1. (a) General license for professional research. The travel-related transactions set forth in § 515.560(c) and such additional transactions as are directly incident to professional research are authorized, provided that:

   1. (1) The purpose of the research directly relates to the traveler's profession, professional background, or area of expertise, including area of graduate-level full-time study; and

   2. (2) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time or recreation in excess of that consistent with a full-time schedule of professional research.

      Example to § 515.564(a):The making of a documentary film in Cuba would qualify for the general license in this section if it is a vehicle for presentation of the research conducted pursuant to this section.

2. (b) An entire group does not qualify for the general license in paragraph (a) of this section of this section merely because some members of the group qualify individually.

   Example to § 515.564(b):A musicologist travels to Cuba to research Cuban music pursuant to the general license for professional research set forth in paragraph (a) of this section. Others who are simply interested in music may not engage in travel-related transactions with the musicologist in reliance on this general license. For example, an art historian who plays in the same band with the musicologist would not qualify for the general license.

3. (c) Certain direct financial transactions restricted. Nothing in paragraph (a) of this section authorizes a direct financial transaction prohibited by § 515.209.
4. (d) Certain travel-related transactions restricted. Nothing in paragraph (a) of this section authorizes the lodging, paying for lodging, or making any reservation for or on behalf of a third party to lodge, at any property on the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List to the extent prohibited by § 515.210.
5. (e) Specific licenses. Specific licenses may be issued on a case-by-case basis authorizing the travel-related transactions set forth in § 515.560(c) and such other transactions as are related to either: professional research in Cuba that does not qualify for the general license under paragraph (a) of this section, or professional meetings or conferences in Cuba that are not otherwise authorized pursuant to other travel-related authorizations and relate to activities otherwise authorized pursuant to this part.

Note 1 to paragraph (a): A person does not qualify as engaging in professional research merely because that person is a professional who plans to travel to Cuba.

Note 2 to paragraph (a): Each person relying on the general authorization in this paragraph must retain specific records related to the authorized travel transactions. See §§ 501.601 and 501.602 of this chapter for applicable recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

[80 FR 2296, Jan. 16, 2015, as amended at 81 FR 4585, Jan. 27, 2016; 81 FR 71377, Oct. 17, 2016; 82 FR 52000, Nov. 9, 2017; 85 FR 60071, Sept. 24, 2020]