Uruguay, the Switzerland of South America, unspoiled coast, a high standard of living, the birthplace of tango, and many more wonders and opportunities for business, work, and study.
This guide introduces you to the requirements, application process, different types of Uruguay visas, and all the things you need to know.
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ToggleWho needs a visa to visit Uruguay?
Whether you as a visa applicant need a visa to visit Uruguay is up to
- Your nationality
- Duration of your stay
- Purpose of your visit
First, you need to determine the duration of your stay in Uruguay. Are you going to stay for up to 90 days in the country? If yes, your stay is short-stay. A few countries are exempt from Uruguay short-stay visas. They can visit the country with a passport or ID card.
The list of visa-free countries is as follows:
Andorra | Chile* | Honduras | Monaco | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Trinidad and Tobago |
Argentina* | Colombia* | Hong Kong | Mongolia*** | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Turkey |
Armenia | Costa Rica | Iceland | Montenegro | San Marino | Ukraine |
Australia | Dominica | Israel | New Zealand | Serbia | United Arab Emirates |
Bahamas | Ecuador* | Jamaica | Nicaragua | Seychelles | United States |
Barbados | El Salvador | Japan | Norway | Singapore | Vatican |
Belize | Georgia | Liechtenstein | Panama | South Africa | Venezuela |
Bolivia* | Grenada | Macau** | Paraguay* | South Korea*** | |
Brazil* | Guatemala | Malaysia*** | Peru* | Malta | |
Canada | Guyana | Mexico | Russia | Switzerland |
If you have a passport from the above countries, you can visit Uruguay for up to 90 days without receiving a visa. But to stay longer, you need a visa and residence permit.
When it comes to the purpose of the visit, you might need a visa. In case you want to visit Uruguay for tourism or visit a friend, look at the above list, and if you are not among them, apply for a visa.
The people who want to work and study in Uruguay need a visa and residence permit.
Uruguay visa requirements
Requirements for Uruguay visa are different and vary for each visa you apply for. Also, the Uruguay officials could ask for further requirements, as in your case. But a general list of the requirements or supporting documents for each visa is as follows;
Passport
It’s the first requirement you need to get from the officials in your home country. It must be valid at the time of application and hold validity over the date you wish to leave Uruguay. Also, it may not be older than ten years ago it means it must have been issued less than ten years. One or two blank pages must have to stick the visa to it.
Application form
You can get the appropriate application form from the Uruguay embassy or consulate in your home country. Remember that there are application forms for the short term and long term, and you need the one that suits your visa type and the purpose of your visit.
Invitation letter
If you visit someone in Uruguay or a company, that person should provide an invitation letter. The writer must mention all his/her details and explain the purpose of the trip, accommodation, and how the expenses will be paid.
Clean record certificate
It is necessary to provide a clean record certificate from the Police or judiciary officials in your home country. It indicates that you have done no criminal offense and pose no security threat to Uruguay.
Insurance
Having valid insurance that covers all of your medical expenses during the trip and while you are in Uruguay is a must.
Proof of accommodation
Explain in your application where will you stay;
- Rental agreement
- Proof of ownership
- Hotel reservation
Enough funds evidence
A formal piece of documents must prove that you have enough money to cover your expenses in Uruguay;
- Payslips
- Banks statements
- Income from ownership
- Stocks
Language proficiency certificate
The visa might require you to provide Spanish 9officials language of Uruguay) or English language proficiency.
Educational documents
You might have to provide educational certificates you have achieved.
Translation
A verified translator must translate documents into English or French.
Payment fees
Provide the receipt that you have paid the visa application fees.
COVID-19 certificate
- COVID vaccine or vaccination certificate, 15 days must have passed since receiving the second dosage
- PCR test certificate
Uruguay visa application process
The application process for an Uruguay visa is different for each visa. Also, the applicants might have to follow a different route by their conditions and the country they reside in. But a general procedure you need to follow is as follows:
1. Do you need the visa you want to apply for?
Uruguay has signed a visa waiver program with some countries worldwide. So you might be free of short-stay visas for Uruguay. If you want to stay in the country for up to 90 days, you might not need a visa. See the section above and look at the table to know whether you need a visa or not. In case your nationality is not on the list, then you need a visa.
