Residence Permit, Permanent Residency and Citizenship in Uruguay, Turnkey
Obtain a residence permit in 3 months and permanent residency in 9 to 12 months, with no large investment and no deposit
Obtain a residence permit and permanent residency on the basis of starting a business, with no additional conditions
tax on foreign income.
10 years of tax breaks for new residents. The territorial principle: foreign income is not taxed.
Low taxes,
including on trading activity
The fastest route to citizenship in Latin America with no investment
We will discuss your situation and answer every question at a time that suits you
Advantages of a Residence Permit, Permanent Residency and Citizenship in Uruguay
A Uruguayan residence permit is arranged on the basis of registering a sole proprietorship or a limited company in the country.
In just 3 months you obtain a temporary residence permit. During this period the resident has the right to live in the country, open bank accounts, register a company and use the state infrastructure, education and healthcare.
Uruguayan permanent residency is issued 9 to 12 months after the application is submitted.
The status is open-ended and needs no regular renewal. It is enough to update the document in Uruguay once every 3 years. Permanent residency opens the path to citizenship.
Uruguayan citizenship is the final stage, granting one of the strongest passports in the region: 22nd in the Henley Passport Index, visa-free entry to 156 countries.
You do not need to renounce your current citizenship, since Uruguay allows dual citizenship.
Requirements to Obtain a Uruguayan Residence Permit
A Uruguayan residence permit can be obtained by confirming business activity in the country and financial means. Document preparation begins remotely 2 to 3 months before your arrival.
Requirements
- Registration of a sole proprietorship (Servicios Personales no Profesionales) or a company (Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada) in Uruguay
- Opening a corporate account for the company
- Proof of income: around USD 650 per month per person through the Uruguayan sole proprietorship or company
- Payment of insurance and pension contributions: around USD 250 per month per person
- Apostilled criminal record certificates from the countries where you lived longer than 6 months over the past 5 years
- An apostilled birth certificate
- A vaccination certificate
- A booked appointment at the Uruguayan migration service (3 months ahead)
For family members
- Spouse: criminal record certificate, birth certificate, vaccination certificate
- Children under 18: birth certificate, vaccination certificate, proof of study in Uruguay (for permanent residency)
We arrange all of this for you: translations, apostilles, the appointment and company formation, remotely, while you remain in your own country.
Requirements to Obtain Uruguayan Permanent Residency
Permanent residency is arranged after the application is filed with the migration service, followed by a waiting period of 6 to 9 months. Throughout this time you must:
- Live in Uruguay. Departures freeze the review until your return.
- Show income from the sole proprietorship or company of USD 650 per person per month. Continue paying insurance and pension contributions
After approval, you receive a lifetime cédula at the police. The document is updated in Uruguay once every 3 years, which is all that is needed to maintain the status.
Requirements to Obtain Uruguayan Citizenship
The citizenship application is possible after obtaining permanent residency and meeting the residence period in the country.
Family after 3 years
Single applicant after 5 years
- The count runs from the date of registering the sole proprietorship or company and the first tax payment, not from the moment of the physical move
- In practice you must spend at least 6 months out of 12 in Uruguay each calendar year and confirm a connection to the country through tax payments
- After submission there is an interview in Spanish with basic questions; there is no special language exam
- Children apply and receive a passport at the same time as their parents, with no age restriction
The wait for the passport after submission is around 1 year. Dual citizenship is allowed, so there is no need to renounce the Russian passport.
Turnkey Pricing for Uruguayan Permanent Residency
Payment in 2 parts: 50% after the contract is signed and 50% after the permanent residency application.
Payment in 2 parts: 50% after the contract is signed and 50% after the permanent residency application.
What Uruguayan Permanent Residency and Citizenship Give You
The average rental yield is 5% per year. No restrictions for foreigners. Some projects come with tax breaks.
The territorial principle: 0% tax on foreign income for 10 years. Shareholder confidentiality is guaranteed.
One of the safest democracies in the region, with a developed banking system and transparent legislation.
