On 16 October 2026, the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Venezuela-related General License 60A. The licence replaces General License 60 and authorises specified transactions related to earthquake-relief efforts in Venezuela until 21 April 2027. Its conditions and exclusions remain important for any firm assessing a payment.
What General License 60A authorises
Subject to its express exclusions, General License 60A authorises transactions related to earthquake-relief efforts in Venezuela that would otherwise be prohibited by the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. The authorisation runs through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on 21 April 2027.
The licence expressly includes processing or transferring funds on behalf of third-country persons to or from Venezuela in support of transactions authorised by paragraph (a). It also addresses reliance by US financial institutions and US-registered money transmitters: they may rely on the originator of a funds transfer regarding compliance with paragraph (a), provided the institution does not know or have reason to know that the transfer falls outside that paragraph.
That wording is conditional. It should not be treated as a blanket safe harbour or as permission for activity unrelated to earthquake relief.
Important limits remain
General License 60A does not authorise the unblocking of property blocked under the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. It also does not authorise transactions or activities prohibited by other executive orders or by parts of 31 CFR chapter V that are not referenced in the licence. The licence additionally states that it does not relieve anyone from complying with other federal laws or requirements of other federal agencies.
OFAC's amended FAQ 1263 explains one payment point. Payments connected with earthquake relief and authorised by General License 60A do not need to be paid into the Foreign Government Deposit Funds Account. However, requirements under other listed Venezuela-related general licences remain in place. Activity outside General License 60A cannot be recharacterised as earthquake relief to avoid those requirements.
What compliance teams should take from the announcement
The development is an amended, time-limited general licence, not unrestricted permission to process Venezuela-related payments. The precise purpose of a transaction, the parties and property involved, the sanctions authorities that apply, and the institution's actual knowledge remain relevant to any assessment.
For that reason, a firm considering a transaction should use the current licence, FAQ and sanctions-list information, together with fact-specific sanctions advice where appropriate. General License 60A may be amended or revoked, and this briefing does not determine whether any particular transfer qualifies.
Status and limitations
General License 60A was issued and became effective on 16 October 2026. It replaced and superseded General License 60 in its entirety. Its stated authorisation runs until 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on 21 April 2027, subject to the licence and any later OFAC action.
This article provides general information, not legal advice or an instruction to process a transaction.