Married to a Cuban and living in Cuba
FR

Translated into English.

Original post
CL
Hi everyone,

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences about marrying a Cuban and moving to Cuba (not the other way around!). Yes, some of us actually *want* to stay on the island! Is it possible to work there without too much hassle, or is it really complicated?

Thanks in advance!
RO Rochoa Veteran ·
Hi. That’s a great question, but I wonder if the wealthy would even want to live among the less fortunate. Finding a job in Cuba would be extremely difficult, but if you really want to experience life there, the best solution might be to volunteer with an NGO or a charitable organization. You wouldn’t pay rent, just a little for food, and you’d get the chance to discover the country. Otherwise, you’d have to rely on your own means by doing business.

Later!
LI Liniaz Veteran ·
Hi, I worked there for 4 years, the only solution is to have an expat contract with a foreign company, and even then it's complicated because you have to "Cubanize" yourself, and that's not easy at all.

For an expat: Rent for a house (mandatory from the Cuban state) starts at $1,500 a month up to $5,000+, plus maintenance fees, security, etc. If you have expat status with a residence and work permit, you can't live with a Cuban.

For food, budget around $800 a month for two people, unless you eat rice and beans every day.

A car, like a used Peugeot 206 (a very small car), costs over $20,000, and you're required to buy it locally. Maintenance is exorbitantly expensive, and you'll constantly have problems.

So, your salary plus expenses needs to be over $5,000 a month; otherwise, you won't make it—don't forget travel costs.

As for the possibility of working for the Cuban state, it's practically impossible unless you're in very specific fields like security, and even then, you'll never earn much. A Cuban engineer makes a maximum of $80 a month, including all motivational bonuses.

However, if you're married to a Cuban and have income from abroad (e.g., as a retiree) in a Cuban bank account, the conditions are completely different. In that case, you can live with her family, and I'd say with $1,500 a month, you can get by because if you live with your Cuban family, you'll be the one covering daily living expenses. Of course, it all depends on how many people live with you and your own lifestyle—you can't imagine how big Cuban families are!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck
LI Liniaz Veteran ·
Hi rochoa, Business is forbidden in Cuba. Before you leave, you need to apply for a visa (A4, I think) which is usually granted for a maximum of 30 days. You must be invited by a ministry to obtain it from the Cuban consulate. It’s very risky to try working with a tourist visa. Anyway, in many ministries, you won’t even be allowed to enter without a work visa. Oh, and in Cuba, all business is handled directly at the relevant ministry—for example, sugar and derivatives at MINAZ, potatoes at MINAGRI, etc.
RO Rochoa Veteran ·
Hi Liniaz. Of course, it’s obvious—just take a trip to Cuba without any prior knowledge to see that everything is a real big deal. My message was aimed at the forum user who wanted information; I was speaking in general terms. It’s clear that if they want to do business, they’ll need to get authorization.

Let’s talk about that—would you like to increase your income? If so, send me a private message, and I’ll tell you what it’s like. You can think it over while I’m away, and when I get back from Cuba, we can talk on the phone for more details. See you later!
CL Cloclooo ·
Thanks for taking the time to read and reply!

Regarding wealth, I don’t consider myself rich—I’m 25 and just starting out in life! And I’m not materialistic either (well, maybe to some extent since we live in the abundance of industrialized countries, I won’t deny that, but at least not too much). So, the shift from wealth here to Cuban poverty doesn’t scare me at all! The only thing is, I don’t want to be a burden on the family if I immigrate there. I want to work and contribute my share to daily life—that’s what I’m asking if it’s feasible. I’m not married yet, so I know that causes issues with jobs, which is why I’m looking for solutions!
LI Liniaz Veteran ·
Cloclooo whether you're married or not, you can't work in Cuba except under the conditions I explain, or illegally—but then you risk being deported from Cuba at any moment and becoming persona non grata. During my last trip, I saw someone who had to take the return flight without even being allowed into the country. no solution
RO Rochoa Veteran ·
Hey. You didn’t understand my point—I was talking about wealth and countries because Canada is an industrialized, therefore wealthy, country, while Cuba is underdeveloped and poor. That’s what I meant, and in people’s eyes, Canada is a land of milk and honey. But we know that’s not the case.

