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Uruguay: Residency, Citizenship and Passport Carla Piaggio Director

Uruguay: Residency, Citizenship and Passport Carla Piaggio Director Residency and Relocation Department February 2012. www. fs.com.uy. Obtaining Uruguayan Residency. Uruguay has a welcoming , friendly and open immigration policy No need to invest

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Uruguay: Residency, Citizenship and Passport Carla Piaggio Director

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  1. Uruguay: Residency, Citizenship and Passport • Carla Piaggio • Director • Residency and RelocationDepartment • February 2012 www.fs.com.uy

  2. Obtaining Uruguayan Residency • Uruguay has a welcoming, friendly and open immigrationpolicy • No needtoinvest • Simple thoughbureaucraticprocess • Ittakes 12 to 18 months (avg.) to obtainpermanentresident status • After 3/5 years, one can applyforcitizenship/passport

  3. Obtaining Uruguayan Residency • Stepstoobtainresidency: • First, gatherallthenecessarydocuments (abroad) • Then, enter Uruguay as a tourist (90 days, extendableforanother 90 days) • Find a property (it can be temporaryuntilyoufindyourpermanent home) • submittheapplication at theNationalMigration Office • Once theapplicationisfiled, thepersonmaystay in the country indefinitely, as a “temporaryresident” • As a temporaryresident, youwill be abletohave a nationalidentitycardissuedcalled “Cédula de identidad”

  4. What documents do I need? • Mostdocuments are obtainedabroad: • Birthcertificate • Marriagecertificate * • Police record from country of origin, country thatissuedpassport and countrieswheretheperson has lived in thelastfiveyears. US citizens can getthisdocument at the local Interpol office. • Documentsthatprovethatyouhaveincome to supportyourself • Thesefourdocumentsneedto be legalized (stamped) at theUruguayan Consulate in the country wheretheywereissued • Once in Uruguay, wewillensurethatthey are legalized at theUruguayanForeignMinistry and officiallytranslatedintoSpanish.

  5. What documents do I need? • Otherdocumentsthatdon´tneedUruguayan Consulate stamping: • Tetanusshotreport • 3 passportsizepictures • For ladies papsmear and mammogram

  6. Proof of Income: Key Requirement • Residencyapplicantsmustprovethattheyhaveanincomestreamconsistentwiththeir living standard • There are manyoptionstoprovethis: • Pensionfromabroad • Mutual fundorRetirementfundincome • incomefromthelease of a propertyabroador in Uruguay • Dividendsorinterests • Workcontract in Uruguay (a workcontractoverseasisnotacceptable)

  7. Proof of Income: Key Requirement • Thereisn´t a minimumrequired per person. Yourincome has to be consistentwithyourlifestyle. • Income has to be received in Uruguay, so it´sconvenientto open a bankaccount. • Ifyourproof of incomedocumentisfromoverseas, itwillhave to be stampedbytheUruguayan Consulate. • In Uruguay, thedocumentsthatproveyourincomemust be certifiedby a NotaryPublic (a type of attorney)

  8. Proof of address and time-in-country requirement • Uruguay requiresthatyouprovideanaddress, evenifit´s a temporaryoneuntilyoufindyourpermanent home. • Ifyouhave a leaseordeed, itwillalso be convenienttosubmitit. • As per thepresence in Uruguay, youmust show intention to reside byspendingsignificant time in the country. Wesuggestyouspendapproximatelyhalftheyear in Uruguay.

  9. The Process • Once you file forresidency, youwillhaveyourtemporaryidentitycardissued. • In case youwant to bringyour personal effectsduty free, you can alsoget a specialdocumentfromtheNationalMigration Office to present at Customs • Fromthemomentyou file forresidencyyou are a resident in process and can stay in Uruguay indefinitely. No furtheractiononyourside. • Once yougetyourpermanentresidencyyouwill be issuedwith a definitiveidentitycardthatwillenableyoutotravelwithin Mercosur countrieswithoutusingyourpassport (withtheexception of Brazil).

  10. Bringing Personal Belongings • What can I bring free of importduties and taxes? • Allyourhouseholdbelongings • When can I bringthem? • The window to bringyour personal effectsisfromthedayyou file forresidencyuntilitisgranted. • How do I bringmybelongings? • The movingagentwilltakecare of your personal effects. The NationalMigration Office issuesanarrivalcertificatefortheNationalCustoms Agency. The applicant has to deposit a bond withtheCustomsAuthority, forthevalue of theimportduties and taxes he/shewouldhavepaidifnotapplyingforresidency. Whenresidencyisgranted, the bond isreturned.

  11. Bringing Personal Belongings • Who helps me bring my personal belongings? • A Customs Agent in Uruguay • My shipping agent in the country of origin • My attorney/the person handling my residency in Uruguay • (all three must coordinate actions) • What documents must I produce to bring my belongings? • The National Migration Office authorization for the Uruguayan Customs Authority • A special Act (16.340) allows pensioners to bring a car free of import duties

  12. Act 16.340 for retirees • Benefits • Quick accesstoUruguayanpassport, includingspouse and minorchildren • Possibilityotimportvehicleduty free • Requirements • U$S 100,000 investment • Minimummonthlyincome of U$S 1,500 • Disadvantages • Passport doesnotincludecitizenship • Car cannot be sold in 4 years • Property/investmentcannot be soldbefore 10 years

  13. Citizenship • You can getUruguayancitizenship AFTER youhaveobtainedpermanent legal residency status. • Citizenship can be obtained 3 or 5 yearssinceyouhavefirstarrived in Uruguay • The processis done beforeUruguay´s Electoral Court • Ittakesbetween 4 and 6 monthstobecome a Uruguayancitizen • Requirements are simple butmaytake time togather: proof of age and nationality, proof of residence, proof of entranceintothe country, allegiancetotheflag, proof of social insertion, proof of identity, cleanpolice record.

  14. Myths on Residency • Myth: I need to be a permanent resident in order to own a house or to do business in Uruguay • Truth: Residency is not required to own property or do business in Uruguay • Myth: I can bring a car free of import duties • Truth: Yes, but only under Law 16.340 for pensioners, which requires that I prove USD 1,500 of monthly income, plus ownership of a property of U$S 100,000 that I won’t be able to sell for 10 years, and other requirements • Myth: Owning a property in Uruguay automatically qualifies me in order to obtain residency • Truth: No. Requirement is income proof, not ownership of assets

  15. Tips on Residency Send your immigration lawyer copies of the documents you intend to submit, before travelling, so they can be verified and translated in time for the filing. Work on the wording of your income proof document with your immigration lawyer, to make sure it meets what is needed. Send your immigration lawyer and customs agent the list of belongings you plan to bring, so they can verify whether the list is reasonable or not. Open a bank account in Uruguay.

  16. Further Information www.fs.com.uy www.uruguayinvest.com or write to: cpiaggio@fs.com.uy

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