OFAC FAQ (Current) # 468 - Basic Information on OFAC and Sanctions

Ed. Note: if you’re new to TURBOFAC, please take note that the text string filtration function generally shouldn’t be used for terms such as “ordinarily resident,” “causing” or “new debt”. For research on the meaning of words and phrases such as those, i.e. terms central to the key legal issues in sanctions law that appear on a cross-programmatic basis, you’re typically better off locating and checking the appropriate box in the “Key Legal Issues” search category, which will limit the results to those that have been manually assessed as being relevant for the interpretation of the terms at issue.

Try typing your search term (“ordinarily resident,” “new debt,” or something else) in the “Find a Search Filter” box at the top of the page, and the corresponding “Key Legal Issues” check box will pop up instantly, if one exists. Once you check the box (e.g. “new debt,” with ~55 results), you can always use the text string filtration function to further refine your search (e.g. by typing “invoice” and narrowing the ~55 results to ~10).

Note in addition that the same applies to text string searches such as “14071” (if you’re looking for items related to EO 14071). By typing “14071” in the “Find a Search Filter” field up top, you will be able to instantly narrow the results down to items manually assessed as relating to EO 14071. Ditto terms such as “515.204” or “Iran General License G” (try the “Discrete Legal Provision” search category). Please contact [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions on search results and efficiency.

Please click "Apply Text String Filters" again after clicking the "Close" button immediately below.

TURBOFAC Commentary (148 words)

Notes:

1) FAQ amended on 8-21-24 concurrent with Modernizing Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (Press Release), detailing several modernization efforts, including the updating of a number of general interest FAQs containing dated language. This FAQ does not appear to provide guidance in a way that adds to or deviates from OFAC’s other modern guidance. The comments below were drafted (not amended) prior to the 8-21-24 amendment.

------------

Notes:

Even when non-published interpretive guidance is relatively old, OFAC will confirm its authenticity. Normally, approaching OFAC for confirmation that a given guidance document is authentic and that the agency has not altered its interpretation since the date of its issue ordinarily would not entail the same sort of lengthy process as the issuing of the document in the first instance, though pure authentication questions are obviously easier to handle than those concerning continued substantive validity.

Welcome!

Welcome!

OFAC FAQ (Current) # 468 - Basic Information on OFAC and Sanctions (PDF contains previous versions)

TURBOFAC Commentary (148 words)