People to People Cuba Trips

Interact with the Cuban people with a cultural exchange

Latin America Working Group

OFAC issues specific licenses to organizations that sponsor and organize programs to promote educational exchange and people-to-people contact. These licenses authorize organizations and individuals traveling to engage in educational exchanges not involving academic study pursuant to a degree program. Licenses will usually be valid for one year and will contain no limitation on the number of trips that can be taken.

Criteria for determining if an organization is sponsoring programs that engage in people-to-people contact are not yet clear, as people-to-people licenses are just beginning to be issued. The application process suggests that the licenses will be granted on a case-by-case basis. The OFAC guidelines state that no application is guaranteed, regardless of its credentials or past approval. However, it is helpful to have a history of having done non-academic educational exchanges which promote people-to-people contact. This means having organized programs to other countries, not domestic programs. If a group had been granted a people-to-people license for Cuba prior to 2004 (before President Bush cut this license), this would be the best example of having a history of having done non-academic educational programs.

For the most part, the people-to-people specific license will be the avenue in which cultural, sports teams, museums, professional associations, business associations, advocacy groups, alumni associations, student groups, etc. will be able to travel to Cuba—if approved by OFAC.

The Latin America Working Group can help you apply for a People to People Cuba travel license.

Cuba People to People

Cuba People to People writes... The category of educational exchanges not involving academic study or "cultural exchanges" is potentially the same umbrella that enabled a wide range of professional and shared interest groups to travel to Cuba before 2004. Organizations are seeking new licenses that under Clinton were able to program trips ranging from high schools to elderhostel, world affairs councils to bird watchers, alumni to dance students.  In effect they will serve as intermediaries with both OFAC and Cuba for groups like museums, lawyers, doctors, and business people that don’t want to obtain their own licenses and don’t have experience in-country. Awaiting clarification is whether groups must have a history of organizing exchange programs or qualify on the basis of the trip for which they are seeking the license.

Specific licenses can also be obtained for workshops, clinics, performances and sports program. For more information, visit the Cuba/US People to People Partnership.