So if you really want to live an enriching experience, go online and look for NGOs or organizations that work in Cuba to apply as a volunteer or something similar. But finding a job in Cuba is extremely difficult because everything is centralized.

I hope this time you’ve understood my point. A+
ZO ZorroX Veteran ·
Hey Cloclooo, no offense, but before making such a big decision, I’d advise you to think carefully about what you’re planning to do: you’re swimming against the current, and you’re not a salmon...

What I mean is, before making this kind of decision, think about your future husband: how long have you known him, do you know him well enough, isn’t there a "cousin" hanging around, etc.? It’s really hard to ask yourself these questions when you’re in love—we all know love is blind—but be careful, the devil is seductive and strangely alluring...

Have you talked about what you’re planning to do? Is this your decision alone, or one you’ve made together? Think it through...

Anyway, to answer your question, I confirm what Liniaz said. That said, if you’re married to a Cuban, you can live at his place—marital duty and all... But be warned, living at his place means living with him AND his family, because in Cuba, you can’t just move out to leave your parents and live together as a couple... You’ll have to put up with them every day, even if things aren’t going well. But it’ll save you a ton of money compared to renting an apartment like Liniaz described.

On the other hand, unless you become Cuban yourself, you’ll struggle to find a decent job—and even then, the only "interesting" jobs are in tourism, which are highly sought after and super hard to get...

You should also know that Cuba isn’t a very wealthy country, and they don’t hand out Cuban citizenship to just anyone. When there isn’t much to go around, the fewer people there are, the more there is for everyone... so the state keeps a close eye on that. There’s no such thing as foreign freeloaders in Cuba, unlike in France, for example...

Anyway, all this to say you’re about to leave a world where you were lucky enough to be born to go to one where no one wants to be. All for love—and who knows if it’ll last once you’re living together?
LI Liniaz Veteran ·
Hi zorro x, You write with so much sensitivity and a lot of realism—even a touch of something more. You really know this country well. What can be done to open the eyes of the blind?
VI Viajecuba Globetrotter ·
And are you really sure your husband wants to stay and live in Cuba, continuing to live frugally? You clearly aren’t wealthy since you dream of working in Cuba (foreigners working in Cuba—that’s a dream...).

Your plan is swimming against the current because Cubans who’ve managed to charm a tourist are usually looking for a way out...

Maybe try living there for a month first on a tourist visa in a *casa particular*?

Good luck to you anyway—keep your eyes wide open!
CL Cloclooo ·
how to illuminate blind eyes

That's why I'm asking questions! Let me move forward in my own journey—it's me who'll live with my decisions and the consequences that come with them, not you! This forum exists for a reason: to ask questions, get answers, respect others' decisions, and draw your own conclusions! 😛

Have a good day
LI Liniaz Veteran ·
Hello, Of course, you’ll live by your own ideas and decisions, and no one’s contesting that. But if you ask a question, you’ve got to be open to the answers, whether they seem positive or negative to you. If you ask a question, it’s either because you’re unsure or because you need reassurance about a decision you’ve already made. We’re not trying to talk you out of anything—we’re just answering your question honestly, based on our experience in this country. Between Zorro, ViageCuba, and myself, our only goal is to inform you about the dangers and the really bad behaviors of many Cubans.
ZO ZorroX Veteran ·
Hey Cloclooo again, Far be it from me to dictate your decision, I’m just trying to provide some insights, as you asked, to help you understand what your decision entails and the risks you might be facing. I’d recommend reading other discussions on this forum where this kind of topic has already been covered from every angle: to sum up, a well-established fact is that around 95% of Cubans "in love" with a foreigner have one and only one goal—leaving the country. That said, maybe you’re hoping to "test" your future husband by living in Cuba to confirm your feelings and make sure his love is genuine. But if you’re looking to test him, it’ll probably be simpler and quicker to go the usual route: bring him to your place and see how he reacts... Still, you’ve got a 5% chance of having met a "good" Cuban who’s honest and sincere... But they’re rare, and those guys don’t necessarily seek out contact with foreigners... Just out of fear of what their friends might think of them... Which shrinks your odds even more (sorry about that)...

