Legal Travel to Cuba

New travel restrictions were issued by the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) on June 4, 2019, to take effect the following day. The most important change is that cruise ships are no longer allowed to sail to or from the U.S. to Cuba. The second biggie is the elimination of People to People (P2P) travel. This has been the most used category by most travelers and workshops for about 7 years.

However, the Support for the Cuban People category – instituted by the Trump Administration approximately 2 years ago – is still valid. Photography workshops that stay in private homes and engage with Cubans on a daily basis fully qualify under this category.

P2P was first introduced by Clinton, eliminated by George W., and re-instituted by Obama. Support for the Cuban People was instituted by the Trump Administration and is almost identical to P2P. So, Trump has eliminated the P2P program and replaced it with one that is nearly the same only with a new name.

In so doing it appears to most U.S. citizens that travel to Cuba is no longer legal. Indeed, this has become the prevailing perception in the U.S. and is likely what the current administration hopes to accomplish.

We would like to ask your assistance in spreading the word among your friends that they can still legally travel to Cuba. Anchell Photography Workshops has a long-standing policy of accepting anyone with a minimum of a cell phone and a desire to meet Cubans.

Here is the latest travel information:

• Cuba is not currently allowing foreigners to visit. There is talk that this may change by the end of 2021.