Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs Considers Joining Apostille Agreement to Simplify Document Legalization
Authorities of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs are currently studying the possibility of joining the Apostille agreement in order to streamline the procedures and legalization of documents at the Minrex. The goal of this potential decision is to reduce the accumulation of documents that require legalization, which would ultimately eliminate the bureaucratic obstacles that have been hindering the normal development of procedures on the island.
The recent increase in document legalization efforts by Cubans before the Minrex has prompted the government to consider adhering to the Apostille Convention. This announcement was made by the head of the ministry, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, during a recent Mesa Round. The tense situation surrounding the legalization of documents was a focal point in Parrilla’s address, as the slow process has been met with criticism and frustration among the population.
Parrilla acknowledged the hard work of Ministry workers and the modernization of processes that have taken place. He also mentioned that fundamental solutions are currently in progress to address the delays and inefficiencies in the procedures and legalizations at the Cuban Minrex.
The decision to potentially join the Apostille Convention is still under analysis by the Cuban government. While this international agreement would simplify the legalization of documents and allow them to have legal effect abroad without additional procedures for up to 60% of cases, there are doubts about whether the decision will be implemented. Some speculate that the Minrex stands to lose a significant amount of revenue if procedures and legalizations for more than half of the documents are eliminated.
In the meantime, the government is considering integrating processes as an immediate solution to the current challenges. However, the effectiveness of this approach remains to be seen. The decision on joining the Apostille agreement is expected to have a significant impact on document legalization processes in Cuba and could potentially address the long-standing issues faced by many Cubans.