OFAC Rules for Traveling and Sending Money to Cuba

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S.Treasury Department is the agency charged with
enforcing the embargo against Cuba. OFAC issued these new regulations in 2004 based on the recommendations to the President from the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba.

Restrictions on educational exchanges. Specific licenses are limited to colleges and post-graduate institutions and no longer permits travel to Cuba from K-12 schools. Only students enrolled in the licensed institution may travel on that license, even if a student's own institution accepts the licensed institution's program for credit toward the student's degree. Educational licenses are only granted for groups traveling to Cuba for more than 10 weeks, unless they are for graduate research, sponsorship of a Cuban national who is coming to the U.S. for academic purposes, or in preparation for licensed educational activities. Employees who travel under the license must be full-time permanent employees of the licensed institution.
Travel restrictions on family visits. Under prior regulations, a general license authorized a person to visit a close relative (which included second cousins) once every 12 months and more often under a specific license. The new rule eliminates the general license and restricts the specific license to members of the traveler's "immediate family", once every three years, and not to exceed 14 days. No additional visits will be authorized by specific licenses, even in cases of death or medical emergencies.
Spending restrictions on family visits. It used to be that there was no stated limit to the duration of the visit and travelers could spend up to $167 per day for living expenses in Cuba, plus any additional funds needed for transactions directly related to visiting the relative. The new rules reduce the amount of money travelers can spend for living expenses to $50 per day, plus up to an additional $50 per trip to pay for transportation-related expenses.
Sending money to family in Cuba. The general license authorizing $300 quarterly remittances to anyone in Cuba is eliminated. The new general license authorizes such remittances only when they are sent to the remitter's "immediate" family, e.g. parent, sibling or children. The total amount of family remittances that an authorized traveler may carry to Cuba is reduced from $3,000 to $300 per visit every 3 years.
A ban on Cuban merchandise. Travelers to Cuba can no longer return with up to $100 worth of Cuban merchandise for personal consumption. Nothing except informational materials may be purchased or otherwise acquired in Cuba and brought back to the United States.
The elimination of fully-hosted travel. The previous authorization allowed all travel-related costs waived by Cuba, or paid for by a third-country national who is not subject to US jurisdiction. The new regulations also prohibit obtaining goods or services in Cuba when they are provided free-of-charge or received as a gift, unless otherwise authorized by an OFAC general or specific license.
Limits on sports events. OFAC will only authorize a general license for amateur and semi-professional athletic competitions sponsored by an international sports federation on a case-by-case basis.
Limits to luggage. The amount of baggage carried by an authorized traveler to Cuba is now limited
to 44 pounds unless authorized by OFAC or the Bureau of Information Security of the Department of Commerce.

We believe the current policy toward Cuba is cruel, inhumane, and unacceptable because it hurts ordinary Cubans, further restricts the rights of American citizens, and divides Cuban families. If you agree, we strongly urge you to make your opinion known by writing to the media, the President and elected officials.

WOLA - WASHINGTON OFFICE ON LATIN AMERICA1630 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20009 TEL: (202) 797-2171 FAX: (202) 797-2172