Moving to Cuba — Relocation Guide

A Caribbean island where revolutionary history, cultural richness, and daily improvisation define life under scarcity.

Cuba at a Glance

Cuba is a Caribbean island of roughly 11 million people whose culture punches far above its size — son cubano, rumba, and salsa were born here, along with a literary tradition that runs from José Martí through Alejo Carpentier to Leonardo Padura. Havana, the capital, is a crumbling but magnetic city of colonial plazas, Art Deco apartments, and 1950s American cars that still serve as daily transport. The state, through the Dirección de Identificación, Inmigración y Extranjería (DIIE, under MININT), controls immigration tightly: permanent residency is largely restricted to spouses and parents of Cuban citizens, and most long-staying foreigners rotate Temporary Residence (Residencia Temporal) permits tied to work, study, family, or investment. Since the 2021 Tarea Ordenamiento monetary reunification, the Cuban Peso (CUP) is the only legal tender currency, but a parallel MLC (Moneda Libremente Convertible) card system functions as electronic hard-currency store credit, and an informal USD cash market operates alongside everything — the official rate and the street rate diverge dramatically. Since 2020, the combination of COVID, tightened US sanctions, and the Ordenamiento reform has produced severe shortages: rolling 4-12 hour blackouts are routine, food rationing through the libreta de abastecimiento continues, and more than half a million Cubans emigrated between 2022 and 2024. Healthcare remains famously universal and free for residents — doctor density is roughly 8.4 per 1,000 people — but medicines and supplies are chronically short. For US citizens, tourism is prohibited under OFAC; travel requires fitting into one of 12 general license categories (Support for the Cuban People being the most common) and keeping financial records for five years. For everyone else, Cuba is cheap in CUP, expensive in USD, slow in its bureaucracy, and structured around the verb 'resolver' — to solve, improvise, and make do.

Visa Options for Cuba

Tourist Card (Tarjeta de Turista) — The standard entry document for most nationalities, purchased through Cuban consulates, authorised travel agencies, or certain airlines. Allows tourism, family visits, and limited personal travel. US citizens cannot use the Tourist Card for tourism and must travel under one of 12 OFAC general license categories (most commonly Support for the Cuban People), with five-year record-keeping obligations.
Temporary Residence (Residencia Temporal) — The standard long-stay permit for foreigners tied to a specific purpose: employment with a Cuban entity or joint venture, university enrollment, investment in the Mariel Special Development Zone, or close family links. Issued by the Dirección de Identificación, Inmigración y Extranjería (DIIE) under the Ministerio del Interior (MININT). Requires sponsoring entity, medical clearance, and police records from country of origin. Holders receive a Carnet de Identidad de Extranjero (foreigner ID card).
Permanent Residence (Residencia Permanente) — Permanent residency in Cuba is tightly restricted. The most common path is marriage to a Cuban citizen or being the parent of a Cuban national, with extensive documentation and in-person registry procedures through the Registro de Extranjeros. Other categories (retirees, investors seeking permanent status) exist in narrow form but are rarely granted. Applicants must be physically present in Cuba and typically complete the process after an initial period on Residencia Temporal.
Student Visa (Visa de Estudiante) — For foreigners enrolled in programmes at institutions such as the Universidad de La Habana, Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM), Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), or the Universidad de Oriente in Santiago de Cuba. ELAM is particularly prominent, training doctors from Latin America, Africa, and the United States on full scholarships. Requires acceptance letter, proof of funding or scholarship, and medical clearance. The visa is converted into a Residencia Temporal for the duration of studies once in Cuba.
Journalist Visa (D-6) and Business / Investor Visa — The D-6 journalist visa is mandatory for any foreign journalist working in Cuba; it requires accreditation through the Centro de Prensa Internacional (CPI) and is granted selectively. Business travelers use an A-6 or similar category arranged through a Cuban counterpart or the Cámara de Comercio de la República de Cuba. Investors pursuing projects in the Zona Especial de Desarrollo Mariel (ZEDM) or under Ley 118 (Foreign Investment Law) typically combine business entry with a later shift to Residencia Temporal.

Key Requirements for Moving to Cuba

DIIE Registration and Carnet de Identidad de Extranjero

Every foreigner on a Residencia Temporal or Permanente must register with the Dirección de Identificación, Inmigración y Extranjería (DIIE) at a local Oficina de Inmigración y Extranjería, typically within 30 days of arrival. Once registered, you are issued a Carnet de Identidad de Extranjero — the physical foreigner ID card that functions as your primary identification inside Cuba.

Cuban Peso (CUP) Bank Account

Opening an account with Banco Metropolitano (the main foreigner-facing bank in Havana), Banco Popular de Ahorro (BPA), or BANDEC requires your passport, Carnet de Identidad de Extranjero, proof of address, and in most cases a letter from your sponsoring entity or employer. Accounts are denominated in Cuban Pesos (CUP) since the 2021 Tarea Ordenamiento abolished the dual CUC/CUP system.

ETECSA Cellular Line and Nauta Email

ETECSA is the state telecommunications monopoly and the only provider of mobile, fixed-line, and internet services in Cuba. Foreigners with residency obtain a Cubacel SIM by visiting an ETECSA office with passport and Carnet. The same office issues a Nauta email account (@nauta.cu), the national email service. Mobile data plans launched in late 2018 and have expanded since, but speeds are modest and prices are high relative to local wages.

