Legal Travel To Cuba

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Who can travel to Cuba?

Global Educational Facilitation is licensed by OFAC to make travel arrangements for those individuals and groups who either (a) have obtained a Specific License from OFAC authorizing their travel to Cuba, or (b) are traveling under the general authorization given by OFAC for certain categories of persons without any need for them to apply for a Specific license.  This general authorization is called a General License.

 

All persons traveling to Cuba must complete a sworn affidavit that will be made available to United States government officials. If you intend to travel to Cuba, you should download and complete the appropriate affidavit below.

 

The Additional Affidavit for travelers using the General License can be found here.

TSP Affidavit for travelers using either of the other licenses can be found here.

 

What is a TSP?

A Travel Service Provider is an OFAC approved and licensed individual, organization or corporation that is allowed to book flight, hotels and other travel services to Cuba for anyone qualified to travel to Cuba under a General or Specific OFAC license. Our TSP license number is CU-2012-297411-1.

 

Types of Licenses for Traveling to Cuba

Global Ed, as an official TSP, Travel Service Provider, offers several license types for travel to Cuba.  The most common are explained below:

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[tabbed_page] [tabbed_page_tab title=”GENERAL LICENSE”]

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General License

A general license(No Application Necessary) allows certain categories of travel to Cuba and, if your travel is described by one of the OFAC sanctioned exceptions (listed below), then you can travel and do not have to make an application to OFAC. The most common forms of general licenses are educational groups for college credit from university or college and the religious purpose.

 

If you are allowed to travel to Cuba, you can engage with Travel Service Providers or Carrier Service Providers in order to arrange for travel to Cuba.

 

There are eight general licenses authorizing travel-related transactions involving Cuba. They are:

  1. Visiting “close relatives” who are nationals of Cuba or visiting “close relatives” who are U.S. Government employees assigned to the U.S. Interest Section in Havana.
  2. Official business travel by officials of the U.S. government, foreign government, or intergovernmental organizations of which the United States is a member.
  3. Journalistic activities by persons regularly employed as journalists by a news reporting organizations or by persons regularly employed as supporting broadcast or technical personnel.
  4. Professional Research conducted by full-time professionals in their professional areas, attendance at certain professional meetings or conferences organized by international professional organizations, or participation in certain telecommunications-related professional meetings.
  5. Educational activities by faculty, staff, and students of accredited U.S. graduate and undergraduate degree-granting academic institutions.
  6. Religious activities under the auspices of a religious organization located in the United States.
  7. The commercial marketing, sales negotiation, accompanied delivery, or servicing in Cuba of telecommunications-related items that have been authorized for commercial export or
    re-export by employees or, or an entity duly appointed to represent, a telecommunications services provider.
  8. The commercial marketing, sales negotiation, accompanied delivery, or servicing in Cuba of agricultural commodities, medicine, or medical devices by employees of a producer or distributor or an entity duly appointed to represent a producer or distributor.

 

Examples of these can be found at

www.treasury.gov/recource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_tr_app.pdf

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Academic Purpose License

Academic purpose licenses fall under the category of a general license and does not require prior specific authorization from OFAC. Accredited schools and universities will no longer need to apply for a Specific License for travel by their students, faculty and staff (including adjunct faculty and part-time staff) to Cuba. The following travel is now permitted:

 

  1. Participation in a structured educational program as part of a course offered for credit by the sponsoring U.S. institution. Participants must carry a letter on official letterhead, signed by a designated representative of the institution, stating that the travel is part of a structured educational program of the sponsoring institution and that the individual is a member of the faculty or staff or a student currently enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program and that the study in Cuba will be accepted for credit to-ward that degree. There is no longer any minimum length of time which must be spent in Cuba. As long as a student is receiving credit towards his/her degree at his/her own academic institution, he/she may now participate in a study program arranged by another school, provided that institution offers credit to its own students for that course. Relatives of students studying in Cuba may now send them money (via Western Union for instance).
  2. Non-commercial academic research specifically related to Cuba and for the purpose of obtaining a graduate degree. The graduate student must carry a letter on official letterhead, signed by a designated representative of the institution, stating that the student is currently enrolled in a graduate degree program and that the research in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward that degree.
  3. Participation in a formal course of study at a Cuban academic institution provided the formal course of study in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward the student’s graduate or undergraduate degree. The student must carry a letter on official letterhead, signed by a designated representative of the institution, stating that the student is currently enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program and that the study in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward that degree. There is no longer any minimum length of time which must be spent in Cuba.
  4. Teaching at a Cuban academic institution by an individual regularly employed in a teaching capacity at the sponsoring U.S. academic institution, provided the teaching activities are related to an academic pro-gram at the Cuban institution and provided the duration of the teaching will be no shorter than 10 weeks. The teacher must carry a letter on official letterhead, signed by a designated representative of the institution, stating that the individual is regularly employed in a teaching capacity at that institution.
  5. Sponsorship, including the payment of a stipend or salary, of a Cuban scholar to teach or engage in other scholarly activity at the sponsoring U.S. academic institution. It is still necessary to obtain a State Department visa for entry into the United States.
  6. The organization of, and preparation for, all the activities described above by faculty and staff of the sponsoring U.S. academic institution (including adjunct faculty and part-time staff). Individuals must carry a letter on official letterhead, signed by a designated representative of the institution, stating that the individual is a member of the faculty or staff of the institution and is traveling to engage in the organization of, and preparation for the activities described above.
  7. You, as a student, may also attend another academic institution’s study abroad program (as long as you are currently enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program) even if the institution is not where you are pursuing your degree. However, the credits from the study abroad program must be transferred and accepted by your home academic institution.

