Coast Guard, CBP, DHS relax regulations regarding Cuba-U.S. air and sea travel

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday that it will publish new regulations that include a change to the current trade regulations regarding flights to and from Cuba.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will immediately remove Subpart O from the current regulations in 19 CFR Part 122. Under this subpart, only CBP-approved airports could accept flights traveling to or from Cuba. If an airport was not pre-approved, it would have to submit a written request to the CBP for prior approval.

All passengers arriving from Cuba still must adhere to all customs inspections prior to being admitted into the United States. The ruling does not have any impact upon any other federal agency, carrier or traveler requirements that may be relevant for flights to and from Cuba.

In addition to the DHS announcement, the United States Coast Guard has removed conditions of entry on vessels arriving from Cuba. These conditions of entry were originally enacted in 2008.

The Coast Guard determined via a comprehensive assessment that Cuba meets the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code requirements established by the International Maritime Organization and has the effective security measures needed for their ports.