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CUBA TRAVEL POLICY UPDATE JUNE 5 2019
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AMERICANS CAN STILL TRAVEL TO CUBA LEGALLY | AFTER THE NEW REGULATAIONS IMPLEMENTED ON JUNE 5TH 2019 | all US Citizens and US Residents can still travel legally to Cuba under the OFAC license category “SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE” | As a traveler you are required to provide support for the Cuban people and promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba. The traveler is required to engage in "Support for the Cuban People" activities consistent with a full-time schedule.
NEW REGULATIONS JUNE 5TH, 2019 | New regulations went into effect that set new boundaries for the way US citizens and US residents may travel to Cuba. As a US resident or US citizen, you are required to travel legally to Cuba under one of the (12) categories established by OFAC. Before the new restrictions declared by the Trump Administration on June 05, US travelers, traveled under the Educational License - category: "PEOPLE TO PEOPLE", which is no longer existing.
At this time, of the (12) categories, the one you may currently use to travel independently to Cuba is the ”SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE” category. In order to travel under the law, one must abide to the guidelines and join in activities that are in the essence of the category. Although scheduling a trip that attains with all the guidelines may seem puzzling, INVICTA Group Services can easily help you organize a legal trip to Cuba under this category.
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SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE LICENSE CATEGORY | A traveler is required to provide support for the Cuban people and promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba. A traveler is required to engage in "SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE" activities consistent with a full-time schedule. Under “SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE” category, individuals can travel to Cuba, but they must have an itinerary filled with meetings and visits with local business owners, artists or others. They must engage with local and private business “cuentapropistas”, for example: dine at Cuban Paladares (Cuban private restaurants) and stay in a “Casa Particular” a Cuban private home – bed and breakfast.
TRAVELING WITH A US PASSPORT | You may still travel legally to the island with a US passport; however, you essentially will not be allowed by law to travel to Cuba under the “People to People” category, which was primarily used by tour travel agencies and cruise lines. You can still travel to Cuba, 100% legally, under the “Support for the Cuban People” category.
VARIATIONS IN CUBA TRAVEL | Existing itineraries will not be affected. If your journey was prearranged prior to the 5th of June, under the People to People travel category, your trip will be grandfathered and is exempted from the new regulations. If your itinerary was designed under the Support for the Cuban People category, your trip will not be affected in any way. Airlines are still flying to Cuba, and it is still 100% legal to travel to the island.
THE ONLY EXCEPTION | Under the new regulations as of June 5th, American cruise liners are no longer able to go to Cuba. If you booked a cruise to Cuba for June 5th or later, contact your cruise company.
FUTURE OF CUBA TRAVEL | One may no longer design itineraries to Cuba under the People to People travel category. This new regulation will mark and end to your opportunity to engage in guided tour packages and cruise tours to the entire island of Cuba, as American cruise ships are no longer permitted to dock in Cuba. However, you can still design with us a travel itinerary travel under the license category “SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE” and travel to Cuba 100% legally. Although it is unlikely to happen for some time, if ever; these the new implemented laws on this past June 5th, could be shadowed by even more constricted restrictions - if even tighter restrictions do follow these new laws, however, as a traveler you are going to want to have your trip already designed, planned and schedule - so it may be grandfathered in.