Customs Regulations

In addition to your personal effects, you may bring in 250 (two hundred and fifty) pesos worth of new or used articles; articles in excess of that value will be subject to seizure.

The noncommercial duty applicable to articles brought into the country by travelers is 100 percent of their value. Travelers not living in Cuba and those who travel abroad for personal reasons must pay the corresponding duty in convertible currency.

You may not bring in VCRs.

All travelers may bring in up to 22 pounds (10 kilograms) of medicines duty-free, but they must be in their original packages. The following electric appliances may not be brought into the country: freezers; air conditioners; electric stoves and hotplates of all kinds and models; electric ovens of all kinds, models and capacities; electric shower heaters of all kinds and capacities; electric frying pans of all kinds and capacities; electric water heaters; non-steam electric irons that consume more than 290 watts per hour and steam irons that consume more than 703 watts per hour; electric toasters; and electric resistors for irons, hotplates and water heaters. Apart from the above, travelers may bring in any electric appliances they wish, as long as their value, together with that of the other articles, does not exceed the allowed limit of 250 pesos.

The importation of electric appliances by tourists, as part of their personal effects, will be regulated by the provisions applicable to such travelers. Travelers will need the express authorization of the Ministry of Communications to bring in equipment and means of communication, such as radio transmitters, fax terminals, telephone switchboards and equipment, telegraph and telex powerhouses and equipment, professional radio and TV receivers that are different from domestic ones, receivers for ground positioning systems (GPS), satellite antennas and receiving stations, and ground stations for satellite communications.

When any of these articles forms part of a traveler's personal luggage, whether accompanied or not, and the required authorization cannot be presented at the time of its arrival, those articles will be held in Customs for up to 30 days, which can be extended another 30 days by request. After this, if the corresponding authorization has not been presented, the articles will be declared to have been legally abandoned.

Travelers not living in Cuba may take with them the articles which they brought into the country on a temporary basis and may also take out up to 1000 (one thousand) pesos worth of new or used articles which they purchased here.

You may take out up to 50 cigars without any formalities. In addition, you may take out up to 2000 (two thousand) pesos worth of cigars on presentation of the bill of sale issued by a legitimate shop.

You may take as many bottles of rum with you as you wish, but in moderation. Do not take so many as to make the Customs officer think they will be sold as a commercial undertaking.

In order to export, either in whole or in part, anything that is considered a part of the nation's cultural heritage or important enough to be in a museum, you must have prior authorization from the National Registry of Cultural Assets of the Ministry of Culture. In order to export works of art and handicrafts that are not important enough to be in a museum, you must have a certificate from the National Registry of Cultural Assets of the Ministry of Culture stating that they are not that important, and the articles authorized for export may not be worth more than US $1000 (one thousand).

Works of art and other articles important enough to be in a museum that have been brought into Cuba by a traveler may only be taken out of the country if the Customs declaration certifying their entry into the country is presented at the time of departure.

No Customs duty is levied on exports. You may not bring ammunition and/or firearms of any caliber into Cuba or take them out of the country without the express authorization of the Department of Public Security of the Ministry of the Interior.

You may not bring explosives and/or dangerous chemical substances into Cuba or take them out of the country. Tourists who come to Cuba to engage in sports hunting or participate in shooting competitions and bring firearms and/or ammunition with them for the purpose must obtain permission to do so from the pertinent authorities prior to their arrival in Cuba and present that authorization to the Customs officer on their arrival.

If you comply with the veterinary authorities' regulations concerning vaccination certificates and other documents which are required internationally and if it is not one of the animals whose import and export is regulated by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), you may bring your pet into Cuba and take it out of the country.

In order to bring into Cuba or take out of the country any specimens or species of wild flora and fauna (from the sea, rivers, marshes or land) that are in danger of extinction and are protected by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), you must present the Customs officer with a document from CITES authorizing you to do so. These protected species include parrots, crocodiles and hawksbill turtles.

There are health regulations for visitors coming from countries where there are endemic cholera and yellow fever or which the World Health Organization has declared infection areas. In those cases, an international vaccination certificate is required.

The entry of natural products of animal and vegetable origin is restricted. Animals may be brought into the country only after the corresponding certificate has been presented.

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For further information, see the web site of the General Customs Office of the Republic of Cuba