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The Cuban government extended the tariff benefits that allow for the importation of food, hygiene products, medications, and medical supplies exempt from Customs Tax for non-commercial purposes, according to provisions published in the Extraordinary Official Gazette No. 7.
The measures, signed by the Minister of Finance and Prices Vladimir Regueiro Ale and the head of the General Customs Nelson Enrique Cordovés Reyes, will come into effect on February 1, 2026.
The extension is based —according to the Gaceta itself— on the fact that “limitations in the offers” of these products persist, associated with the “escalation of the blockade” and economic impacts stemming from COVID-19, which is why it is considered “necessary to maintain these benefits on an exceptional basis.”
What changes and what remains for passengers
- Accompanied luggage (passengers): exceptional import with no value limits and exempt from Customs Duty on food, personal hygiene products, medications, and medical supplies.
- Unaccompanied baggage (passengers): exceptional import of the same items up to 500 USD or the equivalent in currency, with a limit of 50 kg, also exempt from tax.
- Operational condition: food/hygiene items and medical/medical supply items must be presented to Customs in separate packages from the rest of the luggage to apply the benefit.
- Shipments: the general limit is raised, and the exemption for food, hygiene products, and medicines is reaffirmed
In the same Resolution 9/2026, the Ministry of Finance and Prices established the increase of the customs value limit for non-commercial imports per shipment: from 200 USD to 500 USD.
The exemption from Customs Duty for the first 30 USD of the shipment (or its equivalent of 3 kg) remains in effect, and for any excess, a tariff rate of 30% will be applied.
For air, sea, and postal shipments containing food, hygiene products, medicines, and medical supplies, the tax-free importation is confirmed up to 200 USD or 20 kg (according to the weight/value ratio established by Customs).
In addition, it is required that the shipment contains only those items to receive the benefit.
The regulation stipulates that these benefits will remain in effect "as long as the conditions" that prompted their approval persist, and that any elimination must be made through a resolution, with a minimum notice period of 30 days before taking effect.
Electric plants: the shipping benefit remains, with no specific end date
Resolution 10/2026 authorizes the "exceptional" importation of non-commercial electric generators with a power output exceeding 900 watts, above the established value for shipments, applying a 30% tax on the taxable excess.
Unlike other temporary measures, the text indicates that the benefit remains without a specific time limit, also under the condition of being in effect as long as the conditions persist.
Resolution 4/2026 from the Ministry of Public Health grants exceptional authorization for the non-commercial importation of original packaging medicines and medical supplies (with an attached list that includes, among others, syringes, gloves, masks, disposable diapers, oximeters, catheters, prosthetics, and technical aids) exempt from the medication tax.
It also maintains the previous limit of 10 kg established in a 1992 resolution, as long as the new resolution is in effect.
Resolution 34/2026 of the General Customs maintains the suspension of the previous table (Annex One of Resolution 176/2022) for food, hygiene products, medications, and medical supplies sent for non-commercial purposes, and instead applies a weight-based table: 1 kg = 10 USD, with an exemption up to 30 USD = 3 kg, among other brackets.
The validity remains “until the Ministry of Finance and Prices... decrees otherwise,” also with the requirement of a minimum notice of 30 days if the suspension is lifted.
The Ministry of Finance and Prices (MFP) of Cuba had denied rumors days earlier regarding the end of the customs benefit that allows the duty-free import of food, hygiene products, and medical supplies.
The clarification came after versions circulated on social media stating that the exemption would end on February 1.
The MFP specified that "no decision has been made to change the exceptional tax treatment currently in effect" and that any updates will be communicated through official channels.
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