Spain’s Official State Gazette (BOE) has published Royal Decree 1193/2025 of 26 December, establishing the Consulate General of Spain in Camagüey, in the Republic of Cuba. This decision responds to a sustained increase in demand for consular services on the island and, in particular, to the need to improve assistance for Spanish nationals residing outside Havana.
⏺️ Why a new Consulate General in Cuba?
According to the Royal Decree itself, recent years have seen a very significant increase in the number of Spanish nationals residing in Cuba, largely as a result of changes to Spanish nationality legislation. The number of people registered at the Consulate General of Spain in Havana has doubled in just over a decade, reaching close to 185,000 registered citizens by the end of 2025.
This trend is accompanied by a sharp rise in the number of visas processed—almost tripling over the past ten years—as well as increased travel between Cuba and Spain by both Cuban citizens and Spanish nationals.
You can access the full text of the Royal Decree published in the BOE below:
⏺️ Main objective: improving consular services
The primary aim of creating the new Consulate General is to bring consular services closer to Spanish nationals living in the central and eastern regions of the island. Havana is located at the western end of Cuba, while the Spanish community is spread across the country, with clear limitations in transport and communications.
Camagüey’s location—at the geographical centre of the island and in a province with a high concentration of Spanish residents—is considered strategic for strengthening Spain’s consular network and complementing the work of the Consulate General of Spain in Havana.
⏺️ Territorial jurisdiction of the Consulate General in Camagüey
The new Consulate General will have jurisdiction over the eastern half of the island, covering the following provinces:
– Ciego de Ávila
– Camagüey
– Las Tunas
– Holguín
– Granma
– Santiago de Cuba
– Guantánamo
This territorial distribution is intended to ease the workload of the Consulate General in Havana and to provide more accessible, closer assistance for consular registrations, visas and other administrative procedures.
⏺️ Organisation and operation
The new Consular Office will be headed by a Consul General and staffed according to the positions established in the corresponding Staff List and the catalogue of overseas labour personnel.
The costs associated with the opening, installation and operation of the Consulate General will be covered by existing budgetary allocations of the Directorate-General for the Foreign Service. The creation of this new consulate will not entail any increase in public expenditure.
⏺️ Entry into force
The Royal Decree provides that the new Consulate General of Spain in Camagüey will enter into force on the day following its publication in the BOE, marking a significant expansion of Spain’s consular presence in Cuba.
⏺️ What this means for citizens and businesses
From a practical perspective, the opening of this new Consulate General will allow for more agile handling of consular procedures, improved service for Spanish nationals residing in eastern Cuba, and greater capacity to respond to the growing number of visa applications and other administrative processes.
For individuals and families with personal, professional or economic ties between Spain and Cuba, this measure represents a clear reinforcement of Spain’s external action and greater legal certainty in consular matters.
⏺️ How ARC Legal Abogados can assist with Spanish nationality and immigration matters
The creation of the new Consulate General of Spain in Camagüey is particularly relevant for thousands of people with links to Spain who reside in the central and eastern regions of Cuba. At ARC Legal Abogados, we regularly assist clients in Cuba and their families in Spain with Spanish nationality and immigration procedures, where effective consular coordination is a key part of the process.
We provide comprehensive legal support, coordinating the consular phase with subsequent proceedings before the Spanish authorities, helping to avoid common mistakes, unnecessary delays and administrative requests that could jeopardise the application.
Our approach is practical, clear and tailored to each case, ensuring that consular and immigration procedures are properly aligned from the outset.
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The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, immigration regulations are subject to change and interpretation by the competent authorities. For personalized and current legal advice, we recommend consulting a specialized immigration lawyer.