Marriage is the union of two people who decide to live a life together. The wedding day is usually a special moment with family and friends, but for some it can be stressful not knowing the exact documents, procedures and prices of this type of wedding.
When making the decision to contract a civil marriage in Cuba, you must take into account the legal process to formalize the union in accordance with the rules established in the Cuban Civil Status Registry Law.
Marriages are allowed in the country between:
- Foreigners who want to get married in Cuba during their tourist trips
- Cubans residing in the national territory
- Cubans residing in Cuba and Cubans residing outside the country
- Cubans residing outside of Cuba
- Cubans residing in Cuba and foreigners residing outside the Caribbean nation.
- Cubans and foreigners who live permanently or temporarily on the Island
The procedures vary if it is a marriage in Cuba with a foreigner or Cubans residing in the country. What documents do I need to marry a cuban in Cuba? If you intend to get married in this beautiful Caribbean Island and you need to know the procedure, this article is definitely for you.
Next, you will learn about:
- Marriage between Cubans residing in Cuba
- Marriage between Cubans residing permanently in Cuba and Cubans living abroad
- Marriage between Cubans and foreigners who live permanently or temporarily on the Island
- Marriage between Cuban citizens domiciled in Cuba and foreign citizens residing outside the country
- Marriage in Cuba between Cuban emigrants residing outside the country
- Marriage between Cuban emigrants residing permanently abroad and foreign citizens residing in another country
- Marriage between foreigners who want to get married in Cuba during their tourist trips
- Documentation costs to get married in Cuba
- Legalize marriage in Cuba
9.1 What to do so that a marriage in Cuba is valid in a foreign country?
9.2 How can foreign citizens legalize their documents to formalize the marriage in Cuba?
- Frequently asked questions
10.1 How to get married in Cuba?
10.2 What are the requirements that witnesses must meet?
10.3 What is the resolution time of the marriage in Cuba?
10.4 Can a marriage be formalized in Cuba with a date prior to the act of union?
10.5 When does the marriage documentation expire in Cuba?
- Marriage by proxy in Cuba
11.1 Peculiarities of marriage by proxy
- Marriage laws in Cuba
Marriage between Cubans residing in Cuba
Cubans who wish to get married must visit the nearest Notary, with their respective identity cards. The act requires the presence of two people, who will act as witnesses, who must also carry their identification documents.
In the event that one of the spouses is a minor, it is essential that they present the public deed granted before a Notary, which allows them to marry in Cuba.
If one or both members of the couple are divorced, they must also attach the following documentation:
-Certificate of divorce or the certificate of the previous marriage with the note of disunity, issued by the Registry of Civil Status.
– Females, if 300 days have not yet elapsed after the extension of the previous union, must present a medical certificate, which clarifies whether or not they are pregnant, in order to determine the paternity of the future child.
One of the requirements if the marital status of one of the people is widow(er) is to present one of these documents, as appropriate: certification of widowhood, marriage certification and death certificate of the spouse or marriage certificate with note of widowhood of the spouse.
Marriage between Cubans residing permanently in Cuba and Cubans living abroad
The procedures to be presented by the Cuban citizen residing in Cuba are:
– Identification document
-Go with two witnesses who meet all the requirements
-If the marital status is separated, the following documentation must be included: divorce certificate or previous marriage certificate with divorce certificate, which are issued by the Civil Registry.
If you are a woman, and 300 days have not elapsed since the termination of the previous marriage, you must submit a medical certificate detailing whether you are pregnant.
If the person is a widower, they must submit, as appropriate, the widowhood certificate, marriage certificate with note of widowhood of the former spouse or marriage certificate and death certificate of the former partner.
If you are a minor, you need the public deed with the authorization of your legal guardians, to get married, granted before a Notary.
For the Cuban citizen residing abroad:
Cuban passport.
I authorize entry and stay. Cuban emigrants can stay in Cuba for 90 days and can be extended by making the request at the Offices of the Directorate of Identification, Immigration and Aliens in Cuba.