In any case, the experience of living in Cuba can only be enriching for you. But keep a return ticket or something that lets you come back "if things don’t go as you’d hoped."

Finally, I can only repeat that you’re trying to impose such objectivity on yourself that your reason might override your heart (tough, right!). Make sure you’re asking yourself the right questions and answering them as objectively as possible, setting feelings aside...
ZO ZorroX Veteran ·
A little story, among no doubt thousands of others: I have a childhood friend (Cuban) who had a pretty comfortable position thanks to his parents' jobs. He still went to university (studied law or something like that) and ended up working in so-called "mixed" companies (in relation with foreign businesses), which meant his situation was rather enviable by Cuban standards.

My buddy in question is a cool guy, really nice, and we have a great laugh together. But when it comes to girls, he’s not like me—he’s like all Cubans: he hooks up as much as he can. It didn’t bother him to have 3 or 4 in different neighborhoods. If two of them ever ran into each other, he’d lose both, but he didn’t care—he knew he’d find others. Yet he wasn’t exactly a Greek god: he’s chubby, has dark skin, and a big nose (gotta call it like it is!). But he learned from God himself how to dance salsa… and he had that "thing" you girls call "charm," which is really just an extremely macho attitude with a touch of "cute" intentions toward women.

Anyway, over time, a lot of his friends gradually left the country, mostly for Spain, and he wanted to leave too—kind of on a whim, since he didn’t really *need* to. No sooner said than done: he hooked up with a tourist who was head over heels in love with his dark complexion, his "little macho-tropical vibe," and his swagger. He wanted a flight ticket, and he paid for it in sex… and he got it. Once he arrived in Spain and sorted out his papers, he left his wife’s house for new conquests and to party with his expat friends. I don’t know what happened to his "wife," but she was just a means to get out—he never really loved her, even if she must’ve believed he did. He was actually quite cultured and normally pretty thoughtful, just not *enough*.

From my point of view, he’s still my buddy, and even if I can’t help thinking about the women he makes unhappy and calling him out on it, there’s nothing more I can do—and I can’t lecture all Cubans either…

So yeah, it’s not the same for everyone, but to leave Cuba, you’ve got to flirt with tourists and marry them… That’s well known, and it’s a reality.
LI Liniaz Veteran ·
Hello, You have to remember that when you marry someone, you marry their country too—especially when family is involved. When you're married to a Cuban, get ready!!!!!! You travel to Cuba loaded like a mule with gifts (necessities), and once there, you end up financially supporting the whole family (food, travel, various purchases—like a washing machine, fridge, sound system, etc.). There’s always something missing, and if by any chance their parents are divorced, you’ve got double of everything! Before heading back, you visit everyone, and of course, there’s always the hope that you’ll leave a little money behind!!!!!!! What do you do?! Of course, it’s not an obligation!!! But they’re there, looking at you—the *juma* (the rich one)—and they really do need so much, and that’s the truth. That’s when the saying in Cuba is spot-on: "When you love someone, you don’t count the cost." A trip to Cuba to visit family ends up costing more than 30 days in a five-star resort on the world’s best beach. When you’re back home (Canada or Europe), a Cuban partner will call—let’s say two or three times a month for 15 minutes each—and apart from the phone bill, there are often problems, and almost always requests for money, health issues (medication), and again, the complexity and high cost of sending things, with no guarantee they’ll arrive. Meanwhile, your partner is naturally and logically worried, stressed, crying, etc., etc., etc. And this is for the 10 to 15% of Cubans who *haven’t* left as soon as they arrived in your country. Think carefully before taking the big leap in Cuba—especially not after just two or three 15-day trips there.
VI Viajecuba Globetrotter ·
Vacations and family stays in Cuba, in the real world, are actually more expensive than on the French Riviera in 5-star hotels: restaurants quickly run you 10 instead of 3... gifts, etc.

