Uruguayan Citizenship
Posted on April 26, 2007
Filed Under Expat Tips, Immigration |
24 Comments
The rules covering the rights to Uruguayan citizenship are spelled out in the country’s constitution. In order to make this information more accessible to people who don’t know Spanish well enough to read legalese, I am posting my informal translation of the relevant articles below. Keep in mind that I simplified the wording. But I kept the original meaning to the best of my ability. It is important to note that even though the Constitution is the law of the land, understandably, it does not spell out how it is carried out in practice. I will publish more details if and when I manage to get a hold of that information.
Article 73 – Uruguayan citizens are either natural or legal.
Article 74 – Any person born in Uruguay is a natural citizen. The children of a Uruguayan citizen born abroad are also natural citizens, provided they return to Uruguay and register in the Registro Cívico.
Article 75 – The following will have right to the legal citizenship:
a) Foreigners of good conduct and with constituted family in Uruguay who resided for at least three years in Uruguay and who have some capital, or property in Uruguay, or certain skills.
b) Foreigners of good conduct and with no constituted family in Uruguay who resided for at least five years in Uruguay and who have some of the qualities indicated in the previous paragraph.
c) Foreigners bestowed with special honor by the Asamblea General for notable services or relevant merit.
Proof of residency shall be based always in public or private documents with verifiable dates.
Foreigners covered by articles 75 a and 75 b will enjoy the full rights associated with legal citizenship only three years after being made citizens (for example can only run for public office after three years of becoming citizen).
Any of the items described in article 80 will prevent issuance of citizenship.
Article 80 – The citizenship can be suspended due to:
1) Physical or mental impairment preventing one from performing freely and reflexively. (there go my chances! I guess I’ll have to shoot for 75 c)
2) Being under criminal judicial proceedings, which could lead to incarceration.
3) Being under the age of 18.
4) Sentence to expatriation, jail, prison, or removal of political rights.
5) Habitual work in immoral activities as determined by law.
6) Being part of social or political organizations that incite violence or seek to destroy the foundations of the state.
7) Lack of good conduct as required in article 75. This only applies to foreigners wishing to become citizens.
Article 81 – Natural citizens do not lose the citizenship by becoming citizens of other countries. Legal citizens lose their Uruguayan citizenship if they later become citizens of another country.
Other posts in Expat Tips- Pros and Cons of Shipping Furniture Abroad
- Should I Bring My Electrical Aplliances to Uruguay?
- Usufruct and Inheritance Issues
- Tipping Custom in Uruguay
- American Income Tax While Living Abroad
- Visa Requirements to Travel to Brazil
- Inheritance Laws in Uruguay
- Uruguayan Spanish Conjugation
- Obtaining the Uruguayan National ID
- Steps To Obtain Permanent Residency in Uruguay
- Pros and Cons of Shipping Furniture Abroad
- Should I Bring My Electrical Aplliances to Uruguay?
- Pros and Cons of Retiring in Uruguay
- Uruguayan Immigration Update
- Visa Requirements to Travel to Brazil
- Obtaining the Uruguayan National ID
- Steps To Obtain Permanent Residency in Uruguay
- Uruguayan Permanent Residency Process
- Uruguayan Links
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24 Responses to “Uruguayan Citizenship”
Article 80 applies to citizenship but not to nationality of that persons. People in such violation lose their rights as citizens but they continue to be Uruguayan nationals. Someone in jail, for example loses his/her right to vote (then loses his/her rights as a citizen) but not his nationality otherwise he/she would become stateless and that’s a big problem concerning Human Rights.
In Spanish the difference between citizenship and nationality is much clearer.
Thanks JP for clarifying that point. I must admit that I was a little baffled by article 80. My wife and I spent a good part of an hour yesterday discussing the potential implications of the article I even checked the constitutions of other countries and saw that Chile’s had similar wording. Now it makes more sense. Cheers
By the way, who wants an Uruguayan Nationality or Citizenship? What’s the advantage?
Good question. If you come from the US, Canada, the EU probably none. But if your passport is from a country that you need a visa to go just about anywhere, it would be advantageous to become a UY citizen.
Also, if you wish to escape US taxes, you could renounce the American citizenship (you may be taxed for ten years anyway). But you would need to be a multimillionaire for that to be even worth considering.
Oh yes, you would also be able to vote and run for public office.
If one makes an investment of at least $100,000 in real estate, it makes one eligible to acquire residency. However, one needs to maintain that investment in property for a minimum of 10 years in order to maintain residency. My only question is, How long do I have to actually reside in Uruguay before I’m entitled to an Uruguayan passport?
I think you are referring to the Ley 16.340. Unfortunately it only applies to retirees (or people living from one’s own means) and represents a special deal. It comes with a promise of passports to you and your family without waiting for the normal three year period. You need to show income of 1500 per month AND (a property worth 100,000 plus OR an equivalent investment in government bonds). The ley 16.340, however has BIG a catch: that you cannot work in Uruguay, ever (as indicated by article 5 of that law).
_Artículo 5º_.- Los extranjeros que se amparen en los beneficios establecidos por el artículo 3º de la presente ley no podrán ejercer ningún tipo de actividad remunerada en relación de dependencia, salvo resolución fundada del Poder Ejecutivo.
My advice to just about everybody is to forget about this offer, unless you really, really need UY passports immediately.
By the way, any permanent resident is entitled to a UY passport after three years if you are married, five otherwise.
how about thru marriage?
