Overview
The “Hoja de Identidad Provisoria — Nómada Digital” is issued by the National Migration Directorate to foreigners who work remotely for employers or clients outside Uruguay. The application is made online on gub.uy — or in person at the Directorate — with a copy of the passport you entered (or will enter) with and a signed sworn statement in the official format.
The first period is under 180 days. The renewal to complete a year needs your Uruguayan ID card, a new sworn statement, national-level criminal-record certificates from every country where you lived six months or more in the last five years, and a certificate from a Uruguayan vaccination centre showing you comply with the national vaccination scheme.
Editor's note — The permit is cheap and quick, but Uruguay is not: Montevideo and Punta del Este price like southern Europe. The affidavit sets no number, but you should be able to show a realistic budget if asked.
Who is eligible
- Foreign national working remotely for people or companies outside Uruguay.
- Legal entry as a tourist (most Western nationalities are visa-exempt).
- Sworn declaration, in the official format, that you have the means to support yourself during the stay.
- For the extension: apostilled or legalised criminal-record certificates from countries of residence in the last five years, and a vaccination record under Decree 136/2018.
- Passport valid for the stay; a Uruguayan ID card is issued once the permit is granted.
Income & financial requirements
Affidavit of sufficient means only.
Indexed units; roughly US$10.
Apostilled, from the last five years' countries of residence.
Reported for the initial permit.
There is no fixed threshold. You sign a declaración jurada in the official format stating that you have the means to support yourself during the stay; nothing else is filed up front for the first period.
Costs & fees
- Government fee of 55.71 UI (Unidades Indexadas) — the official page notes it cannot be paid from abroad.
- Apostilles and translations of criminal-record certificates for the renewal (Brazilian documents need no translation); a letter from an accredited consulate is also accepted.
- Uruguayan ID card issuance fees.
Taxes
Uruguay taxes individuals largely on a territorial basis, and remote-work income from abroad is generally outside personal income tax (IRPF) for non-residents. Spending more than 183 days makes you resident; new tax residents can opt into a tax holiday on foreign passive income for up to eleven years. Confirm your position with a Uruguayan accountant.
How to apply
Enter Uruguay
Keep the passport you entered with; some nationalities need a visa first.
Apply online or in person
Use “Iniciar Trámite en Línea” on gub.uy with a gub.uy user or digital identity, or go to the Directorate (Mercedes 1004, Montevideo) or a regional office; pay the fee in Uruguay.
Receive the Hoja de Identidad Provisoria
Once authorised you are told by email to go to the National Civil Identification Directorate for the document.
Extend to one year
File the renewal with your Uruguayan ID, a new sworn statement, criminal records and the vaccination certificate.
Duration & renewal
Under 180 days initially, renewable once to complete one year. Those who want to stay longer use Uruguay's ordinary temporary or permanent residency, which is famously accessible.
Bringing family
Each family member files their own application; the process is the same and the fee is per person.
Pros & cons
Advantages
- No income requirement
- Fee of roughly US$10
- Fully online after arrival
- Easy switch to full residency later
Considerations
- High cost of living
- One-year cap on the nomad permit itself
- Apostilled criminal records needed for the extension
- Winter is cold and the country is small