US OFAC General License — 12 approved travel categories; standard tourism prohibitedfor 🇺🇸 US citizens travelling to 🇨🇺 Cuba
US citizens are not eligible for this particular US OFAC General License — 12 approved travel categories; standard tourism prohibited program — its requirements limit it to certain nationalities or circumstances. This restriction applies to this specific visa route only; you may still be able to visit Cuba through another visa type (see the other Cuba options below). Verify the current rules with the Cuba embassy before applying.
📋Required Documents9
- ✓Valid US passport (the General License is a US Treasury authorisation, not a Cuban document)
- ✓Self-certification of one of the 12 OFAC-approved travel categories (e.g. Support for the Cuban People, family visits, journalism, religious activities)
standard tourism is prohibited
- ✓Cuban eVisa obtained via evisacuba.cu (still required by Cuba in addition to the US authorisation)
- ✓Detailed itinerary demonstrating a full-time schedule of qualifying activities for your category
- ✓Records of all Cuba transactions and itinerary, retained for 5 years (OFAC requirement)
- ✓Avoidance check against the US restricted list of Cuban entities and prohibited hotels
- ✓Travel insurance with medical coverage valid in Cuba (Cuban entry requirement)
- ✓Completed D'Viajeros traveller form within 7 days of arrival
- ✓Return or onward flight ticket
ℹ️What to Expect
This US OFAC General License — 12 approved travel categories; standard tourism prohibited is not open to US citizens — eligibility is limited to specific nationalities or applicant profiles. You do not need to apply for this program; instead, review the other Cuba visa options below to find a route you qualify for. Always verify current requirements with the Cuba embassy or official government website before booking travel.
🌐Why US passport holders need a visa for Cuba
This particular Cuba visa program is not available to US passport holders — its eligibility rules restrict it to certain nationalities or applicant categories (for example, a treaty-based route open only to specific countries). This is a program-level limitation, not a ban on US citizens entering Cuba; other visa routes are typically available.
⚠️Common Reasons US OFAC General License — 12 approved travel categories; standard tourism prohibited Applications Are Refused6
- !Travelling under a "general license" while actually undertaking prohibited tourism — none of the 12 OFAC categories covers a pure leisure trip, so the self-qualification fails.
- !Inability to evidence a full-time schedule of qualifying activities (for "Support for the Cuban People": staying in casas particulares, eating at private paladares, engaging independent Cuban businesses).
- !Transactions with entities on the US State Department’s Cuba Restricted List, or a stay at a Prohibited Accommodation, which void the authorisation.
- !Failure to keep the required records (itinerary and transactions) for five years — a compliance failure that can trigger OFAC penalties.
- !Not also holding the Cuban eVisa — the OFAC general license is a US authorisation and does not replace Cuba’s own entry visa.
- !Misdeclaring the travel category to the airline at booking, or making false statements about the purpose of travel.
Refusal grounds are at the discretion of the deciding officer and can change. This list is informational — always verify current requirements at the official government portal.
Requirements last reviewed: June 2026 · Source: official government portal