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Around 300,000 Cubans are in the process of applying for citizenship under the Law of Democratic Memory, also known as the Grandchildren's Law, which allows descendants of Spanish exiles during the Civil War and the Franco regime to acquire citizenship.
Juan Manuel de Hoz, spokesperson for the Center for Descendants of United Spaniards (CeDEU), revealed to the media La Voz de Galicia that around 300,000 Cubans are registered as consular users to process their applications for Spanish nationality.
The consulate in Cuba, along with those in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Rosario, is one of the consulates with the highest volume of requests for the recovery of Spanish nationality and is the second country from which the most applications are being processed.
According to Juan Manuel de Hoz, among those four main points, there are more than one million people who are in the process of applying for Spanish nationality.
In Buenos Aires, he said, there are about 650,000 registered; another 70,000 in the Argentine consulate in Mendoza and a similar number in Rosario.
"The figures being reported are impressive, and by the end of the process, we will have between one and a half and two million new Spaniards, estimated De Hoz. 'It is a very generous law, comparable to that of Portugal and even broader than that of Italy.'"
The Democratic Memory Law, which also encompasses what is known in Cuba as the “Grandchildren’s Law” for those children who were previously excluded due to reaching adulthood, establishes two scenarios for applying for Spanish nationality.
The first is for those individuals who are grandchildren of Spaniards and have not lost their Spanish nationality. In this case, they can obtain Spanish nationality by option, meaning through a declaration expressing their desire to do so.
The second is for those descendants of Spaniards who have lost their nationality, either because their parents or grandparents lost it during the Civil War or the Franco dictatorship, or because they themselves lost it by acquiring another nationality.
In this case, descendants can obtain it through restitution, provided they meet the requirements established in the Law of Democratic Memory.
The deadline to demonstrate the family connection ends on October 21.
From October 21, 2022, to December 31, 2023, the consular network received 226,354 applications from Cubans, with 110,540 approved cases and 69,421 registrations.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Application for Spanish Nationality under the Grandchildren Law
How many Cubans are applying for Spanish nationality under the Grandchildren's Law?
Around 300,000 Cubans are in the process of applying for Spanish nationality under the Democratic Memory Law, commonly known as the Grandchildren's Law.
What is the deadline to apply for Spanish nationality under the Law of Grandchildren?
The deadline for submitting applications ends on October 21. However, those who obtain an appointment before this date will be able to complete their nationality process later.
What are the requirements to apply for Spanish nationality under the Grandchildren's Law?
Applicants must be descendants of Spaniards who lost their nationality during the Civil War, the Franco regime, or by acquiring another nationality. There are two routes: by option for grandchildren of Spaniards who did not lose their nationality and by recovery for those who did lose it.
How is the Spanish Consulate in Cuba responding to the high demand for applications?
The Spanish Consulate in Havana will increase the number of people who can submit their applications by 37.33%, receiving an additional 326 people per week to expedite the process.
Does the Grandchildren's Law affect the migration flow of Cubans to Spain?
The Grandchildren's Law has made it easier for thousands of Cubans to obtain Spanish nationality, contributing to over 53,000 Cubans arriving in Spain between 2023 and 2024.
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