In order to promote greater contact between separated family members in the United States and Cuba, and to increase the flow of information and remittances to the Cuban people, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (a division of the Treasury) has amended (PDF) the Cuban Assets Control Regulations. The amendments implement President Obama’s April 13, 2009, initiative and various provisions of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009.

Amendments to the regulations, which were originally issued in 1963 through the Trading With the Enemy Act, include:

• Travel restrictions to Cuba have been relaxed so that qualifying family members can visit relatives in Cuba as often as they like.
• Visits by close relatives to U.S. Government employees assigned to Havana are now unlimited.
• With certain conditions, travel-related transactions that are directly related to commercial marketing, sales, negotiation, accompanied delivery, or servicing in Cuba of certain agricultural commodities, medicine, or medicinal devices have been authorized.
• Requirements concerning documentation required of Cuban nationals who live outside Cuba seeking a license to enter the United States will be examined more favorably. In instances when applicants cannot meet the evidentiary burden, the amendments allow for increased consideration of, and favorable licensing actions based upon, other evidence.