Spain will open a new Consulate General in Cuba as part of its consular improvement strategy.

The Government of Spain officially announced the opening of a new Consulate General in Cuba, as part of the ambitious plan for the modernization and expansion of consular services presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares, during the consular balance before the Council of Ministers this June. This measure, According to Foreign Affairs, seeks to respond to the growing number of requests for consular services by Spanish citizens residing abroad, especially after the entry into force of the Democratic Memory Law (Grandchildren's Law), which has significantly increased the demand for nationality processing.

The creation of the new consulate in Cuba - along with new ones in India, the United Kingdom and China - is part of the Foreign Action Strategy, which contemplates a comprehensive improvement in the care provided to Spanish citizens outside the country.

In the case of Cuba, the measure seeks to strengthen the consular service in view of the notable increase in requests for Spanish nationality by descent and migratory processes, which have generated long waits in recent years.

In parallel, the Ministry reinforced the staff of the consulates with 150 new seats and has created new jobs Deputy Consul, including one in Havana, which will streamline administrative processes and improve customer service.

New Spanish Consulate in Cuba: no exact date

In addition to the physical expansion of the consular network, the Spanish Executive made progress in the digitalization of the consular system, with an investment of 115 millones de euros.

Ongoing initiatives include the implementation of a Central Consular Identification Number, the launch of the Digital Civil Registry (DICIREG) and the enabling of the Consular Folder and a Unified Processing Desk, which will facilitate the management of documents from abroad in a more efficient and secure manner.

The announcement of the new consulate in Cuba is especially significant given the long-standing relationship between the two countries and the significant Spanish community residing on the island.

This decision is also part of a policy of greater attention to Spaniards in Latin America, where one of the highest numbers of applications under the Democratic Memory Law: more than 600.000 applications globally, of which almost 290.000 have already been approved.

The new Consulate General in Cuba will be a crucial step in strengthening diplomatic ties and improving access to essential services for thousands of citizens and Spaniards on the island.