Immigrating to Uruguay? The country doesn’t ask for a great deal—a monthly income of around 1500 USD and a clean criminal record. But they don’t like people who flit in and out. Lawyer Mark Teuten takes us step-by-step through the process as part of our series on Relocating to Uruguay.
What documents do you need to apply for residency in Uruguay?
Make sure you start getting everything together before you travel:
- Birth certificate It must be apostilled/legalised* in your country of birth. Once you arrive in Uruguay, get it translated by an official Uruguayan public translator. Any other translation won’t be accepted.
- Marriage certificate It must be apostilled/legalised in the country where the marriage took place. As above, once in Uruguay go to an official public translator to get the translation.
- Criminal records Before you arrive, apply for certificates from the police in your country of birth and any other country where you’ve lived for the last five years which establish that you have no prior criminal record. These also have to be apostilled/legalized and translated.
- Income You’ll need to show evidence of a minimum monthly income, the source of that income (such as your retirement pension, the rental of a property in Uruguay or abroad) and that the income is being paid into a Uruguayan bank account. A ballpark figure for a minimum income for single person could be around 1,500 USD. A Uruguayan public notary will need to certify it.
- Passport The original document and a photocopy. The Immigration Office does not keep the original passport, they just compare it with the photocopy.
- Two passport-style photos
- Health card (carné de salud) You get this in Uruguay. Most private hospitals and clinics provide medical cards. At a private clinic, you make an appointment and the process takes about 15 minutes for a cost of around 70 USD. The state provides health cards for free (go to the Ministerio de Salud Pública, Durazno 1242, Montevideo) but you can expect to spend a long time waiting around in rather run-down surroundings (and don’t expect anyone to speak English).
* Apostille/Legalisation:
Without going into detail, this can involve getting the country authority to confirm that this is an original document or copy of one and then going to the nearest Uruguayan consulate for them to confirm that the stamp from the country authority is indeed what it says it is.
[Note from the Guru: I remember being horrified as the Uruguayan Embassy in London stamped all over my original birth certificate. But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. And I got my residency.]
The most important residence requirement of all when immigrating to Uruguay
The Uruguayan immigration office (Migraciones) applies a criteria of “intent to reside permanently” to all applicants. And they actively examine immigration records. If they see that a person has come into Uruguay, filed for residence and then immediately left and has not come back, or has filed but is out of the country most of the time and not really living in Uruguay, then they will reject the application.
[Note from the Guru: When I quizzed Mark on this, he said: “This is the FIRST thing they check. It is absolutely fundamental to getting residence. Everything else has a solution, this can’t.” So take this seriously, folks.]
How does the residency application process work and how long does it take?
You can book an appointment to file for residency in advance. At the time of writing, appointments are being given for three months’ time. To get a head start you can apply without all the documents we talked about, as long as you have them ready within a few months afterwards. The minimum documentation is the passport and the photos.
Once you’ve applied for residence you’ll receive a temporary Uruguayan ID card known as a cedula (pronounced SEH-doo-la). A cedula is a very useful document to have.
[Guru note: I can’t agree more with Mark. Once you have your cedula, so many things become so much easier. As Uruguay is such an online society, anything that involves registering your name becomes so much easier – from legal stuff to buying cinema tickets]
Assuming that you are able to file all the necessary papers within a few months of the original filing and you meet the requirement to actually live in the country–with only temporary short term absences–, then you’ll receive the application for permanent residence within around one year.
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Residency applicants for nationals who need a visa to enter Uruguay
If you are from a country where you need a (tourist) visa to get into Uruguay, then you should be aware that actually getting your visa is probably the hardest part of the whole process. Professional firms are not allowed to act as sponsors for visitors, making it hard to find a sponsor unless you have personal contacts. Usually, a sponsor needs to be a Uruguayan national who is prepared to go the immigration office and sign a sworn declaration that they will be responsible for the person whilst they are in the country and will ensure they leave.
However always check actual requirements for a tourist visa at your nearest Uruguayan consulate. They may vary.
Should you apply for residency yourself or get a professional to do it for you?
