Uruguay Visa, Residency, And Citizenship Information

Becoming a resident is a straightforward process. If you enter the country on a tourist visa you can apply for residency while you’re there—in person at the country’s National Migration Office or online. 

 The documents you’ll need are: 

•  Passport and passport photos 
• Health card issued in Uruguay (you can get this by taking a medical exam at an authorized clinic in Uruguay)  
• Clean criminal record 
• Your birth certificate 
• Marriage certificate (if applicable) 
• Proof of income ($1,500 a month minimum requirement and this can include a pension or social security) 
• Proof of address in Uruguay 

The process for residency takes about a year to 18 months. In the meantime, you’ll be issued with a temporary residence card. Once it’s approved, you’ll receive your permanent residence card (called a Cedula). 

The benefit of having a cedula is that you are allowed the same luxuries and facilities available to any other national of the country. 

 The easy residency also allows you to import your household items before residency has even been granted. 

 Once you’re a resident in the country you can apply for citizenship. 

 Citizenship is relatively easy to get when you move to Uruguay, given the low financial requirements for doing so (great for retirees). 

 It usually takes around three (for married couples) to five years (for a single person) to get approval for citizenship. You’ll need to prove that you’ve integrated into your new life in Uruguay and that you can speak conversational Spanish.