Cuba Travel Licenses for Americans: Current Authorized Categories

Cuba Travel Licenses for Americans

Updated for the OFAC rule effective September 30, 2026. U.S. travel to Cuba for tourist activities is not permitted. OFAC continues to recognize 12 categories of authorized travel-related transactions, but the general licenses within some categories have changed. In particular, new Group People-to-People travel and the former general license for professional meetings are no longer generally authorized after September 30, 2026. The category used must match the traveler’s actual purpose and activities. This page provides general compliance information, not legal advice.

 

By Chaz Chambers(Musician, Tour Guide Leader, and Director of Havana Music Tours and Musical Getaways)

Support for the Cuban People is one of several OFAC general-license categories that may apply to U.S. travelers when all requirements are met. OFAC currently identifies 12 categories of authorized travel-related transactions under 31 CFR § 515.560(a). The right category depends on the traveler’s actual purpose and activities in Cuba.

*Categories that may be relevant to some Havana Music Tours travelers are highlighted in bold. Eligibility depends on the traveler’s actual activities and the current rules.

1. Family visits
2. Official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations
3. Journalistic activity
4. Professional research and professional meetings
5. Educational activities
6. Religious activities
7. Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions
8. Support for the Cuban people
9. Humanitarian projects
10. Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes
11. Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials
12. Certain authorized export transactions

Professional Research

Professional research remains generally authorized under 31 CFR § 515.564(a)(1) when the research directly relates to the traveler’s profession, professional background, or area of expertise and the traveler maintains the required full-time research schedule. Effective September 30, 2026, OFAC removed the former general license for attending or organizing professional meetings or conferences in Cuba for new travel. Travelers should not rely on professional meetings as a general-license basis unless another authorization applies or OFAC has issued a specific license.

Note: older Havana Music Tours videos may discuss prior versions of the Cuba regulations. Current written guidance on this page controls for our present tour planning.

Educational Activities

Effective September 30, 2026, OFAC removed the general authorization for new Group People-to-People educational travel under former § 515.565(b). Certain academic educational activities remain generally authorized under § 515.565(a), subject to the specific requirements that apply to qualifying academic programs and institutions. Havana Music Tours does not rely on former Group People-to-People authorization for new scheduled cultural tour bookings.

Current rule: New Group People-to-People travel is not generally authorized for trips first arranged on or after September 30, 2026. OFAC created a grandfather provision for certain trips where the traveler completed at least one travel-related transaction for that particular trip before the effective date. New Havana Music Tours scheduled cultural programs are designed around Support for the Cuban People, 31 CFR § 515.574, unless another authorization independently applies to the traveler.

For the current text of § 515.565 and other Cuba travel authorizations, consult the current eCFR and OFAC Cuba guidance before travel. Historical rules for group People-to-People travel should not be used as the basis for new bookings after September 30, 2026.

Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions

Important current-rule note: This remains one of the statutory Cuba travel categories, but OFAC removed the former general authorization for public performances, clinics, workshops, non-athletic competitions, and exhibitions effective September 24, 2020. The current general license in 31 CFR § 515.567(a) covers qualifying amateur and semi-professional international sports federation competitions. OFAC may consider specific licenses case by case for public performances, clinics, workshops, other athletic competitions, non-athletic competitions, and exhibitions that are not generally authorized.

Do not assume that attending concerts, taking music lessons, or including performances in an itinerary makes an ordinary trip qualify under this category. The authorization used must match the traveler’s actual purpose and activities. See OFAC FAQ 706 and the current regulations before relying on this category.

Support for the Cuban People

Independent travel does not automatically require a tour company, but the traveler must independently satisfy every requirement of the OFAC category being used. Support for the Cuban People can apply to independent travel when the traveler maintains the required full-time schedule of qualifying activities and meaningful interaction described in 31 CFR § 515.574.

For this category, travelers must meet the full-time-schedule and meaningful-interaction requirements, retain required travel records for at least 10 years, avoid prohibited direct or indirect financial transactions with entities or subentities named on the Cuba Restricted List, and avoid lodging transactions prohibited by the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List. Havana Music Tours designs its programs to prioritize privately owned casas particulares, paladares, independently operated transportation, private guides, independent musicians and artists, and other Cuban entrepreneurs. Those private-sector activities are important, but OFAC also requires additional qualifying activities sufficient to make up a full-time Support for the Cuban People schedule. See our Cuba itinerary planning information for examples.

