4. What customs rules do I need to know when I arrive in Cuba?
You cannot export more than $5,000 in cash (per person) from Cuba unless you submit a customs declaration form indicating how much over that amount you are bringing into Cuba. Also, foreigners are technically not allowed to import or export Cuban currency, but everybody does anyway. Cuban customs authorities almost never ask visitors to empty their pockets.
Gifts (anything that is clearly not your personal belonging) in excess of $100 are subject to a 100 percent customs duty.
You are permitted to bring in up to three liters of alcohol and a choice of 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of cut tobacco.
The following items are subject to special restrictions and must be declared: Telecommunications equipment, unprocessed food (fruits, meats, cheese and vegetables), live animals, flora and fauna specimens, and biological or pharmaceutical products of animal origin.
If you bring prescription drugs with you, keep them in their original containers, and carry a copy of the prescription form with you. I also recommended that you bring a signed and dated letter from the physician who prescribed the medication. In the letter, list the generic name of the drug, and have the doctor explain why the prescription is necessary.
