Guides
Practical articles about buying, selling and renting property in Cuba, written in plain language.
Paperwork and law
Housing inheritance law in Cuba: who inherits, how the home is adjudicated and what changes in 2026
Succession with and without a will, the order of heirs, specially protected heirs, adjudication before a notary and registration at the Property Registry.
October 30, 2026 · 9 min read
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Documents
Cuban passport: how to get or renew it in Cuba and abroad
How long it lasts, what it costs at consulates and what you need for a Cuban passport, under the 2026 Consular Fee Schedule and the new Migration Law.
October 30, 2026 · 6 min read
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Cuban Civil Registry certificates: how to get them from abroad
Birth, marriage, death, single status or declaration of heirs: the ways to obtain them, what they cost and what changed with Law 180 on the Civil Registry.
October 30, 2026 · 6 min read
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Legalising documents: Cuban ones for use abroad and foreign ones for use in Cuba
Cuba is not party to the apostille convention: documents are legalised in a chain. Who legalises what, what it costs in 2026 and which certificates no longer need it.
October 30, 2026 · 4 min read
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Effective migratory residence: what it is and how it is determined under Law 171
The 180 days that determine it automatically, the 120 days plus ties needed to request it, what you submit and what changes for residents abroad and emigrants.
October 30, 2026 · 6 min read
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Registering in Cuba a birth, marriage, divorce or death that happened abroad
How to bring events that happened abroad into the Cuban Civil Registry under Law 180: where to apply, what documents to submit and what it costs.
October 30, 2026 · 5 min read
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Cuban criminal record certificate: what it shows, how to request it and when records are cancelled
Which sentences are entered in the Central Register of Sanctioned Persons, how to request the certificate from abroad, what it costs and when records are cancelled under the Penal Code.
October 30, 2026 · 5 min read
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Travel to Cuba
What you can take to Cuba in your luggage: limits, quantities and duties
The 1,000 USD limit, how customs values your goods, what you pay, how many units of each item are allowed and the new option, since October 2026, of paying for the excess in dollars.
October 30, 2026 · 5 min read
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Food, medicine and toiletries to Cuba duty-free: what the current exemption says
The exemption that began in 2021 no longer has an end date. How much you can bring in luggage and parcels, what conditions apply and which medical supplies it covers.
October 30, 2026 · 3 min read
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Requirements to enter Cuba under the new Migration and Immigration laws
Passport, tourist visa, length of stay and extensions, health insurance and the D’Viajeros form, under Law 171 and its Regulations, in force from 1 November 2026.
October 30, 2026 · 4 min read
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Appliances, equipment and vehicles to Cuba: values, limits and taxes
Customs reference values for appliances, generators and equipment, what needs authorisation and the 2026 rules for importing motorbikes, tricycles and electric cars.
October 30, 2026 · 4 min read
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Travelling to Cuba from the United States: the authorised categories in 2026
Tourism remains prohibited under US law. Which travel categories exist, what changed on 30 September 2026, which lists to avoid and which records to keep.
October 30, 2026 · 3 min read
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Money and parcels
How to send money to Cuba: what Cuban and US rules say
Transfers to foreign-currency accounts, remittances converted into pesos, the Segment III rate and the US rules on family and donative remittances.
October 30, 2026 · 3 min read
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Bank accounts and cards in Cuba: pesos, foreign currency and what happened to MLC
The foreign-currency accounts that replaced the MLC account regime, who can open them — including from abroad —, what they can be used for and which currency shops take.
October 30, 2026 · 3 min read
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Sending parcels and combos to Cuba: limits, duties and what changed in 2026
The 500 USD limit per parcel, the first 30 USD exempt, the food and medicine exemption up to 200 USD, paying for the excess in dollars and the rules for combos bought online.
October 30, 2026 · 3 min read
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Electronic payments in Cuba: Transfermóvil, EnZona and what the law requires of businesses
The Transfermóvil and EnZona licences, businesses’ obligation to accept electronic payments, the ban on surcharges and the cash limit suspended in 2026.
