A Comprehensive Guide to Long-term Residency in Uruguay

last updated: 2024-04-22

Country Profile:

Uruguay is situated in the southeastern region of South America. Although it is the second smallest country in South America by land area, it boasts relatively strong economic development and is recognized by the United Nations as a high-income nation. Uruguay also serves as a regional hub for tourism and finance.

In Uruguay, 90% of the population has achieved high urbanization. The country ranks second in South America in several key areas: economic freedom, income equality, per capita income, labor protection, and the inflow of foreign direct investment.

Capital: Montevideo

Population: 3,444,263 (2023, 132nd)

Ethic Group: 88%white, 4%black, 2.4%Indigenous

Area: 176,215 km²(89th)

Offical Language: Spanish

Currency: Uruguayan Peso (as of April 22, 2024, 1 Uruguayan Peso = 0.026 USD)

GDP per Captial: $30,170 (2024 estimated, 65st)

How To Become A Resident In Uruguay:

Foreigners can travel to Uruguay visa-free or with a tourist visa for up to six months.

Uruguay also offers a digital nomad visa for remote workers, which is valid for six months and can be renewed indefinitely.

Foreigners who wish to study, work, do business, or engage in scientific research in Uruguay can apply for a temporary long-term residence permit.

The temporary long-term residence permit is generally valid for two years. After it expires, the holder can choose to renew it or apply for permanent residency.

Foreigners planning to make Uruguay their home and economic hub for an extended period, and who can demonstrate a monthly income of over $1,500 (or $2,500 for couples applying together, with additional requirements for other family members), may directly apply for permanent residency with their initial visa application.

The review process for the permanent residency program usually takes from four to ten months. Initially, applicants are granted a two-year temporary residence permit, which allows them to live in the country freely before receiving permanent residency.

Foreigners who have legally resided in Uruguay for five years can apply for citizenship; if they are living with a spouse or family, they can apply for a passport after only three years.

Passport applications generally require the applicant to have lived in the country for at least 183 days each year and to pass a simple Spanish language interview.

It is important to note that Uruguay is one of the few countries in the world that, for naturalized citizens, only indicates the original nationality on the passport. For example, if you are French and obtain a Uruguayan passport, it will still indicate that your orignal nationality is French.

Permanent Residency Program:

Who is eligible for Permanent Residency in Uruguay?

Uruguay stands out globally as one of the few countries offering a straightforward, accessible program for obtaining permanent residency from the initial application.

There are three primary ways to apply for permanent residency in Uruguay:

1. Being of Uruguayan descent or a citizen of a Mercosur country;

2. Foreign nationals who have legally resided in Uruguay for two years;

3. Individuals who intend to make Uruguay their primary residence and center of economic activities, and can demonstrate a stable monthly income of $1,500 (or $2,500 for couples), are eligible to apply directly for permanent residency.

This income may come from various sources such as pensions, investment returns, stable business earnings, self-employment, or wages (either from a contract with a Uruguayan company or remote work for an overseas company).

It’s important to note that in Uruguay, proof of income must be substantiated with sufficient documentation and verified by a professional accounting firm or similar institution. Unlike other South American countries, merely having deposits in local banks is not acceptable in Uruguay.

Dependents:

For the Uruguayan permanent residency program, the main applicant’s spouse, parents, and children can enter and settle in the country as dependents.

How to apply for Uruguay Permanent Residency?

Here’s a detailed look at the Uruguay permanent residency application process based on income certification:

1. Application Submission: The first step involves submitting the application for permanent residency along with preparing the required documents. This can be done from outside Uruguay.

Required documents include a passport; a recent criminal record certificate (covering the last five years); proof of income; a medical certificate; proof of relationships (marriage certificates, birth certificates, etc.); and six passport-sized photos for each applicant, with a Uruguayan address.

All documents must be translated into Spanish and authenticated either by the Hague Apostille or by a Spanish consulate abroad.

