Mercosur permanent residence in Uruguay
A simplified status that Uruguay grants to nationals of the Mercosur countries and associated states: you can settle permanently straight away, with no intermediate temporary status. It is handled by the National Directorate of Migration. The application is filed online through a personal account or in person from the outset, but it always ends with an in-person meeting with the original documents. Nationals of certain bloc countries pay a reduced fee, and the requirements for children are simplified. With this status you obtain a Uruguayan resident's identity document.
Different requirements for adults and for children
The basic set of documents is the same for all nationals of the Mercosur countries, but separate rules and a simplified attendance procedure apply to minors.
Adult applicants
- A valid identity document of their own country
- A certificate of no criminal record from the country where the applicant has lived for the last six months or more out of five years
- A valid vaccination certificate obtained at a Uruguayan vaccination point
Children and adolescents
- A birth certificate, legalised or apostilled and issued no more than a year ago
- Written consent to the residence application from the parents holding parental authority
- It is not the child who attends the in-person meeting at the agency but their legal representative
When the programme will not suit
You are not a national of any of the member or associated states of Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana)
General Uruguayan permanent residence (Residencia Legal — Permanente), open to foreign nationals of any nationality
You plan to live in Uruguay for a limited time rather than to move there for good
Mercosur temporary residence (Residencia Legal — Temporaria Mercosur) for two years, renewable once for a further two years
You are not a national of a Mercosur country but are related to a citizen or resident of Uruguay
The Ministry of the Interior's website has a separate section with all the types of residence in Uruguay — there you can find the option suited to relatives of citizens of the country
What it costs
| Mercosur permanent residence — standard rateUI (Unidad Indexada) is the Uruguayan unit of account, linked to inflation | 557,3 UI |
|---|---|
| Mercosur permanent residence — for nationals of Paraguay and BrazilCertain residence permits for nationals of Paraguay and Brazil are exempt from the fee under the reciprocity agreement | 0 UI |
| Re-entry permit when leaving the country before the process is completePayable for each separate trip while the residence has not yet been finalised | +225,6 UI |
| Migration certificateA separate DNM service; it is not on the list of documents required for the residence itself, but it is needed, for instance, to renew the Uruguayan identity document later | +55,7 UI |
Paid separately
- Legalisation or apostille of documents issued abroad (a birth certificate, for instance) — Arranged separately; the cost is not stated on the DNM website
- Certificate of no criminal record from the country of last residence — Issued by the authorities of the country of origin and not included in the Uruguayan state fee
Documents to gather
The basic pack for adult applicants; for minors the list differs — see the section on the routes in.
- A photograph (foto carné)
- A valid identity document
- A certificate of no criminal record covering the past five years from the country where the applicant most recently lived for more than six months
- A valid vaccination certificate issued at a Uruguayan vaccination point
- For minors — a legalised or apostilled birth certificate issued no more than a year ago, translated where necessary
- For minors — the written consent of the parents holding parental authority to the child's residence application
How the process runs
The process can be started online or in person from the outset, but either way it ends with attendance at the agency in person.
- 1
Filing the application online
The applicant logs into their personal account on the gub.uy government portal (or uses another means of electronic identification), accepts the terms, chooses the type of residence and completes the form, attaching the documents in PDF format.
- 2
Paying the state fee
Payment is made by bank transfer or through the payment collection network.
- 3
Checking of the documents by the migration service
The National Directorate of Migration analyses the documents filed and notifies the applicant by email; if shortcomings are found, a request for correction arrives.
- 4
Invitation to the in-person meeting
If the application is approved, the applicant receives an email inviting them to book an in-person meeting (audiencia) at an office of the agency.
- 5
Attending in person with the original documents
The applicant attends on the appointed day and hour with the original documents. If you arrive later than the appointed time, the meeting and the payment already made are lost, and the appointment has to be booked again.
- 6
Obtaining the Uruguayan identity document
Once permanent residence is approved, the applicant is issued a digital certificate that allows them to obtain a Uruguayan identity document; the first such document is valid for two years.
Who you can bring with you
The programme page sets out separately only the rules for the applicant's minor children.
The applicant's minor children
The child's attendance at the in-person meeting
Renewal and the grace period
Mercosur permanent residence itself is open-ended and needs no renewal as such. The Uruguayan identity document issued on the strength of it is, however, valid for two years when first issued: to renew the document you have to satisfy the migration service that you are still living in the country — for that you order the migration certificate for renewing the identity document. This rule applies specifically to permanent residents; residents with temporary status must write to the migration service directly at a separate address to renew the document rather than ordering the certificate.
What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship
Route to citizenship
You apply for the carta de ciudadanía after 3 years of permanent residence if you have a family formed in Uruguay, and after 5 years without family in the country. An absence of more than 6 consecutive months resets the count.
Frequently asked questions about Mercosur permanent residence
Who can obtain Mercosur permanent residence in Uruguay?
How much does the application cost, and are there any exemptions?
Do you have to obtain Mercosur temporary residence first and only then permanent residence?
How long does it take for the application to be examined?
Can you leave Uruguay while the residence application is still being examined?
Does the child have to attend the meeting at the migration service in person?
Other ways to move to Uruguay
- Permanent legal residencePermanent residence
- Temporary legal residenceWork residence permit
- Permanent residence through a family link with a UruguayanFamily reunification
- Mercosur temporary residenceResidence permit based on citizenship
- Permanent residence for foreign pensionersResidence permit based on income
- Permanent residence under Law 19.254 through the Ministry of Foreign AffairsPermanent residence
- Carta de ciudadanía — Uruguayan citizenshipNaturalisation
Every route in one list — migration programmes: Uruguay.
The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.