October 30, 2026 · 2 min read
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Cuba’s new Housing Law (Law 187): what it changes
Published on 14 October 2026 and in force since 21 October: what it changes for owners, buyers, heirs and emigrants.
August 14, 2026 · 7 min read
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Taxes when buying or selling a home in Cuba
Who pays what, which value the 4% is calculated on since Law 187 — the price or the cadastral value — and when it is paid.
August 14, 2026 · 6 min read
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Selling and transferring
Donating a home in Cuba: when it beats selling
How a donation works, what it costs compared with a sale, which relatives can challenge it, and the risk nobody mentions until it is too late.
August 14, 2026 · 6 min read
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From abroad
If I emigrate, do I lose my home in Cuba?
The rule that took homes from those who left, what the Migration Law changed, what Law 187 on Housing closed, and what to do with a house you leave behind.
August 14, 2026 · 6 min read
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How many homes can one person legally own in Cuba?
Since 21 October 2026, up to two homes plus a vacation home. What counts towards the limit, what happens if you exceed it and what changed from the 1988 law.
August 14, 2026 · 5 min read
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Buying
How to inspect a home in Cuba before buying it
Roof, structure, damp, water and wiring: a room-by-room checklist for the defects that cost the most to repair in Cuba, and the ones you should walk away from.
August 14, 2026 · 7 min read
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Permuta with compensation: how it is valued, declared and deeded
The swap with money on top is the most common form of permuta today. How to set the compensation, how it is taxed, and why every peso belongs in the deed.
August 14, 2026 · 6 min read
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Notary and Property Registry in Cuba, step by step
The full sequence of a home transfer: which certificates to request first, what happens at the notary’s desk, and why the deed is not the last step.
August 14, 2026 · 6 min read
Read guideFrom abroad
Buying a house in Cuba from abroad: a guide for the diaspora
Cubans abroad and foreigners without residency: what the new Housing Law allows, how to buy in your own name and how to protect yourself from a distance.
July 23, 2026 · 7 min read
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The power of attorney to buy or sell in Cuba without being on the island
What an attorney-in-fact is, how to grant a power from abroad, whom to appoint and how to avoid the mistakes that force you to repeat the procedure.
July 23, 2026 · 7 min read
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Inheriting a home in Cuba from abroad
Declaration of heirs, taking part from a distance, what happens if no heir lives in Cuba and why registering in time keeps you from losing the house.
July 23, 2026 · 7 min read
Read guideSelling and transferring
Renting out and managing your Cuban property while living abroad
You own a home in Cuba and live abroad: how to rent it from a distance, who manages it in your absence and how to decide between renting and selling.
July 23, 2026 · 6 min read
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Market and prices
How much does a house cost in Cuba? Prices by zone and how to compare
Real price ranges by province and neighborhood, the factors that move them, and how to use real market data before buying, selling or renting.
July 22, 2026 · 6 min read
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How to avoid scams when buying or renting a house in Cuba
Red flags, essential checks and golden rules to protect yourself when buying, selling or renting a home.
July 13, 2026 · 6 min read
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What is the "permuta" in Cuba and how does it work today?
The home exchange that marked generations of Cubans is still alive: what a permuta is, when it makes sense and how it is legalized.
July 6, 2026 · 6 min read
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The Havana real estate market: a guide by municipality
From Miramar to Santos Suárez: what defines each area of Havana, what drives prices and where to search according to your budget.
June 29, 2026 · 6 min read
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10 tips to sell your house faster in Cuba
A realistic price, good photos and a complete listing: the factors that truly speed up the sale of a home in the Cuban market.
June 22, 2026 · 7 min read
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Documents required to buy or sell a home in Cuba
Property title, ownership certificate, technical reports and notary procedures: the complete paperwork checklist for a safe transaction.
June 15, 2026 · 6 min read
Read guideBuying
How to buy a house in Cuba: a step-by-step guide
From setting a budget to signing before a notary: everything you need to know to buy a home in Cuba legally and safely.
June 8, 2026 · 8 min read
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