Uruguay for Temporary and Permanent Residence: Relocation in 2023

In 2023, Uruguay is one of the most developed, economically stable, and safe countries for immigration. Favorable tax rates, well-developed infrastructure, good healthcare facilities, friendly local people, and stunning beaches have made Uruguay a popular country for relocation in 2023.

The Eastern Republic of Uruguay is a country located in the southeast of South America between Argentina and Brazil. Uruguay is washed by the Atlantic Ocean on two sides and is one of the favorite places for tourists. 

How to get a temporary or permanent residence in Uruguay? How affordable is the route and what things should be considered in advance for successful relocation? These and other immigration-related questions are gaining more and more popularity, and we decided to answer them in this article.

Why is Uruguay Selected for Relocation?

The advantages of Uruguay as a country for temporary or permanent residence are clearly seen in the feedback of foreigners that relocated to the Latin American state in 2022–2023:

• Uruguay is similar to Europe: this is the Europe of South America. The Europeans and people with similar mentality will feel comfortable after relocation.
• If you are a foreigner who has just come to Uruguay, it will be easy for you to open an account with the local bank and get a residence permit. The government of the former offshore jurisdiction is interested in the immigration of investors to the country.
• You can relocate to Uruguay and obtain a residence permit at once rather than stay for 60–90 days under a tourist visa. Immigration documents can be submitted remotely with the help of qualified specialists. It will help you get a residence permit upon entry to the country and stay there for a long time.
• The accelerated procedure of obtaining the right to permanent residence will take you 3-5 years, depending on the immigration category. Family couples can apply for permanent residence in the country in 3 years, while single foreigners can do the same in 5 years.
• Wonderful climate. There is practically no winter or snow in the country. Besides, the political and economic situation in Uruguay is very stable.
• There is no military service in Uruguay, and the attitude to immigrants is really good.
• Medical services and education are provided on a free and paid basis in Uruguay, but these services are not as expensive as in Europe.
• Affordable prices and average accommodation expenses in the country are commensurate to living expenses in any large city (about 1500 dollars a month).
• The region is seismically quiet and is not hit by any dangerous natural cataclysms, including tsunamis and earthquakes, so immigration is safe.
• Safety and a low crime rate in the country.

Relocation to Uruguay: Procedure

Interested in Uruguay’s immigration programs that make relocation possible? There are several of them today:

• Business immigration to Uruguay
• Immigration under a student’s visa
• Immigration for retirees
• Immigration under a rentier visa for wealthy foreigners
• Relocation to Uruguay via employment

Reference: the immigration documents listed further to get Uruguay’s residence permit and permanent residence are applicable to citizens residing in the countries that are not a part of MOS. Otherwise, the conditions of relocation to the country will be somewhat different. 

For example, if you want to obtain the right to permanent residence, provide an ID document and a certificate of criminal record, stay in the country for 2 years under a residence permit, and then apply for permanent residence.

Visa, Residence Permit and Permanent Residence in Uruguay: Requirements and Immigration Documents

The immigration documents required for relocation to Uruguay depend on the goal and objectives set:

• If this is a tourist visit, the majority of foreigners can visit Uruguay without a visa for a term of up to 90 days over six months. 
• Some other countries, like Albania, need to get a visa even for a short-term visit to Uruguay. The visa is most often issued in the consulate of the country of residence before going abroad.
• If you apply for a residence permit or permanent residence in the country, the package of immigration documents is somewhat different for different applicants. In total, the Law provides 7 categories of residence permit applicants + citizens of MOS member and associated states, as well as retirees and residence permit applicants from among wealthy foreigners (rentiers) that plan relocation. 

To avoid mistakes, you will need to get ready for the visit to the Immigration Office and determine in advance which documents you need to have at the date of address as it will be hard or even impossible to get a residence permit or permanent residence in Uruguay if you violate the terms. 

Documents Required to Obtain a Residence Permit in Uruguay

Here are the standard immigration documents that need to be submitted by all residence permit applicants in the Latin American country before relocation:

• Photo for ID document
• A medical certificate
• Medical insurance (required since 2023)
• Date of entry to the country that can be confirmed verbally or by providing a tourist card
• Information on no criminal record in the past 5 years (this requirement is applicable to foreigners aged 18 and more)
• ID document
• Certificate of birth and parents’ consent to entry to the territory of Uruguay for minor children
• Document that confirms the residence permit applicant’s category

All the documents are provided in the language of the country of address and should bear an apostille. The term of temporary residence in the country and the requirements for documents differ for different categories of applicants planning relocation.

Relocation to Uruguay for Hired Professionals

This immigration category includes scientists, research workers, highly-qualified specialists, as well as educators. The documents that need to be provided to the Immigration Office to confirm the applicant’s status:

• The employer company’s letterhead that specifies the position, salary, and term of the signed employment contract
• The documents which confirm the company’s status: a notarial certificate of business, registration address, and other information.

The term of the residence permit is 2 years, and it can be extended for 2 more years.

