Legal citizenship (ciudadanía legal) - Carta de Ciudadanía from the Electoral Court
Official name: Carta de ciudadanía (ciudadanía legal uruguaya), Constitución art. 75
Foreigners of good conduct aged 18 or over can apply to the Electoral Court for legal citizenship after 3 years of habitual residence if they have a family established in Uruguay (or capital, property or a profession), or 5 years without. They must show means of living, speak Spanish, and bring two citizen witnesses. The procedure is free.
Life in Uruguay
Finance
3
Currency
Uruguayan Peso
UYU
Uruguayan Peso
Cost of living
72
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
10–36%
Income tax (national)
VAT (IVA) 22% · social security 15%
2026 monthly scale: exempt up to 7 BPC (UYU 48,048 a month); 36% above 115 BPC (UYU 789,360 a month).
Living
1
Happiness
#29 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
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Whether this country allows dual citizenship, and what it means for your own passports
Who it’s for
Long-term residents of Uruguay.
Eligibility
3 or 5 years of habitual residence
Sign in to check this route against your profileShow 3 or 5 years of habitual residence in Uruguay, depending on whether you have established ties there.
Years of residence needed
- With family or tiesfamily, capital, property, profession, science, art or industry
- 3 years
- Without family
- 5 years
- Absences of more than 6 consecutive months restart the count from zero
Official wording
3 years with a family established in Uruguay (or capital, property, a profession, science, art or industry); 5 years without family. Absences of more than 6 consecutive months restart the count from zero.
Means of living (arraigo)
Sign in to check this route against your profileShow your means of living in Uruguay for the 3 or 5 years of residence.
- Accepted: BPS work history or pension certificates
- Accepted: sole-proprietor registration or professional fund certificates
- Accepted: rental income
- A spouse or judicially recognised partner can be certified as dependent
Official wording
Shown for the 3 or 5 years with BPS work history, pension certificates, a sole-proprietor registration, professional fund certificates, or rental income; a spouse or judicially recognised partner can be certified as dependent.
Spanish
Sign in to check this route against your profileApplicants whose language is not Spanish must understand and express themselves in Spanish, or the application will not proceed.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirement
- Document checklist
- Fees
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- 2 more requirements
- 3 documents
- 1 fee
- 3 steps
- Processing times and conditions
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