Cuba Legalisation (UK): FCDO Apostille + Consulate

Cuba is not a Contracting Party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, so a UK FCDO apostille is only the middle step. Every document must also be stamped by a Cuban consular official in London.

1

UK FCDO apostille (after any required notarial or solicitor certification).
2
Consular legalisation at the Consulate of Cuba in London.

We are an FCDO-registered legalisation agent and make daily trips to the UK’s only apostille office in Milton Keynes to lodge and collect documents, then deliver the apostilled set to the Cuban Consulate for the final stamp.

Legalisation path for Cuba – summary:

1
Certify – UK solicitor/notary if the document is not already an original UK public instrument.
2
Translate – sworn Spanish translation; notariseand apostille the translation.
3
Apostille – obtain separate FCDO apostilles for the English original and the Spanish translation (standard, premium or e-apostille route).
4
Consular attestation: lodge both apostilled documents, photocopies, and the cash fee at the Cuban Consulate; collect them after 3–6 working days.

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Key points:

Hague status: non-member – apostille plus Cuban consular legalisation required.
Consular fees: £107 per apostilled document + £24 consular-admin fee (cash only).
Consular turnaround: about 3 – 6 working days once lodged.
Language: every document must be translated into Spanish; the translation itself must be notarised and apostilled alongside the English original.
Bundles: if several documents are grouped under one notarial certificate, each item still needs its own Spanish translation, notarisation and apostille.

Translation & presentation rules:

1
Translate the English document into Spanish.
2
Notarise the translation (bilingual notarial certificate or English notarisation + Spanish translation).
3
Apostille both the English original and the Spanish notarised translation – each requires its own apostille certificate
4
Submit the two apostilled papers (plus photocopy) to the Cuban Consulate for legalisation.

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Price examples:

Document Type	Cost per document
Personall document + solicitor + apostille + legalisation	From £260
Commercial document + solicitor + apostille + legalisation	From £260

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Practical notes:

Photocopy: supply one copy of each document when lodging.
A passport copy is required for each person/document holder
Payment: Consular fees are cash only – no cards or cheques.
Opening hours: lodge 09: 30 – 12: 30 · collect after notice (Mon–Fri).
Courier option: we can courier translations to/from the notary and manage both the FCDO and consular stages for you.
Consular processing time: 3-6 working days

When documents are bundled under one notarial certificate and one apostille, the Consulate still charges its fee for each separate document inside the bundle.

Need assistance?

If you find the legalisation process overwhelming or time-consuming, consider seeking assistance from a professional document legalisation service like us. We can handle the entire process on your behalf, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and peace of mind.

Included in our embassy attestation service:

We advise and check that your documents meet attestation criteria
If documents need to be certified, we get a solicitor
We submit your documents to the FCDO for the apostille
We arrange and complete embassy attestation
Documents are returned by your preferred chosen method
You’ll also get a digital copy of your attested documents
We are competitively priced with no hidden fees
We have a service guarantee! If we can’t get your documents attested, we refund our fee.

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FAQs

Why isn’t a UK apostille enough for Cuba?

Because Cuba is not in the Hague Apostille system, Cuban authorities usually require both a UK apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and Cuban consular legalisation from the Embassy of Cuba in London.

Do I need one apostille or two?

Usually two apostilles per document set:

One apostille on the English original (or certified/notarised copy), and
One apostille on the notarised Spanish translation.

Once stamped, can the document be used anywhere in Cuba?

Yes — consular legalisation is generally the “final authentication” step for use in that country (Cuba). Individual Cuban authorities may still apply their own “recency” rules for certain documents (e.g., certificates needing to be recently issued), so it’s worth checking the receiving organisation’s timeframe expectations.

If my document is already bilingual (English/Spanish), do I still need a separate translation?

Guidance commonly says a translation is not needed if the document is already Spanish or bilingual, but the document would still need the UK apostille + Cuban consular legalisation.

Can I bundle multiple documents under one notarial certificate?

Bundling is possible, but each document still needs to be translated, notarised, and apostilled, and the translation must be apostilled as well.

In practice, bundling may reduce notary appointment/certificate costs, but it does not remove the “one translation + one apostille” requirement per item.

Contact the Consulate of Cuba in London

Address:
Embassy of Cuba
167 High Holborn
London WC1V 6PA
Hours: Mon to Thu, 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM
Weekends: Fri, Sat & Sun CLOSED
Phone: +44 (0) 2074203100
Email: consulcuba@uk.embacuba.cu