Moving to Uruguay
Expert advice specific to your situationMontevideo
Been thinking about moving to the great little land of Uruguay? Explore if the country is a good fit for you and your family with a private consultation with the creator of Guru’Guay. It will save you uncertainty, time & money
Karen A Higgs is an expert on the country and the perfect resource for anyone thinking of relocating from the US or other English-speaking countries.
Book your session now. This could be the best investment you make before buying your plane ticket.
This is for you when you:
- are considering moving to Uruguay full-time, snow-birding or for a sabbatical
- want expert advice specific to your situation
- need to save time researching and avoid costly mistakes
- may be uncertain about why Uruguay and not another country, and
- value realistic, on-the-ground advice.
What’s included
- One-hour online consultation on Skype, WhatsApp audio or FaceTime.
- Half and full day consultations in Uruguay
What you should know
An expert on Uruguay Karen is a
An immigrant or expat like you She was born and bred in the UK, studied in the UK and the US and has lived for many years in different countries in Latin America and the US.
The best local contacts After so many years in Uruguay and thanks to her ground-breaking work in tourism, Karen has a priceless ‘Rolodex’ of the best English-speaking professionals who can make your eventual landing in Uruguay the softest possible. Use the consultation to pick some of that gold.
Karen knows first-hand the advantages and pitfalls of living and making a living in Uruguay. She loves living here but no place is perfect. Uruguay is not a good fit for everyone.
Contact
FInd out more about the 60-minute ‘Is Uruguay a good fit for me’ consultation now
Photos: Carlos Contrera, Alfonso R Cuchman
I would like to get out of South Africa. A once beautiful country is no longer viable for white South Africans. The previously disadvantaged want us gone. Sad but true. We would like to first take a trip to your country and see it for ourselves. If we can manage it financially we would love to emigrate. I think we would be much safer in Uruguay.
Hi Theresa, a consultation with me will help you get a feel for if Uruguay is really a good fit for you *before* you make the bigger investment in travelling here. I visited South Africa for work for a dozen years, visiting 2-3 times a year for 2-3 week stays each time, since I have been based in Uruguay and I am well placed to give you sound advice and comparisons. We currently have an offer on the one-on-one consultations so you might want to take advantage and book right now, even if you would prefer to use it later in the year. I look forward to talking. — Karen
We visited Montevideo with an eye toward a six-month stay next year. We couldn’t have had a better source of information that Karen. We had the full-day in situ consultation, and it was invaluable. After interviewing us very thoughtfully about what sort of place we might like to live, Karen gave us an extensive and detailed tour of various neighborhoods she thought might suit us. She is incredibly knowledgable about what each part of town offers in terms of available housing and local resources (restaurants, bars, music venues, grocery stores). This is very important in Montevideo. Many wonderful places hide behind rather plain facades. Karen steered us toward cultural events we never would have found on our own. She knows the city like a native, and she can tell you what living there is really like. If you’re considering a move or an extended stay in Montevideo, you couldn’t do better than to consult Karen.
[This comment was added to Guru’Guay’s old site on 27/12/2017]
Karen consulted with me on a potential move to Montevideo. The questions she asked prior to our talking on the telephone indicated the level of understanding she hoped to achieve prior to our conversation, and it was evident during the call. She was extremely well prepared, had far more relevant information than I expected, anticipated some of my questions, and answered all of the others thoroughly and thoughtfully. All the while, she was friendly, personable, and a pleasure to talk with.
Her preparation, combined with her extensive knowledge of Montevideo, made the hour phone conversation productive, informative and enjoyable. She was able to provide specific information that I would never have found anywhere else, and it was essential that I have those answers to questions prior to continuing my relocation plans. I highly recommend working with Karen should you find yourself considering a move to Uruguay for a short or long term. I’m planning my next trip there, armed with the information I need to make a thorough assessment, thanks to Karen.
