Relocation list

The following list is just an illustration. You can obtain a personalized one during a free consultation.
Relocation map

RELOCATION TO-DO LIST

RESIDENCY (IMMIGRATION)

  1. Passport
  2. ID photo (3×4 cm) (‘Foto carné’ size)

3. Appointment booking

Website: https://www.gub.uy/tramites/residencia-legal 

Immigration office in Montevideo:

Immigration office in Punta del Este:

Additional locations: Goverment offices here

4. Digital Nomad Permit ID card (Immigration online & ID office in Montevideo in person)

You can request it easily (for 10 USD) after your Immigration residency appointment is scheduled and paid. It allows access to an ID card while you await your in-process resident ID card. You’ll have 30 days to obtain an ID card once Immigration approves your Digital Nomad application (a first-time application can only be filed once). The resulting ID card is valid for 6 months and it’s renewable once.

  • Government user
  • Passport
  • Application form (signed and uploaded online)

Digital Nomad Permit Website: https://www.gub.uy/tramites/hoja-identidad-provisoria

Digital Nomad ID card Website: https://www.gub.uy/tramites/cedula-identidad-primera-vez-personas-extranjeras-hoja-identidad-provisoria#contenido-seleccion

Declaración JuradaDownload

5. Uruguayan Marriage/Birth Certificate (Civic Registry)

It’s a prerequisite to obtain a Uruguayan resident ID card. The following is required:

  1. Marriage/Birth Certificate (less than an year old) + State apostilles (apostilles that don’t match the state that issued the certificate will be rejected) + Uruguayan Translation + Uruguayan Notary’s Copy
  2. Registration appointment per certificate
  3. Signed registration form per certificate (it has a third-party authorization section at the bottom) (you can download it and print it below)
  4. Registration fee per certificate (1320 UYU)
  5. Photocopies of originals per certificate
  6. Photocopies of applicant’s and representative’s Uruguayan IDs per certificate
  7. Pick up originals from the Civic Registry’s Legal Department at its second floor

Civic Registry office in Montevideo:

formulario-de-inscripcion-partidasDownload

6. Uruguayan Vaccination Certificate (British Hospital in Montevideo or La Asistencial in Maldonado)

  • Appointment
  • Foreign vaccination history (2 measles shots and 3 tetanus shots are required)

British Hospital:

La Asistencial:

7. Uruguayan Health Card (Biotec in Montevideo or CAVICA in Maldonado)

  • Uruguayan Vaccination Certificate
  • Blood test
  • Urine test
  • Pap smear (women between 21 and 65 years old)
  • Mammogram (women between 50 and 69 years old)

Biotec:

CAVICA:

8. Immigration residency appointment printout

9. National-level Background check or Police Clearance Certificate (from federal authorities or nationwide agencies like the FBI, the RCMP, the UK NPCC, the Brazilian Federal Police, etc) (provincial, state or city level and UK DBS background checks are not acceptable) + Apostille (at the national level only, provincial, state or city level are not acceptable) + Uruguayan Translation (adults only) (for birth country and those you lived in for the past 5 years before coming to Uruguay) (less than 90 days old)

United States (FBI + US Department of State):

Canada (RCMP + Global Affairs Canada):

United Kingdom (ACRO + Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office):

France (Ministry of Justice + Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Germany (Federal Ministry of Justice + Federal Foreign Office):

Belgium (Federal Public Service Justice + Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation)

Italy (Ministry of Justice + Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Australia (Australian Federal Police + Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

Argentina (National Recidivism Registry + Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship)

Brazil (Brazilian Federal Police + National Council of Justice)

FBI or RCMP Background check + National-level Apostille + Uruguayan Translation (Interpol)

You can request an FBI or RCMP police background check through Interpol in Montevideo. They’ll need your passport, US/Canadian address, Social Security number, credit card information and the Canadian Embassy in Montevideo’s authorization (for RCMP Background checks). They’d take your fingerprints and you would send them in a sealed envelope to the FBI field office in Clarkson, West Virginia or the RCMP field office in Ottawa, Ontario via DHL and through the Canadian Embassy in Montevideo respectively.

The FBI/RCMP will issue the Police Background check, send it to the US Departament of State/Global Affairs Canada to issue its apostille, send it back to Uruguay via USPS.

The FBI Police Background check + Apostille will be translated into Spanish by Interpol, they’ll submit internally with the Immigration office previously chosen to submit the residency application.