Brazzie: When you mention “the catch is that you can not ever work in uruguay”, actually, the law that you quote in spanish, it reads that you can not work as an employee. From that, I’d say that it looks that’s ok with you opening your own business, as long as you are your own boss. IANAL, but that’s what I read from the “spanish” version you posted.
Carlos, I don’t know how that is handled. It is not in the constitution, but may be covered by a common law.
Eltony, good point. It does say “actividad remunerada en relacion de dependencia” which seems to allow you to be your own boss. Cheers
Your blog is brilliant. I just came back from Uruguay and wish I had seen it before I went! Anyway, I wanted to ask you what the Ley 16.340 you refer to means or stands for? We have been considering going down the real estate investment route to get citizenship but cannot find info anywhere. Thanks
Does time spent under student visa counts for applying to UY Nationality? How ’bout the other categories except “working visa” that we all know it does count for the required time for you to have the right to apply for UY nationality?
Note: After you obtain UY nationality you have the right to hold a UY passport but you are not entitled to vote until three years after you obtained your UY nationality.
JP, good question. Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer. The wording of the constitutional text in Spanish does not specify permanent residency, but another law (normativa) might. If anyone knows this for sure please write in.
BSB thanks for the compliment. You can find the text of the Ley 16.340 (in English) here: http://www.uruwashi.org/Consular.htm#Regulation_of_benefits_given_to_foreigners_by_Law_16.340_
Brazzie, that’s very helpful, much obliged. I cldn’t see any reference to the minimum real estate investment amount. Is that published anywhere?
BSB, the value is in the link I provided earlier: 100,000 USD minimum. This applies for Ley 16.340. As for the requirements for applying for residency as land owner, I am not sure. Cheers
Thanks, that’s great.
Hi Brazzie, thanks for your great Blog. I am an Aussie now ( for the last 4 months ) living in Uruguay. I have my temporary Cedula and I am seeking confirmation of the information you posted above that,
” By the way, any permanent resident is entitled to a UY passport after three years if you are married, five otherwise. See details here: http://uruguaydreaming.com/2007/04/26/uruguayan-citizenship/ ”
this would apply to me and my wife as we are now permanent residents now, so we would be eligible for a Uruguayan passport after 3 years? The link above only links to this topic, so, I was wondering where you found the information about passports being available to residents after 3 years.
Many thanks for all your greatly appreciated efforts.
Hi Daviscup, after the three years have passed, you have to apply for a Carta de Ciudadania. See this site for details: http://www.corteelectoral.gub.uy/gxpsites/hgxpp001.aspx?1,17,192,O,S,0,MNU;E;74;4;MNU;,
After you have your Carta de Ciudadania you can apply for a passport. You’ll need: two passport photos, a Certificado de Antecedentes Judiciales, a photocopy of your cedula. See the site below for details:
http://www.minterior.gub.uy/dnic/pasport2.htm
Can i go to britain or europe after getting citizenship and can i obtain passport of Uruguay after getting citizenship or i have to wait for the next three years , same in the case when i marry an uruguayan girl. And can i work during this time and how much can i earn as a taxi driver in $ USD in uruguay and what are the living expenses in uruguay in $ USD.Can i also go to near by countries or europe ontourist visa on my country’s passport after getting uruguayan citizenship but non-issue of it’s passport.or if it is issued earlier then same in uruguayan passport.
Hi Manny, you have quite a few questions. Unfortunately I don’t have answers to all of them.
After you become a Uruguayan citizen, you can do whatever you wish. It is not conditional on you living there. As far I know, you can apply for a passport after five years (if you are single)of becoming a permanent resident. And you need to wait three more years to be able to vote.
It does not make much difference if you marry a UY girl, other than you may use her income as proof of means in the residence application process. Also by being married, whether to a UY or not, the process to obtain the passport shortens from 5 to 3 years.
I don’t know how much you can earn as a taxi driver. However, it is safe to assume that it will not be much.
You can find cost of living estimates in the Cost of Living article (see the rightside bar on the main page).
Your original passport will continue to be valid, before, during and after you apply for UY citizenship. Uruguay does not confiscate or invalidate your other nationality.
hey-
1st of all- great page, it has good information.
my grandmother was born in Uruguay, but moved away as a child before getting a passport issued or anything.
I’m assuming I’d have to dig up her birth certificate or something and file the needed papers to get her citizenship.
Then- according to Article 74 my father can apply and receive citizenship as a natural citizen too. (does he really have to go to Uruguay to do this or is it possible to do it through a UY Consulate).
After thats done- I should be able to do the same and receive natural citizenship.
Is it possible to skip a generation with this process? Like not making my dad have to get the citizenship in order for me to get it too..
I appreciate any help you can give.
Edo, I am pretty sure you will not be able to skip from your grandmother directly to you.
And in order to become a natural citizen, your father will need to go to Uruguay and register in the Registro Civico.
You should call the Uruguayan consulate, to see what steps can be done abroad and what steps need to be done in MVD. Count on a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy.
Interesting series of posts. Let me see if I understand - and I have read the Ley 16.340 that you posted. If I am retired, can prove an income of at least US$1500 per month and buy a property worth at least US$100,000 this gives me permanent residency I can apply and get a Uruguayan passport almost immediately, not having to wait the 3 - 5 years of residency usually required? Does this also confer Uruguayan citizenship without wating the 3 - 5 years of residency? Thanks for all your info and help.
Hi AsianReader, you are correct in your interpretation. After the passport, I think there is a delay of 3 years for you to become a full citizen i.e. be able to vote and run for public office.