[This comment was added to Guru’Guay’s old site on 17/07/2018]
We are a family looking to relocate from the country we currently live in. We have three children we would like to give the opportunity to grow up in the best possible environment with good education. If anyone of us gets sick we would like to have a good system of healthcare. And we would like to feel safe in our own country. We looked into a lot of options (Europe, Caribbean, etc.) and after reading information about Uruguay we got interested in this country.
Before we became in contact with Karen we had already read a lot on the internet about Uruguay. Some of the ideas we had were being confirmed during the consultation and that is satisfying. We made contact with one of the contacts Karen advised us and exchanged some useful information. In general, the consultation made us more confident about the ways we should or could go before the important decision for my family and me.
We found that one hour was time enough to stay “focused”. The only surprise was that time passed very quickly.
Without any doubt Karen’s knowledge of Uruguay and skills to communicate with people are highly developed. Her very professional way of working gave us a good feeling about this consultation.
We have planned a holiday to “feel and experience” Uruguay before making further plans for the “big step” which relocation will be. We live in a country that needs a Visa to enter Uruguay. Karen helped us with the process of application and we got the Visa without any problem.
We would definitely recommend Karen to anyone else interested in relocating to Uruguay.
[This comment was added to Guru’Guay’s old site on 31/07/2018]
I’m a world-traveling English teacher who has long thought about making a move to South America. Through my initial research, I found Uruguay to be appealing for loads of reasons—mostly because it’s the best kept secret on the continent. However, I couldn’t find a lot of current or comprehensive information about the ESL industry and was a bit stumped as to what, if any, opportunities might await me in Uruguay. I came across Karen’s blog and started reading some of the fantastic articles about traveling and living in Uruguay. I jumped at the chance to chat with Karen and get some perspective from someone “on the ground.” Our consultation was very informative. It gave me a chance to ask questions specific to my situation and about particular concerns I had. Karen was full of knowledge and gave me some great feedback. She also pointed me in the direction of additional resources. She was lovely to talk to and gave me a bit more peace of mind about the possibility of relocating. I was thrilled to visit Uruguay just a few months after the consultation and fell completely in love. Between Karen’s consultation and my own research in country, I have a much clearer picture of what future possibilities await me Uruguay. Thank you, Karen!
[This comment was added to Guru’Guay’s old site on 17/01/2019]
We had a great consultation with Karen! In addition to her connections and her ability to give fantastic references, it’s refreshing to speak with her and to get a better sense as to if we are “moving” in the right direction. After our discussion, we are going to to continue to proceed with our plans and it’s reassuring to know that we have an invaluable contact in Karen. We would highly recommend her services!
[This comment was added to Guru’Guay’s old site on 20/01/2019]
Hello Karen,
I am seriously considering moving to Uruguay, and have been reading enjoying your blog,
I have a couple of questions though,
1) do you have any contact details for reliable professional agents in Uruguay that can help?
2) I own Property that I am renting, but I was thinking of selling, which will net me much more than the monthly or annual amounts required to obtain residency (should be more than 6 or 7 years based on 1500 USD/ month) so can I get the residency based on that, after I sell, instead of monthly income from rent, and then use my amounts to sustain myself at first, and then invest/buy property in Uruguay and work there with my residency instead?
Thanks!
Hi Ayman, we’ve already been in touch directly but for anyone else that is reading, I recommended you talk to one of our trusted (and vetted) relocation specialists. I also said to you that having checked with legal expert Mark Teuten, Mark says that the Uruguayan government are more interested in you having a regular income than money in the bank, so they will be happy if you rent out your property at home and receive the income in Uruguay. We’ll be writing an article on what meets Uruguayan financial residency requirements very soon. All the best, Karen
Hi Guru,
Thank you so much for all your advises. Your books as well as your web site are amazingly helpful in preparing our coming visit. I am coming with my wife and 12 y.o. boy to Montevideo on Dec 28th. I thought, I had a reservation for New Year’s eve party at Hyatt Ballroom, but due to a hotel’s error I don’t. Do you have a suggestion, where to spend the magic moments of changing decade in Montevideo? My intention is to give the family an impression of comfort, festive and fireworks.
