The Cuban government defines requirements and procedures for the renunciation, loss, and recovery of citizenship.

The National Assembly of People's Power published a draft of the Cuban Citizenship Law.

Jovenes cubanos © Periódico Juventud Rebelde
Young CubansPhoto © Juventud Rebelde Newspaper

The National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba published a Citizenship bill on Monday, aiming to develop the current constitutional principles and establish a coherent and modern legal framework regarding citizenship.

A document shared by the Cuban legislative body on its official website lists a series of principles such as effective citizenship, equality of rights, and addresses issues regarding the acquisition, renunciation, loss, and recovery of citizenship, as well as its registration, which will govern under the mentioned law, following approval by the parliamentarians.

The document states that historically there have been regulations on citizenship on the Island, such as Decree 358 "Citizenship Regulations" from 1944 and Decree-Law 352 "On the Acquisition of Cuban Citizenship by Birth of Those Born Abroad to Cuban Father or Mother" from 2017. However, these do not manage to adapt to the current contexts of Cuban society.

From there, the bill draft, like the previous ones presented on Migration and Immigration last week, aims to "promote citizen participation and contribute to the legal culture" of Cubans, explaining a series of important concepts, including:

  • Translate the following text to English: TheEffective CitizenshipThrough which Cuban citizens must use their Cuban citizenship to enter, stay, transit, and leave the national territory, and to identify themselves in all legal and political acts carried out in the national territory.Acquiring another citizenship does not imply the loss of Cuban citizenship.Translate the following text to English.
  • TheEqual Rights, which establishes that Cuban citizens by birth or naturalization enjoy equal rights and have similar obligations, except in those cases where the law dictates otherwise.
  • Translate the following text to English: LaAcquisition of Cuban Citizenship, acquired by birth or through naturalization.
  • TheRenunciation of Cuban citizenshipIt is only allowed when done from abroad and provided that the applicant holds another citizenship, in order to prevent statelessness cases.

On this point, the project establishes other conditions such as being over 18 years of age, not having debts with the Cuban State or its institutions, not serving a sentence of imprisonment, or being pursued for the commission of a crime in the national territory or abroad.

Screenshot/Citizenship Law Project

Among the necessary documentation to initiate the process, it indicates: A sworn statement granted before a Notary Public formalizing the resignation request. The certification of citizenship of another country, issued by the corresponding authority. A certification of residence in the country where the consulate where the application is submitted is located.

Also, a certification of criminal and police records from the Republic of Cuba and from the country where your residence is established. As well as a certification issued by the corresponding authorities stating that you do not have any debts with the Cuban State or its institutions.

  • WhileCuban citizenship is lost.If it is acquired in fraud of the law or if Cubans by naturalization, being abroad, do not ratify before the corresponding Cuban consular office, their will to maintain Cuban citizenship, as established by law.
Screenshot/Citizenship Law Project

The loss of Cuban citizenship, whether through deprivation or renunciation, has implications for an individual in terms of their immigration status and is subject to the treatment established in the Migration Law.

  • Recovery of CitizenshipThis is a right that the document explains can only be exercised once, regardless of the cause of the loss.
Screenshot/Citizenship Law Project

Likewise, they establish that the Citizenship Registry will be under the responsibility of the Office of Identification, Migration, Foreigner Affairs, and Citizenship of the Ministry of the Interior, which will register Cuban citizens by birth and naturalization, and will record decisions regarding renunciation, loss, deprivation, and recovery of Cuban citizenship.

Consult this Citizenship Bill at: https://www.parlamentocubano.gob.cu/sites/default/files/document/2024-06/citizenship-bill_2.pdf

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