In many ports, airports and international border crossings, customs procedures for the control of passengers arriving and leaving the country and their belongings are carried out through the Green Channel and Red Channel system.
In Cuba this procedure, in use for several years, consists of passengers who have nothing to declare (bringing only items personal effects) and who do not import prohibited or regulated items, can choose to go through the Green Channel (without physical baggage control) while passengers with goods to declare (items subject to customs taxes or subject to special permits) must pass through the Red Channel for their luggage to be inspected. This system can be chosen by the passenger themselves, or be a suggestion from Customs officials.
Regardless of the above, all passengers must fill out and submit the Customs Declaration
Red Channel:
- Import items other than those considered personal effects
- Import items that are regulated
- Import items that are prohibited
- Import items that are not their property, delivered by third parties for residents in Cuba (Encomiendas).
- Import items that must pay customs duties.
Green Channel:
- They do not have to make any payment to Customs. That is, those who only bring with them
- your personal effects (25 kg of miscellaneous)
- other items whose value does not exceed 50.99 pesos (5 kg more if they are miscellaneous)
- Do not transport prohibited items
- Do not transport items subject to releases from competent agencies.
However, Customs may request and/or carry out physical control of passengers who have chosen the green channel and their luggage when it deems necessary.
Note: When a passenger uses the Green Channel but also intends to import Unaccompanied Baggage, he or she must notify Customs, in addition to recording it in the Passenger Declaration. If you are in that case, and you bring 30 kg as personal luggage. of miscellaneous items, keep in mind that then you already consumed 50.00 pesos of the thousand pesos allowed to be imported.