Documents Needed for Uruguay Residency: A Complete Guide

Documents Needed for Uruguay Residency: A Complete Guide

Uruguay is a gem of stability and prosperity in Latin America. If you want residency in a country that promises a vibrant lifestyle and secure future, look no further than Uruguay, often called the Switzerland of South America.

Luckily, the country welcomes expats from all across the world, so obtaining a Uruguay permanent residency isn’t overly difficult – but there can be multiple steps in the process!

Once you are a legal resident, you will be able to apply for citizenship and obtain a Uruguayan passport by fulfilling some not-too-strict requirements in time as well.

In this article we will take a closer look at the documents needed for Uruguay residency and the process to obtain permanent residency in Uruguay.

What You Need to Know About Uruguay Permanent Residency

The Uruguayan government grants a permanent residency permit to those who meet the criteria, allowing them to live in the country indefinitely. That means you’ll have the right to live, work, and study in the country without any time limitations.

Read more to find out how to get tax residency in Uruguay.

Pros 

There are quite a few upsides to getting a Uruguay permanent residency, including: 

Citizenship via Naturalization

Once you have filed for Uruguay permanent residency, you can also start to work your way toward obtaining citizenship in Uruguay.

The best way expats go about this is via citizenship by naturalization. This means spending time in Uruguay in order to work your way to gaining the citizenship, and then the passport.

While in most Latin American countries, citizenship by naturalization can be granted in 3-6 years, in Uruguay it typically takes between 7-9 years.

While this process can happen faster, for many expats, they find the naturalization process taking longer than expected, so be sure to obtain citizenship only if you plan to live in Uruguay long term.

Uruguayan passport holders can also use their Cédula to travel to over 150 countries without a visa. That includes the UK, Japan, all of South America, the Schengen Area, Singapore, and more. 

Access to Healthcare

Once you become a permanent resident of Uruguay, you’ll have access to treatment in public and private healthcare facilities. Your Cédula gives you free access to all kinds of healthcare insurance. Healthcare plans in Uruguay are public, private, or funded by employers.

Healthcare in Uruguay is top-tier, and Uruguay boasts one of the best healthcare systems in Latin America. You can easily purchase a healthcare plan online before your travels to ensure you are covered in Uruguay, or purchase a local healthcare plan.

Right to Live and Work in Uruguay

Whole families can get permanent Uruguay residency permits, and family members over 18 can also work in the country. If you’re a tax resident, you can also open a business to generate more income.

Once you’ve received the resident card, you can live in Uruguay as long as you wish. Your personal belongings can also be moved to Uruguay duty-free.

As a resident in most countries, and Uruguay is no exception, you are able to legally reside and work in the country. However, you will not be able to vote or serve in the military, which are rights reserved for Uruguay citizens.

Strong Economy and Safety

Uruguay has earned the nickname “Switzerland of South America” since it rivals the GDP of most European countries. Fortunately, the cost of living in the country’s capital, Montevideo, is 15% more affordable than most European capitals.

The country also ranks 50th on the Global Peace Index, placing it among the safest countries in Latin America.

Expat-Friendly Country

Uruguay is an expat-friendly country, meaning foreigners can easily rent or buy property or even open a bank account. There’s no linguistic profiling despite the majority of Uruguayans speaking Spanish. Locals are typically enthusiastic to help those who can’t speak Spanish.

If you’re willing to live, work, and retire in Uruguay, the immigration authority most likely won’t reject your application. When it comes to a permanent residency, Uruguay makes it pretty straightforward for you to get one, and we assist many clients each month in obtaining legal residency in Uruguay.

Cons 

Like any other country, life in Uruguay has certain downsides to the country. Some of these include:

Timeframe to Obtain Residency

Typically, it takes about four to 12 months to obtain a permanent residency permit in Uruguay. This timeframe includes both the residency and cedula in Uruguay, as the cedula is what is needed to act as a local in the country.

While this pathway is longer than most other countries in Latin America, Uruguay leads you straight into getting permanent residency, while most other countries in the region only offer temporary residency initially.

Required Visit

You’ll need to visit Uruguay to submit your permanent residency application. If you spend more than three years abroad as a legal resident, your residency card will be evoked.

This is important to note as you want to be sure you spend at least a few days every three years in the country to keep your residency active.

