The new Immigration and Foreigners Law, which will be discussed in the Cuban parliament in mid-July, brings several new features, including that grandchildren of Cubans born abroad will be able to access Cuban citizenship if they so wish.
According to an interview this week with the AP agency, by First Colonel Mario Méndez Mayedo, head of the Identification, Immigration and Foreigners Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), the Cuban government will present to Parliament a package of three laws to update the rules on citizenship, entry and exit from the country, for both nationals and foreigners.
These new laws, which will be discussed in the National Assembly of People’s Power starting on July 17, come at a crucial moment, marked by the greatest migration crisis that Cuba has experienced in recent decades, with hundreds of thousands of people leaving the island every day for the United States or other nations such as Spain, Uruguay, etc.
Among the most important changes, according to the immigration official, is the elimination of the 24-month limit. With this measure, Cubans who leave the country will no longer have to return within two years to retain their social and property rights, including ownership of their homes.
Grandchildren of Cubans abroad with Cuban citizenship
Another vital change, which has not been talked regarding much in these controversial days, is that of citizenship for grandchildren. With this in place, Cubans living abroad will be able to request citizenship for their grandchildren or, to put it more clearly, the grandchildren of Cubans living abroad will be able to opt for Cuban citizenship if they so wish.
Although Méndez Mayedo did not provide many more details, he did tell AP that “Cubans living abroad may claim citizenship up to the level of grandchildren.”
Among the new features of the package of immigration and citizenship laws that will be presented to Parliament is the relaxation of the requirements for obtaining Cuban citizenship for foreigners.
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