How people live in Cuba: poverty, queues, shortages

Common Immigration Options

Emigrating from Russia to Cuba is not an easy process, as is moving to Liberty Island for permanent residence from any other country. The country has poorly developed immigration programs, so in most cases, the permit that a foreigner can apply for is temporary and must be constantly renewed. And yet, the most effective ways to legally move to Cuba for permanent residence are:

• political flight;
• marriage to a citizen of Cuba;
• entrepreneurship and investment;
• official employment;
• studying at an educational institution in the country;
• family reunion.

Political flight

The Republic of Cuba provides immigration opportunities for political refugees, but there are few of them in the country today. To do this, the foreigner must provide evidence of persecution for political reasons to the Migration Service of the Republic of Cuba. If the decision is affirmative, the foreigner will receive refugee status.

Marrying a Cuban

It is not possible to obtain Cuban citizenship by marriage; instead, spouses of Cuban citizens are granted permanent resident status. This status allows you to conduct any legal income-generating activity, but prohibits the registration of real estate in the name of a foreign spouse, so any property must be registered in the name of the Cuban partner. At the same time, you need to be prepared for the fact that in the event of a divorce and division of jointly acquired property, a foreigner will not be able to claim this property.

Entrepreneurial activity

Entrepreneurship is one of the most likely ways for foreigners who are seriously interested in how to move to live in Cuba from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus or any other CIS country. First of all, a foreign entrepreneur must obtain a special permit to conduct business.

According to Cuban law, business in this country can be conducted either in cooperation with Cubans, or by registering a representative office of a foreign company. It is almost impossible for a foreign citizen to open a business from scratch.

In order to obtain a residence permit on Liberty Island in the future in connection with doing business, you first need to draw up a detailed business plan, and if it is approved by the Ministry of Foreign Investment, your business will need to be registered in the Register of Enterprises. In order to have a better chance of a positive result, you should provide proof of sufficient funds in a Cuban bank. After registration in the Register of Enterprises, a foreign businessman has the right to apply for a residence permit.

Investing in business

Foreigners have the right to obtain a residence permit in Cuba through investing in the economy or real estate. In this case, the permit is issued for a period of one year, which can be renewed upon its expiration. In addition, this method makes it possible to obtain a residence permit for the applicant’s relatives. If an immigrant is absent from the country for a whole year, he risks losing his residence permit.

Legal employment

The method of immigration to Cuba through employment is quite complex. There are not enough vacancies for foreign workers in the Cuban labor market, with most offers being in the agricultural sector. However, you can try to find a job in the field of tourism or marketing.

In order to move to Cuba in connection with employment, you need to write a resume and submit it on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, and then wait for an employment offer.

It should be borne in mind that in the event of two refusals from the proposed vacancies, the applicant will be excluded from the list of applicants for employment.

However, you can come to Cuba and look for a job on your own.

Studying in higher education institutions and language courses

You can obtain a temporary residence permit in the Republic of Cuba by enrolling in one of the country’s higher educational institutions. Many foreigners come to Liberty Island on exchange programs. If you are interested in how to emigrate from Russia to Cuba, then the student exchange program is an excellent way to do this, since the exchange system between the two countries has been established for quite a long time. In addition, Cuban universities offer Spanish language courses, which can also be used to obtain a permanent residence permit. On average, the annual cost of studying in Cuba ranges from 4,000 to 7,000 US dollars, the cost of Spanish courses ranges from 200 to 1,800 US dollars.

Family reunion

Reuniting with family is the most likely way to move to Cuba legally. This option is suitable for those who have parents or children with Cuban citizenship living in this country. Children born outside of Cuba are granted citizenship of that country only if their parents are Cuban. Children whose parents are not Cuban by citizenship receive the status of a citizen of the Republic of Cuba only if they were born in the territory of this country.

Work and salaries in Cuba

There is a lot of unskilled hired labor on the island, and the average salary for this work is about 30 CUC (1,834 Russian rubles). The situation is balanced by “libret” food cards, which have been in force since 1969. Everyone can buy them in a store located at the owner’s place of residence.

The main areas of employment for the population are agriculture, fishing, public service, trade and services. Much fewer people work in medicine, science, industrial production, and international relations, although there is a need for personnel. The minimum salary is 12-16 CUC (622 RUB), the highest is about 100 CUC (in rubles this is 6).

