From the Department of State Website, Note Vacation is NOT an allowable travel reason.
Current Permissible Travel to Cuba
The travel regulations can be found at 31CFR 515.560, which references other
sections of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations for travel-related transaction
licensing criteria. (For an overview of the Treasury Department regulations on travel
to Cuba, see OFAC’s website [
http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/]). At
present, certain categories of travelers may travel to Cuba under a general license,
which means that there is no need to obtain special permission from OFAC. In
addition, a wide variety of travelers engaging in family visits, and educational,
religious, humanitarian, and other activities may be eligible for specific licenses.
Applications for specific licenses are reviewed and granted by OFAC on a case by
case basis. Some specific licenses may authorize multiple trips to Cuba over an
extended period of time.
CRS-7
The general license categories include the following:
! Officials of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain
intergovernmental organizations traveling on official business (31
CFR 515.562);
! Persons regularly employed as journalists by a news reporting
organization or by persons regularly employed as supporting
broadcast or technical personnel (31 CFR 515.563); and
! Full-time professionals conducting professional research in their
areas (provided that the research is of a noncommercial, academic
nature, that the research comprises a full work schedule in Cuba, and
that the research has a substantial likelihood of public dissemination)
or attending professional meetings or conferences in Cuba organized
by an international professional organization, institution, or
association that regularly sponsors meetings or conferences in other
countries (31 CFR 515.564).
The specific license categories include the following:
! Persons visiting a member of their immediate family (spouse, child,
grandchild, parent, grandparent, or sibling) who is a national of Cuba
for a period not to exceed 14 days and once in a three-year period
(31 CFR 515.561);
! Persons visiting an immediate family member who is not a national
of Cuba and is in exigent circumstances, provided the person being
visited is in Cuba pursuant to OFAC authorization, the exigency has
been reported to the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, and the license
would support the mission of the U.S. Interests Section (31 CFR
515.561);
! Free-lance journalists (31 CFR 515.563);
! Professional researchers undertaking research or attending
professional meetings who do not qualify for a general license (31
CFR 515.564);
! Specific institutional licenses (up to one year) for students and fulltime
employees of undergraduate or graduate degree-granting
academic institutions to participate in educational activities. These
activities include participation in a structured educational program
in Cuba as part of a course offered at the licensed institution (not
less than 10 weeks); noncommercial academic research in Cuba
specifically related to Cuba for the purpose of obtaining a graduate
degree; participation in a formal course of study at a Cuban
institution (not less than 10 weeks) provided it will be accepted for
credit toward the student’s undergraduate or graduate degree at the
licensed U.S. institution; teaching at a Cuban academic institution
CRS-8
1 U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, “ Comprehensive
Guidelines for License Applications to Engage in Travel-Related Transactions Involving
Cuba,” Sept. 2004 (although the guidelines note that these limits on religious travel were
added on Mar. 31, 2005).
(not less than 10 weeks); and sponsorship of a Cuban scholar to
teach or engage in other scholarly activity at the licensed institution.
(CFR 515.565);
! U.S. religious organizations, for its members undertaking religious
activities in Cuba (31 CFR 515.566); [Note: According to OFAC,
specific licenses under 515.566(a), which does not limit the number
of travelers or the frequency of trips, are for smaller religious
organizations, such as individual churches and congregational units;
larger religious organizations, such as national associations of
churches, may now obtain a license under 515.566(b), which,
according to revised March 2005 licensing guidelines “will only
authorize up to twenty-five (25) individuals to travel to Cuba per trip
and will permit no more than one trip per calendar quarter.”1]
! Amateur or semi-professional athletes participating in competitions,
provided that the competition is held under the auspices of the
international sports federation for the relevant sport, that U.S.
participants are selected by the U.S. federation for the relevant sport,
and that the competition is open for attendance, and in relevant
situations, for the Cuban public. Those involved in public
performances, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions,
provided that the event is open for attendance, and in relevant
situations, participation by the Cuban public, and that all profits are
donated to an independent nongovernmental organization in Cuba
or a U.S.-based charity (31 CFR 515.567);
! Those traveling for activities in support of the Cuban people, such
as activities of recognized human rights organizations, activities
designed to promote a rapid, peaceful transition to democracy, and
activities intended to strengthen civil society (31 CFR 515.574);
! Those involved in humanitarian projects in Cuba, such as medical
and health-related projects, construction projects, intended to benefit
legitimately independent civil society groups, environmental
projects, projects involving non-formal educational training, within
Cuba or off island, on topics including civil education, journalism,
advocacy and organizing, adult literacy and vocational skills,
community-based grass roots projects, projects suitable to the
development of small-scale enterprise, projects related to
agricultural and rural development that promote independent
activity, and projects involving the donation of goods to meet basic needs
