Research Protections - Export Controls

Travel to Cuba

Since Cuba is a U.S. sanctioned country, Appalachian employees and students may only engage in travel-related transactions that are authorized under the general license or our institutional license. If you are planning an activity that involves Cuba, it is important that you consult with the Office of Research Protections (262-7981) and obtain a letter from our Institutional Official, Dr. Edelma Huntley, stating that your activities are authorized under the general or our institutional license.

General License

A general license authorizes travel-related transactions that involve a full-time schedule of professional research in your professional area or professional meetings/conferences. It does not authorize travel for the purpose of promoting tourism in Cuba. Please be aware that Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) may require a written work plan to show a full time schedule of research and that this information should be kept for 5 years.

Institutional License

Our institutional license allows the institution, students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program and our full-time permanent employees to engage in certain travel-related transactions involving Cuba. The institutional license is specific and authorizes only travel-related transactions that are directly incident to:

  • Participation in a structured educational program in Cuba as part of a course offered at the licensed institution provided the program includes a full term of study in Cuba that is not less than 10 weeks.
  • Noncommercial academic research in Cuba specifically related to Cuba and for the purpose of obtaining a graduate degree.
  • Participation in a formal course of study at a Cuban academic institution, provided the formal course of study in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward the student’s undergraduate or graduate degree at Appalachian and provided the course of study is no shorter than 10 weeks in duration.
  • Teaching at a Cuban academic institution by an individual regularly employed in a teaching capacity at the licensed institution, provided the teaching activities are related to an academic program at the Cuban institution and provided that the duration of the teaching will be no shorter than 10 weeks.
  • Sponsorship (e.g. payment of a stipend or salary) of a Cuban scholar to teach or engage in other scholarly activity at Appalachian.  There are further stipulations on the way earnings may be remitted to Cuba.
  • The organization of and preparation for activities described above by a full-time permanent employee of Appalachian.

For more information on the activities described below, see Section 515.565(a)(1)-(a)(6) of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations.  Please note that our institutional license expires September 30, 2010. 

For your travel to Cuba, our office will provide:

  • a briefing about export controls,
  • a list of persons on the restricted party list for Cuba,
  • a required letter from our institutional official stating that the travel is consistent with either the general or our institutional license, and
  • any other help that we can offer.

We will request:

  • a copy of your travel itinerary to maintain a record that travel has been arranged by an OFAC authorized travel and remittance service provider,
  • copies of any remittances sent to Cuba  which must all be expedited by an OFAC authorized service provider,
  • an equipment certification for any personal equipment/software/technology (e.g. laptop, cell phone, GPS) or Appalachian equipment that will be taken on the trip, and
  • any other information needed to show that your activity complies with either the general license or our institutional license.

>> Return to the Export Controls-International Travel and Travel with a Laptop page.