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The Consulate of Spain in Havana informed this Friday that, for consular procedures, citizens must present an identification card that allows for their identification, "regardless of the expiration date."
He also added that, in the event that it cannot be provided, it will be necessary to present a Certification of Identity.
The statement was issued following the informational note released by the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT) regarding the situation of identity documents on the Island.
"In consular procedures, citizens must present an Identity Card that allows for their identification, regardless of its expiration date. If they are unable to provide it, a Certification of Identity must be submitted," the consulate specifies.
The communication came after MININT announced that there are no plastic cards available in Cuba to produce identity cards.
According to the information cited in the provided document, this situation was attributed by the Cuban authorities to the "intensification of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade" imposed by the U.S. Government.
According to the reported note, the Directorate of Identification, Immigration, and Foreign Affairs (DIIE) announced "the unavailability of cards for the processing of identity documents," which impacts the issuance of the card in its current format.
In light of this situation, those who requested a new document in previous months due to loss, change of address, deterioration, or other reasons, and who are still awaiting the process, can go to the relevant offices to obtain a Certificate of Identity if they need it.
The MININT also assured that the Processing Offices will continue to accept applications for both identity cards and minor cards.
However, as long as the shortage of plastic cards persists, applicants will receive a provisional certification until they can obtain the definitive document.
The Cuban institution also explained that the identity documents currently in use will remain valid, regardless of the expiration date they show, as long as they allow for the full identification of their holder. This provision includes both the booklet-style ID and the laminated one.
In addition, he indicated that these temporary modifications would be communicated to the bodies and organizations of the Central State Administration that provide services to the public, with the aim of adjusting their protocols.
According to the same statement, the agency indicated that once the country has the necessary supplies, the production of identity cards and minors' cards will resume.
At that moment, he added, the estimated date for document collection will be communicated in due time, taking into account the volume of accumulated requests.
This new interruption occurs within a broader context of prior difficulties in obtaining an identity card in Cuba.
Last September, a young Cuban recounted the difficulties she faced in renewing her document, including long lines, system failures, and over a month of waiting to collect the final card.
The partial halt in the issuance of official documents is set against the backdrop of the economic crisis the country is experiencing, characterized—according to the document—by a shortage of basic supplies, failures in essential services, and logistical difficulties that affect the daily lives of the population.
So far, based on the information provided, the authorities have not specified how long the shortage of cards will last or how many applications are still pending.
In strictly consular terms, the central element of the announcement from the Consulate of Spain in Havana is that the expiration date of the ID card will not prevent its presentation in procedures, as long as the document allows for the identification of the citizen. When that is not possible, the required alternative will be the Certification of Identity.
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