Uruguay Residency Requirements: Everything You Need To Know

Due to its affordable cost of living, favourable tax regime, low financial requirements, and reputation as one of the safest countries in Latin America, Uruguay has become a popular relocation destination for expats worldwide. The country boasts a growing community of digital nomads, remote workers, and international retirees.

Uruguay offers several residency pathways to foreigners, including residence permits for digital nomads and high-net-worth investors. In this guide, we will explain the Uruguay residency requirements and discuss:

• Types of residency expats can obtain in Uruguay
• The options and application for securing the Uruguay permanent residency
• The Uruguay residency by investment requirements
• Potential to apply for the Uruguay citizenship by investment program

Uruguay Residency: Routes and Options Explained

Through the self-solvency route, just by showing your proof of income, you can obtain a residence permit in Uruguay. This includes income from sources like employment, pensions, social security, or rent. 

Proof of sufficient legal income is the main requirement for obtaining the residence permit, regardless of the source.

There is no explicit minimum income amount you must demonstrate to be granted a permanent residence permit, but the general consensus is around $1,500 per month.

However, with the approval of Decree 238/022 in May 2023, Uruguay launched a special residence permit for digital nomads. This program grants qualifying individuals a six-month permit to reside in the country without applying for a temporary ID or permanent residence.

How Does the Uruguay Residence Permit for Digital Nomads Work?

The digital nomad permit in Uruguay is designed for employed or self-employed individuals who work for companies or clients based outside Uruguay.

If you obtain the digital nomad residence permit, you can stay in Uruguay for six months. The permit is renewable for another six months, but you can also apply for a permanent residence permit if you intend to move to Uruguay or reside there for an extended period.

The application process for the digital nomad residence permit includes four steps:

1. Visiting Uruguay as a tourist
2. Completing an online form with personal details
3. Signing an affidavit confirming you have sufficient means to support yourself
4. Scheduling an appointment at the National Civil Identification Office to get the provisional identity card

As with obtaining the permanent residence permit, there’s no official minimum income requirement set by the Uruguayan law. However, digital nomads typically demonstrate a monthly income of $1,500–$2,000.

Note that you must keep working for employers or clients outside Uruguay to maintain the permit. If you intend to obtain employment in the country, you have to apply for permanent residency separately.

Uruguay Residency by Investment: A Pathway to Residency or a Tax Status?

By making a qualifying investment of roughly $600,000 or more, you can obtain Uruguayan tax residency without living in the country full-time. This option allows you to become a taxpayer while spending only a limited amount of time in the country each year. 

Note that this route does not automatically grant a residence permit, which is a separate process.

The Uruguay residency by investment requirements are outlined below:

Type of Investment	Minimum Value	Additional Conditions
Real Estate	$513,950	The investor must be physically present in Uruguay for at least 60 days during the calendar year
Company ownership	$2,202,640	The investor must own an interest in a company directly or indirectly. The investment must generate at least 15 new direct full-time dependent job openings per calendar year

The above requirements apply to investments made after July 1, 2020, as the criteria prior to this date were different. 

Alternatively, you can become Uruguayan tax residents by meeting one of the following conditions: 

1. Having a center of your vital or economic interests in Uruguay
2. Spending at least 183 days in the country per year

In case you must leave the country for a short term, you can still qualify if you spend 140–150 days in Uruguay.

Uruguay Residency: Eligibility and Requirements

Most foreign nationals, including those from the U.S. and the EU, need a residence permit to reside in Uruguay for more than 90 days. In practice, when you apply for permanent residency, you initially receive a temporary ID valid for two years. After 6–7 months, once the process is finalized, you are issued a permanent residency permit and a definitive ID card.

While the temporary ID allows you to reside legally in Uruguay, the permanent residency status is designed for those planning to live in the country long-term. However, you are not required to reside in Uruguay full-time to maintain residency.

Ways To Qualify for Uruguay Residency

The primary requirement for obtaining residency in Uruguay is to provide proof of participation in the activity that is the reason for your residency permit request. The following table outlines the approved activities and the requirements associated with each: 

Ways To Obtain Residence	Explanation
Proof of income	This is the most common route for retirees and individuals with a steady passive income stream. The minimum requirement is $1,500 per month; however, a higher income will strengthen your application. Acceptable income sources include pensions, dividends, and rental income. There’s no mandatory requirement to transfer the funds to Uruguay, but opening a local bank account demonstrates financial integration. The minimum income to prove you can support a family of four should be a total of $3,000 or over. It does not matter if this total income comes only from the main parent or is divided between two parents
Formation of a company	You need to establish a business in Uruguay to qualify for residence
Pensioner visa	This route involves showing retirement income of $1,500 and purchasing real estate or government securities worth $100,000 or more, which must be held for 10 years

In addition to activity-based requirements, each applicant must provide:

• ID and a passport photo
• Proof of a clean criminal record
• Birth certificate
• Health insurance coverage

Note that the application process is streamlined for nationals of MERCOSUR and associated countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Colombia, and Venezuela, as they are a part of the South American regional economic organization. These individuals, for instance, don’t have to fulfill any activity-related requirements. 