It’s a choice—we’ve been owning it for 40 years for some family members!!
JE Jessycuba ·
Hey clocloo,

I went through the same path as you, and if I could give you one piece of advice, listen to your heart and keep going with your relationship. If you can, don’t hesitate to visit often to make sure the person you’re with is sincere, and don’t listen to the frustrated people or those who know nothing—those venomous tongues will do anything to ruin your story.

For my part, I’ve been married to a Cuban woman for 6 years, and I’ve had all my "friends," relatives, and other people from my country (France) tell me that Cuban women are all prostitutes just looking to marry for a visa, and that Cubans are nothing but dishonest people who only think about fleeing by any means possible. Sure, that exists—I’ve seen plenty of 25-year-old Cubans marry women over 50—but who’s the idiot in that situation? What I wanted to say to those people on the forum is that they should stop making generalizations. Dishonest people, opportunists, jerks—whatever you want to call them—there are just as many in Cuba as in France, Thailand, or anywhere else.

As for me, I didn’t listen to anyone, and since I got married, those same people have completely changed their tune and even claim there’s no one better than her. Pfft!!

Since then, I’ve met a lot of Franco-Cuban couples who’ve been married for years, started families in France, and are very happy.

What’s certain is that when you marry a Cuban, you have to think about helping their family, but it’s up to you to set boundaries. That bothers a lot of people in the West because, unfortunately, the word "family" barely exists here, and giving a little of your money to help people in need really stings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, even if you only go there once every two years. And generally, Cubans are happy with little and show their gratitude and joy, unlike here, where people almost frown when you give them a gift because they’re so jaded.

What’s for sure is that the warmth, sense of family, values, and non-aggressiveness I’ve gained from the Cuban people have given me more than just living for material things, money, and selfishness.

Anyway, I wish you lots of happiness.

Hasta luego
LI Liniaz Veteran ·
Hello, It's that they stop making generalizations. You're the one making generalizations by implying that everyone is good, everyone is kind. You're not the only one who's succeeded in a mixed marriage (we don't know the details of your story). My wife is Cuban, and we've been married for eight years. From my experience, my recommendations are always the same: before getting married, take precautions to avoid falling into the hands of dishonest Cubans (the famous "getting out of the country at all costs" types). How can you really know a person after two or three 10-day tourist trips to Cuba or anywhere else? That's often the case on this forum! Plus, on a forum, we don’t know the person asking the question—their social background, intellectual level, family environment, stability, age, etc.—so we always end up talking in generalities. You mention the fifty-something woman who marries a young stud—do you know the circumstances of the people asking the questions?????? If you married a Cuban, you must have had to deal with a set of costs and things that are explained on this forum. Maybe 5,000 or 10,000 euros mean nothing to you, but what about for most people?????????????????????????? The goal here is to inform, after all.

Regarding your comment, "And generally, Cubans are content with little," That also depends. If you met the Cuban under normal circumstances, in a normal family, and especially if they married for love, then yes, that’s true. But if you had the bad luck (more than 80% of cases for people who marry after meeting their spouse on a tourist trip) to meet one of those "getting out of the country at all costs" candidates, get ready ??????????????????????????????

What’s certain is that the warmth, the sense of family, and the values— It’s the same phenomenon as the previous topic. I’m 57 years old, with right-wing ideology, in favor of limiting illegal immigrants in our countries. My meat supplier (the worker, not the boss) is Arab. He comes to my house, and we have tea together every time he can—simply because this guy came here to work and live with us.
VI Viajecuba Globetrotter ·
In our family (with 40 years of experience among the oldest members) and our close circle, we’ve seen successful Franco-Cuban marriages, but we’ve also encountered a few gold-diggers (desperate to leave at any cost). Ironically, while we’re in France, the free ticket out in both cases was... a Canadian woman.

We also know a lovely Cuban woman who married a Frenchman; it didn’t last, but that was more due to lifestyle differences between Cuba and here (homesickness) than anything else.

The more Cubans know about the "Canadian woman or the shark" exit strategy, the more it thrives... easy, it costs nothing, and it can pay off big—just gotta catch the right fish.

The real challenge is finding an honest Cuban... at first, they all seem to be.

Here, thanks to social proximity and diversity, we tend to deal more with this kind of issue in the Maghreb, but that’s a whole other topic.

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