Only invited highly qualified foreign specialists receive more. Therefore, the most attractive way to make a living is business in Cuba for Russians.

Social payments

Cuba has a well-functioning social sphere. Here they remain free for the population

medicine and education, libraries, museums, cultural centers, theaters are available.

Additional food cards are issued for minors, which can be used to get chicken, milk, vegetables, rice, and bread. Large families are entitled to enhanced librettas.

The pension in Cuba is extremely small - from 10 to 20 CUC (up to 1010 RUB). Foreigners do not have it; they can transfer money that was earned in their homeland.

Tax system

In Cuba, there are 11 types of fiscal contributions to the budget. The main one is on profit: for legal entities it is 35% of annual income, and for individuals it is established on a separate progressive scale. The same applies to foreigners if they live on the island for more than 180 days during the year.

The positive aspects that Russian entrepreneurs have already appreciated are that an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation has been concluded with the Russian Federation. In addition, transfers from relatives abroad are not taxed at all.

Large foreign companies are monitoring the formation of an offshore zone on Liberty Island. The innovation promises to be beneficial to both businessmen and the government.

Border crossing rules

The rules for entry into Cuba for Russians in 2021, as well as for Belarusians, suggest the possibility of visa-free border crossing subject to the following conditions:

• stay in the country should not exceed 30 days;
• you must have a foreign passport;
• you must have a return ticket with a date no later than 30 days from the date of entry;
• you should have funds at the rate of 50 US dollars per day;
• availability of health insurance.

Citizens of Ukraine need to apply for a Cuban visa. A foreigner must also apply for a visa in accordance with the purpose of travel if he intends to stay in the country under visa-free entry for longer than the permitted time.

Customs restrictions

Cuban customs regulations in 2021 allow the following to be imported duty-free per person:

• 200 cigarettes or 250 g of tobacco;

one laptop.

You are allowed to export from Liberty Island:

• an amount in any currency equivalent to no more than 5,000 US dollars;
• cigars;
• various souvenirs;
• exotic items and jewelry, subject to a license (you must obtain it when purchasing goods in any store);
• clothes.

In order to bring a pet into Cuba, you must have the following documents:

• pet passport indicating all recent vaccinations;
• certificate of good health of the animal;
• a veterinarian’s conclusion that the trip will not harm the health of the animal;
• a copy of the passport of the person traveling with the animal;

In order to bring pets into Cuba, you must pay the additional consular fee provided for this procedure.

What is prohibited to export

When leaving the Republic of Cuba, foreigners are prohibited from exporting:

• objects of cultural and historical value;
• seashells;
• exotic species of birds, as well as rare types of wood;
• precious metals.

What I protect is what I have

As it should be in a socialist country, in Cuba people live by the principle: what I protect is what I have. This attitude greatly helps them survive in this poor country.

We went to the observation deck in Trinidad. It is located on the mountain where there is a communications tower.

Of course, the facility is fenced and guarded.

Of course, the guard is not asleep - he cordially lets tourists into the territory and even gives a mini-tour.

Of course, a small reward awaits him. And it is precisely this, I am sure, that makes up the majority of his earnings: with the national average salary of $18 per month, $1-2 from each tourist, of whom there are many who come here, serves as a good help.

View from the observation deck of the mountains around Trinidad.

Resident card

It should be borne in mind that the concept of “residence permit”, which is familiar to Europeans, simply does not exist in Cuba. In the Republic of Cuba, its equivalent is resident status, which can be temporary (Residecia Temporal) or permanent (Residencia Permanente).

However, obtaining official permission to live in Cuba is very difficult. Cuba lags significantly behind in developing immigration programs. This explains the fact that many foreigners are looking for different ways to leave for Cuba illegally. Among the legal ways to obtain a residence permit, the most likely ones are marriage to a citizen of Cuba or the residence of parents or children in this country.

Conditions of registration

If you are interested in how to obtain a residence permit in Cuba, then for this you must fulfill a number of conditions.

First, you need a certificate of permanent residence, which is a document that certifies or accredits your place of residence. It can be issued by the police or city hall.

In addition, you need to undergo several medical examinations and receive the results of a chest x-ray and blood tests, including AIDS tests. Tests must be done no earlier than six months before submitting the application. They can also be done directly in Cuba at a hospital or clinic that specializes in caring for foreigners.