Uruguay Permanent Residency Requirements

Although Uruguay does not grant permanent residency immediately, you can apply for it right away. After submitting your application, you are issued a “residence in process” card (residente en trámite), which serves as a temporary document confirming that your permanent residency application is under review. 

This card allows you to live legally in Uruguay, access services, and remain in the country while the government evaluates your case.

Permanent residency approval typically ranges from 6–18 months.

To apply, you must submit documentation to demonstrate your eligibility. Requirements vary depending on your circumstances:

• All applicants: Passport, identity document, criminal record certificate, and vaccination certificate
• Family ties in Uruguay: In addition to the standard documents, proof of relationship is required, such as a departure testimony confirming your connection with a Uruguayan national
• Non-MERCOSUR nationals without family ties: Proof of sufficient legal income or financial means to support yourself in Uruguay

The required documentation slightly varies depending on the income source. For instance, retirees must submit a notarized certificate stating their status as retirees, while employees have to provide a certificate detailing their employer’s company information.

Uruguay Residency Application Process: Step by Step

The application for the Uruguay permanent residency is a straightforward process that consists of three stages:

1. First visit (one week in Montevideo):
   1. Attend an in-person appointment at the National Migration Office (NMO)
   2. Submit initial documents (including your passport, health card, and photographs)
   3. Receive a temporary ID card (Cédula de Identidad) valid for two years
   4. Register your birth certificate (required for the permanent residency file)
   5. Start your permanent residency file with the complete set of documents
2. Application under review (4–8 months): If the application is still pending after five months, you may be required to make a second visit (around one week) to demonstrate your intention to remain in Uruguay
3. Approval: Once approved, you must also wait for the Birth Certificate Registration in order to return and claim your permanent residency card and receive a permanent ID. From this point, a three-year or five-year period toward citizenship eligibility begins, depending on marital status. Note that you need to visit Uruguay at least once every three years to maintain your permanent residency status

Tax Advantages of Obtaining Residency in Uruguay 

As a Uruguayan tax resident, you can invest funds strategically and protect your wealth from excessive taxation. Uruguay is known for its favourable tax regime and various tax benefits, including:

• No tax on foreign income for the first 11 years of tax residency
• Tax of 12% only on interest and dividends after the twelfth year
• Corporate income tax at a flat 25% rate
• No tax on capital gains or foreign income
• Zero property tax on foreign assets

Tax residents can also opt to be taxed at a flat rate of 7% on foreign-sourced income indefinitely instead of the 11-year exemption.

Due to this tax-efficient system, Uruguayan tax residency offers significant tax advantages to high-net-worth investors from countries with substantial tax rates, such as the U.S. and the UK.

However, in order to take full advantage of the Uruguayan tax system, you would need to no longer be considered a tax resident of your home country or qualify for tax relief under a double tax treaty. Otherwise, you may be subject to taxation in two jurisdictions. 

In addition to these tax advantages, Uruguay also allows individuals who qualify under the investment-based tax residency route to obtain tax residency without having to spend six months a year in the country.

How To Obtain Citizenship After Becoming a Uruguayan Resident

You may apply for Uruguayan citizenship after five years of legal residence if you don’t have family roots in Uruguay. If you have a settled family in the country (e.g., if you brought your family from abroad, established a family in Uruguay, or have significant family ties, including common-law partnerships), you may apply after three years of legal residence. 

To get approval, you must demonstrate that you can speak Spanish at a conversational level and file your citizenship application with the Electoral Court of Uruguay, providing information such as:

• Birth certificate
• Your permanent residence certificate
• Proof of identity and income

Citizenship applications are typically granted within six to twelve months. 

Once you become a citizen of Uruguay, you can travel to over 150 countries without a visa, including the EU member states, the UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan. 

Additionally, Uruguay allows you to hold dual citizenship, which means you don’t have to renounce your birth citizenship to obtain a Uruguayan passport. This applies if your home country has the same law. For instance, the U.S. and the UK permit their nationals to hold a second citizenship.

Note that obtaining citizenship in Uruguay or any other foreign jurisdiction includes extensive administrative work which may be complex to handle on your own. To streamline your residency and citizenship application and ensure all bases are covered, consider consulting professionals at Nomad Capitalist, an advisory firm that guides high-net-worth individuals in securing residency abroad.

Nomad Capitalist: Expert Help With Securing a Uruguay Residence Permit

Nomad Capitalist helps with all your relocation needs, including global assets protection, tax optimization, and investment diversification.

Instead of offering a single solution to all clients, Nomad Capitalist develops a personalized strategy that aligns with each client’s goals. To do so, we create a specialized Action Plan based on your needs, providing assistance with:

• Applying for a residence permit
• Setting up a bank account abroad
• Acquiring citizenship or dual citizenship

To get your own Action Plan, complete a short application form to determine whether we’re a good fit. If so, we will:

1. Schedule and conduct a one-on-one onboarding call to learn about your relocation goals
2. Develop and present a detailed Action Plan based on your relocation needs
3. Implement the Plan over a 12-month contract period
4. Handle all the administrative work and provide ongoing support 

Leave the legwork to us and enjoy a stress-free relocation to Uruguay or any other country worldwide—partner with Nomad Capitalist today!