These changes were initially announced by the Obama Administration on January 14, 2011: “The President has directed that changes be made to regulations and policies governing: (1) purposeful travel; (2) non-family remittances; and (3) U.S. airports supporting licensed charter flights to and from Cuba. These measures will increase people-to-people contact; support civil society in Cuba; enhance the free flow of information to, from, and among the Cuban people; and help promote their independence from Cuban authorities,” said the White House statement earlier this year.

The new guidelines are intended to assist persons who wish to engage in travel-related transactions involving Cuba in making their own determinations as to whether their activities are authorized by a general license (in which case no specific license from OFAC is needed), or their activities could be authorized by a specific license from OFAC (in which case an application is required).

Read the new Travel Comprehensive Guidelines here.