Relocation to Uruguay for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs, company CEOs, and administrative staff can get a residence permit in Uruguay by providing additional documents:

• Certificate of business activity on a letterhead
• Notarial certificate of business registration in the Social Security Bank (BPS) and the Main Tax Department (DGI), location in the country and information about the top executives.

The term of a primary residence permit in Uruguay for the founders of local and foreign companies is up to 2 years with an extension of up to 4 years. 

Relocation to Uruguay for Foreign Students

Here are the immigration documents to be submitted by prospective foreign students to relocate to Uruguay and obtain a residence permit:

• Certificate of the educational institution of student’s enrolment/studies
• Confirmation of the educational institution’s status (if this is a private institution, notarial certification is required).
• Confirmation of financial independence (availability of funds to live in the country during the studies).

The residence permit validity term for the students that study in Uruguay is 1 year, and it is extended on an annual basis for the whole period of studies in the country. The maximum possible period of residence permit extension upon graduation from the higher education establishment or another institution is 2 years. In the future, you will have to change the residence permit applicant’s status or obtain the right to permanent residence in the country by submitting immigration documents.

Relocation to Uruguay for Creators

This category includes foreign journalists, artists, athletes, and other cultural figures employed by a company or institution in Uruguay. Here are the immigration documents which make it possible for this category of applicants to go abroad and get a residence permit in the country:

• Employment data on a letterhead
• Certificate of the company/institution certified by notary

The validity term of the residence permit issued to journalists, artists, and athletes in Uruguay is up to 2 years at the most with a one-time extension for the same period.

Relocation to Uruguay for Scholarship Holders

Scholarship holders can also get a residence permit in Uruguay if they confirm their immigration status (the right to scholarship) with one of the following documents:

• Written confirmation of the information from an official institution in Uruguay. 
• A note issued by a foreign consulate in Uruguay.
• A note issued by a non-governmental organization that has such powers with an indication of all information about the institution.

The residence permit of Uruguay is issued to scholarship holders for 1 year with extension for the whole period of the scholarship.

Relocation to Uruguay for Religious Communities and Figures

The religious figures recognized in Uruguay should provide the following immigration documents to relocate and get a residence permit in the country:

• Certificates on the letterhead of the church or congregation with indication of the applicant’s mission and kinds of activity
• Confirmations of the legal entity and other information about the church

The validity term of the residence permit for religious figures in Uruguay is 2 years with an extension for another 2 years.

Relocation to Uruguay for Resident Permit Owner’s Relatives

Parents, spouses, and children under 18 of all the above applicants for the residence permit in Uruguay belong to an immigration category that can relocate to the country and obtain a residence permit in the Republic if they confirm kinship with a foreigner that received a residence permit under one of the accessible programs. The validity term of the temporary residence in the country is identical to the one obtained by the relatives.

Immigration under a Rentier Visa in Uruguay

We should separately note a residence permit for wealthy foreigners who can confirm their permanent income from foreign sources and quickly relocate to the Latin American republic. If you want to receive a rentier residence permit (visa rentista) in Uruguay, you will have to provide a standard package of immigration documents + confirm financial stability:

• The monthly income of at least 1,500 dollars
• The one-time non-refundable contribution of $10,000 per applicant and $2,000 for each of the spouse/children. 

You cannot work in case of immigration under a rentier visa in Uruguay as the applicant should be a wealthy foreigner by default. 

Permanent Residence in Uruguay in 2023: Documents and Requirements

Any foreigner that has a residence permit in Uruguay can change his status to a permanent resident by submitting a relevant request to the country’s Immigration Office. Here are the immigration documents required to get the right to permanent residence in Uruguay in 2023:

• Photo
• ID document
• Medical certificate/insurance
• Income statement for the past 3 months (salary, rent, pension, etc.)
• Criminal record certificate
• Certificates of Birth for children (of any) and Certificate of Marriage
• Duty payment slip

All the immigration documents should be translated into Spanish in advance, certified by notary, and legalized (apostilled).

You can apply for permanent residence in Uruguay in 3 or 5 years, depending on the immigration category of the applicant that received a preliminary residence permit. The validity term of the ordinary permanent resident’s ID is 3 years with a subsequent extension.

Permanent Residence for Retirees in Uruguay

Foreign retirees have the right to obtain a residence permit in Uruguay in accordance with the norms of Law No. 16.340. To be approved, you will have to apply to Uruguay consulate at the place of permanent residence and comply with the following immigration requirements:

• Own real estate for residence in Uruguay that was bought at a price of at least 100,000 US dollars. The right of ownership cannot be changed for a term of up to 10 years.
• OR invest in Uruguay’s debt bonds with a minimum nominal value of 100,000 US dollars. The term of these securities ownership is identical to real estate ownership (10 years).
• The amount of deductions from the personal retirement fund starts from USD 1,500 a month.

Reference: no other immigration categories can get a residence permit in Uruguay for buying real estate or investment in securities.