What is the Cuba Restricted List (CRL)?

The CRL is a list of Cuban government and Communist Party-affiliated entities maintained by the U.S. State Department under §515.209 of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations. U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in direct financial transactions with any entity on the list. The list anchors on GAESA (the military holding company that controls a large share of Cuba's tourism economy) and its dozens of subentities — CIMEX, Gaviota, Habaguanex, FINCIMEX, AT Comercial, ALMEST, BFI, and many more.

How is the CRL different from the OFAC SDN list?

The OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list is the Treasury-maintained sanctions list covering parties designated under all U.S. sanctions programs. The CRL is a State Department-maintained list covering only Cuba. Most entities on the CRL — including GAESA, CIMEX, Gaviota and Habaguanex — are NOT on the OFAC SDN. A clean SDN screen does NOT mean a Cuban counterparty is safe to transact with. Both lists must be checked independently, alongside the OFAC 50% Rule ownership-chain analysis and the CPAL accommodations list.

What does a transaction with a CRL entity actually look like?

Direct financial transactions include paying for lodging at a CRL-controlled hotel, paying a CRL tour operator, transferring funds to a CRL ministry or holding company, or routing payments through a CRL-listed bank such as BFI. Some transactions are carved out — most notably those authorised by §515.578 (telecoms / internet services), §515.582 (exports to independent Cuban entrepreneurs), §515.533 (TSRA agricultural and medical exports), and certain remittances and people-to-people educational activities — but the carve-outs are narrow and fact-specific.

Cuba Restricted List Entity Checker — Free CRL Lookup (§515.209)

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