Getting permanent residence status in Uruguay is not hard in terms of the general requirements, especially if we compare it to other countries. But it is heavy on red tape. The process takes place in Spanish and if you speak nothing or very little, it’s important to attend appointments with an interpreter.
If you speak little or no Spanish or don’t have much time or live far from the immigration office, a professional adviser will make the immigration process much less painful and generally faster. At times the authorities make life difficult for applicants. For instance, calling them in for very minor matters. For a professional firm dealing with a number of client applicants that is not a problem. But for a private individual who may live a long way away from the immigration office that can be a real waste of time and money.
[Guru note: Having done the application process myself and being a very forgetful person who misses deadlines, it took me almost four years to get my residency. As I speak Spanish it didn’t actually occur to me to hire someone! If I had known what I know now I would definitely have used a professional and saved myself a lot of time and frustration.]
________________________
Mark Teuten is a British lawyer that lives in Montevideo since the 1990s.
He has law degrees from both the UK and Uruguay. He can help you with your residency applications, setting up a registered company and other legal matters. Guru’Guay has recommended him to our readers who have praised his trustworthiness, clarity, prompt communication even over great distances and careful advice regarding courses of action.
This article is for information purposes only. Please consult with a lawyer as to your particular circumstances.
Photos: Jimmy Baikovicius and Christian Schnettelker
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Residency sounds like something you should do if you are going to live in the country but, it offers few benefits and takes a long time and a fair amount of money. We discussed it with some immigration attorney and they talked us out of it.
So, here are the ‘advertised’ benefits’ !
. You obtain a National Identification Document, called the CI (Cedula de Identidad).
Comment: So what, a passport fills nearly all of the requirement of a Cedula de Identidad.
. You then are eligible for public health insurance.
Comment: As an expat, you likely are not going to want to set foot into the public hospitals and opt to pay or obtain a
schema at the British or Italian hospital.
. You can live full-time in Uruguay without the need to take trips out of the country in order to renew your visa.
Comment: You can fly to B.A., or drive to Salto, Rivera or Chuy every 100 days or so and easily fulfill this requirement.
Plus, it’s nice to get away! 🙂
. You will be able to import your personal belongings and household goods duty free.
Comment: Unless you have a home with thousands of dollars of antiques that you want to relocate, the cost of shipping
a container from N/A or Europe is quite expensive. You may find yourself better served to purchased new items in
Uruguay and help out your new economy. Exception: Maybe a very exotic automobile.
. You will be able to apply for citizenship and a passport.
Comment: Why would you require a Uruguayan passport except for having the option of no VISA for some of the other
Mercosur countries.
Nice points, Troppo! Although of course this article is about HOW to get residency, not WHY get residency 🙂 I would argue with you on some of them as someone working here, a cedula makes things soooo much more easy. Thanks for taking the time to write!
Hi,
Thanks for sharing great information, Kindly i would like to know , instead of providing a source of Income, Can we show some amount “That would be enough to live in Uruguay for certain time of period”, Actually i am Pakistani resident working in Saudi Arabia , now planing to move Uruguay , & start some small business there . Waiting for your advise
Hi Shahbaz, no, I’m afraid that currently guidelines expect that you have a proven regular income stream. Best wishes
This was very enlightening. I and my family are working towards relocating to Uruguay next year and unfortunately we need visas to get there. The country is much more expensive than our home country, and I don’t think they even have a lot of jobs that pay as much as they are asking for the month. We are both lawyers, and obviously cannot practice law in Uruguay.
We would definitely need a lawyer to do this. Fingers crossed that we are able to make this happen. As for getting someone to go and swear before we get our visas, fat chance. Let’s see how this goes
Good luck, Ivy!
How can I contact/speak with you? I am planning a trip to Montevideo in the very near future.
Hi Barry, we tried responding to your email address but the mail bounces back. Please write to us from another mail that we can contact you on. Karen will be delighted to help you out.
Dear madam
I wanna to move Uruguay with my family. I want to prepare everything there before sending my wife and daughter there. I will back to my county up to retired by next 5 years
She has properties and can rent them hear and I will send the money there or can start a business there.
