Cubans will be able to keep original documents of procedures in Spanish Consulates

HeConsulate General of Spain in Havana announced this Thursday that Cubans who attend its offices will be able to keep the original documents they present for their procedures.

“As of 1/22/2024, for all consular procedures, people who wish to do so will be able to keep their original documents. They must attend their appointment with the original documents and legible photocopies of them,” they reported from their account on the social network X.

Although the diplomatic headquarters did not provide more details about this decision, or whether the people who previously delivered documents will be able to recover them, many Cubans celebrated the decision, especially in a context where theMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba has delays in the legalization of documents.

In March of last year, said Cuban ministry recognized a delay in the legalization of documents due to the increase in demand for that service.

Ernesto Soberon, general director of Consular Affairs and Cubans Living Abroad (DACCRE), explained that compared to the previous year, the increase in demand was 16%.

This period coincides with the possibility of obtaining Spanish nationality through theDemocratic Memory Law, approved by the Spanish Congress and Senate and valid since October 2022.

For example,in May of that year, the Ministry itself reported that during that month, a weekly average of 23,305 Cuban documents were legalized.

These data show the enormous number of Cubans throughout the country who are trying to legalize their official documentation, which would allow them to leave Cuba.