With the Grandchildren Law, in Cuba, about 300,000 descendants of Spaniards are waiting for nationality and are already registered, while hundreds of thousands have already obtained the Spanish passport.
The Law of Democratic Memory (LMD), also known as the "Grandchildren Law," opened a unique opportunity for the descendants of Spanish emigrants in Cuba.
It is estimated that around 300,000 Cubans have applied for Spanish nationality, making the island the country with the second highest number of applicants after Argentina.
El proceso en Cuba para la nacionalidad española por la Ley de Nietos, genera un growing interest among the descendants of Spaniards in Cuba.
According to data de la organización Centro de Descendientes de Españoles Unidos (CeDEU), el consulado español en La Habana ha recibido cientos de miles de solicitudes, lo que refleja la fuerte conexión histórica entre España y Cuba y la necesidad imperiosa de los cubanos por emigrar en estos momentos.
Access to Spanish citizenship not only allows vivir y trabajar en España y en la Unión Europeabut also grants rights such as the apertura de cuentas bancarias en España, acceso a ayudas en casos de extrema necesidad y la posibilidad de recibir tratamientos médicos especializados no disponibles en la isla.
Requirements to obtain Spanish nationality in Cuba
Para acogerse a la Ley de Memoria Democrática, los solicitantes deben demostrar su family tie with a Spanish emigrant, presentando la partida de nacimiento del antepasado y otros documentos oficiales que respalden su ascendencia.
Sin embargo, en Cuba el proceso presenta algunos retos adicionales, como la falta de adhesión al Convenio de La Haya, which requires a special stamping on the documentation.
A pesar de estos obstáculos, CeDEU destaca que la digitalización de los registros cubanos facilitará el proceso en los próximos meses, permitiendo que más solicitantes puedan completar sus trámites antes de que finalice el plazo.
A nivel global, más de un millón de personas han iniciado el proceso de nacionalización española.
Only in Argentina, there are already more than 650.000 inscritos, while in Mexico, Venezuela, and other Latin American countries the demand continues to increase.
Se estima que al finalizar el plazo, entre 1.5 and 2 million people they will have acquired Spanish nationality.
Most nationality applicants are between 18 and 50 years old, which will rejuvenate the census of Spanish voters abroad. All new citizens will be able to participate in general and regional elections in Spain, although not in the municipal elections.
According to experts, the increase in voters from abroad will be significant, although problems with updating the census persist, as many deaths of Spanish citizens abroad have not been reported.
With the deadline to apply for Spanish nationality in Cuba is approaching its end, it is crucial that those interested begin their procedures as soon as possible to take advantage this historic opportunity.