Uruguay Nationality Bill Goes to Cabinet on 12 October
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URUGUAY · CITIZENSHIP
Key Facts
- —The country Uruguay, a small and stable South American democracy between Brazil and Argentina, ranks first in a private 2026 retirement index for foreigners.
- —What happened On Friday 9 October, the presidency announced a Uruguay nationality bill so that foreign-born legal citizens count as Uruguayan nationals.
- —Why it matters At present naturalised Uruguayans are citizens but not nationals, and the government says this has caused trouble with their passports abroad.
- —Next step The Cabinet is due to sign the Uruguay nationality bill on Monday 12 October and send it to Parliament that week.
- —Who is affected Thousands of foreign-born Uruguayan citizens, says deputy presidential secretary Jorge Díaz; campaigners estimate 16,000 to 20,000, Telemundo reported.
- —Still open No vote date has been set, and the bill does not itself say how passports will change.
Uruguay’s government will ask Parliament to declare that foreign-born people who become Uruguayan citizens are also Uruguayan nationals. The Uruguay nationality bill matters to the Americans and other foreigners who settle there and later naturalise.
Jorge Díaz, deputy secretary of the presidency under President Yamandú Orsi, announced the plan on Friday 9 October in Montevideo. He said the Cabinet will sign it on Monday 12 October.
What the Uruguay Nationality Bill Would Change
Uruguay’s 1967 Constitution has two kinds of citizens. Natural citizens were born in Uruguay or born abroad to natural citizens, while legal citizens were born abroad and earned citizenship later.
The current reading treats legal citizens as citizens without Uruguayan nationality. The Uruguay nationality bill is an interpretive law, in which Parliament states how part of the Constitution should be read.
It declares both groups to be nationals. Díaz spoke at the Torre Ejecutiva, the presidential office tower on Plaza Independencia.
Díaz said the government consulted two constitutional law professors, Ruben Correa Freitas and Martín Risso. Both suggested asking Parliament to settle the question by law, according to the presidency.
A second article lets parents or guardians request the citizenship certificate, the carta de ciudadanía, for minors, who must confirm it on reaching adulthood. Some exceptions stay in place: only a natural citizen can become president, Díaz said.
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Why Passports Became the Problem
The push came from a petition by legal citizens who wanted to be recognised as nationals. One practical problem is passports, which did not recognise the holder’s Uruguayan nationality, Díaz said, according to El País.
He said many of these citizens must give up their original nationality, because some countries reject dual nationality. In his words, they are then left almost stateless.
Díaz said the bill “solves a real problem” for many compatriots with legal citizenship, and called it a human rights issue. On X he wrote that the injustice has affected thousands of people for decades.
He also met members of the civil group Todos Somos Uruguayos, and called the claim an old demand of legal citizens. The presidency said the group welcomed the decision.
To show the scale of the problem, Díaz cited Enrique Iglesias, a former foreign minister and former head of the Inter-American Development Bank. Under the current reading, he said, prominent people like him are not counted as Uruguayans.
How Foreigners Become Uruguayan Citizens
Under Article 75 of the Constitution, foreigners of good conduct with a family in Uruguay can apply after three years of residence. Those without a family there need five years.
Applicants must also hold capital or property in Uruguay or practise a science, art or trade. Parliament can also grant citizenship for outstanding services.
That short path is part of Uruguay’s appeal to foreign retirees. El País reported on 9 October that a 2026 index by the advisory firm Global Citizen Solutions ranked Uruguay first.
The index, which compared 46 retirement and residence-visa programmes, praised what it called one of the shortest routes to citizenship. The steps from residency to a passport are set out in this guide to permanent residency and citizenship in Uruguay.
What It Means for You
If you are an American in Uruguay planning to naturalise, the Uruguay nationality bill could make your future Uruguayan passport easier to use. It does not change the residence rules.
If you already hold legal citizenship, nothing changes until Parliament passes the law and it is promulgated. Díaz said he hopes for quick approval, calling the matter one of fundamental human rights.
The fix also touches Uruguay’s pitch to newcomers. The retirement index calls Uruguay ideal for people who value freedom to travel and want a clear route to a second citizenship.
What Is Not Known
Parliament has not set a date to debate or vote on the Uruguay nationality bill. Díaz called it a problem with no political colour and expects all parties to seek a solution.
The presidency’s announcement did not include the bill’s full text, and officials gave no exact count; the 16,000 to 20,000 figure comes from campaigners. Díaz said the law does not mention passports, so practical changes depend on how authorities apply it.
More: Uruguay news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Uruguay nationality bill?
It is an interpretive law announced on Friday 9 October 2026. It would declare that foreign-born legal citizens are Uruguayan nationals, just like people born in Uruguay.
When will the Uruguay nationality bill take effect?
The Cabinet is due to sign it on Monday 12 October and send it to Parliament that week. It takes effect only after Parliament approves it, and no vote date has been set.
How long does it take a foreigner to become a Uruguayan citizen?
Under Article 75 of the Constitution, applicants with a family in Uruguay need three years of residence, and those without need five. They also need good conduct and capital, property or a science, art or trade.
Will the bill change Uruguayan passports?
Not directly. Díaz said the law itself does not mention passports. It declares that both natural and legal citizens are Uruguayan nationals, which the government expects to end the passport problems.
Sources: Presidencia de la República, Gobierno envía al Parlamento proyecto de ley para solucionar problemática de ciudadanos legales, 9 October 2026; IMPO, Constitución de la República, Artículo 75, accessed 10 October 2026; El País (Uruguay), Gobierno enviará al Parlamento ley interpretativa para reconocer como nacionales a ciudadanos legales, 9 October 2026; Montevideo Portal, Gobierno presentó un proyecto para que ciudadanos legales sean reconocidos como nacionales, 9 October 2026; Subrayado, Gobierno presenta proyecto de ley para que ciudadanos legales extranjeros sean también ciudadanos nacionales, 9 October 2026; Telemundo (Teledoce), “Quedan en situación de apátridas”: el gobierno busca cambiar la ley para equiparar a los ciudadanos uruguayos legales y naturales, 9 October 2026; la diaria, El gobierno presentará un proyecto de ley para que los ciudadanos legales sean reconocidos como nacionales uruguayos, 9 October 2026; El País (Uruguay), Uruguay es el mejor país para mudarse después de la jubilación, según un índice global, 9 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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