Cuba Imposes Fines Up to 100,000 Pesos for Using Foreign Citizenship at Borders

The Cuban government has introduced financial penalties ranging from 30,000 to 100,000 pesos for Cuban citizens who attempt to cross the country's borders using a foreign passport instead of their Cuban one. This measure is outlined in the Citizenship Law 172/2024, published in Official Gazette No. 39 on May 5, 2026, taking effect from November 1, 2026.

According to Article 82, section (a) of this law, it is a violation for "a Cuban citizen to enter or leave the national territory by claiming a citizenship other than Cuban," punishable by a fine of 300 to 500 units. Article 84 specifies each unit's value, which "cannot be less than one hundred pesos nor exceed two hundred pesos." This results in fines ranging from 30,000 pesos—300 units at the minimum value—to 100,000 pesos—500 units at the maximum value.

The law does not criminalize possessing a foreign passport but rather the act of using it to enter or exit Cuba while retaining Cuban citizenship. Article 14 of the same law states that "the acquisition of another citizenship does not entail the loss of Cuban citizenship," and Cuban citizens "are obliged to identify themselves as such upon entry, during their stay, transit, and exit from the national territory."

The obligation for Cubans to use a Cuban passport to cross borders is not new; it was already stipulated in the old Migration Law 1312 of 1976. However, that law only imposed a general fine of up to 100 pesos for generic violations, without specifically addressing the use of another citizenship at borders. Law 172/2024 introduces a specific classification and significantly higher penalties for this particular action.

Stricter Penalties for Serious Offenses

The sanction system extends beyond border crossings. Article 83 outlines severe violations—punishable by 500 to 1,000 units, equivalent to between 50,000 and 200,000 pesos—for actions such as using foreign citizenship to perform legal acts within Cuba, entering into a marriage of convenience to obtain Cuban citizenship, or using false documents. Article 15 adds that "any acts performed by Cuban citizens using another citizenship to take effect within the national territory are void without the need to initiate any nullity process."

In cases of repeat offenses, the fine can double the maximum limit for serious violations, potentially reaching up to 400,000 pesos if the maximum unit value is applied. If the offender fails to pay the fine within 30 calendar days of notification, the amount doubles; if unpaid after another 30 days, authorities may initiate criminal proceedings.

Enforcement and Exceptions

Fines will be imposed by chiefs, inspectors, and citizenship specialists from the Directorate of Identification, Migration, Foreigners, and Citizenship of the Ministry of the Interior, who have seven days from learning of the violation to act. However, Article 84 allows the authority to refrain from imposing penalties if the acts "do not have significant harmful consequences" and the offender's background is favorable.

This law is part of a broader immigration reform package, which also includes the Migration Law 171 and the Foreigners Law 173, approved by the National Assembly on July 19, 2024. Concurrently, the regime set the cost of renouncing Cuban citizenship at 1,000 dollars through Resolution 37/2026 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, effective October 1, 2026, making it one of the most expensive procedures in the Cuban consular system.