Buying property in Cuba

Christine wrote:

Hi,

can a foreigner buy property in Cuba?

If so, is it complicated? What is the process of purchasing a property in Cuba?

Any tips for buying property, such as a check-list of items to verify ?

Thanks in advance for participating!

Christine

Yes, a foreigner can buy a property in Cuba
Yes it could be complicated and yet it can be simple
Yes, there are a few tips, and one of them is to check if the seller has the property on his (her) name or only the usufruct

Good day to you!

As you are one of the few members with a permanent residence in Cuba on this forum, I have a question. You said that you can buy property in Cuba. Does this mean that you are the sole owner of the house? I have plans to marry my Cuban girlfriend, and would like to know what happens if something goes wrong (divorce, decease). In other words, do I remain owner of the property, or does it become hers (or her famies) when this tie with a Cuban national ceases to exist?
Looking foreward to your answer,
Philippe, from Belgium

mesproductions wrote:

Good day to you!

As you are one of the few members with a permanent residence in Cuba on this forum, I have a question. You said that you can buy property in Cuba. Does this mean that you are the sole owner of the house? I have plans to marry my Cuban girlfriend, and would like to know what happens if something goes wrong (divorce, decease). In other words, do I remain owner of the property, or does it become hers (or her famies) when this tie with a Cuban national ceases to exist?
Looking foreward to your answer,
Philippe, from Belgium

I dont know in case of decease, what happens. But in case of divorce, everything you bought after mariage is divided 50%-50% between you and your wife. The only situation in which the property bought during the marriage is not divided , is in case of donation.
For example, the previous owner of house donate it to you (legally); in this case, even if you divorce, the house is yours 100%, and your wife dont get anything.
And of course, again, the condition to buy a property on your name as a foreigner is to have the permanent residence in Cuba.

Thank you for this clear answer!

This is the best site for information I have seen. Many thanks to all you awesome contributors! 

can i buy a house legally in Cuba i have been married to a cuban i will not do that again she  cheated me out of the house i paid for there .I would like to buy a house in my name if it is posable thank you Mike

johnson mike wrote:

can i buy a house legally in Cuba i have been married to a cuban i will not do that again she  cheated me out of the house i paid for there .I would like to buy a house in my name if it is posable thank you Mike

Only if you have the permanent residence in Cuba

I found out the hard way I married bout a house in Cuba then I brute her to Canada she stayed 3 days then left I went to Cuba for a divorce which I received but before I could take here to court in Cuba she went there and transferred the house in to here step  dads name so I lost the house and money she also told me the house coast 16 thousand  dollars I found out later she only paid 6 thousand five hundred nothing can go in your name so if you want some advice do not get  married do not buy nothing and do not bring them to Canada that is when all your problems will start I am not saying that all marriages are the same but 99 percent are just out for your money and a way out of the country .I no you will not listen to me because your in love have you ever heard the saying and watts in your wallet they invented that saying I would not lessen to people ether I had to find out the hard way .As for buying a house their watt a couple of years the laws are going to change just take your time and watch every month for new laws and get your foot in the door first . good luck

caliniancu wrote:

mesproductions wrote:

Good day to you!

As you are one of the few members with a permanent residence in Cuba on this forum, I have a question. You said that you can buy property in Cuba. Does this mean that you are the sole owner of the house? I have plans to marry my Cuban girlfriend, and would like to know what happens if something goes wrong (divorce, decease). In other words, do I remain owner of the property, or does it become hers (or her famies) when this tie with a Cuban national ceases to exist?
Looking foreward to your answer,
Philippe, from Belgium

I dont know in case of decease, what happens. But in case of divorce, everything you bought after mariage is divided 50%-50% between you and your wife. The only situation in which the property bought during the marriage is not divided , is in case of donation.
For example, the previous owner of house donate it to you (legally); in this case, even if you divorce, the house is yours 100%, and your wife dont get anything.
And of course, again, the condition to buy a property on your name as a foreigner is to have the permanent residence in Cuba.

caliniancu wrote:

Hi everybody
I am Canadian citizen and I have the Cuban permanent residence, which allows me to buy, sell or trade a real estate property , or car, in CUba, as any Cuban citizen. I have almost all the rights a Cuban citizen has,(i cant vote,lol) and a few more advantages.

