Country topic
Visas in Uruguay
DNM's list of admission rules shows ordinary US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports as needing no visa to enter, and gives no length of stay. For non-residents in its visitor categories, Decree 394/009 (article 13) allows 90 days, renewable for 90 more. The US State Department, Canada and Smartraveller each describe visa-free stays of under or up to 90 days. [V8] [V4] [V11] [V12] [V13] A longer stay as a visitor is extended with the migration authorities once you are in Uruguay, according to Canada's travel advice; neither DNM's list nor Smartraveller says whether an Australian can stay beyond the first 90 days, so ask a Uruguayan consulate. A 2023 rule that asked foreigners for health cover at entry was repealed in June 2023 (Decree 176/023), though some older articles still describe it. [V12] [V13] [V10] [V8]
What we found
The research, with its sources.
Research information, not advice. Rules change, so check the source before you act on one.
- DNM's list of admission rules shows ordinary US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports as needing no visa to enter, and gives no length of stay. For non-residents in its visitor categories, Decree 394/009 (article 13) allows 90 days, renewable for 90 more. The US State Department, Canada and Smartraveller each describe visa-free stays of under or up to 90 days. [V8] [V4] [V11] [V12] [V13]
- A longer stay as a visitor is extended with the migration authorities once you are in Uruguay, according to Canada's travel advice; neither DNM's list nor Smartraveller says whether an Australian can stay beyond the first 90 days, so ask a Uruguayan consulate. A 2023 rule that asked foreigners for health cover at entry was repealed in June 2023 (Decree 176/023), though some older articles still describe it. [V12] [V13] [V10] [V8]
- The provisional identity sheet (hoja de identidad provisoria) covers remote work from Uruguay for entities established abroad, as reworded by Decree 238/022. It lasts 180 days and can be renewed once for 180 more, so 360 days at most; afterwards the person may apply for the categories in articles 4 and 7 of the decree. The decree requires no social security registration and sets no income minimum, and DNM's page prints no income figure. [V4] [V5] [V3]
- The first application for the sheet asks for a copy of the identity document used to enter and a sworn statement. The renewal adds a national-level criminal record from each country where you lived six months or more in the last five years, apostilled and translated, and a vaccination certificate issued in Uruguay. The fee is 55.71 UI, about UYU 371 or US$9 at the UI value of UYU 6.6653 on 15 October 2026, and DNM says it cannot be paid from abroad. [V3] [F2] [F1]
- Whether a freelancer with several clients qualifies for the sheet is not known from the pages we read. The decree speaks of activity for entities established abroad and says it applies "in equal conditions" to the ordinary provisional card, which needs proof of the activity and its end date. A private adviser (Forvis Mazars Uruguay, not official, undated) describes a sworn statement of means with no minimum amount. Confirm with DNM. [V4] [V14]
- Temporary residence is for more than 180 days and under two years, and is renewable. For workers, DNM asks for an employer letter on letterhead stating the activity, the term and a monthly pay of at least one national minimum wage, UYU 25,383 from 1 July 2026 (Decree 319/025); to be safe, have more than UYU 26,000 a month. A notary's certificate about the company or a social security work history goes with it. The minimum wage is reset by decree. [V1] [V6] [V9]
- Permanent residence can be requested directly, without holding temporary residence first. DNM asks for a monthly nominal income "sufficient for support" and prints no figure. An employee of a foreign company gives a notarial certificate of the link with the company, that it has no branch in Uruguay, the amount paid, how it is paid and how the work is done from Uruguay. A self-employed person gives a notarial certificate of income, and a "rentista, jubilado y pensionista en el exterior" a notarial certificate of the monthly amount and how it reaches Uruguay. [V2] [V6]
- A temporary or permanent file costs 557.30 UI (about UYU 3,715 or US$92 at the 15 October UI value), plus 55.70 UI (about UYU 371) for the migration certificate for the ID card; a pending applicant pays a re-entry permit of 225.60 UI (about UYU 1,504) for each trip out of the country. DNM states no time frame for permanent residence, and we found none for temporary residence or the provisional sheet, so those are unknown. DNM says the Residencias por Arraigo programme stopped receiving applications in November 2025. [V1] [V2] [V7] [V15] [F2] [F1]
The Fernshore Index
How the Index grades visas, by passport.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Visa, United States passport
Unknown
Research for US passports is being checked
Visa, Canada passport
Unknown
Research for CA passports is being checked
Visa, Australia passport
Unknown
Research for AU passports is being checked
Visa, New Zealand passport
Unknown
Research for NZ passports is being checked
The country
More on Uruguay.
