The administration on Tuesday put Americans closer to visiting Cuba and purchasing Cuban-made goods than at any time since Washington imposed severe sanctions on the communist nation.
The Treasury and Commerce departments said U.S. citizens would be allowed to independently make educational trips to Cuba. Previously, Americans could visit only through a government-approved organization and had to be accompanied by a group representative. They made the announcement ahead of President Obama’s historic trip to the island next week.
“This change is intended to make authorized educational travel to Cuba more accessible and less expensive for U.S. citizens, and will increase opportunities for direct engagement between Cubans and Americans,” the joint news release said.
Individual visitors must prove they maintained a full, educational itinerary while in Cuba.
Last month, Obama took the first step toward opening travel to Cuba after normalizing relations with Havana in December 2014.
Americans wishing to buy Cuban-made goods, such as the island’s famous cigars, can now buy and consume Cuban merchandise while visiting a third-party nation, such as European countries.
U.S. organizations or institutions focused on humanitarian, educational, non-commercial activities can open offices, while exporters of authorized goods can enter joint ventures and assemble goods in Cuba.
American businesses can now pay Cuban athletes, artists and musicians to perform or appear at events, as long as the Cuban government does not levy any special tax on the individual.
The changes also partially open the U.S. banking system to Cubans and Cuban institutions. For example, Cuban citizens may hold American bank accounts to receive and remit back to Cuba-authorized payments.
Cuban software imports will now be allowed and U.S. ships can deliver authorized cargo to Cuba.
The changes will appear in Wednesday’s Federal Register and take effect then.