 

If you fulfill one of the criteria listed above, the regulation authorizes you to travel on a general license and you do not require permission from OFAC. However, it is a requirement of the general license that you carry a letter on official letterhead signed by a designated representative of your sponsoring academic institution.[/column_three_quarter]

[/tabbed_page_tab] [tabbed_page_tab title=”RELIGIOUS PURPOSE LICENSE”]

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Religious Purpose License

If you are traveling to Cuba for religious purposes you first must obtain a letter from the clergy at the religious institution that states on their letterhead that the group will be performing religious activities. Religious activities are narrowly defined by OFAC and are similar to missionary type work. Please check OFAC’s website for specific examples.

 

All members and staff of a U.S. religious organization may travel to Cuba on a general license as authorized by section 515.566 (a) of the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) Cuba Assets Control Regulations.  The general license authorizes members and staff of a U.S. religious organization to travel to Cuba for a full-time program of religious activities.[/column_three_quarter]  [/tabbed_page_tab]

[tabbed_page_tab title=”SPECIFIC LICENSE”]

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Specific License

An application must be sent by an individual or institution to OFAC.   A specific license is granted to permit travel-related transactions where the proposed activity is not covered by a general license. These can be given to corporations, individuals and non-profit organizations for educational, cultural, religious, humanitarian and other reasons for Cuba travel related activities. You must apply for a specific license if your travel falls into one of these categories:

  1. Visiting a close relative who is neither a national of Cuba nor a U.S. Government employee assigned to the US Interest Section in Havana.
  2. Journalistic activities for a free-lance journalistic project.
  3. Professional research and professional meetings that do not qualify for the general license.
  4. Academic educational activities not authorized by the general license for accredited U.S. graduate and undergraduate degree-granting academic institutions.
  5. Educational exchanges not involving academic studies pursuant to a degree program and that takes place under the auspices of an organization that promoted people-to-people contact.
  6. Academic seminars, conferences, and workshops related to Cuba or global issues involving Cuba and sponsored or co-sponsored by the traveler’s accredited U.S. graduate or undergraduate academic institution.
  7. Religious activities not authorized by the general license for religious organizations located in the United States.
  8. Athletic competitions by amateur or semi-professional athletes or teams selected by the relevant U.S. federation.
  9. Participation in a public performance, clinic, workshop, other athletic or nonathletic competition, or exhibition in Cuba.
  10. Activities intended to provide support for the Cuban people.
  11. Humanitarian projects in/or related to Cuba designed to directly benefit   the Cuban people.
  12. Activities by private foundations or research or educational institutes that have an established interest in international relations to collect information related to Cuba for non-commercial purposes.
  13. Activities related to the exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials.
  14. The marketing, sales negotiation, accompanied delivery, or servicing in Cuba of exports that appear consistent with the export or re-export licensing policy of the Department of Commerce and that are not authorized by a general license.
  15. The marketing, sales negotiation, accompanied delivery, or servicing of medicine, medical supplies, or certain telecommunications equipment by a US –owned or—controlled firm in a third country to Cuba.

Examples of these can be found at

www.treasury.gov/recource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_tr_app.pdf

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See What Global Educational Facilitation Can Do For You

We would be pleased to assist you with your travel needs, if you are properly licensed to travel to Cuba. We can point you to the right government information that defines a legal trip to Cuba. We offer a range of travel services to U.S. Educational institutions, people to people organizations and other OFAC licensed activities.  Contact us with any questions or requests, here.

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I TRUST GLOBAL ED TO HANDLE
THE DETAILS OF COMPLICATED
TRIPS TO CUBA.

Jeannie Schulz
Charles Schulz Foundation

 

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