The Cuban Ministry of Communications released two resolutions on Thursday in the Extraordinary Official Gazette No. 66, which update the regulatory framework for importing telecommunications equipment, information and communication technologies, and unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones.
These resolutions were signed by Minister Mayra Arevich Marín on January 8, 2026, and made public on Thursday.
Resolution 1/2026 repeals Resolution 272 from October 13, 2015, which had been in effect for over a decade, and introduces a distinction between equipment that can be imported without technical authorization and those that require it.
Importation Without Technical Authorization
Items such as conventional cell phones, desktop computers, tablets, laptops, printers, hard drives, memory devices, wired alarms, and domestic terrestrial radio and television receivers can be imported without the need for authorization from the Ministry of Communications, provided they are not intended for commercial use.
Equipment Requiring Technical Authorization
Conversely, technical authorization from the Budgeted Technical Unit for Radio Spectrum Control is necessary for routers, switches, wireless access points, amateur radio walkie-talkies, radars, wireless microphone systems, satellite receivers, and wireless video surveillance systems.
The regulation explicitly bans the importation of signal amplifiers for mobile phones—known as repeaters—and "equipment, parts, devices, and apparatuses used to access computer or telecommunications networks without authorization, regardless of the standard or technology used."
Cryptographic Protection and Additional Requirements
Devices equipped with cryptographic protection systems must undergo "evaluation and approval by the Cryptography Directorate according to the current legislation of the Ministry of the Interior."
Resolution 2/2026 introduces a new approval and technical authorization regulation for commercial imports, nullifying resolutions 132/2019 and 110/2020.
Drone Importation Regulations
A notable feature of this second resolution is the explicit inclusion of all drones in Annex I of products requiring technical authorization, categorized by maximum takeoff weight: up to 250 grams, from 250 grams to seven kilograms, from seven to 25 kilograms, and from 25 to 150 kilograms.
The second special provision mandates that "the use, import, export, manufacture, and commercialization of unmanned aerial vehicles require technical authorization from the Ministry of Communications regarding the use of frequencies and power levels established by current legislation."
Compliance and Enforcement
The certification of approval costs 1,200 Cuban pesos for resident individuals and national entities, or 50 dollars for non-resident individuals and foreign entities.
Importing entities must request technical authorization at least 30 days before the equipment arrives in national territory, and the Budgeted Technical Unit for Radio Spectrum Control has 10 business days to issue it.
If equipment arrives without the necessary authorization, Customs will hold it, giving the importer seven days to apply for it; if it is not presented within 30 days, Customs will proceed according to the law.
These regulations are based on Decree-Law 35 concerning telecommunications and radio spectrum use, approved in April 2021. This decree has been criticized by human rights organizations for imposing penalties of up to four years in prison for disseminating content deemed contrary to state security.
Resolution 2/2026 will take effect 60 days after its publication, around July 20, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Cuban Import Regulations
What equipment can be imported to Cuba without technical authorization?
Conventional cell phones, desktop computers, tablets, laptops, printers, hard drives, wired alarms, and domestic terrestrial radio and television receivers can be imported without technical authorization if they are not for commercial use.
Which items require technical authorization for importation?
Routers, switches, wireless access points, amateur radio walkie-talkies, radars, wireless microphone systems, satellite receivers, and wireless video surveillance systems require technical authorization from the Budgeted Technical Unit for Radio Spectrum Control.
What are the costs associated with obtaining a certification of approval?
The certification of approval costs 1,200 Cuban pesos for resident individuals and national entities, or 50 dollars for non-resident individuals and foreign entities.