The RCMP Police Background check + Apostille will be sent to the Canadian Embassy to be picked up. It’s the applicant’s responsibility to obtain its Uruguayan Translation and submit it with Immigration.

Canadian Embassy in Montevideo:

Interpol office in Montevideo:

10. Social Security card (US citizens) and/or National ID card

It´ll be required to verify your National Background check.

9. Uruguayan Education Certificate (minors only)

It´s obligatory for underage applicants to study at a Uruguayan academic institution. The Uruguayan Education Certificate can be easily requested at the corresponding school. It must be addressed to Immigration.

10. Uruguayan Translations (from sworn translator Mario Vergara)

All the necessary Uruguayan Translations can be done by my sworn translator, Mario Vergara.

The translator must review your originals in person and sign them and seal them to tie them to the resulting sworn translations. You can ship him the necessary documents or bring them to him personally.

Feel free to contact her to get a quote and send a PDF of your documents in advance to save time.

Mario Vergara:

11. Uruguayan Notary’s Income Certificate (from Uruguayan notary Ana Lía Méndez in Montevideo or Dr. Sandra Márquez in Maldonado)

  1. Passport
  2. Uruguayan ID card (front and back)
  3. Proof of address (Uruguayan utility bill)
  4. Proof of income12
  5. Proof of deposits into foreign bank account (foreign bank statement).
  6. Proof of transfers from foreign bank account to Uruguayan bank account (Uruguayan bank statement).
  7. Proof of use of funds in Uruguay (Uruguayan bank statement).
  8. Uruguayan bank reference letter citing the owner’s accounts.
  9. Picture of Uruguayan debit card showing the owner’s name and its last 4 digits.
  10. Uruguayan Marriage Certificate to prove marital tie towards joint income (if applicable).³
  11. Uruguayan Birth Certificate to prove parental relationship towards income coverage for a minor dependent (if applicable).³

¹The resulting income must be over a Uruguayan minimum wage per person.

2One of the following is required: Retirement letter, Work Letter (model here) or Certified Public Accountant´s Income Certificate for business owners (model here) or rental property owners (model here).

³Any marital or parental ties proven for income coverage purposes must also be officially declared through a sworn statement composed by Immigration and signed at one of their 17 field offices.

You can find a detailed list of the required information here.

Ana Lía Méndez:

Dr. Sandra Márquez:

12. Uruguayan ID card (ID office)

In-process (provisional) ID

  1. Passport
  2. Birth Certificate + Apostille + Uruguayan Translation
  3. ID appointment
  4. Previous initial Immigration appointment (Immigration residency file number)

Website: https://www.gub.uy/tramites/cedula-identidad-primera-vez-personas-extranjeras-residencia-tramite-legal-definitiva-definitiva-mercosur#contenido-seleccion 

Permanent resident ID

  1. Permanent residency approval
  2. Uruguayan Birth Certificate
  3. ID appointment

Address in Montevideo: Rincón 663 & Bartolome Mitré, Old Town Distrcit, Montevideo

Address in Maldonado: Treinta y Tres 776 & 18 de Julio, Downtown District, Maldonado

13. Immigration update/submission request instructions here.

END OF LEGAL RESIDENCY DOCUMENTATION LIST

RENTAL AGREEMENT (ASEGUROS)

It’s best to access short-term rentals in different cities before committing to a long-term rental agreement of one or two years.

  1. Passport
  2. Proof of address (Uruguayan utility bill)
  3. Proof of income¹²
  4. Uruguayan renter’s insurance policy (Garantía de Alquiler)³

¹The resulting income must be triple the amount of your rental budget.

²One of the following is required: Retirement letter, Work Letter (model here) or Certified Public Accountant´s Income Certificate for business owners (model here) or rental property owners (model here).

³A renter’s insurance policy grants more options within the real estate market given that landlords prefer it over a security deposit because the issuing insurance company performs a vetting of the interested renter. It can be swiftly obtained with the assistance of an insurance broker.

I highly recommend Aseguros. It’s run by a married couple, Valeria Cal (insurance broker) and Dr. Eduardo Sanguinetti (real estate attorney). They’re formidable professionals with a well assembled team.

HEALTHCARE COVERAGE

HMO (mutualista) or PPO (aseguradora) private membership (HMO COSEM, HMO La Asistencial in Maldonado or PPO British Hospital in both locations)

  1. Appointment to start the membership process (except with La Asistencial)
  2. Medical background form
  3. Blood test (only for La Asistencial)
  4. Automatic payment setup (optional)

Ambulance services are always charged under their own separate plan regardless of the provider.