Hello Mahdi, Uruguay is not a perfect fit for everyone so you should do your research carefully. I offer a one hour consultation to discuss if indeed Uruguay is a good fit for your family which can save you a lot of time and money. Best wishes Karen
Hi Barry, we have tried contacting you on the email address you gave us but have unfortunately had no luck. Please email us directly. Looking forward to being able to assist you. Thanks!
Hello. I am planning on moving to Uruguay in January with my family. Do you know if and when the apostilles expire? Do you know how long an apostille is valid for marriage and birth certificates and police reports? Thanks for your help!
Hi Laura – let’s see what Mark has to say about this! Mark?
Hi, I am interested in relocating to Uruguay from South Africa. I do contract work around the world for 6 weeks at a time and return for approximately 2 weeks at a time (except for December holidays which are naturally longer). I have proof of contract and can produce fully stamped passports proving the nature of my work. Would this be considered, together with buying a fixed property, for permanent residency leading to citizenship? Thanks
Hi Bert, you’d need to consult with an expert. Check out the Uruguayan relocation experts we have vetted and can recommend without reservation and write them. Good luck! — Karen
Hello
I have construction and Trading company in my country , I am looking to move start my business at Uruguay.
From where can I start ?
How you can help me?
BR
Mustafa
Hi Mustafa, contact Mobility LC, relocation specialists in Uruguay. There is a form to fill out at the bottom of the page. Good luck — Karen
In the article it states that you have to prove that you have at least $1500 per month to sustain yourself financially. Is there a specific amount of months needed… Like you have to prove that you can sustain yourself for at least 6 months or a year. I’m asking cause I need to know how much money I will need to bring with me or have available to me.
Nicky,
You have to show that you have a source of income that will support you on a permanent basis. It is not a case of having money for xx number of months and bringing that amount with you. The source of income needs to be certified by a Uruguayan public notary or accountant and they will need to see at least 3 months’ receipt of that income before providing a certificate and then that income must continue to be received all the time the residence application is pending (around 1 year at present, if everything else is in order), in case the Immigration Office has follow up questions about it.
The U$S1500 is not a fixed figure either. For example, if you have family members you will need to show more than that.
Hope this helps!
Hi there,
Quick question, when you give the Embassy your apostilled documents, do you get them back at the end? Eg: Your birth certificate?
Do you also get your criminal records back or do they keep the lot?
I haven’t been able to find the answer anywhere and when I asked the Uruguay Embassy in my country.
Thanks,
Sonja
Sonja,
It is difficult to get back the original documents once they have been filed with the Uruguayan authorities. In principle however it is possible to get back original birth certificates/marriage certificates, but this involves making a separate specific request explaining why the original is needed.
You can’t get the criminal record report back.
I hope this helps.
I am working as a banker in my home country Pakistan. I am thinking to move to Uruguay. What are the job prospects there?
Hi Muhammad, it is advisable to come to Uruguay with your employment or income already secured. Best, Karen
The one thing no-one will tell you on here that it is more or less impossible to get residency if you come from Pakistan, India or anywhere in the Middle East. That goes the same for most South American countries. If you have millions to invest than maybe…
We were hoping to purchase or rent a home in Uruguay for about 3 to 4 months a year, I also have two residences in the USA. Can you apply for and obtain residency in Uruguay under this scenario? We, were hoping to attain dual citizenship and another passport outside of the US.
Thanks for your consideration.
No, 3 or 4 months residence a year is not enough to get permanent resident status. You would need to come for at least 1 year with only minimal absences in order to get permanent resident status. On the good side once residence is granted there is no on-going residence requirement so you only have to come back then once every 3 years to renew your Uruguyaan ID (Cedula). In any event you do not have to have permanent resident status in order to buy property here and as US citizens you do not need a visa to get into the country. You can stay for a maximum of 180 days as a tourist and return thereafter whenever you wish.
Hello!
Im in Uruguay and just married a uruguayan.
Do I still need to leave the country every 3 months while I wait for my recidency?
Or is the marriage certificate enough to be able to stay in Uruguay?
Thanks!
