New Restrictions Will Make Travelling to Cuba Almost Impossible
Major new restrictions have been announced for US citizens traveling, blocking the most common ways Americans were able to visit the island in the last few years. The State Department announced new Cuba travel restrictions that will prohibit US travelers from going to Cuba under the previous ‘group people-to-people educational’ travel authorization. In addition, the United States will no longer permit visits to Cuba via passenger and recreational vessels, including cruise ships.
American tourism wasn’t really permitted in Cuba, even prior to these new rules. However, Americans could travel to Cuba if it is covered under specific categories. That included organized group travel, known as group people-to-people travel, until Tuesday. It was made easier after 2015 when the US also reopened its embassy in Havana and Cuba reopened its embassy in Washington.
Commercial flights from the US will continue to be permitted as they “broadly support family travel and other lawful forms of travel,” CNN reports.
The Treasury Department also clarified that “certain group people-to-people educational travel that previously was authorized will continue to be authorized where the traveler had already completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation) prior to June 5, 2019.”
Cuban government statistics say US citizens have quickly grown. They are now the second largest foreign group visiting the island after Canadians.
Who Can Travel to Cuba
Even with these new Cuba travel restrictions, travel to Cuba is not completely banned. Travelers can still visit Cuba, subject to specific conditions:
- Family visits
- Official U.S. government business
- Journalistic activity
- Professional research and meetings
- Educational activities (like those from U.S. academic institutions and secondary schools)
- Religious activities
- Support for the Cuban people
- Humanitarian projects
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I think as long as you go there from OUTSIDE the USA and return to a point OUTSIDE the USA you will be ok. Or is this included in the rules?
Corey you can still go
https://www.viahero.com/travel-to-cuba/people-to-people-vs-support-the-cuban-people
The timing of this was perfect. Was going to Cuba next month on a cruise. Not anymore.
Your last paragraph contradicts the title of the article. I’ve been going regularly to Cuba on religious visas since 2006. Don’t anticipate that changing.
Most of the other going on was tourism. If tourism is going to be illegal, then those changes are legit.
Support got the Cuban people still allowed, a state department official said this just means buying things.