Promote:
Invest in Cuba
A short guide for companies expanding into Cuba: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. Cuba at a glance
PopulationEstimate
10.9 million
Population was 10,937,203 people in 2025.
Source: World Bank, Cuba population, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDPNeeds confirmation
US$11 billion
GDP at current prices was US$10,994.23 million in 2025, an ECLAC estimate from national sources.
Source: ECLAC CEPALSTAT, Cuba GDP at current prices, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP per personNeeds confirmation
US$986
GDP per person at current prices was US$985.80 in 2025, an ECLAC estimate from national sources.
Source: ECLAC CEPALSTAT, Cuba GDP per person, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Real GDP growthEstimate
−1.1%
Real GDP fell by 1.1 percent in 2024, according to the World Bank.
Source: World Bank, Cuba real GDP growth, 2024 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2024
Inflation
28.4%
Twelve-month inflation was 28.4 percent in September 2026, a statistics office (ONEI) figure, as published by the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
Source: Economy ministry site, inflation article, October 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 2026
Foreign direct investment inflows
US$79.5 million
Inward foreign direct investment flows were US$79.459 million in 2025.
Source: UNCTADstat, Cuba inward FDI flows, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
The currency is the Cuban peso.
Source: ALADI, Cuba member page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
2. Before you set up
The investment agency, any one-stop route, the sectors reserved for nationals and the zones, as the guide found them.
The investment promotion agency is ProCuba, a body of the foreign trade and investment ministry.
Source: ProCuba, about the center (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Cuba has a foreign investment single window, VUINEX, run by the foreign trade and investment ministry; the Mariel zone has its own single window.
Source: ProCuba, investor guide to Cuba, 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Foreign investment may be authorized in all sectors except health and education services for the population and the armed institutions, apart from their business systems.
Source: Official Gazette, Law 118 on foreign investment, 2014 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of April 16, 2014
ProCuba's 2021 investor guide calls the Mariel Special Development Zone the first zone of its type in Cuba and names no other.
Source: ProCuba, investor guide to Cuba, 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in Cuba
- Get a business visa, A-7 or D-7, from a Cuban consulate and legalize company documents.Consulados de CubaOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: ProCuba, investor guide to Cuba, 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Submit the investment request with its file to the foreign trade and investment ministry, through the VUINEX single window.Ministerio del Comercio Exterior y la Inversión ExtranjeraRequest accepted or returned within 5 calendar days; decision within 60 calendar days of admission (2021 guide).Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: ProCuba, investor guide to Cuba, 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Enter the Mercantile Registry before starting operations.Registro Mercantil, Ministerio de JusticiaOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: ProCuba, investor guide to Cuba, 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Register with the tax administration office as a taxpayer.Oficina Nacional de Administración TributariaStamp of 30 pesos for the registration request.Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Finance ministry, page on the tax administration office (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Show 4 more set-up steps
- Open accounts in Cuban banks; joint ventures that open accounts abroad notify the central bank within seven days, without prior approval.Banco Central de CubaOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Official Gazette No. 73, September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 3, 2026
- Hire Cuban staff directly or through an employer entity authorized by the labor ministry.Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad SocialOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Official Gazette No. 73, September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 3, 2026
- Obtain a labor ministry work permit for each foreign staff member who holds temporary residence.Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad SocialOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Official Gazette No. 78, Labor Code, September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 18, 2026
- For hotel projects, obtain approval of the management contract from the tourism ministry.Ministerio de TurismoOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: ProCuba, investor guide to Cuba, 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with MINCEX and Aduana. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
Investment and business setup
- Get advice
Foreign trade and investment ministry
MINCEX
Ministerio del Comercio Exterior y la Inversión Extranjera
Runs the foreign investment single window and approves foreign trade powers and investment requests.
Visit MINCEX (opens in a new tab)Source: ProCuba, why invest and steps to invest (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Get advice
Special development zone authority
Oficina ZED Mariel
Oficina de la Zona Especial de Desarrollo Mariel
Administers the Mariel Special Development Zone and its single window for businesses that settle there.
Visit Oficina ZED Mariel (opens in a new tab)Source: ProCuba, investor guide to Cuba, 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Show 2 more organizations
Justice ministry and public registries
MINJUS
Ministerio de Justicia
Directs the notary function and the public registries system.
Visit MINJUS (opens in a new tab)Source: Justice ministry, mission and functions (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Economy and planning ministry
MEP
Ministerio de Economía y Planificación
Keeps the list of approved private companies and cooperatives and the economic actors platform.
Visit MEP (opens in a new tab)Source: Economy ministry, economic actors register page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Customs authority
Aduana
Aduana General de la República
Handles customs declarations and the inspection of goods at the border.
Visit Aduana (opens in a new tab)Source: ProCuba, how to do business with Cuba (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Meet requirements
National tax administration office
ONAT
Oficina Nacional de Administración Tributaria
Keeps the taxpayer register and handles tax registration for companies and individuals.
Visit ONAT (opens in a new tab)Source: Finance ministry, page on the tax administration office (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
Cámara de Comercio
Cámara de Comercio de la República de Cuba
Keeps the exporters register, issues certificates of origin and runs a single window for foreign companies.
5. Worth knowing
Sanctions exposure
Treasury added the Cuba Sanctions Regulations on September 30, 2026, implementing a May 2026 order that can block foreign persons operating in sectors such as energy, mining and financial services.
What to do: Screen every Cuban counterparty and owner against OFAC lists before you sign.
Sources: Federal Register, OFAC Cuba Sanctions Regulations, September 2026 (opens in a new tab); Federal Register, Executive Order 14404 on Cuba, May 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Inflation and prices
An article on the economy ministry's site, citing statistics office data, puts twelve-month inflation at 28.4 percent in September 2026, up from 12.5 percent in January.
What to do: Add price and currency review clauses to contracts that run beyond one quarter.
Source: Economy ministry site, inflation article, October 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Electricity and fuel
The British foreign ministry advises against all but essential travel to Cuba and cites shortages of fuel, electricity and water that disrupt services.
What to do: Allow extra time for visits and shipments, and confirm access with your Cuban partner.
Source: FCDO, travel advice for Cuba, September 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Reserved sectors
Law 118 allows foreign investment everywhere except health and education services for the population and the armed institutions, apart from their business systems.
What to do: Confirm with the investment single window that your activity is open to foreign capital.
Source: Official Gazette, Law 118 on foreign investment, 2014 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Show 2 more
Investment rule changes
Since September 2026, joint ventures may hire staff directly and open accounts abroad without prior central bank approval, notifying it within seven days.
What to do: Read the consolidated Law 118 text before you set up staffing or banking.
Source: Official Gazette No. 73, September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Approval levels
Approval depends on the project: the Council of State handles public services and non-renewable resources, and the Council of Ministers handles fully foreign-owned companies.
What to do: Ask the investment single window which body will decide your project.
Source: ProCuba, investor guide to Cuba, 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
6. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare Cuba with other countriesSet Cuba beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
Turn this guide into your Cuba project.
Use Promote:Global to explore markets, understand requirements and organize your next steps.
Promote:Cuba is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of October 30, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.