Re-Entry Fee

After submitting your residency application, you’ll need to pay a re-entry fee each time you leave the country until you receive the residency card. This fee is currently around $40.

Documents Needed for Uruguay Residency

Securing permanent residency will allow you to live and work in one of Latin America’s most stable and welcoming nations. Here’s what you should know about how to get residency and the documents needed for Uruguay residency.

Moving to Uruguay: Residency Requirements

Here are the requirements you need to meet to be eligible for Uruguay’s permanent residency card.

• Applicants must spend a minimum of 6 months in Uruguay per year to maintain residency status.
• Applicants must not spend more than six months abroad at a time.
• Applicants should provide evidence of a clean criminal record from their country of origin and any other country where they have resided.
• Applicants must visit Uruguay to submit their application in person.

Required Paperwork

Here are the documents you’ll need to submit an application for a permanent residency in Uruguay.

• Passport
• ID sized photos
• National Police Background check (RCMP or FBI, not province or state level) + Apostille.

• You’ll also need a police check from any country where you lived for over 180 days during the 5-year period preceding your arrival to Uruguay.
• Health check
  • This can be done in Uruguay.
• Birth Certificate + Apostille
• Marriage Certificate (or a divorce certificate if applicable) + Apostille
• Measles and Tetanus proof of vaccines
  • If you haven’t had these vaccinations, we will ensure you get them when in Uruguay.
• Uruguayan Notary’s Income Certificate

Only one document below is needed options for proof of income. All sources of income are acceptable if they come from Uruguay as well (retirement, employment, business and rental). 

You must have at least $1000 USD coming into your bank account prior to starting the application process.

Other Paperwork

• Retirement pension letter, if retired 
• Work Letter (if you are an employee) + Monthly salary receipts 
• CPA Certificate of income + Apostille + Uruguayan Translation if you own a business
• Rental contract (property owner) if you own property and have income in a foreign country 
• Bank statement showing monthly deposits from the past six months
• Uruguayan bank statement showing monthly wires, local payments, and ATM withdrawals. 

Submission Process

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to get Uruguay residency.

1. First, our lawyers will conduct a simple due diligence background check. You won’t need to provide anything more than your passport. This check only takes a day and reduces the risk of refusal from the immigration centre.
2. Since you have to visit Uruguay to submit the residency application, you’ll also need a visa. If you’re coming from the US, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Japan, or South Africa, you won’t need a visa. Certain Asian and Latin countries also have visa-free alliances with Uruguay. This process takes about a month.
3. Next, you will need to will collect all required documents for the application. This typically takes anywhere from 1-5 months, depending on your country of origin.
4. Once you have an arrival date in Uruguay, you will need to submit your paperwork to our team, to confirm all documentation is correct.
5. When you’re in Uruguay, our team will submit the application in person at the National Migration Office. This process can take about a week, especially if your application has dependents.
6. Finally, your application will be in process while you receive a permanent residence card that stays valid for three years.
7. Approximately 5-10 months later, you’ll receive your Uruguay permanent residence permit card and cedula.

Obtaining a Uruguay Permanent Residence by Investment

Residents can also get a Uruguay residency by investing in local real estate. The Uruguay permanent residency requirements for investors include:

• The minimum investment amount for real estate to qualify for residency in Uruguay is around 3.5 million indexed units or $525,000 USD. This investment must be made in a property located within Uruguay.
• The property can be residential, commercial, or rural, but it must be located within Uruguay’s borders. It should also be registered with the Uruguayan government and compliant with local regulations.
• The funds used for the real estate investment must be legally obtained. You’ll need to provide bank statements or other financial documentation to prove the source of funds.
• Applicants must provide evidence of a clean criminal record and health insurance coverage in Uruguay. 
• Applicants must spend at least 60 days per year in the country to obtain their Uruguay residency permit. 

The submission process is similar to applying for citizenship in Uruguay.

First, you’ll pick a suitable property in Uruguay and conduct a due diligence test. After drafting the purchase agreement and registering the property, you can proceed with your residency application. 

Final Thoughts on the documents needed for Uruguay Residency

While there are various options to obtain residency in Uruguay, we at Worldwise Capital think this residency option is currently an excellent option that is straightforward. If you are seeking to spend time in Uruguay, own property, or simply to gain an additional diversification residency option, Uruguay could be the right country for you.

Reach out to us for more information and to see if Uruguay could be the right residency option for you.