If you are divorced you must show:
-Certificate of divorce or previous marriage with the divorce note
-If you are a woman, you must do the same as the Cuban citizen residing in the country
If you are a widower, you must submit the same as the Cuban citizen residing in the country
If you are a minor, you must present authorization from both parents to marry.
Marriage between Cubans and foreigners who live permanently or temporarily on the Island
It must be executed in branches of Legal Consulting or in Specialized Collective Law Firms. These procedures must meet the following requirements:
Cuban citizen:
– Present identity card
– Attend with two witnesses with their identity cards
– If you are a minor, you must present authorization from your parents to marry before a notary.
– If you are divorced, you must submit:
– Divorce or marriage certificate prior to the divorce document, provided by the Civil Status Registry.
– If you are a woman, you must present a medical certificate specifying whether you are pregnant or not, if 300 days have elapsed after the extension of your previous commitment.
– If the person to marry is a widow, they must present the following documents:
– Certification of widowhood
– Legitimation of marriage with note of widowhood of the former spouse
– Certificate of marriage and death of the former spouse
Foreign citizen:
– Certificate or birth certificate
– Valid passport or identity document.
– In the case of foreigners who temporarily or permanently reside in Cuba, they must present their temporary or permanent residence card in the country.
– If you are single, present a certificate of singleness or a sworn statement authorized by a notary.
– If you are a woman, you must present a medical certificate specifying whether you are pregnant or not, if 300 days have elapsed after the extension of your previous commitment.
– If you are divorced, you must submit a divorce decree or certification of it.
If the foreign person to marry is a widow, they must present the following documents:
– Certification of widowhood
– Marriage certificate with note of widowhood of the spouse
– Certificate of marriage and death of the spouse
All documents must be translated into Spanish and legalized at the corresponding Cuban Consulate in your country of residence.
Marriage between Cuban citizens domiciled in Cuba and foreign citizens residing outside the country.
Can foreigners get married in Cuba. To marry a foreigner in Cuba there are several entities to carry out the action, such as International Legal Consultancies or Specialized Services Law Firms. The requirements are detailed in this section:
For the Cuban citizen:
– Present identity card
– Attend with two witnesses with their respective identification documents
– If the person is a minor, they must present the public authorization of their parents granted before a Notary, to allow marriage in Cuba with foreigners.
– If any of the future spouses is divorced, they must show the divorce certificate or the document of the previous marriage together with the divorce note, both legal records must be issued by the Civil Registry.
– If you are a divorced woman and the period of 300 days of the termination of the previous marriage has not elapsed, you must show a medical certificate specifying proof or not of pregnancy in order to determine the paternity of the future child.
If the marital status is widowed, you must submit the corresponding certifications:
– certification of widowhood
– marriage certificate and attach the note of widowhood of the spouse
– certificate of marriage and death of the previous spouse
For the foreign citizen:
– Birth certificate
– Passport or identity document with the boarding pass or tourist visa
– Single documentation or affidavit authorized by a notary, if you are single. You must take into account that this document prescribes after 6 months of being issued.
– If you are a woman, you must show a medical certificate specifying in case of pregnancy to determine the paternity of the child that will be born
– In case of being divorced, you need to present the final divorce decree
– If the foreign citizen is a minor, they must present the public authorization of both parents before a Notary to marry in Cuba.
– All documents to be presented abroad must be translated into Spanish, to be legalized at the consulate of the Republic of Cuba that corresponds to the country of residence
Marriage in Cuba among Cuban emigrants residing outside the country
Cubans residing abroad who wish to marry in the country must do so at the Specialized Services Law Firms or the International Legal Consultancy. The requirements are:
-Cuban passport
-Permission to enter and remain in the national territory.
If any of the spouses is divorced, they must show:
- Certification of separation or previous marriage with a divorce note, or a copy of the deed issued by the Notary.
- If you are a woman, submit a medical certificate to find out whether or not you are pregnant.
If one of the two members of the couple is a widower, they will present:
- Certification of widowhood; or
- Marriage certificate with note of widowhood; or
- The marriage certificate and death certificate of the former spouse.
