U.S. travel to Cuba is regulated under the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA) and codified in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (31 CFR Part 515) administered by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Pure leisure tourism is statutorily prohibited by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA; 22 U.S.C. § 7209(b)).
12 Authorized Categories
Travelers must qualify under one of 12 statutory categories (e.g. Support for the Cuban People, Family Visits, Professional Research). General licenses permit self-certification without applying for a specific OFAC permit.
Cuba Restricted List (CRL)
Maintained by the State Department. U.S. travelers cannot conduct direct financial transactions with entities controlled by GAESA or the Cuban military, including most state-owned luxury hotels and stores.
"Open to Our People" Shift
Executive orders can expand General License interpretations, remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSPT) list, waive the 180-day shipping rule for passenger ferries, and restore authorized group educational travel.