The British Hospital will be setting up its first Countryside clinic in Punta del Este and therefore extending their coverage to the Maldonado area.

British Hospital:

COSEM:

La Asistencial:

Projection of the British Hospital’s upcoming clinic in Punta del Este.

DRIVER’S LICENSE CONVERSION INTO URUGUAYAN FORMAT (CAVICA & MALDONADO DMV)

  1. Foreign driving history + Apostille (from the exact same jurisdiction) + Uruguayan Translation
  2. Foreign driving class definition + Uruguayan Translation
  3. Uruguayan ID card
  4. Uruguayan health check from CAVICA in Maldonado (unrelated to the Health Card and it isn’t valid nationwide)

Address (Maldonado DMV): Enrique Burnett 759 & Av. Francisco Acuña de Figueroa, Centro, Maldonado

Driver’s health check (CAVICA):

  1. Health form
  2. Eyesight check (glasses must be used if applicable)

CAVICA:

BANKING (ITAÚ)

The following documents are required for Non-Resident accounts (it applies to people who are not a Uruguayan citizen or a permanent resident):

  1. Passport
  2. Uruguayan utility bill (obtainable with a Uruguayan cellphone plan)
  3. Proof of income¹
  4. Bank statement for every account you own
  5. Bank reference letter indicating the following:
    • Since when you have been operating with them
    • Which products do you own (savings account, checking account, credit card, etc)
    • That you are in good standing with them
  6. Last tax statement
  7. Compliance with FATCA regulations (US citizens only)

¹One of the following is required: Retirement letter, Work Letter (model here) or Certified Public Accountant´s Income Certificate for business owners (model here) or rental property owners (model here).

  • The required documents must be previously sent to the bank via email.
  • Itaú has numerous discounts at restaurants and entertainment venues.
  • Unlike most Uruguayan banks Itaú doesn’t require a long-term deposit (all of them impose strict financial requirements under the Central Bank’s regulations on accounts owned by Non-Residents since the 2002 Banking Crisis).
  • Itaú charges 40 USD a month to Non-Residents which goes down to 20 USD (Resident fee) when you present your permanent resident ID card.

My banking executive in charge of opening Non-Resident accounts works at the bank’s branch in the neighborhood of Buceo, Montevideo.

Address: 26 de Marzo Boulevard 3544 & Luis Alberto de Herrera Avenue, Buceo, Montevideo

Itaú’s branch in Buceo.

The long-term deposit requirement was imposed by the Central Bank in 2021 because of the rising number of people moving to Uruguay. 

The government wants to prevent a situation similar to the 2002 Banking Crisis which was partially caused because of the country’s enormous dependence on Argentine exportation and their banking funds (which had no backup). 

When their 2001 Crisis hit, it toppled Uruguay soon after and it caused a massive bank run in which the Uruguayan population was last in line to save their life savings.

By that point the Central Bank financed most of the foreign deposits and had no reserves left. It ended the hegemony of the then ruling Colorado Party, which governed the country almost without interruptions for 200 years. That’s why these strict banking regulations are in place today.

BUSINESS REGISTRATION

Only a passport or preferably a Uruguayan ID card is required to register a sole proprietorship (unipersonal) business to fit your needs at a minimum cost and with simple operating conditions outfitted for self-employed people.

Your ID must be physically registered at any Uruguayan Social Security Administration (BPS) office (at a physical individual section). Once your ID is registered you will be given a BPS user through which you can submit a business registration application that will be approved within 72 hours. The required forms are automatically filled online, your physical presence wouldn’t be required.

The type of sole proprietorship business and its corresponding tax burden will depend on your activities and clientele.

SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP MONO-TAX (MONOTRIBUTO) BUSINESS

It’s the cheapest form of business in Uruguay starting at 30 USD a month. It doesn’t require the services of an accountant or tax statements and it comes with a monthly bill at a fixed amount, only one tax is paid.

You can add healthcare (which allows unrestricted access to any HMO of your choosing) to your monthly bill. The amount will vary if you add dependents.

However it comes with several restrictions:

  • There’s a limited list of allowed activities (mostly manual labor and otherwise informal jobs).
  • Any work must take place within a 15 square meter area.
  • The business can’t invoice any clients overseas.
  • The business can’t invoice any companies.
  • No digital invoices are allowed. A paper invoice booklet approved by DGI (Uruguayan Tax Authority) must be bought.

