Cuba is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention — Not a party to the Apostille Convention (absent from HCCH status table); embassy legalization required.. An apostille will not be accepted. U.S. documents must be authenticated and then legalized: state authentication certificate (for state documents), U.S. Department of State authentication, and legalization at Cuba's embassy or consulate in the United States.
The route, step by step
- State authentication (state documents)
Request an authentication certificate from the state competent authority, naming Cuba as the destination.
- U.S. Department of State authentication
Submit the state-certified or federal document to the Office of Authentications with Form DS-4194 and $20 per document.
- Legalization at the Cuba embassy or consulate
Embassy of Cuba, Washington DC, after US Dept of State authentication. Embassy fee reported at $300 per document (uslegalization.com); verify with the embassy.
- Translation
Confirm whether Cuba requires a translation and at which stage.
Using U.S. documents in Cuba
Cuba is not a party to the Convention. U.S. documents are legalized through a three-step chain: state authentication, U.S. Department of State authentication, then legalization at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C., which handles consular services for the U.S. Fees at the embassy are high relative to other countries and vary by document type. Typical documents: birth and marriage certificates for Cuban citizenship procedures and marriage in Cuba, single-status affidavits, POAs for property and inheritance, and death certificates. Translations into Spanish are usually done by the embassy or by translators it accepts. The Cuban Embassy’s processing times are long; plan months ahead.
Why U.S. documents are sent to Cuba
- Cuban citizenship / repatriation
- marriage in Cuba
- property and inheritance (power of attorney)
- registration of children
- education
Cuba-specific points
- Non-Hague: notarize/state-certify, then US Dept of State authentication certificate (Form DS-4194, $20/doc, ~4 weeks by mail), then legalization at the destination country's embassy/consulate.
- Cuba's legalization fee is among the highest of any embassy in Washington.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an apostille or legalization for Cuba?
Legalization. Cuba is not a Hague member; U.S. documents need the state (if applicable) and U.S. Department of State authentications followed by Cuba embassy legalization.
Who issues the apostille for Cuba?
There is no apostille. The final stamp comes from Cuba’s embassy or consulate after U.S. authentication.
Does Cuba require a translation?
Requirements vary by the receiving authority in Cuba; translate after the apostille with the translator type they specify.
