14 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



CUBAN TRADE REGULATIONS. 



Further Official Instructions Regarding Consular Invoices* — Valuable Informa- 

 ' tion for Shippers and Manufacturers Sending Goods to the Island — 



Costly Mistakes Avoided. 



(This information is furnished exclusively to The CUBA REVIEW by Victor Hugo Barranco, 

 Attache, Consulate General of Cuba in New York, U. S. A.) 



Importation of Dynamite, Fire-arms, Etc. 



The importation into Cuba of dyna- 

 mite, gunpowder and similar explosives 

 is prohibited, unless the importer is able 

 to produce a special authorization for 

 latiding issued to him by the Secretary 

 of State of Cuba. The same applies to 

 the shipment of cartridges (of over 22 

 calibre), rifles, and all other kinds of 

 fire-arms. 



'Shot guns, shipped solely for sporting 

 purposes, which do not exceed 22 cali- 

 bre, and cartridges of the same calibre 

 (or under) are allowed to land without 

 a= permit, but it is imperative to state 

 on the consular invoice, and on the bill 

 of lading, along side of the item: "For 

 sporting purposes," thus avoiding trouble 

 with the custom authorities in Cuba. 



:; NOTE: — :If, when the shipper receives an 

 order from his customer in Cuba, either for 

 explosives or fire-arms, he would immediately 

 ■make application direct to the Secretary of 

 State at Havana, for a shipping- permit, it would 

 saye him a lot of delay and expense. But no, 

 the majority of the Commission houses in this 

 city — when they receive such an order from 

 Cuba — think that all they have to do is to 

 rush into the Consulate two or three days before 

 sailing day, and secure a permit from the Con- 

 sul. The result is that the Steamship Company 

 refuses to accept the goods, and they then 

 remain on the dock for several days, or some- 

 times weeks, before they receive a permit from 

 Cuba, or before there is another steamer. 



Goods Shipped to Cuban Ports Where 

 There is no Cuban Custom House. 



Merchandise shipped from the United 

 States, and consigned to parties residing 

 in a seaport in Cuba where there is no 

 Cuban custom house, is not allowed to 

 land without a written permit issued by 

 the collector of customs of the nearest 

 port. It is advisable for shippers, when 

 they have an order to ship goods to 

 those ports where there is no custom 

 house, to first secure a permit before 

 shipping, thus avoiding trouble with the 

 authorities in Cuba? 



Automobiles. 



Tourists visiting the island taking their 

 automobiles, with the object of remain- 

 ing for a short time, are required, in 

 order to avoid delay in the entry and 

 clearance of the machine at the Cuban 

 custom house, to take out Consular cer- 

 tificates, from the port of shipment, giv- 

 ing the actual value of the machine, and 



* The first article was printed in the June, 

 1908, issue of the Cuba Review. 



Stating on the Consular invoice that it 

 is to be re-exported, in whatever length 

 of time the case may be; also being 

 sure to state whether it is an American 

 or foreign car. The duty on automo- 

 biles imported into Cuba is 25% ad val- 

 orem, but if the machine is re-exported 

 within three (3) months after the date 

 of importation, 75% of the amount paid 

 is refunded. A bond can be given to 

 the collector. 



The same rule applies to automobile 

 firms or persons taking automobiles to 

 Cuba, with the intention of doing busi- 

 ness with them for the period of three 

 (3) months. 



Personal Effects. 



Several inquiries are made daily at 

 the Consulates, by persons contem- 

 plating going to Cuba, in regard to 

 their personal efifects, and whether or 

 not a Consular invoice is required. 



This question is explained as follows: 

 Wearing apparrel, toilet objects, and 

 articles for personal use, bed and table 

 linen, books, portable tools and instru- 

 ments, theatrical costumes, jewels, and 

 table service bearing evident trace of 

 having been used, imported by trav- 

 elers in their luggage in quantities pro- 

 portionate to their class, profession and 

 position, enter free of duty. No invoice 

 is required. 



NOTE : — The collector of customs may exact 

 a bond for the exportation of these articles when 

 deemed necessary by him. 



Commercial Travelers Taking Samples 

 Into Cuba. 



Many business houses in the United 

 States are under the impression that in 

 order to send their salesmen to Cuba 

 with samples, to introduce their goods 

 throughout the Island, they must se- 

 cure from the Cuban Government a li- 

 cense, and go through a lot of "red 

 tape" with the Cuban customs author- 

 ities when they arrive there. This is 

 erroneous, as no license is required. All 

 that the salesman need do when he ar- 

 rives in Cuba, is to make a declaration 

 before the collector, stating the length 

 of time he is going to remain there, and 

 also stating the value of the samples. 

 No Consular invoice is required, unless 

 samples are shipped as freight. 



Samples carried by commercial trav- 

 elers pay duty in Cuba subject to a 

 refund of 75% of the amount paid if 