2. Legal Entry and Interview: After preparing the necessary documents, applicants must legally enter Uruguay and schedule an in-person interview at the Dirección Nacional de Migración in Montevideo.

The interview is conducted in Spanish, necessitating the use of an intermediary or a translator if the applicant is not proficient in the language.

A visa fee of $90 per person is charged by the immigration office.

3. Receiving Temporary Residence: Typically, about ten days after the interview, applicants receive a temporary long-term residence permit valid for 24 months, allowing you to legally reside in Uruguay.

During this time, you will have most of the rights of a legal resident in Uruguay: you can study, work, buy property, and conduct business there.

If you plan to apply for citizenship in the future, the issuance date of the temporary long-term residence visa marks the start of your residency period calculation.

3. Review and Permanent Residency: Over the 24-month period, the Uruguayan immigration authorities will rigorously review the permanent residency application, which generally takes between four to ten months.

Once approved, you can obtain permanent residency in Uruguay and live freely in the country.

It’s important to remember that the review for permanent residency, renewal, and citizenship application all consider whether you make Uruguay your primary place of residence. There isn’t a strict requirement to stay in the country for 183 days annually, and some flexibility is allowed. However, if your residency duration is insufficient, you may need to provide evidence of your specific ties to Uruguay, such as studying, working, buying property, or starting a company.

Digital Nomad Visa:

Who is eligible for Uruguay digital nomad visa?

Starting in May 2023, Uruguay launched a digital nomad visa specifically for remote workers and self-employed people. This visa is officially called “Hojas de Identidad Provisoria” in Spanish.

The visa is valid for six months and can be extended. Holders of this visa are eligible to apply for permanent residency in Uruguay after fulfilling the basic residency requirement of living in the country for two years.

Currently, there are no explicit financial requirements for this visa, and it does not accommodate dependent applications. Applicants must enter Uruguay on their own.

How to apply for Uruguay digital nomad visa?

The entire visa application can be completed via the Uruguayan government’s website (https://www.gub.uy/tramites/hoja-identidad-provisoria), and the process generally follows these steps:

1. Registration: Visit the official website, click on “start online process”, then “create my digital id”, and go through the registration process.

2. Activation: After registration, you’ll receive an email. Open it and click on “activate account”.

3. Application: Sign in on the official website, select “ND” under the “kind of procedure” dropdown, fill out your details, and upload the necessary application documents.

Required documents include: a passport valid for the visa period; one passport-sized photo; proof of finances or income; a certificate of no criminal record from any country where you have lived for more than six months in the past five years; and a vaccination certificate.

4. Pay the fee: The visa fee is approximately $15. The visa fee must be paid through a local bank account; international payments are not accepted.

5. Visa Issuance: The whole application process taks approximately 10 working days. You’ll receive your visa approval information via email. This can be printed or saved on your computer and should be presented upon entering Uruguay.

Uruguay does not tax its residents on overseas income. However, income earned from sources within Uruguay is subject to income tax.

Work Visa:

The prerequisite for foreigners to apply for a work visa is to receive support from a local employer.

Once the work visa is obtained, you need to apply for a conversion to a two-year residence visa within 30 days of arriving in Uruguay. The visa can be renewed after it expires. Foreigners can also apply for permanent residence after legally residing in Uruguay for two full years.

Passport Power:

Uruguay recognizes multiple nationalities, and citizens can freely travel (visa-free or with visa on arrival) to 153 countries and regions worldwide, including Hong Kong, Macau, Latin America, Europe, and most countries in Southeast Asia (Apr 22, 2024).

Useful Links:

Uruguay Govement Site：https://www.gub.uy/tramites/hoja-identidad-provisoria

Uruguay Ministry of Interior:https://mi.iduruguay.gub.uy/login?process_state=0sVSrPoRGHv-AHYsIimcNSqZxD0VCQ-w3MLWwtjpQDA