

General license:
The following categories of travelers are permitted to spend money for Cuban travel and to engage in other transactions directly incident to the purpose of their travel under a general license without the need to obtain special permission from the U.S. Treasury Department:

Official Government Travelers -U.S. and foreign government officials, including representatives of international organizations of which the United States is a member, who are traveling on official business.

Persons regularly employed as journalists by a news reporting
organization and persons regularly employed as supporting broadcast
or technical personnel who travel to Cuba to engage in journalistic activities.

Persons who are traveling to visit close relatives in Cuba in circumstances
of humanitarian need. This authorization is valid without a specific license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control only once every twelve months. Persons traveling under this general license may not spend money on transactions that will cause them to exceed the current per diem allowance.

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

Full-time professionals whose travel transactions are directly related to
attendance at professional meetings or conferences in Cuba organized
by an international professional organization, institution, or association that regularly sponsors such meetings or conferences in other countries. The organization, institution, or association sponsoring the meeting or
conference may not be headquartered in the United States unless it has been specifically licensed to sponsor the meeting. The purpose of the meeting or conference cannot be the promotion of tourism in Cuba or other commercial activities involving Cuba, or to foster production of any biotechnological products.

Amateur or semi-professional athletes or teams traveling to participate in Cuba in an athletic competition held under the auspices of the relevant international sports federation. The athletes must have been selected for the competition by the relevant U.S. sports federation, and the competition must be one that is open for attendance, and in relevant situations participation, by the Cuban public.

Specific licenses for educational institutions:
Specific licenses authorizing travel transactions related to certain educational activities by any students or employees affiliated with a licensed academic institution may be issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Such licenses are only available to U.S. academic institutions accredited by an appropriate national or regional accrediting association, and such licenses must be renewed after a period of two years. Once an academic institution has applied for and received such a specific license, the following categories
of travelers affiliated with that academic institution are authorized to engage in travel-related transactions incident to the following activities without seeking further authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control:

Undergraduate or graduate students participating in a structured
educational program as part of a course offered at a licensed college or
university. Students planning to engage in such transactions must carry a letter from the licensed institution stating 1) the institution’s license number, 2) that the student is enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the institution, and 3) that the travel is part of an educational program of the institution.

Persons doing noncommercial Cuba-related academic research in
Cuba for the purpose of qualifying academically as a professional (e.g.,
research toward a graduate degree). Students planning to engage in such transactions must carry a letter from the licensed institution stating 1) the institution’s license number, 2) that the student is enrolled in a graduate degree program at the institution, and 3) that the Cuba research will be accepted for credit toward that graduate degree.

Undergraduate or graduate students participating in a formal course of
study at a Cuban academic institution, provided the Cuban study will be
accepted for credit toward a degree at the licensed U.S. institution. A student planning to engage in such transactions must carry a letter from the licensed U.S. institution stating 1) the institution’s license number, 2) that the student is currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the institution, and 3) that the Cuban study will be accepted for credit toward that degree.

Persons regularly employed in a teaching capacity at a licensed college or university who plan to teach part or all of an academic program at a Cuban academic institution. An individual planning to engage in such
transactions must carry a letter from the licensed institution stating 1) the
institution’s license number, and 2) that the individual is regularly employed by the licensed institution in a teaching capacity.

Cuban scholars teaching or engaging in other scholarly activities at a
licensed college or university in the United States. Licensed institutions
may sponsor such Cuban scholars, including payment of a stipend or
salary.

Secondary school students participating in educational exchanges
sponsored by Cuban or U.S. secondary schools and involving the students’ participation in a formal course of study or in a structured educational program offered by a secondary school or other academic institution and led by a teacher or other secondary school official. A reasonable number of adult chaperones may accompany the students to Cuba. A secondary school group planning to engage in such transactions in Cuba must carry a letter from the licensed secondary school sponsoring the trip stating 1) the school’s license number, and 2)the list of names of all persons traveling with the group.

Full-time employees of a licensed institution organizing or preparing for
the educational activities described above. An individual engaging in such 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.

Specific licenses for religious organizations:
Specific licenses authorizing travel transactions related to religious activities by any individuals or groups affiliated with a religious organization may be issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Such licenses are only available to religious organizations located in the United States, and such licenses must be renewed after a period of two years. Once a religious organization has applied for and received such a specific license, travelers affiliated with that religious organization are authorized to engage in travel-related transactions incident to a full-time program of religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the licensed religious organization without seeking further authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Individuals planning to engage in such transactions must carry a letter from the licensed religious organization stating 1) the organization’s license number, 2) that they are affiliated with the licensed organization, and 3) that they are traveling to Cuba to engage in religious activities under the auspices of the licensed organization.

Other specific licenses:
Specific licenses may be issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control on a case-by-case basis authorizing travel transactions by the following categories of persons in connection with the following activities:

Humanitarian Travel – (1) persons, and persons traveling with them who
share a common dwelling with them, traveling to Cuba more than once in a twelve-month period to visit close relatives in cases involving humanitarian need; (2) persons traveling to Cuba to accompany licensed humanitarian donations (other than gift parcels) or exempt donations of food; (3) persons traveling in connection with activities of recognized human rights organizations investigating specific human rights violations; and (4) persons whose travel transactions are directly related to certain humanitarian projects in or related to Cuba that are designed to directly benefit the Cuban people. Licenses authorizing transactions for multiple trips over an extended period of time are available for travel under (3) and (4) above.

Free-Lance Journalism – Persons with a suitable record of publication who are traveling to Cuba to do research for a free-lance article. Licenses authorizing transactions for multiple trips over an extended period of time are available for applicants demonstrating a significant record of free-lance journalism.

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). Licenses authorizing transactions for multiple trips over an extended period of time are available.

Educational Activities – Persons traveling to engage in educational activities that are not authorized pursuant to an academic institution’s specific license, 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.

Religious Activities – Persons traveling to Cuba to engage in religious
activities that are not authorized pursuant to a religious organization’s specific license. Licenses authorizing transactions for multiple trips over an extended period of time are available.

Public Performances, Clinics, Workshops, Athletic and Other
Competitions, and Exhibitions – 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. The event must be open for attendance, and in relevant situations participation, by the Cuban public, and all profits from the event after costs must be donated to an independent nongovernmental organization in Cuba or a U.S.-based charity, with the objective, to the extent possible, of promoting people-to-people contacts or otherwise benefitting the Cuban people.

Activities of Private Foundations or Research or Educational Institutions – Persons traveling to Cuba on behalf of private foundations or research or educational institutes that have an established interest in international relations to collect information related to Cuba for noncommercial
purposes. Licenses authorizing transactions for multiple trips over an extended period of time are available.

Exportation, Importation, or Transmission of Information or Informational Materials – Persons traveling to engage in activities directly related to the exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials.

Licensed Exportation – Persons traveling to Cuba to engage in activities
directly related to marketing, sales negotiation, accompanied delivery, or servicing of exports of health care products or other exports 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.