PDF of Mono-tax business registration instructions:

mono-tax-business-registration-2-7-1Download

PDF of tax and paper invoice issuance instructions:

dgi-bps-payment-invoice-instructionsDownload

SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP NON-PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL SERVICES COMPANY

It’s the perfect form of business for self-employed people. 4 taxes must be paid. 2 to Social Security (BPS) and 2 taxes to the Uruguayan Tax Authority (DGI).

The BPS taxes are monthly and always obligatory regardless of revenue. The taxes are the National Healthcare Fund (FONASA) and the Retirement Tax (Montepío) starting at 200 USD a month for both.

The DGI taxes are bi-monthly and are based in revenue. The taxes are the VAT (Value Added Tax) at 22% (it drops to 0% for exportations, including any services provided to foreign clients) and the Physical Person Income Tax (IRPF) (dependent on the income perceived starting at a 1000 USD per month after VAT).

A Uruguayan accountant isn’t required to register this kind of business but you will need one for its operations including the bi-monthly payments for the IRPF (all the other 3 tax bills can be self-generated online) and the yearly tax statements for all 4 taxes.

You will have 30 days to choose a Uruguayan healthcare provider (an HMO, your choice will bear no impact on the amount paid) or you’ll remain a member of the public healthcare system (ASSE) for at least 2 years.

Benefits:

  • Wide arrange of available activities.
  • You can bill clients overseas (with 0% VAT).
  • You can bill companies.
  • Digital invoices are allowed (an obligatory, a Uruguayan invoicing software approved by DGI must be hired).
  • You can write business expenses to your company by soliciting a “Boleta con RUT” at Uruguayan businesses.

Uruware provides the best invoicing software in the country. It provides a bilingual invoicing service.

PDF of Sole proprietorship Non-professional personal services business registration instructions:

sole-proprietorship-personal-services-company-registration-instructionsDownload

PDF of sole proprietorship non-professional personal services business tax instructions:

tax-instructionsDownload

PDF of digital invoice issuance instructions:

invoice-instructions-sole-proprietorship-non-professional-personal-services-companyDownload

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Montevideo

Everyone can get a bus pass (passports are accepted). You can get a 10% discount and can reuse your ticket within the hour of its issuing automatically by presenting the card. 

Students from a public school or with a scholarship (of any age, including those in college)can apply for a student bus pass with an additional discount. The school must file the request on behalf of the student.

You can get your bus pass at any Abitab (money collection agency similar to Western Union) location by presenting your passport or Uruguayan ID card without charge.

Maldonado

The Municipality of Maldonado (Intendencia in Spanish) hasn’t implemented a universal bus card usable with all bus companies that’s available to the public (it’s only available to elementary, middle, high school and college students and retirees). The student’s education institution must previously request the issuance of the bus pass.

The local Maldonado bus company CODESA connects most of its cities (Maldonado, Punta del Este, Punta Ballena, Piriápolis, San Carlos, La Barra and Balneario Buenos Aires), it has a GPS tracking system and its own bus card with a 10% extra credit each time you put money into it.

You can get your CODESA bus pass at its station in Maldonado by presenting your passport and a 100 UYU minimum charge.

Municipality of Maldonado (students):

CODESA:

EDUCATION REVALIDATION & ENROLLMENT

  1. Passport and/or Uruguayan ID card
  2. Uruguayan Vaccination Certificate
  3. Uruguayan Health Card
  4. School report card + Apostille + Uruguayan Translation
  5. School certificate detailing course contents and grading system + Apostille + Uruguayan Translation
  6. Latest diploma + Apostille + Uruguayan Translation

Website: https://www.dges.edu.uy/tramites/revalidas-internacionales 

CELL PHONE SERVICE

  • Passport or Uruguayan ID
  • Address in Uruguay

I highly recommend hiring a local service plan and acquiring a Uruguayan cell phone number in order to get government updates and notifications from local entities that don’t message or call foreign numbers.

ANTEL is my top recommendation because of its vast experience, cost friendliness with other numbers within its network (over 60% of cellphones and 100% of landlines, they have a legal monopoly over the latter), numerous branches are all over the country and they allow interpreters at their offices.

 You can hire a plan for it without changing numbers. The cheapest plan starts at 540 UYU a month.

You can set up the shipping method for your bills and receive them via email.

Relocation map