In the case of minors, you must present the public deed of parental authorization, granted before a Notary.
Marriage between Cubans residing abroad and foreigners residing outside the Island
This formalization is carried out in the branches of International Legal Consulting or in Specialized Collective Law Firms:
For the Cuban citizen residing abroad:
– Cuban passport
-Permission to enter and stay in the country. Cubans must stay up to 90 days in the territory, extendable exceptionally by making the request at the Identification, Immigration and Foreigners Offices in Cuba.
If you are divorced you need:
– Divorce or marriage certificate with a divorce certificate, or a copy of the notarial deed.
– If you are a woman and no more than 300 days have elapsed since termination, you must present a medical certificate that proves whether or not you are pregnant.
If you are a widower, you must submit:
– certification of widowhood
– marriage certificate with note of widowhood of the former spouse; or
– the marriage certificate and death certificate of the ex-husband.
If you are a minor, the public deed of authorization from both parents is mandatory to marry, granted before a Notary.
Documents issued in another language must be translated into Spanish and legalized at the Cuban Consulate that corresponds to the place of residence.
For foreigners outside Cuban territory:
– Birth certificate
– Updated passport, identification document, boarding pass or tourist visa
– If you are single, you must present the certification of single status or a sworn statement authorized by a notary. (This document expires 6 months after completion)
– If you are a woman, if 300 days have not elapsed after the termination of your previous marriage, you will need a medical certificate specifying whether or not you are pregnant.
– If you are divorced, you must attach the final divorce decree or divorce certificate to the documentation.
– If you are a widower, you must present the marriage and death certificate of the former spouse.
– If you are a minor, the public deed of authorization from both parents, granted before a Notary, is mandatory.
Similarly, documents issued abroad in another language must be translated into Spanish to be legalized at the corresponding Cuban Consulate for the place of residence.
Marriage between foreigners who want to get married in Cuba during their tourist trips
Despite being a low-demand celebration, it is possible to carry it out through an International Legal Consultancy or Specialized Law Firms. To do this, you must submit:
-Birth certificate
-Passport, valid identity document or tourist visa
-If you are single, submit a declaration of singleness authorized by a notary
-If you are a woman, show a medical certificate of proof or not of pregnancy
-Decree of divorce in case of being divorced
-If you are a widower, death certificate of the former spouse
-For minors, bring a deed of parental authorization to marry, granted before a notary
As in all cases of foreign involvement, all certificates and documents must be translated into Spanish and must be legalized by the Cuban Consulate in your country of residence.
Documentation costs to get married in Cuba
– For Cuban citizens permanently residing in Cuba.
– Price for Cuban citizens at the Notarial Unit: 75 CUP
– Price for Cuban citizens with foreigners outside the Notarial Unit:
Work hours: 2500 CUP
Outside working hours: 3750 CUP
Immediately: 1875 CUP
– Price for foreign citizens: 7500 CUP
– Price for foreign citizens with tourist offer: 10000 CUP
– Price for protocol documents, say certificates: 2500 CUP each
– Stamps as tax: 125 CUP
The fees for the notary service are paid at the time the instruments are authorized, except for the marriage, being charged at the time of the request.
Legalize marriage in Cuba
Now that you know the requirements to get married in Cuba, you will be sure, what to do to make it valid in another country and the documents for a foreign citizen to formalize their marriage with a Cuban resident on the Island. Let’s start:
What to do so that a marriage in Cuba is valid in a foreign country?
Many wonder if is a marriage in Cuba legal in Canada. Is a marriage in Cuba legal in US? Is a marriage in Cuba legal in UK?
For a marriage in Cuba to have effect abroad, a legalized certificate must be requested. At the request of one of the contracting parties, you will receive two marriage certificates.
One of them duly legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (MINREX) so that the marriage is valid in another country and the other copy of the document will be used in the national territory.
The service is requested from a Specialized Services Law Firm or an International Legal Consultancy, if one or both spouses is a foreigner or a Cuban citizen residing outside of Cuba.