Remember that everyone needs a visa to stay longer than 90 days in Uruguay.
2. Are you eligible to apply for the visa?
The visa you want to apply for has a list of requirements and eligibility principles. You need to find out are you qualified to apply for it or not. See the requirements for each one and determine if you can provide the requirements or not.
3. Receive authorization from the Uruguay officials
Depending on the type of visa you want to apply for, you might have to receive Uruguay approval for the visa. It is true with work visa and family visas. Often one person residing in Uruguay needs to apply first and receive the verification.
4. Gather the list of requirements
There is a list of required supporting documents like passport, photo, insurance, etc., that you need to provide. The applicants have to gather all of them and submit them to the officials. Collecting all of them could be time-consuming. See the list of requirements for each visa and collect everything.
5. Apply to the Uruguay embassy
You need to apply to the Uruguay embassy after receiving verification. Schedule a visa meeting with them and gather the requirements by then.
Attend the visa meeting and bring all the requirements. There is a fee for visa processing you need to pay. Also, the officials could ask a few questions, and you pass an interview.
When the visa is issued, you can move to Uruguay.
6. Apply for the residence permit
A Uruguay visa is often valid for one month, and you need to apply for a residence permit if staying longer than 90 days.
You should apply to the immigration officials, submit them the requirements, and wait until you receive the residence permit. Remember that you only have one month to apply for the permit.
Different types of Uruguay visa
The various types of Uruguay visas are as follows:
Tourist visa
In case you want to visit Uruguay for tourism and enjoy its attractions, you might need a tourist visa. Although a few countries are exempt from the Uruguay short-stay visa, many more need it.
The visa permits you to stay in the country for about one month and visit the many wonders of the country.
You just need to have a passport that is valid and enough funds to cover your expenses.
To know more about the Uruguay tourist visa, see the full article from the left menu.
Business visa
The people who want to develop business ties, visit a company or industry, sign MOU or a contract in Uruguay might need a business visa. It comes under the short-stay category, so you might be exempt and do not need to apply for it.
See the section above and look at the table. If your nationality is among the above list, then you do not need a business visa as well. But if your nationality is not on the above list, then you have to apply for a business visa.
You need to provide an invitation letter for the visa from the person or company in Uruguay. The letter is the essential requirement, along with the other supporting documents.
To find out more about Uruguay business visas, look at the prepared article on the left sidebar.
Student visa
Uruguay has universities that have a good ranking in the world. If you want to study in the country and the course takes longer than 90 days, you definitely need a visa—the student visa permits you to stay in Uruguay for the long term and pursue your studies.
A student visa is a permission to enter the country, and a residence permit is an authorization to stay in Uruguay. In order to apply for a student visa, you need to have enough funds to cover your expenses and receive acceptance from an Uruguay university.
The official language of the country is Spanish, however, the course you take might be in English. So you also need to fulfill the language requirements of the university.
To find out more details on Uruguay student visas, visit the written article from the left sidebar.
Work visa
Everyone who wants to work in Uruguay and receive payment for it requires a work visa. First, you need to receive a job offer from an Uruguay employer to apply for a work visa. The offer must lead to a written formal job contract.
The contract must explain everything, duration of work, income, insurance, and the type of work the applicant will do.
The employer and employee both need to apply for the work visa and receive the certificates.
You can learn more about the Uruguay work visa from the left menu article.
Family reunification visa
You are a student or working for an employer in Uruguay. You have permission to bring your family to the country through the Uruguay family reunification visa. The sponsor who lives in Uruguay must have enough funds to cover the expenses of the family and the person bringing to Uruguay. Also, having the right type of accommodation is a must.
Another document that is essential is that family relationships must be proven through formal documents such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate.
The application process, requirements, and all the related questions are answered in this article. You can reach find out more about each visa from the least sidebar.
Let’s sum up…
If you want to visit Uruguay, you might need a visa by nationality, the purpose of the trip, and the length of your stay.
This article explained who needs a visa for Uruguay and who doesn’t need it, the requirements, the application process, and the list of Uruguay visas.
You can find more details about each visa from the article in the left sidebar.
If you have questions regarding the Uruguay visa, write them down in the commend section below.
- Published by
- Max-B.
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