In January 2024, a Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) for British and Uruguayan nationals was established. Every year the scheme allows 500 British and 500 Uruguayan nationals aged 18 to 30 years old to experience life and culture in each other’s country for a period of up to two years. It is the first YMS between the UK and a South American country.
If you are a British citizen who would like to travel to Uruguay for an extended period of time as part of the YMS, you should apply for a Working Holiday temporary residency. You must attend the Uruguayan Consulate in London and submit the following documents:
- a valid passport in good condition, with an expiry date at least one year in the future
- a medical certificate from the country of residence where it states that you do not have medical conditions that would make it impossible for you to reside in Uruguay
- evidence of a Police Certificate from the country of origin and from any country that you have lived in for the past five years. This should be apostilled or legalised, whichever is appropriate. In the UK you can apply for this at: http://www.gov.uk/copy-of-police-records. This must have been issued within the six months prior to the filing of the application
- documents that demonstrate that you have sufficient financial resources to meet your needs (such as salary payslips, bank statements, pensions, etc.) issued within 30 days of the application date
- declaration of the intended time you will remain in Uruguay, which will be up to two years
- apostille or legalised birth certificate (whichever is the case, if the person was born outside the UK) and translated (by a certified Uruguayan translator, by Consul or by consular intervention, depending on the case) will be required in Uruguay in order to obtain the Uruguayan National Identity card.
Once the documentation is submitted, the Uruguayan Consulate will inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Migration Direction, which will notify the National Migration Office. A decision will be made within a maximum of 15 working days.
If the application is successful, the Consulate will let you will know. You will then need to enter Uruguay within 180 days from the notification day. If you need a visa, the Consulate will issue a tourist visa without consulting with the National Migration Office, referring to the temporary residency granted.
Once you are in Uruguay, you will need to go in person to the National Migration Office and the National Civil Identification Office to apply for the National Identity card and pay the required fees.
If you need more information, please contact the Uruguayan Consulate or Uruguayan Embassy: cdlondres@mrree.gub.uy or urureinounido@mree.gub.uy, or call: +44 (0)207 584 4200.