I have been looking at permanent residence for the last while because I'm retired with good pension and live there 6 months of the year anyways....My motivation is mostly so casa will be in my name..I have researched the requirements ( a whack of paperwork and translations) My question to you please what was the time frame to get your residence there and were you approved/accepted on the first submission?

Reading through this blog for the first time since I joined I find it worrisome that so many people are buying or in the process of buying a Casa in a Cuban name.. Even if you're married and both your names are on a document(s) The house is the Cubans period no 50-50 split if marriage goes south..The only way is with permanent residence which one member has here,,, I have spent the better part of the last 6 years going back and forth to Cuba for extended stays and it saddens me to meet mostly Canadians that have been foolish and of course burned doing this...

There are always calculated risks to consider when it comes to how far one goes in any relationship. There are no guarantees and if one is willing to accept that, fine. Else, don't even follow and do what I have done. I have weighed the risks and, to put it bluntly, know what to do if all fails. In business it's called an exit plan.

One day I hope you share your exit plan....Can I ask you in all do respect have you ever done a surprise visit?

Hi Ricardo. Thanks for your message. No, I have never done a surprise visit. Just not something I personally do anywhere and don't care for it done to me. My time is fairly organized and I can get flustered too easily. 

I am working on my group tour travel plans in conjunction with my Cuban partners. Not a whole lot of time left and I will be moving residence this weekend too.   

In marriages between foreigners and Cubans and where a home is purchased it is normally in the Cuban partners name as foreigners are unable to own property unless permanent residents - which I would not personally advise - the honey may be attractive but the reality can be different. Those who get caught by jinteras or similar bear their own burden - the recipe for successful marriage is the same throughout the western world. My wife is a Cubana and we are both very happy when at home in Cuba (our casa is in my wife's name) and during her vacations when in Canada (our Condo is in my name).We got a visa out of the uncooperative and incompetent Canadian Embassy in Havana at the fifth attempt - they seem to assess applications by assuming that others have standards similar to their own and truth is not within their knowledge. They will however give insult - sufficient to make one ashamed of being Canadian.
Under Canadian tax law it is necessary on the annual tax return to declare any property owned in foreign countries for example Cuba. This can lead to considerable problems including tax liability. Failure to pay taxes in Canada by the due date leads to fairly heavy cumulative interest charges.

Hi .. If I marry a Cuban Man. Can I buy a house. I'm Canadian and plan to run a casa and travel back and forth to Cuba to Canada. What is dual residence?

If you buy a casa you most likely lose it as it will be in his name with you having zero rights to it...seen this played out many times...

What about going to Quito, renting a apt is only $200 a month, they are brand new, how much is a ticket from Havana to Quito. After a visit, it says u can marry there. Once he becomes permanent residence in Ecadour can he visit USA freely or Canada.

There is a total of Three Ways for Foreign investors to buy a property in Cuba:

Buying directly from one of the current foreigners who own a home or an apartment in Cuba.  For a period during the 1990's Cuba permitted the construction of some condominiums with apartments which could be sold to foreigners.  Those who bought during those times are now able to sell to other foreigners who are not currently residents in Cuba.  This is the best way for foreigners without family ties to Cuba to invest in the Cuban Real estate market.

Marriage to a Cuban allows the foreign citizen to become permanent resident thus being allowed by law to buy a home from local Cuban owner.

Buying a property in the names of your Cuban spouses, family members or Cuban friends: By law, the remainder of the market is only open to Cubans on the island or those Cubans living temporarily abroad.  Many foreigners and Cubans emigrants living abroad are also buying properties in the names of family members or friends.

Well put!

Warning,,,, Ive seen the Canadian lose the resident status after failed marriage and then lose the house to wife because lose the resident status... My advice is always rent unless something changes down the road....

Ricardo58 wrote:

Warning,,,, Ive seen the Canadian lose the resident status after failed marriage and then lose the house to wife because lose the resident status... My advice is always rent unless something changes down the road....

Cant lose the house because ''lose the resident status''; he lost the house (probably) because was in his wife's name (only). More than that, you have one year to get rid of a propoerty if you dont have the right to (anymore) to own that property. For example, you already have 2 propoerties and you inherrit another one, you have one year to get rid of one  (the law says you can have 2 properties, one in the city and one at country side)

There really are very few certainties in life... they are death and taxes! Other than those, all is a gamble whether in Canada or Cuba or any place.