How can foreign citizens legalize their documents to formalize the marriage in Cuba?
Can foreigners get married in Cuba? Foreign citizens who wish to legalize their documents in Cuba must do so through the competent authorities in the country and at the Cuban consulate in the country where the documents were issued.
Texts written in a language other than Spanish must be translated by an accredited translator and also legalized as stated above.
In case there is no consulate in the foreign country where the foreign citizen resides, they must legalize their documents in the Cuban consulate of the country closest to theirs.
After legalizing the documents at the Cuban consulate abroad, they must be presented for legalization at the MINREX in Cuba. To do this, you must hire an International Legal Consulting service or a specialized Services Firm.
Frequent questions
Did you read this far and still have questions? Below we answer frequently asked questions that people interested in getting married in Cuba usually have.
How to get married in Cuba?
The contracting parties must visit a Notary or International Legal Consultancy, or if they prefer, a Specialized Services Law Firm.
There they will set the date of the ceremony, always with a term of 72 hours after making the request. On the day of the wedding they must present the documentation explained above and be accompanied by the two witnesses.
What are the requirements that witnesses must meet?
The requirements to witness a civil marriage in Cuba are:
– Being over 18 years
– Master the Spanish language
– Not be legally incapacitated
– Not be blind or deaf, special conditions that prevent having knowledge about the facts they declare, due to said limitations.
– No witness can have blood ties within the fourth degree or second degree of affinity with the authorizing Notary.
– Not have a criminal record for crimes against public faith or perjury.
– Neither can heirs or legatees, nor their relatives with blood ties within the fourth or second degree of affinity.
– Not be a relative of the testator with the aforementioned links.
-It is arranged that the employees of the Notary where the Marriage takes place cannot be witnesses in the formalization.
What is the resolution time of marriage in Cuba?
The resolution time is usually 3 days or varies according to the agreement of the parties, counting from the day the Notary is visited.
Can a marriage be formalized in Cuba with a date prior to the act of union?
The answer is yes. The matrimonial union between two people with the legal conditions to contract it and who, in addition, have the requirements of singularity and stability, has the same effects as a formalized marriage, if they go back (which means retroactive formalization) to the date of the marriage. the act of union.
In this case, the spouses and witnesses must state it in the marriage deed.
When does marriage documentation expire in Cuba?
The marriage certificates necessary to carry out any procedure in Cuba or abroad, depending on the country or the type of document, have a validity that can vary between 3 or 6 months from their issuance.
Where should I submit the paperwork and at what time?
The procedures must be presented at the Notarial Units of Cuba, Collective Law Firms or Marriage Palaces, when a union between Cubans residing in the country is formalized.
Hours of operation are Monday and Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday until 4:30 p.m., and Saturday until 12:00 p.m.
To formalize marriages in Cuba between Cubans and foreigners, branches of International Legal Consultancies or Specialized Services Law Firms have been created. These entities work from Monday to Thursday between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. While on Fridays you open until 3:30pm.
Marriage by proxy in Cuba
Marriage by proxy is legally validated in the Republic of Cuba. It can be done in the Civil Registry and Notaries based in the country.
Cubans or foreigners, both with permanent and temporary residence on or off the island with any immigration status, may have a Special Power of Attorney at the corresponding Cuban Consulate in their country to marry on the island.
Peculiarities of marriage by proxy
To get married in Cuban territory, documents must be presented before a public official or notary. These requirements are the same as a marriage with the physical presence of both partners, whether they are Cubans, foreigners, and Cubans and foreigners.
This type of marriage from Special Power that is related to tourist trips, stays in hotels and other tourist rest and leisure facilities must be arranged by the agencies that offer this type of tourist products.
Marriage laws in Cuba
The legal foundations that support marriage in Cuba are:
– Law No. 80 “On State Notaries”
– Law No. 59 of the Civil Code.
– Code of Ethics of the Cuban Notary
– Statute of the Law attached in Resolution No. 70/1992
– Resolutions No. 130/1998 and 201/1999, of the Minister of Justice, on the cost rates of services provided in Cuban Notaries.
