The U.S. imposes substantial restrictions on travel including airfare and fights to Cuba.

Tico Travel is licensed by the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control to make travel arrangements to Cuba including airfare and flights, 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).

The US restrictions on travel to Cuba apply to all citizens and residents of the US, no matter from what country you travel to Cuba and no matter if you hold citizenship from another country as well. Only persons authorized by OFAC may use the charter service for airfare and flights between Miami and Cuba as well as the rest of the United States.

Brochure prepared by OFAC describing the restrictions for travel to Cuba*

A General Cuba Travel License (for which no application is necessary) allows certain categories of travel to Cuba and, if your travel is described by one of these categories, then you can travel and you do not have to make an application to OFAC. Categories under the General License include:

- Full-time professionals conducting professional research in Cuba.

- Full-time journalists on assignment.

- Attendance at certain international professional conferences or meetings taking place in Cuba. Travel under a General License to a professional conference or meeting is limited to those conferences or meetings organized by an international entity not based in Cuba or the US and which regularly organizes conferences and meetings in other countries.

- Official government travel by officials of the US Government, foreign governments, and international organizations of which the US is a member.

Tico Travel's attorney has written a full description of the U.S. restrictions on professional research and educational activities in Cuba, including attendance at internationally organized and Cuban organized professional meetings.

Memorandum on Professional Research and Educational Activities*

A Specific Cuba License (for which an application must be sent by an individual or institution to the Office of Foreign Assets Control OFAC). OFAC will consider issuing a Specific License in a number of categories of travel including:

- Persons visiting members of their immediate family, but only once every three years, there are no exceptions.

- Business travel for the purpose of exporting food and medicine to Cuba.

- Educational travel to Cuba by students and faculty at accredited academic institutions but travel is now very limited and restricted in this category. It is limited to undergraduates and graduate students traveling to spend a minimum of 10 weeks in Cuba in a structured educational program in Cuba, to graduate students conducting research for which they are receiving credit towards their degree, and a few other categories. Please write for further details.

- Travel to attend Cuban-organized professional conferences and symposia.

- Religious travel.

- Free-lance journalists.

- Humanitarian projects.

- Travel for the purpose of public performances, exhibitions and certain athletic competitions.

- Travel by private foundations and educational and research institutes.

- Travel for the purpose of exporting or importing informational materials.

For a complete description of these categories of travel to Cuba, and for guidelines to apply for these Specific License, write to us or go to the following OFAC website

If you do not qualify to travel to Cuba under the current restrictions but wish to be kept informed of any changes in the regulations, new opportunities to travel to Cuba we suggest you join our Cuba mailing list

FAMILY TRAVEL TO CUBA

OFAC has eased restrictions on travel-related transactions for visits to "close relatives" who are nationals of Cuba by issuing a general license.

Travelers may visit "close relatives" (including, for example, aunts, uncles, cousins, and second cousins) who are nationals of Cuba.

There is no limit on the duration of a visit to these "close relatives."

There is no limit on the frequency of visits to these "close relatives."

Travelers may be accompanied by persons who share a common dwelling as a family with them.

Authorized expenditure limits for travel within Cuba have been increased to match the expenditures allowed for all other authorized categories of travel to Cuba -- specifically, the current State Department "per diem rate" for Havana (for use anywhere in Cuba) plus amounts for additional transactions directly incident to visiting close relatives in Cuba.  The current "maximum per diem rate" is $179.  For future updates to this rate, travelers may check the Department of State's Office of Allowances web site (http://aoprals.state.gov)