Why get Uruguay Residency?Obtaining Uruguay residency allows you to live and work in Uruguay (or secures your option to do so). Becoming a resident also enables you to import your household goods duty free and is the first step toward Uruguayan citizenship. Residency is not required to open a bank account or to own real estate in Uruguay. It also doesn’t make sense to spend the time and money to go through immigration proceedings if you just plan to be in the country a year or two. A 90 day tourist visa can be extended to 180 days in most cases, and if you leave and reenter the country (whether it is a trip home or a weekend in Buenos Aires) the 90 day time frame starts all over. How to get Uruguay ResidencyTo obtain Uruguay residency you need to set up an interview with the Uruguayan immigration authority at the Dirección Nacional de Migracion. At the Uruguay residency interview you will need to provide documentation proving your identity, the date you arrived in the country, your marital status, and your means of financial support. You must also provide certification that you do not pose a health risk or criminal threat to society. Hiring an experienced bilingual immigration attorney or consultant to help you gather your documentation and then represent you through the interview and Uruguay residency procedure is money well spent. They know the requirements, the process, and keep up on changes. Even if you are a proficient Spanish speaker, you will be much better off hiring an experienced representative. Otherwise you may spend a lot of time and frustration figuring out the quirks and peculiarities of a bureaucratic system that you will just pass through once. What you need to bring to your Immigration Interview
Travel DocumentsPassport: You need to bring your passport and a photocopy of your passport. The immigration office personnel checks that the photocopy matches the original and keeps the photocopy. Tourist entry certificate: When you enter Uruguay you are given a stamped paper which is your Tourist Certificate that documents when you entered the country. The tourist entry certificate allows you to stay in the country for 90 days, but can be extended for another 90 days at the immigration office for a small processing fee. Documents from abroadBirth Certificate Marriage Certificate or Divorce Papers (decree of dissolution) Police Certificate – from your home country and any countries you have lived in over the past five years (different for US citizens – see Note below) Special handling for documents from abroada) Legalization of documents by presiding Uruguayan Consulate abroad You need to get your birth certificate legalized by the Uruguayan Consulate presiding over the area in the country where you were born. Your marriage certificate or divorce papers need to be legalized by the Uruguayan Consulate presiding over the area in the country where the union (or unraveling) took place. The Police Certificate needs to be legalized by the Uruguayan consulate in your country of origin, plus any countries you have lived in during the last five years. Note: Instead of a Police Certificate US Citizens need an FBI report. The process to get the FBI reports starts with an appointment at the Uruguayan Interpol office in Montevideo. Tip: Call the presiding Uruguayan Consulate for specific information about the documents you plan to submit for legalization. In my case the birth certificate had to be a certified copy less than two years old and other court papers needed to be newly certified copies. Tip: The process of legalization can often be successfully managed by mail. b) Translation of documents into Spanish by Public Translator in Uruguay All of the above documents that have been legalized by the presiding Uruguayan Consulate abroad (that are not in Spanish) must be translated by a Public Translator (Traductora Publica) when they arrive in Uruguay. A Traductora Publica is an occupational title for a translator who is trained and certified to translate legal documents. c) Legalization of documents in Uruguay The documents that have been legalized by the appropriate Uruguayan consulate abroad, translated in Uruguay by a Public Translator, must now be legalized again in Uruguay by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. In addition, your translated and twice legalized birth certificate must also be registered at the Uruguayan Ministerio de Educación y Cultura. Income CertificationIn order to obtain Uruguay residency you must show a means of financial support. The Uruguay immigration authority measure means of support in regularly received monthly income (not net worth or cash in the bank). I have heard from several sources that the amount is 500 US dollars per month (but my attorney told me it was 650 US dollars a month). Both the source and amount of monthly income must be verified by an escribano (often called a notary) who prepares an income verification certificate that is presented to the authorities at your immigration interview. The form and wording of this stamped certificate must be very precise. The income requirement for Uruguay residency can be satisfied by social security or a retirement pension, a business activity, investment earnings, or rental income. There are allowances to be supported by others in the case of a student or missionary. And they may grant a conditional residency on the basis of a documented job offer or self-employment in Uruguay. In order for real estate rental income to quality, the property must be held by you or a member of your household. It cannot be held by a corporation or trust. Health CertificateIn order the get a Uruguay Health Certificate required for Uruguay residency, you need to get a medical exam. You can get the exam free at the Ministry of Public Health (Ministerio de Salud Pública), or you can pay to have the exam at one of the several private clinics and hospitals authorized to provide a Health Certificate for the purposes of legal residency. The exam consists of a dental check up, blood tests, a health interview, eye test, and a physical examination. You will probably be asked to come to the appointment with a urine sample (first of the morning) and to have fasted for a set number of hours prior to your appointment for the blood testing. If the health check is accepted, a photo ID health card is issued by the hospital or clinic. Tips: 1) Using a private hospital or clinic will probably provide a better experience than the exam provided for free at the Ministerio de Salud Pública. 2) Bring documentation of a tetanus shot if you have had one. If you so not have documentation of a tetanus shot you can get vaccinated for tetanus in Uruguay. 3) Small plastic urine sample containers are available in Uruguayan pharmacies. Two ID photos – These can be obtained at most local photo shops, which are plentiful in most communities. Uruguay Immigration ProceedingsOnce all your properly certified, translated, and legalized documents are ready, you are ready for your immigration interview. The immigration authority will review all your documents, checking that everything required is included and prepare a file. If all your documents are in order, your official application for permanent Uruguay residency begins its bureaucratic journey. This can take anywhere from four to 18 months depending on the workload of immigration, any unusual circumstances in your file, and the timely actions of your immigration attorney or consultant. After your immigration interview, you are allowed to live in Uruguay while you wait for your final approval. In the meantime you can get a temporary national Identification card. You may also have your household goods shipped to Uruguay duty free, by putting up a10,000 US dollar bond, which is returned to you once your permanent residency is approved. Between your immigration interview and final residency approval, the immigration Authority may require verification of your monthly income coming into Uruguay. In some cases the immigration authority has added a requirement (for applicants that have income but are not retired) to temporarily get a Uruguayan business license, tax ID and start paying Uruguayan social security taxes during the proceeding process. Getting your Uruguayan Cedula!Once your application is officially approved you return your temporary national identification card for a new one – you have successfully completed the process for Uruguay residency and are now a fully approved legal permanent resident of Uruguay! Your Uruguayan national ID card is commonly known in Uruguay as your “cedula”. Your first cedula is good for three years before it has to be renewed. By David Hammond Uruguay Residency supplement for US citizens The background report is handled differently for US citizens seeking Uruguay residency.
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