Hi Jonas,
If you have applied for residency then you no longer need to leave the country every 3 months. If you have not applied yet then you need to leave every 3 months (or every 6 if you get an extension) until such time as you apply. Just marrying a Uruguayan does not automatically change your residency status!
Do you have a company you recommend for navigating the residency / citizenship paperwork? Am I understanding this correctly that if I bring my criminal record and birth certificate (with apostille) with me as a tourist, I can submit a letter once I’m there and apply for residency within the country?
Contact the author, Mark Teuten, on mteuten@teutenabogados.com. — Best, Karen
Hi Guru,
Is it possible to convert my Residente Legal Temporario to Residente Legal Permanente. I just moved to Uruguay couple of months ago and mi empresa opened a temporary residency file for me with DNdM.
I like the country and would like to explore my options to settle here permanently.
Appreciate your response!!
Gracias!!
Hi. Yes, you can change from temporary residence to permanent residence if you meet the requirements for such. The main issue here would be if you have a permanent source of income here in Uruguay rather than just a temporary post. It would be best to wait for your temporary residence to be granted before changing category.
Good day. Is there an alternative to monthly income evidence? for instance, a lump sum deposited into a bank in Uruguay, which is left untouched for the period of the application. (My husband and I have a good chance of securing employment of some sort during that period with global companies in our industry who have current representation there.)
Family consists of 7 people, if that helps to establish a reasonable deposit sum.
Also, does and 18 year old unmarried daughter qualify as a dependent if still studying online?
Hi Chantel, I would have thought so, but I’ll ask Mark the author and residency lawyer to answer your query.
Chantel, No that is not possible. They are not interested in any capital amount. They want to see an income. But there are many ways to satisfy the requirement and we would be happy to advise you further on this aspect in private correspondence.
Chantel, please see my previous answer about income requirement. For a family of 7 in general terms you must be thinking of showing at least U$S3000 per month.
As to your 18 year old daughter, if you can show that she is studying (with confirmation from the organisation of what she is studying and where) then she will be classified as a dependant.
Hi Guys
I entered Uruguay on January 2, 2019. I am a Teacher and have been teaching since March in Punta del Este. I have filed for Permanent Residence in July or August and have submitted Proof of income by supplying a BPS Printout as requested By the immigration office in Montevideo. How can I find out how far the Process is?
Hi Casper, you should contact the immigration office. If you are not fluent in Spanish, you may want an immigration/relocation expert to work with. It will inevitably save you frustration and time. Take a look at our recommended people here https://guruguay.com/living-in-uruguay/. Best of luck! Karen
Casper, as per karen’s comment you can book an appointment at the Immigration Office to check on status, but in general terms it is still early days. You need to work on the basis that it will take around 1 year for your application to be granted. Mark
I am thinking of relocating to Uruguay, but it looks like the minimum wage there is about 350 USD per month. Can I still get residency if I am working but making less than the 1500 USD minimum?
I would think that you’d need to earn something similar, however there is a new government now, since March 1 2020. There may be changes. Perhaps Mark, the author, will have something to add. All the best, Karen
Hi Isaac, The U$S1500 figure is not set in stone and is more applicable to people who have a source of income from abroad. If you come to Uruguay and get a job here then that in all likelihood will be sufficient for residency purposes.
This does not take into account any changes which may arise out of the current emergency.
Mark
Thank you both, this helps a lot!
Does the documentation of the source of minimum monthly income need to be apostilled in the country of origin?
Thank you. Very informative.
No, it does not.
Hello Mark,
I am looking into relocating to Uruguay with my family. I work as a contractor in the US and have no ties on where to live. I have a large savings and also income of more than the amount stated. My question is, can my company pay my US bank account and I transfer that money to the Uruguayan bank account or do they have to direct deposit that into Uruguay?
Hi Michael, how are you doing? Karen (Guru’Guay founder) here. As this is money you earn in the US, there is no need even to pay tax on it if you were living here in Uruguay (great, right?). You can withdraw it from an ATM here, or make transfers if you want to withdraw large amounts at one time. Hope this helps! — Karen