President Trump recently announced that the U.S. will be re-instituting travel restrictions to Cuba, partially canceling Obama’s previous policy changes. So, can you still visit Cuba? It depends.
Traveling to Cuba for Tourism Was Always Illegal
First, let’s clear up an important misconception real quick.
Even with the openings that Obama’s Cuba policy previously created, traveling to Cuba from the U.S. for the sole purpose of tourism was and still is illegal.Even before Trump’s announcement, U.S. citizens were only authorized to travel to Cuba for one of twelve reasons: family visits, official government business, journalistic activity, professional research or meetings, educational activity, religious activity, public performances or athletic competitions, humanitarian projects that support the Cuban people, and a few other very specific purposes.
Trump’s Tightening of Cuba Travel Policies Closes a Loophole
Many travelers got around the no tourism rule with what’s called “individual people-to-people” travel, which involves signing up with an organized tour through a school, artist commune, or volunteer project. It’s a legal loophole that took advantage of a law that wasn’t as clearly defined as it could have been.
But Trump’s forthcoming changes will be closing that loophole for the time being. Americans will no longer be able to visit Cuba without a specific license from the U.S. government—issued for one…
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