The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) has declared that it will no longer handle the legalization of documents. This responsibility will now fall under the purview of the Ministry of Justice (MINJUS). This change was formalized through Agreement 10034 by the Council of Ministers, adopted on December 30, 2024, and published in the extraordinary edition of the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba on February 3, 2025.
According to the official statement, this shift aims to modernize administrative procedures and enhance the efficiency of certifying and legalizing both Cuban and foreign documents that are required to have legal effect within Cuba or abroad. Consequently, section Six of the Agreement 7538 by the Council of Ministers from March 4, 2014, has been amended, mandating that authorized legal service entities submit document legalization requests to the Ministry of Justice.
Ana Teresita González, the Director General of Consular Affairs and Attention to Cuban Residents Abroad (DGACCRE), confirmed via the social network X that this transfer of functions is intended to integrate all phases of the legalization process, from registration entities to law offices and consultancies. "Today we have transferred the legalization functions from CubaMINREX to Minjus_Cuba to integrate all stages of the legalization process for Cuban and foreign documents, from the registration entities, law offices, and consultancies," she stated in her post.
González also reassured the public that the established methods for document legalization remain in place, allowing citizens to continue accessing these services without disruption. Additionally, there is no expected impact on apostille processes or existing international agreements.
In 2023, MINREX acknowledged a significant surge in legalization requests, which led to delays in document processing. This increase was partly due to the opportunity for many Cubans to acquire Spanish nationality under the Democratic Memory Law, effective since October 2022. To tackle these challenges, MINREX implemented measures that reduced the legalization process to a 10-day timeframe starting in May 2024.
Embracing Digitalization of Services
In August 2024, the International Consultants and Lawyers Office (CONABI) launched a digital platform enabling citizens to request and legalize criminal records online without needing prior appointments, with payments made through Transfermóvil and EnZona. Initially available only to residents in Cuba, this service aims to streamline processes and decrease the burden on physical offices. Furthermore, in January 2025, this digitalization expanded to include online management of Civil Status Registry certifications. This service provides benefits such as eliminating prior appointments, enabling procedures at any time, and real-time tracking of application status. During its pilot phase, it was limited to 50 weekly requests, with plans to increase capacity progressively.
Potential Adoption of the Apostille Convention
Given the rising volume of transactions, the Cuban government is contemplating joining the Apostille Convention. This international agreement would simplify the validation of documents for international use, potentially eliminating the need for additional legalizations in up to 60% of cases. Although this option is still under consideration, it would offer a significant solution to expedite the legalization processes.
Understanding Cuba's Document Legalization Changes
Why did Cuba transfer the legalization of documents to the Ministry of Justice?
The transfer aims to modernize administrative procedures and improve efficiency in certifying and legalizing documents, both domestic and international.
How will the digital platform introduced by CONABI benefit Cuban citizens?
The digital platform allows citizens to request and legalize documents online without appointments, minimizing wait times and facilitating payment through digital methods.
What is the potential impact of Cuba joining the Apostille Convention?
Joining the Apostille Convention could simplify the process of validating documents for international use, reducing the need for additional legalizations by up to 60%.