UruguayResidence permit based on citizenship

Mercosur temporary residence in Uruguay

A simplified regime for temporary residence in Uruguay for nationals of the Mercosur countries and associated states. It rests on a regional agreement: regularising your position this way is easier than under the standard residence for foreign nationals. The status is issued for a limited period and can be renewed, after which you can ask for permanent residence. The application is filed through a personal account on the gub.uy portal or in person at an office of the National Directorate of Migration — attending with the original documents is unavoidable.

Source: GUB.UY — Residencia Legal - Temporaria Mercosur

How to apply: online or at an office

The procedure can be started online or at an office from the outset — either way it ends with attending the National Directorate of Migration in person with the original documents.

Suits those who have digital identification

A gub.uy profile, Identidad digital, Abitab ID or TuID is already set up
The documents are scanned and ready to upload in PDF format
It is convenient to pay the fee in advance online or through the network of payment collection points
You only need to come to the office once — with the originals, at the appointed time

Suits those doing everything in person, without a personal account

No access to digital identification services
It is easier to bring the documents straight to the office rather than scanning them in advance
The fee is paid on the spot, at the migration service office
The whole procedure fits into a single visit, with no preliminary online form

When the programme will not suit

You are not a national of any of the member or associated states of Mercosur

Ordinary Uruguayan temporary or permanent residence — it is open to foreign nationals of any nationality

You need a status with no time limit and no compulsory renewal

Mercosur permanent residence for the same nationals — it is issued with no expiry date

The temporary residence and its single renewal have already expired, but you still need to live in the country

Mercosur permanent residence — you can apply for it directly, if the conditions are met, without going through temporary residence again

What it costs

Main fee for the residence application557.30 UI per person; the UI rate against the Uruguayan peso is published on the website of the Central Bank of Uruguay	557,3 UI (Unidades Indexadas)
Certificate of migration status for the identity documentNeeded in order to obtain a resident's identity document	55,7 UI (Unidades Indexadas)
Re-entry permit for each departure from the country before the process is completeObtained separately for each departure while the final decision on the residence has not yet been taken	+225,6 UI (Unidades Indexadas)
Main fee for nationals of Brazil and ParaguayThey are exempt from payment on the principle of reciprocity between the countries; an applicant who evidences financial hardship may also obtain an exemption	0 UI (Unidades Indexadas)
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Re-entry permit for each departure from the country before the process is complete” adds 225,6 UI (Unidades Indexadas); the “Main fee for nationals of Brazil and Paraguay” branch replaces the “Main fee for the residence application” line — 55,7 UI (Unidades Indexadas). Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	613–838,6 UI (Unidades Indexadas)

Paid separately

Apostille, consular legalisation and translation of foreign documents — Paid separately to the translator or at the consulate; they are not part of the migration service's fee

Documents to gather

The list applies to applicants over 18; minors need additional documents on parental consent and on their state of health.

A passport-style photograph
A valid identity document
A certificate of no criminal record covering the past five years (if the applicant has been in the country for more than six months)
An original birth certificate, or a certificate of naturalisation obtained at least five years ago
A certificate of vaccinations matching the Uruguayan vaccination schedule
A valid health card (Carné de Salud)
For minors — the written consent of the parents or guardian; where one of the parents is absent — a death certificate or a court decision on guardianship
For minors — a health card or a paediatric booklet evidencing physical fitness
Foreign documents — with an apostille or consular legalisation and a translation into Spanish (except documents from Brazil)

How the process runs

Below is the route through a gub.uy personal account, the most common way of applying; when applying in person the documents are brought straight in, with no separate online stage.

1
Logging into the gub.uy personal account
Through a gub.uy profile or alternative means of digital identification — Identidad digital, Abitab ID or TuID from Antel.
2
Accepting the terms and choosing the type of residence
The applicant accepts the terms of use of the service and fills in the online form, stating the type of residence — Mercosur temporary.
3
Uploading the documents
All the documents are attached to the application in PDF format.
4
Paying the fee
The fee is transferred online or paid through the network of payment collection points; once paid, a confirmation arrives by email.
5
Examination of the application by the National Directorate of Migration
If everything is in order, a link arrives to book a visit to an office; if there are queries, a link arrives to correct and resubmit the documents.
6
Attending the office in person with the original documents
The originals are submitted once, at the appointed time. Arriving more than ten minutes late means losing the fees paid and having to start the process again.
7
Obtaining resident status
Once the originals have been checked and final approval given, the applicant receives Mercosur temporary residence for two years.

Renewal and the grace period

The renewal is granted once only, for the same two-year period, and must be applied for within the 90 days before the current status expires. The application is not sent through the portal's general form but to a separate email address of the temporary residence unit of the National Directorate of Migration — dnm-residenciastemporarias@minterior.gub.uy.

Frequently asked questions about Mercosur temporary residence

Who can apply for Mercosur temporary residence?

Only nationals of the member and associated states of Mercosur — Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname and Guyana — can apply. Minors file their documents with the written consent of their parents or guardian.

How much does the application cost, and are there any exemptions?

The basic fee is 557.30 UI (unidades indexadas) per person; the current rate against the peso is published on the website of the Central Bank of Uruguay. Nationals of Brazil and Paraguay are exempt from this fee on the principle of reciprocity between the countries; an applicant who evidences financial hardship may also obtain an exemption.

How long does it take for the application to be examined?

There is no official time limit: the migration service states directly that it depends on the individual case and on how complete the documents submitted are. You have to track the status yourself — in your inbox on the gub.uy portal.

How do you renew the residence before it expires?

The renewal is filed once, within the 90 days before the current period expires, through a separate email address of the temporary residence unit of the National Directorate of Migration.

Do you have to obtain temporary residence first and only then apply for permanent residence?

No. If all the conditions are met, a national of a Mercosur country can apply for permanent residence straight away, without going through the temporary status.

Can you leave Uruguay while the application is still being examined?

Yes, but before each departure you must obtain a separate re-entry permit costing 225.60 UI — without it a person with the status of «resident in the process of applying» cannot cross the border freely.

Other ways to move to Uruguay

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.