You will also need to provide proof of your professional skills (for those over 16 and under 60). These can be university diplomas or documents confirming many years of professional experience, a specialty or scientific degree.

When applying for Cuban resident status, you also need to provide proof of your solvency. To do this, you need to open an account in a Cuban bank. A bank account can be opened from abroad if permission to do so is issued by the relevant Cuban bank. You must have at least $5,000 in your new account.

A certificate of the presence or absence of a criminal record from the country of residence is also requested. The certificate must be issued at the police station no earlier than three months before submitting the application.

Finally, you must pay the application fee indicated for this service by cash, check or bank transfer.

Required documents

To obtain a permanent residence permit in Cuba, you must prepare the following documents:

• 2 photos;
• copy of the international passport;
• birth certificate;
• document confirming citizenship (passport or other personal identification document);
• results of blood tests, AIDS test, and chest x-ray;
• education document;
• a bank statement from a Cuban bank with at least 5,000 US dollars (issued no earlier than 6 months before submitting the application);
• a certificate of good conduct (issued no earlier than 3 months before submitting the application);
• a personal letter stating the reasons why you are seeking permanent resident status in Cuba, including your full name and address on the island where you plan to live (you must include written consent from the owner of the house in Cuba for you to live there);
• documents confirming the existence of grounds for obtaining permanent resident status (marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, etc.).

Parents applying for permanent resident status with their children are also required to:

• power of attorney from the father or mother, translated into Spanish and legalized by the consulate.
• birth certificate of a minor, translated and legalized by the consulate.

Registration procedure

In order to obtain a residence permit in Cuba, a foreigner must collect the required documents, then have them translated by a certified translator into Spanish and certified by a notary. If you are in Cuba at this moment, documents must be submitted to the local migration service, and an application will be drawn up there. If the registration of the permit begins in your home country, you need to submit documents to the Consulate of the Republic of Cuba. Review of documents usually lasts from 1 to 3 months.

Extension of temporary permit

A temporary residence permit due to study, work or family circumstances can be extended an unlimited number of times. The main condition for this is the availability of documentary evidence of the reason to stay in the country for a longer period. In special cases, foreigners can apply for permanent residence.

Visa application

If tourism is not the purpose of a Russian citizen’s trip to Cuba, he will need to apply for one of the types of visas to the country. The consular department of the Cuban mission issues to foreign citizens (in addition to tourists):

• A-2 family visas;
• D-6 press visas;
• business visas;
• other categories of visas depending on the purpose of stay in the country (student, work, etc.).

Citizens of Uzbekistan and Armenia also have the right to use the services of the Moscow representative office of the country. Documents can be submitted either in person or by mail; you can check the current status of the application on the embassy’s website.

one of the main Cuban attractions is the many kilometers of beaches on the ocean

Family visa

Spouses and children of Cuban citizens traveling to the country for the purpose of long-term cohabitation should apply for an A-2 family visa for a trip to Cuba. In this case, confirmation of the presence of family ties with a citizen of Cuba, as well as an invitation from the receiving party, must be attached to the main package of documents. The cost of obtaining such a visa is $30.

Regarding my refusal of a familiar visa. I then asked for this visa not as a groom, but asked for 2 weeks to live with my Cuban friend, and I did not indicate that he was the brother of the bride. And I plan to write the letter in Russian, and then they will translate it into Spanish and print it for me, and if they ask for a handwritten letter in Camagüey, I will have to rewrite it, I hope I can do it. The medical test took place in Toronto. I stupidly went to a walking clinic, asked the doctor to send me for a blood test and an x-ray, and I needed the results in writing. He asked what for. I said that I need to use this in my other country. He said that actually this should be a paid procedure, but oh well, to hell with you. And I completed everything for free in about an hour and came back a week later to get the results. He gave it to me on 6 pages. I brought it to a translator who has an office about 100 meters from the Cuban Consulate and works for this Consulate. The translator shook his head, like this is a hell of a translation, but promised to finish it on Thursday. In short, on Thursday I have to take all the documents to the consulate for legalization. Birth certificate (don’t forget to make 2 copies before marriage, I forgot and wasted time) Police certificate (received in 15 minutes and 45 Canadian dollars) Medical test (complete blood count, AIDS test, chest x-ray) (we'll see if this option works) A copy of all pages of the passport

