Residencia in Uruguay

I am from the UK and currently live in Portugal as a permanent resident, I spent a month in Uruguay in November 2022 and was wondering how difficult is it to get a residency visa there. Many thanks

Hi Itoby. Clean criminal record and proof you can provide for yourself.

Ok, I have been living in Portugal for 8 years so is it just a criminal record from here?

@uru_guy passport, a criminal record is fine, healthcare insurance, what will be accepted there? also, do you need to have a rental contract and tax number there before you start the process? Many thanks

@ltoby955 It's pretty simple if you have all your papers in order. You will need apostilled and translated birth certificate, police clearance and an income of more than US$1,500 per month. You have to enter as a tourist and seek residency here, starting the process before your tourist visa extension expires. That is, you get 90 days when you enter then you extend it by another 90 at the immigration office. You also have to buy a property for at least US$100,000 or buy $100,000 of government debt.

@ltoby955 Hi Itoby, no rental contract required. You will need a tax number (cedula de identidad). Can't remember the exact conditions regarding criminal record but it is worth the $1,500 to have someone hold your hand through the process because if you screw it up you'll have to start over from scratch. You can also live here as a tourist for as long as you like which is a good way to get to know the place and decide if you want to make the permanent plunge, the only caveat being you have to leave the country every 6 months to come back in with a fresh stamp on your passport.

@uru_guy A weekend in Buenos Aires every 6 months is no hardship. Re the criminal record check, it has to be issued with 6 months of entry to Uruguay. Itoby will need one from the UK and Portugal or Europol.

@ltoby955 This site will give you an idea of some of the prices of things you might need to buy if you don't bring your chattels with you. Uruguay electricity supply is 220v 50Hz so any British appliances work here.

@ColoniaManhttps://www.mercadolibre.com.uy/

@uru_guy Hi when you say I can live as a tourist for as long as I like the 90 and 180 day rule doesn't apply?

@ColoniaMan Thank you. I was able to plug in my computers phones etc as I have the Portuguese and brazilian style plugs.

@ColoniaMan So if I leave for a month I can come back in? Brazil is max six months there and 6 months out of the country.

@ltoby955 If you do not need a visa for Uruguay, you do not need to stay out of the country for six months. Just spend a weekend or whatever then re-enter, get your 90 days and extend to 180. Imigraciones may invite you to apply for residency after a while. I took my partner up to Chuy a while ago and that is a strange arrangement. The city is bolted on to the Brazilian city of Chui and has an open frontier so you have to go searching for the imigraciones post which is on the main road about 2 km before the border. Presumably, the Brazilian imigracao is further up the road.

Hi ColoniaMan, I would consider a residency, I have an income of 60.000 pesos per month by way of pensions plus an income from online teaching. What are the financial requirements when applying for a residency permit? If I were to come out there for around two months would the whole process be doable? 

60,000 would just about meet the requirements depending on whether they use use bid, offer or spot as the exchange rate but 'every case is judged on its merits'.  I cash £1,000 each month which gives me 47.000 pesos and that is enough for our day to day living including a few treats but I do not pay rent or mortgage. I think you will need to spend more than 2 months here. I have heard that imigraciones doesn't 'look favourably' on those who apply then go away, but I have heard several things that turn out no to be quite right. My partner is presenting her papers later this month and we are hoping to escape the winter a few days later. She has been here for 8 months and booked an appointment at the end of last March. You may be able to start the process here but you would not residency within a couple of months.

@ColoniaMan Ok, do have income from teaching of around 55,000 pesos. I was going to use the time to look around. I have been to Montevideo, and towards Punta del Este. Where are the best albeit reasonable parts of Montevideo?

@ltoby955 Pocitos is a good and reasonably priced neighbourhood. Carrasco is the best but expensive.