Uruguay permits dual citizenship. Your Russian or any other passport stays with you.
Visa-Free Reach of the Uruguayan Passport
With a Uruguayan passport you can visit 156 jurisdictions without a visa, including every European Union country, the UK, South Korea and China. A particular advantage of the Uruguayan passport is visa-free entry to Europe, unavailable to citizens of most post-Soviet countries.
Uruguay’s Taxes Let You Run a Business Legally With No Significant Payments to the State
Begin Your Story
Toward a Uruguayan Residence Permit on Our Proven Route
The Permanent Residency Procedure
Founders of Waveris:
Alexander and Irina Lukyanov
Over 9 years we have helped 500 families relocate, and we have changed our own country of residence 5 times. We know this process from the inside, not as lawyers working from a textbook, but as people who have lived through it. That is why we spot the pitfalls where others see a smooth road, and we clear them from your path in advance.
We will discuss your situation and answer all your questions at a time convenient for you.
They trust us
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Uruguayan residence permit give me?
A residence permit (temporary cédula) grants the right to legally live in Uruguay, open bank accounts, register a company and run a business. You also gain access to public healthcare and the education system. The residence permit is the first step toward permanent residency and Uruguayan citizenship.
What grounds for a Uruguayan residence permit exist?
The main basis is registering a sole proprietorship (Servicios Personales no Profesionales) or a company (Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada) and paying insurance contributions. This is available without first obtaining a visa: the company is registered remotely before your arrival.
How long does it take to obtain a Uruguayan residence permit?
The temporary cédula (a 2-year residence permit) is issued 7 days after document submission. Preparation for submission takes 2 to 3 months, during which we remotely register the company, apostille the documents and book your migration service appointment.
When can I apply for permanent residency in Uruguay?
The permanent residency application is filed at the same time as obtaining the residence permit, on the day of the first migration service appointment. The approval wait is 6 to 9 months. During this time you must live in Uruguay and confirm your income.
Do I need to live in Uruguay to obtain permanent residency?
Yes. During the permanent residency review you must live in the country; departures freeze the process until your return. If you need to leave temporarily, we arrange a special document, the Certificado de reingreso.
What does Uruguayan permanent residency give me?
Permanent residency (a permanent cédula) grants the open-ended right to live, work and run a business with no need for regular renewal. To maintain the status, it is enough to update the document once every 3 years. Permanent residency opens the way to applying for Uruguayan citizenship.
Can I obtain Uruguayan citizenship without renouncing my Russian one?
Yes. Uruguay permits dual and multiple citizenship. You keep your Russian passport and receive a Uruguayan one in addition. No renunciation of the first citizenship is required.
After how many years can I apply for citizenship?
After 3 years if a family applies (spouses with children). After 5 years for a single applicant. The count runs from the date of registering the sole proprietorship or company and the first tax payment, not from the physical move.
Do I need to know Spanish to obtain permanent residency?
There is no language exam for the residence permit or permanent residency. The citizenship application requires an interview at a basic level of Spanish, which is a conversation with basic questions rather than a formal exam.
How much does a Uruguayan residence permit and permanent residency cost?
Support for the main applicant starts at USD 5,900 (with a sole proprietorship) or USD 9,900 (with a company). Each additional applicant is USD 1,500. Additional: government fees of USD 240 per applicant and document apostille. The final cost is set during the consultation.
Do I need to travel to Uruguay in person to arrange a residence permit?
Yes, once. All preparation is remote. You arrive in Uruguay with the document package ready, for submission, opening accounts and obtaining the temporary cédula. Further residence is required to obtain permanent residency.
Can everything be arranged remotely?
90% of the process is remote. Registering the sole proprietorship or company, apostilling documents and booking the migration service appointment are all done remotely. Personal presence is required only on the day of submission and during the permanent residency waiting period.
How to Obtain Uruguayan Permanent Residency and a Passport With Certainty
- The specific requirements and the expected costs
- A step-by-step plan for obtaining a residence permit, permanent residency and citizenship
- The current residency program for 2026