Hulio

https://forum.awd.ru/viewtopic.php?f=1511&t=17250&start=460

Media representative visa

Foreign media employees must obtain a D-6 visa to perform official duties in Cuba. To do this, you must contact the press service of the Cuban embassy and submit the established application form for consideration in addition to the basic package of documents, and pay a fee of $60.

foreign correspondents need a D-6 visa to work in Cuba

Business visa

A foreign citizen who intends to travel to Cuba for the purpose of conducting business must obtain a visa of the appropriate type. Registration of a business visa requires an invitation from the receiving party, a detailed description of the purpose of the visit and the intended type of activity.

student visa

You can obtain a student visa if you have proof of enrollment in one of the Cuban educational institutions. In this case, a high school diploma must be attached to the main package of papers.

Work Visa

A work visa can only be granted to a foreigner if he has a contract with a Cuban employer. To conclude a contract, the applicant must first visit the country, then return to his homeland and apply for a visa at the Cuban consulate. Today, highly qualified specialists in various fields of the economy have a real chance of finding a job in the country. The Cuban government welcomes volunteer assistance from foreign citizens.

Video: the experience of a Russian woman living in Cuba for 30 years

Permanent location

There are few options for Russians to go to Cuba for permanent residence. You can obtain permanent resident status legally only in the following cases:

• registration of a representative office of a foreign enterprise with the involvement of foreign capital;
• major investment in one of the areas proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Investment;
• marriage to a citizen of Cuba;
• family reunification if the parents or children are citizens or permanent residents of Cuba.

Moving to Cuba for permanent residence for Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians or citizens of any other CIS countries is a rather complicated process, but the Cuban authorities are beginning to pursue an increasingly active policy to attract foreign capital. Therefore, if you have sufficient financial resources to invest in the Cuban economy, this option gives you a great chance of obtaining permanent resident status through legal means.

The difference between residence permit and permanent residence

A residence permit differs from a permanent place of residence primarily in that a residence permit is issued for a limited period depending on the purpose of stay, and it must be renewed. A permanent permit is issued on the basis of existing serious reasons, and only once and for an unlimited time.

Permanent resident status gives a foreign citizen more rights than a temporary resident in terms of employment opportunities or doing business.

In addition, the permanent resident receives free medical care and education.

How to obtain Cuban citizenship

The Cuban Nationality Law is strict and contains various restrictions on the acquisition of Cuban citizenship by foreign citizens. Citizenship in this country can only be acquired by birth or naturalization. The conditions for naturalization in the Republic of Cuba differ significantly from European standards and are practically impossible to implement.

Cubans cannot be deprived of their citizenship except for reasons established by law. The main reason for this is the service of a Cuban citizen in the enemy army during the war. Cubans are not deprived of the right to change citizenship, but dual citizenship is not recognized. Therefore, if a person wishes to change the passport of a citizen of Cuba to a passport of another state, then his status as a citizen of the Republic of Cuba will be lost. Moreover, in order to change citizenship, you first need to obtain permission from the State Council.

Conditions of registration

Speaking about how to obtain Cuban citizenship for a Russian, Ukrainian or citizen of any other CIS country, it should be borne in mind that the following persons are entitled to obtain citizenship by birth:

• a person born on the territory of the republic, with the exception of children of foreign citizens in the service of the governments of other states or international organizations;
• a person born abroad, one of whose parents is Cuban and is abroad on an official mission;
• a person born abroad, one of whose parents is Cuban and complies with the legal formalities;
• a person born outside Cuban territory, one of whose parents is Cuban but has lost his Cuban citizenship, must apply for said citizenship in the manner prescribed by law;
• foreigners, by virtue of their exceptional services received in the struggle for the liberation of Cubans, are considered Cuban citizens by birth.

In accordance with the Law on Citizenship, the following persons can obtain the status of a Cuban citizen by naturalization:

• foreigners who acquire Cuban citizenship in accordance with the rules established by law;
• foreigners who contributed to the armed struggle against the tyranny overthrown on January 1, 1959, provided that they have proven this in a legal manner;
• Foreigners who have been arbitrarily deprived of their citizenship by origin acquire Cuban citizenship by virtue of a decision of the Council of State.

Neither marriage nor divorce affects the citizenship status of either spouse or their children.

Required documents

Since it is not possible for a foreigner to obtain Cuban citizenship, the immigrant must obtain permanent resident status and prepare documents in accordance with the requirements for granting this status. In the case of a refugee seeking political asylum, proof of political persecution and threat to life must be provided. If the migration service is convinced that there are serious grounds for fleeing, the applicant will be granted refugee status.

