Uruguay Digital Nomad Visa: How to Get One in 2024

It’s also a fantastic destination for digital nomads, promising a low tax rate on foreign-earned income, a similarly low cost of living, and a growing expat community for new nomads to join.

If you’re interested in making Uruguay the next stop in your digital nomad journey and want to learn about the relevant entry requirements, here’s a quick guide to the Uruguay digital nomad visa and how you can acquire one.

The Uruguay Digital Nomad Visa

Uruguay rolled out its digital nomad visa in May 2023. It allows successful applicants to stay in the country for up to twelve months while earning foreign income. It can even facilitate a route into permanent residency.

Here are some of the key features and benefits that the Uruguay digital nomad visa offers:

• It allows temporary residence for up to 6 months, which can then be extended for a further six months as long as it’s in the same calendar year.
• Unlike many other digital nomad visas, it doesn’t require a minimum income level, employer, or proof of a skill set to make a successful application. The application also doesn’t require you to obtain a criminal record certificate from your country for the first six months, as this is covered by the applicant signing an affidavit.
• If you wish to stay in Uruguay, a digital nomad visa can contribute to your application for permanent residency status.
• The Uruguay digital nomad visa has an application process that can be done completely online. This means you won’t have to print anything out, schedule appointments with your local Uruguayan consulate, or jump through administrative hoops that are tied to some other digital nomad visas.

How to Get a Uruguay Digital Nomad Visa

The Uruguay digital nomad visa is one of the more accessible visas of its kind. However, there are still several crucial steps you’ll need to follow to make a successful application.

Here are the key steps you’ll need to plan for if you’re planning to live in Uruguay as a digital nomad:

Step 1: Confirm You’re Eligible

Like all digital nomad visas, Uruguay has specific requirements you’ll need to meet in order to file a successful application. The good news is that these requirements are fairly easy to meet when compared to other digital nomad visas from around the world.

The main requirements to think about include:

• A valid passport that will remain valid for the duration of your time in Uruguay.
• The financial means to support yourself while you’re in the country, which you’ll need to confirm by signing an affidavit during the application process.
• A clean criminal record, proven by the governments of every country you’ve been a resident of (for more than six months) over the past five years. Note that this isn’t actually a requirement to enter for the initial six months as a digital nomad. Still, you’ll need to supply the relevant proof if you plan to extend your stay for an additional six months.
• COVID-19 vaccinations up to Uruguay’s visa applicant standards (at least double vaccinated).

Step 2: Gather the Required Documents

After checking you’re eligible to apply for the Uruguay digital nomad visa, it’s time to get all your required documents in the same place.

These documents include:

• A passport with enough validity for your planned stay in Uruguay and a copy of the main page with your photo and personal details.
• A signed affidavit stating that you have the financial means to support yourself during your stay in Uruguay.
• A criminal record certificate from your country of residence (note, if you’ve lived in several countries, you’ll need to acquire one from each of the countries you’ve lived in for more than six months over the past five years.)
• A vaccination certificate issued by the government of Uruguay based on proof of vaccination from the health service that administered it.

Step 3: Fill the Application Form

With your documents in place, your next step is to complete the visa application form. To do this, you’ll need to:

1. Visit the government of Uruguay’s website and navigate to the application for a Provisional Identity Card (Hojas de Identidad Provisoria).
2. Create a digital ID by providing personal details, contact details, and the details of the passport you’re using to apply for the visa.
3. Fill out your Provisional Identity application, selecting ‘ND (Digital Nomad)’ when prompted.
4. Fill out the Provisional Identity application with your details, travel document details, a digital image of your passport, and the amount of time you’re planning to stay in Uruguay.
5. Download, sign, and then upload the Provisional Identity affidavit, which confirms that you have the financial means to support yourself during your time in Uruguay and that you don’t have a criminal record.
   

Step 4: Pay the Visa Fee

Pay the visa application fee. This varies depending on government policy, but you can expect it to cost around $470 in Uruguayan Pesos ($12 USD).

This fee can’t be paid in a foreign currency, so it may be better for you to start the application process once you’re in Uruguay. Alternatively, you might want to pay the visa application fee using a multi-currency payment card such as those available through Wise or Revolut.

Step 5: Submit the Application

With the fee paid, you’ll be able to submit your application. Allow 20 working days for the application to be processed and responded to via email.

What’s Next

Though Uruguay has one of the easiest-to-understand processes for applying as a digital nomad, it’s essential to go in knowing exactly what’s required for approval and what you can expect from the process.

We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of the features and requirements of the Uruguay digital nomad visa and helped you plan your visa application for your next adventure.

If you’re looking for insurance for your visa application, be sure to check out some of our global insurance plans for digital nomads.