• (a) General license. The travel-related transactions set forth in §515.560(c) and other transactions that are intended to provide support for the Cuban people are authorized, provided that:
• (1) The activities are of:
• (i) Recognized human rights organizations;
• (ii) Independent organizations designed to promote a rapid, peaceful transition to democracy; or
• (iii) Individuals and non-governmental organizations that promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba; and
• (2) Each traveler engages in a full-time schedule of activities that:
• (i) Enhance contact with the Cuban people, support civil society in Cuba, or promote the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities; and
• (ii) Result in meaningful interaction with individuals in Cuba.
• (3) The traveler’s schedule of activities does not include free time or recreation in excess of that consistent with a full-time schedule.
• Note 1 to paragraph (a): Each person relying on the general authorization in this paragraph must retain specific records related to the authorized travel transactions. See §§501.601 and 501.602 of this chapter for applicable recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
• Note 2 to paragraph (a): Staying in a room at a rented accommodation in a private Cuban residence (casa particular), eating at privately-owned Cuban restaurants (paladares), and shopping at privately-owned stores run by self-employed Cubans (cuentapropista) are examples of activities that qualify for this general license. However, in order to meet the requirement for a full-time schedule, a traveler must engage in additional authorized Support for the Cuban People activities.
• (b) An entire group does not qualify for the general license in paragraph (a) of this section merely because some members of the group qualify individually.
• (c) Certain direct or indirect financial transactions restricted. Nothing in paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section authorizes a direct or indirect financial transaction prohibited by §515.209, with the exception of transactions on behalf of a non-governmental organization.
• (d) Certain travel-related transactions restricted. Nothing in paragraph (a) authorizes lodging, paying for lodging, or making a reservation at a property on the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List to the extent prohibited by §515.210.
• (e) Specific licenses. Specific licenses may be issued on a case-by-case basis authorizing the travel-related transactions set forth in §515.560(c) and such other transactions as are related to support for the Cuban people that do not qualify for the general license under paragraph (a) of this section.
• Example 1 to §515.574: An individual plans to travel to Cuba, stay in a room at a rented accommodation in a private Cuban residence (casa particular), eat at privately-owned Cuban restaurants (paladares), and shop at privately-owned stores run by self-employed Cubans (cuentapropista) during his or her four-day trip. While at the casa particular, the individual will have breakfast each morning with the Cuban host and engage with the Cuban host to learn about Cuban culture. In addition, the traveler will complete his or her full-time schedule by supporting Cuban entrepreneurs launching their privately-owned businesses. The traveler’s activities promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba. Because the individual’s qualifying activities are not limited to staying in a room at a rented accommodation in a private Cuban residence (casa particular), eating at privately-owned Cuban restaurants (paladares), and shopping at privately owned stores run by self-employed Cubans (cuentapropista) and the traveler maintains a full-time schedule that enhances contact with the Cuban people, supports civil society in Cuba, and promotes the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities, and that results in meaningful interaction between the traveler and Cuban individuals, the individual’s travel qualifies for the general license.
• Example 2 to §515.574: A group of friends plans to travel and maintain a full-time schedule throughout their trip by volunteering with a recognized non-governmental organization to build a school for underserved Cuban children with the local community. In their free time, the travelers plan to rent bicycles to explore the streets of Havana and visit an art museum. The travelers’ trip would qualify for the general license because the volunteer activities promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba and constitute a full-time schedule that enhances contact with the Cuban people and supports civil society in Cuba, and results in meaningful interaction between the travelers and individuals in Cuba.
• Example 3 to §515.574: An individual plans to travel to Cuba, rent a bicycle to explore the neighborhoods and beaches, and engage in brief exchanges with local beach vendors. The individual intends to stay at a hotel that does not appear on the Cuba Restricted List (see §515.209). The traveler’s trip does not qualify for this general license because none of these activities promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba.

I am not an attorney, so please make sure to understand all of the rules completely before traveling to Cuba. This blog is to help share correct information about traveling to Cuba. We recommend you read all of the information directly from OFAC, by clicking this link. Also, please refer to the Cuba Restricted List for entities subject to the restrictions described above.

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Also, check out our Ultimate Cuba Travel Checklist (Reviewed September 2026)