All members and staff of a U.S. religious organization may travel to Cuba on a general license as authorized by section 515.566 (a) of the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) Cuba Assets Control Regulations. The general license authorizes members and staff of a U.S. religious organization to travel to Cuba for a full-time program of religious activities. Acceptable activities include:
Attendance at religious services and activities that contribute to the development of a Cuban counter-part’s religious or institutional development such as:
Ministerial training, education, or licensing;
Religious school development;
Youth outreach;
Training in or the conducting of marriage seminars;
Construction of places of worship or other facilities for full-time use by a Cuban counterpart;
Production and distribution of religious materials;
Assistance in holding religious services;
Religious preaching or teaching;
Training or assistance in church administration.
If you qualify to travel on a general license for religious organizations, you do not need to seek permission from OFAC. However, it is a requirement of the general license that you carry a letter on official letterhead, signed by a designated representative of the sponsoring U.S. religious organization , confirming that they are members or staff of the organization and are traveling under the auspices of the organization to engage in religious activities in Cuba.
*NOTE*
The list above provides examples and is not an exclusive or complete listing of the kinds of activities that would fall under this category.
Remember that Cuba requires all travelers under the Religious License to obtain Religious Visas, ar-ranged in coordination with counterpart religious organizations in Cuba.
For more detailed information about religious travel, you can visit page 26 of the full guidelines on OFAC’s website.
