People wishing to travel to Cuba must have a valid passport or a travel document issued in his or her name, and the corresponding visa or tourist card. Countries with which Cuba has free visa accords are excluded. Tourist cards requests can be made directly to Cuban consulates, travel agencies or airlines that have commercial ties with the island. Business representatives on a work trip and working journalists must obtain a visa issued at a Cuban consulate.
Customs regulations Cigar export During their verbal declaration at customs, travellers should present the receipt or document issued by any of the shops authorized to sell Cuban cigars, accrediting the legal purchase of the cigars they want to take out of the country. Travellers may take with them, without having to show the aforementioned receipt or document, up to fifty (50) cigars. More than fifty (50) cigars can be exported, as long as: a) They are in their original containers, closed and sealed with the established official hologram; b) Travellers verify their legal purchase, with the receipt or document mentioned in the second paragraph. Excess cigars (more than 50) not declared by travellers and any amount beyond the declared quantity, or that having been declared their legal purchase is not verified by way of a receipt or an official sales document, will be confiscated, in accordance with current legislation. Both upon their arrival and departure, passengers cannot carry with them: Drugs, narcotics and psychotropic or hallucinogenic substances, except those of medical use accompanied by their corresponding prescription.
Import prohibitions (Arrival) The following electrical appliances: Freezers, with a capacity of more than 7-feet; air conditioners; stoves and portable electric stoves, including resistors; ovens and microwaves; showers; deep fryers; water heaters; irons with more than 290 watts/hour electrical consumption without sprinkle or 703 watts/hour with sprinkle and steam; and toasters. All passengers may import up to 10 kg of medicines, which should be in their original containers and not be specifically forbidden or subject to permits or licenses, unless you have them. These medicines are duty free. All articles that are not part of personal effects should be declared, whether they are subject to payment or specifically exempt. Besides personal effects, passengers may import, paying the corresponding customs duties, new or second-hand items worth up to $1,000.00 (one thousand). Items exceeding the maximum permitted value ($1,000.00) will be subject to confiscation. Items worth more than fifty pesos and ninety nine cents ($50.99) and up to a one thousand peso ($1,000.00) value imported by passengers will pay a progressive tariff in correspondence with the import value, established as follows: Health regulations In force only for travellers coming from countries where yellow fever and/or cholera are endemic, or have been declared by the WHO as infected areas, in which case the submission of an International Vaccination Certificate is mandatory. The entrance of products of animal or plant origin is restricted.
Clothes made of cotton or a similar type of fabric, mainly of light colors, is recommended. Warmer clothes are advisable for the short winter and places with air conditioning; while for theaters, concert halls and cabarets, as well as for luxury restaurants, more formal clothing is required.
Prices at tourist and service facilities are set in Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC), so it’s the standard currency to carry out transactions in Cuba. Euros are officially in circulation at some tourist destinations. Credit cards are accepted, as long as they have not been issued by U.S. banks or any of their branches. The Cuban peso (NATIONAL CURRENCY) is also in circulation in the country.
We guarantee direct telephone communication with any part of the world from our hotels. There are telephone booths on the streets, from where you can call with prepaid cards or “propias” purchased in Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC), worth 5, 10 and 20 CUCs.
Eastern Standard Time (GMT). Daylight Saving Time (Horario de Verano) is established from May to October, when clocks are set ahead one hour to make good use of sunlight.
The following are national holidays: January 1st: Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Liberation Day.
The easiest way of obtaining information is through the reception desk or the tourism bureau at your hotel. Nevertheless, right on the street, you will always find someone ready to help you, something that characterizes Cubans, many of whom speak foreign languages. Departure tax A departure tax of 25.00 CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos) has been established at all of the country’s international airports.
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