Excuse me for the last minute question. Thank you in advance!
Hi O, I am so glad you have enjoyed the books and website! Thank you for letting me know! If I were you, I would suggest contacting the Hyatt again. I really cannot imagine that they are booked out at this time. All the best and have a lovely time in Uruguay! — Karen
My husband and I have been/still are considering moving to Uruguay from the United States. We spoke with her and arranged a half day consult with Karen and then went to Argentina and Uruguay in the fall of 2018 for our honeymoon. We stayed in Karen’s guesthouse Casa Sarandi (which was fantastic and charming btw, would stay again in a heartbeat), and did a half day relocation consultation with her on our first day in Uruguay. Let me tell you, it’s worth the money. If you are planning on moving to another country, which is going to cost you anyway, isn’t it worth it to spend a little money on researching what you might be getting into? And who better to learn from than a person who has been through this experience herself and built a career on helping others do the same? She’s honest and realistic, she won’t sugar coat things to “sell” you on Uruguay. She’s doesn’t want you to move there and be unhappy because you had unrealistic expectations.
She asks you lots of questions about yourself in order to gauge what is most important for you to know and if Uruguay really will be a good fit for you. She will talk to you about jobs, housing, food, money, life…etc. Additionally, if you are visiting Uruguay and are planning on meeting up with her, I HIGHLY recommend doing it on your very first day. Moving to Uruguay aside, our honeymoon time there was exponentially better having had her guidance up front.
For instance, if you were to research your heart out online, as I did, you will feel like the food in Uruguay (except for steak), is ho hum, that you literally can’t get vegetables anywhere, and there is basically no such thing as a vegetarian or vegan restaurant. This was a bit of a worry for me moving there. I’m not a vegan but I like my veggies and am working towards it. You will also think that all restaurant and customer service sucks. But Karen dispelled those myths and showed us where you can in fact get veggies aplenty, and having made this into her living, she knows exactly which restaurants, cultural spaces, and services will benefit you the most and offer the best service. It really added that extra spark of awesome to our trip and allowed us to avoid unnecessary frustrations. It was totally worth it, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
We only did a half day with and even that was so valuable. Do a full day if you can, but if not, know that a half day is also incredibly informative and you will walk away with a much greater understanding of Uruguay than if you had just showed up and checked it out on your own. Our visit with her opened doors for us we would never have known about. If you are thinking about moving to Uruguay, this is 100% worth it.
Caitlin, I am blown away by your comments. It was wonderful to host you at Casa Sarandi and to provide you with guidance regarding Uruguay as a country to live. It was great that you decided to do the consultation as soon as you arrived. It definitely allows you to dispel any myths that you may have in your head, or construct as you are first walking around, right off the bat, and get a realistic perception on which to build the longer you stay. It was an honour that you asked me to help you in such an important decision and whatever you decide to do, it will be great to stay in touch. — Karen
Hello Karen,
My name is Cody. I’m a New Yorker. (USA) I am wondering if I apply to become a student, on a student-temporary residence permit, will I eventually become eligible for permanent residency in Uruguay? As in after graduation. Some countries, like Canada, allow post-graduation permanent residency; whereas some, such as the United Kingdom, do not. Please let me know if years spent on a student residency permit, would facilitate permanent residency afterwards.
Thank you,
Cody the New Yorker
Hi Cody, this is not a case that I’ve heard of. You can see Uruguay residency requirements here. All the best, Karen
Umm thanks…….I guess! Even the immigration website of Uruguay wasn’t able to answer my question, nor was your link.
Cody, you can consult with a professional, but I think you can take it as a no, there’s not currently an option for overseas students becoming residents. Sorry not to give you the answer you were hoping for! — Karen