Uruguay
Uruguay, host nation of the first football World Cup in 1930, is located in South America between Argentina and Brazil. With size of 176’215 sqm (about half the size of Germany) and a population of 3 million people, its population density is low. Welcoming foreign immigrants is a stated policy. Uruguayans are of predominantly European origin and the local culture is heavily influenced by Europe, giving the country a more Mediterranean than Latin American vibe.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to enter the country in 1512, and the Spanish founded the capital city of Montevideo as a military stronghold in the early 18th century because of the competing claims over the region. Uruguay won its independence between 1811 and 1828. It is today a democratic constitutional republic, with a president who serves as both head of state and head of government.
Uruguay has a high-income economy dominated by agriculture and tourism, and is ranked first in Latin America in democracy, peace, and e-government; and last in corruption. It is also the first in South America when it comes to press freedom, size of the middle class, and prosperity. It ranks second in the continent on economic freedom, income equality, per-capita income, and inflows of FDI.
Uruguay is a founding member of the United Nations (UN), OAS, and MERCOSUR which provides free movement to other member states (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay).
Program Features
Processing time 2-3 weeks for temporary and afterwards 6-8 months for permanent residence.
Applicants must be physically present, and undergo a medical exam locally.
Birth, and marriage or divorce certificates; certificates of criminal or police record from the country of origin and residence for the last 5 years, proof of regular income.
Documents must be apostilled (if the issuing country is a signatory of the Hague Convention) or, if not, attested by a Uruguayan consulate abroad.
Benefits
No minimum physical presence required to maintain permanent residence.
Citizens enjoy visa-free travel to 153 countries, incl. UK, Schengen, Singapore, Hong Kong, Russia, New Zealand and Japan.
Permanent residents and citizens do not need a passport to travel to most South American countries (a Uruguayan ID card is sufficient).
Direct flights from Europe, North America, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Panama etc.
Key facts
Capital City : Montevideo
Languages : Spanish
Currency : Euro (EUR)
Population : 1,384,000
Time Zone : UTC +1
Area : 530 km2