Registration procedure

Many are interested in how to obtain Cuban citizenship for a citizen of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus or other CIS countries. It should be noted that opportunities in this regard for foreign citizens are limited. It is impossible to obtain Cuban citizenship even by marrying a Cuban - the maximum that a foreigner can count on in this case is obtaining permanent resident status.

The only option to become a Cuban citizen is to obtain Cuban citizenship at birth. To do this, parents must indicate the appropriate citizenship in the child’s documents when registering the fact of his birth.

Citizenship for a child

Citizenship is issued to children in two cases:

• if at least one of the parents is a citizen of Cuba, and the child was born abroad (in this case, the fact of the child’s birth must be registered at the diplomatic mission or consulate of Cuba);
• the child was born in Cuba - in this case, the citizenship of the parents does not matter.

Foreigners who move to Cuba for permanent residence with children who are citizens of another country can obtain temporary or permanent resident status for them instead of citizenship.

Key Aspects

Despite the generally accepted anti-Russian policy, many Latin American countries have maintained warm diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation, which allows compatriots to freely visit these states.

In this case, Cuba is of particular interest, since certain agreements have been established with this country since the last century, which are respected to this day.

The government in power in Cuba is loyal to foreign migrants, especially when it comes to Russian citizens.

Main concepts

Before delving into the essence of granting Cuban citizenship to compatriots, we should consider the concepts that are relevant to this issue:

We recommend: How to obtain Latvian citizenship in 2021

Currently, the possibility of visa-free travel has been established between Cuba and the Russian Federation.

However, due to the remote location of the countries from each other, compatriots will have to apply for Schengen - permission to fly through European airports to the countries of North and Latin America.

Is it allowed to have dual citizenship with the Russian Federation?

Unfortunately, for citizens of the Russian Federation and other foreign migrants who remember the Cuban island with a lot of vivid impressions, it is impossible to obtain citizenship of this country.

It is granted only by right of birth. If you did not previously have Cuban ancestors, then you can live on its territory only as a resident alien who has been granted a residence permit.

A lot of rights and freedoms on the territory of the state, with the exception of the right to participate in the political life of the state and find employment in state municipal structures.

The legislative framework

Registration of a residence permit and subsequent residence in the country is regulated by the legal acts of Cuba and the Russian Federation, namely:

• Federal Law No. 62 of May 31, 2002 “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”;
• Federal Law No. 143 of November 15, 1997 “On acts of civil status”;
• Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1325 of November 14, 2002 “Regulations on the procedure for considering issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation”;
• Cuba's laws regarding citizenship on its territory;
• legislative acts on the legal status of foreign citizens in Cuba;
• regulatory legal acts on migration registration of foreign citizens on the territory of the Cuban island.

Due to these laws, immigration to the territory of the state is possible, but it is impossible to obtain citizenship here; the only way to permanently stay is a residence permit, by extending which you can live until a very old age.

Immigration of citizens of CIS countries

Until recently, Cuba was not considered the most popular country for immigration of CIS citizens. This is due to strict requirements for the legalization of immigrants in the country. Nevertheless, many potential immigrants are attracted to moving to Liberty Island, so they find ways to realize their plans, even without obtaining permanent resident status, because it is always possible to obtain a temporary residence permit.

Features of life on Liberty Island

Life in Cuba is calm and peaceful, and the locals are friendly and cheerful. Liberty Island attracts with its leisurely pace and low level of stress compared to industrialized countries. The country is characterized by a slow pace of development and the absence of many benefits familiar to Europeans. For example, the Internet is not accessible to everyone, except perhaps officials or foreign entrepreneurs, but it is slow and unreliable, and many Internet resources and applications are blocked here. Another nuance is the very limited selection of products even in large supermarkets. Imported products are very rare and cost several times more than local goods.

How Russians live on Liberty Island

There are relatively few Russian immigrants on Liberty Island. The process of moving to this closed country is difficult, and the standard of living is quite low, which is not particularly conducive to the influx of immigrants from the CIS countries. Nevertheless, some people from Russia and other Russian-speaking countries come here to organize a business - many see significant prospects for the development of the tourism business in this island state. Some people come to live a quiet retirement away from their home country.