Topics
More about Uruguay.
Questions about Visas in Uruguay.
How long can I stay in Uruguay as a visitor?
The regulation allows 90 days, renewable for 90 more, for non-residents in the visitor categories. The US State Department says no visa is needed under 90 days; Canada and Smartraveller say up to 90. Canada says longer stays are extended with the migration authorities in country. Extensions vary, so ask a consulate.
What does the digital nomad permit ask for, and can it be renewed?
The first application asks for a passport copy and a sworn statement; the fee is 55.71 UI, about UYU 371. The one renewal, for 180 more days, adds a national-level criminal record from each country lived in for six months or more in five years, and a vaccination certificate issued in Uruguay.
Can a freelancer use Uruguay's digital nomad permit?
Not known. The decree covers remote work for entities established abroad, in equal conditions to the ordinary provisional card, which needs proof of the activity and its end date. We could not tell from DNM's pages whether a freelancer with several clients qualifies, so confirm with DNM.
What residence routes are there beyond the nomad permit?
Temporary residence runs from more than 180 days to under two years; workers need an employer letter with a minimum monthly pay from July 2026 (to be safe, more than UYU 26,000 a month). Permanent residence can be requested directly, with a notarial certificate of income that DNM prints no figure for.
What does a residence application cost, and how long does it take?
Each file costs 557.30 UI, about UYU 3,715, plus 55.70 UI for the migration certificate. DNM states no time frame for permanent residence, and we found none for temporary residence or the provisional sheet, so those are unknown. A pending applicant pays 225.60 UI for a re-entry permit on each trip out.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [V8] Régimen de visas de admisión (list of countries and passports), Dirección Nacional de Migración (DNM), Ministerio del Interior. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V4] Decree 394/009 (regulation to the Migration Law 18,250), articles 8 and 13, as updated, IMPO, the official legislation database of Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V11] Uruguay: international travel information (country page and travel advisory), US Department of State (Internet Archive copy). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V12] Uruguay travel advice and advisories, Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V13] Uruguay travel advice and advisories (Internet Archive copy), Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Smartraveller), Internet Archive copy. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V10] Decree 55/023 and Decree 176/023: health cover at entry (repealed), IMPO, the official legislation database of Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V5] Decree 238/022: change to article 8 of Decree 394/009 for remote work, IMPO, the official legislation database of Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V3] Hoja de identidad provisoria, including the digital nomad variant, Dirección Nacional de Migración (DNM), Ministerio del Interior. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [F2] Unidad Indexada (UI) values, 6 October to 5 November 2026, Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [F1] Interbank US dollar rate, 14 October 2026, Banco Central del Uruguay (BCU). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V14] Régimen migratorio uruguayo para nómades digitales, Forvis Mazars Uruguay (private adviser, not official). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V1] Residencia legal: temporary residence (requirements, costs, how to apply), Dirección Nacional de Migración (DNM), Ministerio del Interior. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V6] Types of residencies in Uruguay (English), Dirección Nacional de Migración (DNM), Ministerio del Interior. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V9] Decree 319/025: national minimum wage for January and July 2026, IMPO, the official legislation database of Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V2] Residencia legal: permanent residence (requirements, costs, how to apply), Dirección Nacional de Migración (DNM), Ministerio del Interior. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V7] Frequently asked questions about Uruguayan residency (English PDF), Dirección Nacional de Migración (DNM), Ministerio del Interior. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V15] Residencias en Uruguay (DNM hub page), Dirección Nacional de Migración (DNM), Ministerio del Interior. Checked 15 October 2026.