Biden Loosens Travel Restrictions to Cuba Imposed During Trump’s Presidency

Almost five years ago, the Trump administration established policies that significantly limited travel between the U.S. and Cuba. On Monday, the Biden administration took steps to reverse some of those restrictions, making travel between the two nations a bit easier again.

The U.S. State Department announced that new measures will include an increase in flights between the U.S. and Cuba, extending service beyond just Havana. The most notable change for travelers? The revival of group people-to-people tours and educational trips. Additionally, the Biden administration will permit some business-related travel for professional meetings and research.

However, the administration did not go so far as to endorse individual people-to-people travel, a policy established by President Obama that allowed solo travelers to visit Cuba for cultural and educational exchanges. Nonetheless, the allowance of group people-to-people travel means that certain licensed tour operators and travel companies sanctioned by the U.S. government (like InsightCuba, Intrepid Travel, and G Adventures) will be cleared to resume organized group tours to Cuba. Their focus will be on meaningful cultural and educational interactions with the Cuban people, hence the term 'people-to-people' travel.

“With these measures, we seek to empower Cubans in their pursuit of freedom and greater economic opportunities, enabling them to thrive in their homeland,” stated State Department spokesperson Ned Price. “We continue to urge the Cuban government to release political prisoners promptly, honor the fundamental freedoms of the Cuban people, and allow them to shape their own destinies.”

In addition to easing travel restrictions, the U.S. government will eliminate the current cap of $1,000 per quarter on family remittances (funds sent to family members in Cuba from the U.S.) and will permit non-family remittances, which can aid independent Cuban entrepreneurs. Former President Donald Trump had intensified sanctions against Cuba, including the revocation of remittance permits.

These measures, compounded by the pandemic, have led to an economic crisis in Cuba, where citizens have faced shortages of essential goods, power outages, and rationing, as reported by the Associated Press. The dire economic conditions sparked widespread protests across Cuba on July 11, 2021, marking the largest demonstrations on the island in decades.

The Biden administration announced plans to reinstate the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, which currently has a backlog of over 20,000 applications, and to enhance consular services and visa processing in Havana, which resumed on May 3.

Regarding the implementation timeline for the new policies, the Biden administration stated it is “working swiftly” to enact these changes.

Reporting contributed by the Associated Press.