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Commercial Representative or Business Agent Admission

CubaStarting a business

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Is this for a founder, startup entrepreneur, self-employed person, freelancer, company owner or another business profile?

It is for commercial representatives and business agents (foreign nationals or stateless persons) who come to Cuba to engage in foreign-trade activities; they are admitted in the temporary-resident class.

See recorded sources
  • chars 120857-121060
    Se clasifican como Residentes Temporales, los representantes comerciales y agentes de negocios extranjeros o personas sin ciudadanía que arriben a Cuba para dedicarse a actividades del comercio exterior.

What must actually exist or be demonstrated: business plan, company, innovation, clients, contracts, economic activity, job creation or other substance?

What must exist is a representation relationship: the person is a representative or employee of a foreign company, firm or agency accredited in Cuba, or a foreign business agent.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • No business plan, own company, innovation, clients, contracts, economic activity or job-creation requirement is stated.
  • What accreditation of the foreign firm in Cuba involves is not set out in this Gaceta.
  • chars 63267-63617
    ch)Residentes temporales: Técnicos, científicos y demás personas contratadas para trabajar en Cuba, estudiantes o becarios, clérigos y ministros religiosos, artistas, deportistas, periodistas, refugiados y asilados políticos, representantes y empleados de empresas, firmas o agencias extranjeras acreditadas en Cuba y agentes de negocios extranjeros.

What investment, capital, income, revenue, funding or viability evidence is central to this pathway?

Commercial representatives must possess the financial resources needed to cover their normal expenses during the stay, as established by the Central Bank of Cuba, and must hold a ticket to return home or continue to a third country with the visas or permits needed.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The amount of resources is not set in this Gaceta; it is delegated to the Central Bank of Cuba.
  • No investment, capital, revenue or funding minimum is stated.
  • chars 122031-122734
    Los extranjeros y personas sin ciudadanía clasificados como Turistas, Transeúntes, Periodistas y Representantes Comerciales, para ser admitidos en Cuba, deberán hallarse en posesión de los recursos financieros necesarios para cubrir sus gastos normales durante su estancia en Cuba, de acuerdo con lo establecido por el Banco Central de Cuba. ARTÍCULO 87.- Los extranjeros y personas sin ciudadanía clasificados como Turistas, Transeúntes, Estudiantes, Religiosos, Artistas, Periodistas y Representantes Comerciales para ser admitidos en Cuba deberán hallarse en posesión de pasaje para regresar a su país de procedencia o continuar viaje a un tercer país, y de las visas o permisos necesarios al efecto.

What business/self-employed activity may the holder conduct? Are there important restrictions? What is the family position where clearly stated?

The holder may only carry out the activity that motivated entry; any other activity, paid or unpaid, is not authorised, and the sponsoring body must report the end of the activity to the Immigration Directorate within 7 calendar days for re-embarkation. Spouses and minor children admitted in the holder's company take the same temporary-resident classification.

See recorded sources
  • chars 121075-122016
    Los extranjeros y personas sin ciudadanía clasificados como Residentes Temporales, podrán ser admitidos en Cuba por el tiempo necesario para cumplimentar las actividades que motiven su entrada, y no están autorizados para realizar otras distintas, sean éstas remuneradas o no, salvo lo establecido en el artículo 80 en cuanto a asilados políticos y refugiados. Los organismos u organizaciones bajo cuya responsabilidad sean admitidos en Cuba extranjeros y personas sin ciudadanía bajo la clasificación de Residentes Temporales están en la obligación de notificar a la Dirección de Inmigración y Extranjería el cese de las actividades de dichos extranjeros o personas sin ciudadanía, dentro del término improrrogable de 7 días naturales posteriores a la conclusión de las mismas, a los efectos de su reembarque. ARTÍCULO 85.- Los cónyuges e hijos menores que se admitan en compañía de Residentes Temporales, se asimilan a dicha clasificación.

What approval/application sequence applies, how long is the status granted, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction is officially stated?

Admission is requested by the official designated by the Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, directly to the Immigration Directorate, in the cases where it applies. The official source does not state the duration, renewal or a longer-term residence direction.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Duration is not in this citation: temporary residents are admitted 'for the time necessary to complete the activities that motivated entry' (Reglamento Art. 84 para. 1, cited under R4).
  • No renewal rule and no longer-term residence direction is stated for this category; permanent residence is a separate application (Reglamento Art. 115).
  • chars 134984-135305
    El funcionario designado por el Ministro del Comercio Exterior y la Inversión Extranjera solicitará la admisión, en los casos que proceda, directamente a la Dirección de Inmigración y Extranjería, de los extranjeros y personas sin ciudadanía que deseen entrar a Cuba como representantes comerciales o agentes de negocios.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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