MLC Card for Imported Goods

The Moneda Libremente Convertible (MLC) is not a physical currency but an electronic balance held on a bank card, denominated in USD-equivalent and funded by inbound foreign currency transfers or cash deposits at authorised banks. MLC cards (issued by Banco Metropolitano, BPA, or BANDEC) are used at dedicated MLC stores stocked with imported food, toiletries, and electronics that are typically unavailable in regular CUP stores.

Culture in Cuba

Cuban culture is extraordinarily dense for a country of its size: son cubano, rumba, danzón, bolero, and the later evolution into salsa and timba all originated here, and music remains a constant presence in streets, buses, and private homes. Literature runs from the independence-era essays of José Martí through Alejo Carpentier's lo real maravilloso, José Lezama Lima's baroque prose, and the contemporary noir of Leonardo Padura. Religion blends Roman Catholicism with Santería and other Afro-Cuban traditions brought from West Africa; orishas like Yemayá and Changó are part of everyday vocabulary. Cigars (Cohiba, Montecristo, Partagás) and rum (Havana Club, Santiago) are industries and cultural identities at once. Baseball — pelota — is the national obsession, with Industriales of Havana and the Santiago de Cuba team at the centre of fierce rivalries. The social fabric is shaped by the twin concepts of resolver (to solve, to improvise a way through any obstacle) and invento (ingenuity born of scarcity); these are not jokes but genuine survival strategies. Family is the primary social unit, hospitality is intense and immediate, and strangers are folded into conversations with a speed that can surprise newcomers.

Music is the ambient layer of daily life. Live son and timba play in casas de la música, paladares, and street corners; a baseline familiarity with Cuban musical history opens doors everywhere.
Resolver is the operating philosophy. The ability to improvise solutions — from finding scarce ingredients to arranging transport during blackouts — is admired and expected. Rigidity is a cultural misfit.
Greetings are physical and warm. Men shake hands; women exchange a single cheek kiss with men and women alike. Treating Cuban greetings with North-European reserve is read as coldness.
Baseball conversations are cultural currency. Knowing the Industriales-Santiago rivalry, or mentioning Cuban legends in MLB, earns instant goodwill with most Cuban men.
Jineterismo — tourist-directed hustling in Havana's centro and Varadero — is a real and sometimes uncomfortable dynamic. Read it for what it is (a product of economic scarcity), stay polite, and rely on trusted referrals for long-term relationships.

Related Country Guides

Common Mistakes When Moving to Cuba

Relying on US-issued credit or debit cards. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards issued by US banks do not work anywhere in Cuba. Bring sufficient USD or EUR cash, declare amounts over 5,000 USD equivalent at customs, and budget conservatively for the entire stay.
Using the official exchange rate for planning. The gap between the official CUP rate and the informal street rate is wide and shifting. Check elToque or similar independent trackers, change money through your casa particular host or trusted contacts rather than at banks or airport booths, and never accept street-corner exchanges from strangers.
Treating Cuban bureaucracy as optional or minor. DIIE registration, Carnet de Identidad, ETECSA setup, and MLC card creation each require in-person visits, multiple documents, and patience. Missing a registration window or overstaying a Tourist Card can trigger fines, exit-ban complications, or denial of future renewals.
Discussing politics publicly or with strangers. Conversations about the government, the Castro legacy, the embargo, or the 11 July 2021 protests should be approached with care. Friends and trusted acquaintances may speak openly; strangers, official settings, and digital platforms are different terrain. Cultural humility and discretion are professional necessities.
Assuming Cuban hospitality means things will get done fast. The warmth is real, and genuine friendships form quickly, but administrative, logistical, and commercial processes operate on their own clock. 'Mañana' can mean tomorrow, next week, or whenever-the-shortage-ends. Budget extra time for every formal task.

Things to Know About Cuba

US Embargo and OFAC Rules: US citizens cannot travel to Cuba as tourists. Travel must fit one of 12 general license categories (Support for the Cuban People is the most common), financial transactions through US banks are prohibited, US-issued cards do not work inside Cuba, and travellers must keep records of their activities for five years. Plan hotels, guides, and payment methods accordingly before departure.
Rolling Blackouts (Apagones): Power cuts of 4-12 hours per day have been routine since 2021, with worse periods (20+ hour cuts) during fuel crises. They disrupt cooking, refrigeration, water pumping, internet, and remote work. A UPS, a power bank, a rechargeable fan, and an LED lantern are baseline equipment, and many longer-term residents invest in inverter batteries or small solar setups.
Currency Chaos: Since the 2021 Tarea Ordenamiento, the CUP is the only legal tender, but MLC cards and informal USD cash circulate simultaneously. The official exchange rate diverges sharply from the street rate (tracked by elToque and similar). Bring small-denomination USD or EUR bills, avoid sending money through US intermediaries, and understand that card use abroad with Cuban-issued cards is not possible.
Shortages and the Libreta: Medicines, basic foods, spare parts, and hygiene products are chronically short. The libreta de abastecimiento (ration book) still provides subsidised staples for Cubans, but foreigners shop in CUP stores, MLC shops, and farmers' markets (agros) with highly variable stock. Bring prescription medicines, contact lens solution, and other personal essentials in quantity.
Property Ownership Restrictions: Foreigners generally cannot own residential real estate in Cuba. Narrow exceptions exist for permanent residents and for units in specific tourism-investment complexes (e.g. certain Gaviota developments). Beware of informal arrangements where a Cuban citizen holds title on your behalf; these lack legal protection and have led to disputes.