Over the last ten years a growing number of Europeans and North Americans have been moving to Uruguay. It’s partly down global factors and the progressive nature and long time stability of Uruguay’s laws and economy. The latter is an open secret in South America with Uruguay regarded as a safe haven for investors particularly those from Argentina for decades
Too many expat websites gloss over the reality. You can be assured Guru’Guay gives you the real picture–warts-and-all when necessary.
Why you can trust what Guru’Guay says about living in Uruguay
The creator of Guru’Guay, Karen A Higgs, was born and bred in the UK, studied there and the US and has lived for many years in different countries in Latin America and the US. She moved to Uruguay with her family in 2000 and they loved it so much they never left.
Karen is a recognised expert on Uruguay featured in both international and national press and has written two books: The Guru’Guay Guide to Montevideo (second edition 2019 — there’s an audiobook too) and The Guru’Guay Guide to Uruguay: Beaches, Ranches and Wine Country (2017). Her readers include the British Ambassador to Uruguay and other notables. Guru’Guay is proud to be part of Uruguay Natural, the official country brand of Uruguay.
The Insider’s Guide to Moving to Uruguay
Guru’Guay has written almost 200 articles about Uruguay (check out our blog). For articles specifically related to relocation check out our Living in Uruguay channel. We walk you through the legal requirements, taxes and the costs of buying property, getting residency, citizenship, setting up a business, making a will (it’s surprisingly different to US or UK law) and more. If you are interested in a different subject, tell us in the comments below.
The best local experts and service providers
The best experiences and services come by word of mouth. That’s probably true anywhere but especially so in Uruguay. And unfortunately as the number of people emigrating here is growing, we are starting to hear some horror stories of cowboy relocation ‘experts’ and the like.
Think of us as a friend sharing our favourite contacts. We only recommend people and companies we know personally/professionally. They can make your eventual landing in Uruguay the softest possible. Wherever possible we choose people who speak great English–and if they don’t there’s something else about their service that you will really be grateful for.
Check out our recommended service providers in the Living in Uruguay channel.
Photo: Jimmy Baikovicius
Thinking of moving to Uruguay?
Relocation consultations
With Karen A Higgs, the founder of Guru’Guay & an internationally-recognised expert, regarding your unique situation and needs.
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Thanks for giving of your time answering my queries Karen. As always they are most helpful.
I had an email chat with Laura Cánepa who also very kindly clarified some of the technicalities involved in acquiring residency. So rather than bombard you with further endless questions I think our next obvious course of action is to spend a month in the country where we can get a feel for life there and whether the inevitably different lifestyle will suit us.
Then there’s the million dollar question, and one only I can answer, do I have the courage to up sticks and move to a foreign country where I don’t speak the language?
Max
Hey Max, I can actually help you get further along, before you commit to the time and expense of the visit (which is an excellent idea, and if you are planning to live here full time I would make it in the winter – or the season that you are likely to find most challenging). You can have a sixty-minute online consultation with me, where you can ask all those questions that it is so difficult to find answers for. For instance, Allie and her husband talked to me last week (you can see her review at the end of the page linked prior. She said “Karen was able to share important info that saved me a lot more research time, along with some possible costly mistakes”. By the end of the sixty minutes you’ll definitely feel more confident about either moving ahead with your visit, or deciding that Uruguay is most likely not the place for you. All the best – Karen
I am wondering how expats in Uruguay who smoke are coping with the government’s aggressive attitude to smoking and vaping? Fed up with life in the UK. I was seriously planning relocating to Uruguay until I discovered the hostility to smoking now includes a ban on the sale of vaping paraphernalia.
As a lifelong smoker who switched to e-cigs 14 months ago due to absurd cost of cigarettes in UK I don’t think I’d be very happy uprooting if the move meant being be forced to quit all forms of nicotine consumption. Cigarettes appear to be a lot cheaper in Uruguay than in the UK, so could revert to smoking, but this doesn’t seem a very sensible move.
In reality is it difficult/expensive buying cigarettes and impossible to get e-cig stuff?
Hey Max, I wouldn’t say there’s hostility to smoking. There is a ban on smoking (tobacco, marijuana and vaping) in indoors in public places in Uruguay but most restaurants and bars have outdoor seating nowadays, especially as quite a lot of people smoke here. You can buy cigarettes in any corner store or supermarket, you just need to ask for them as they are not on display. I’ll check and see what current prices are. Regarding vaping, yes, it’s banned in Uruguay but it’s a short 2 hour boat ride to Argentina where it’s legal. You can bring back supplies for personal use from anywhere outside of Uruguay without a problem. Cheers — Karen
Many thanks Karen And Laura for replying with your reassuring words. I will certainly take up Laura’s offer of an assessment.
My only complaint with the website – I keep getting invitation to subscribe to newsletter pop up even though have already done so. Only way to get rid of the pop up is to return to original webpage and start again, which is somewhat irritating!!
Great to hear, Max. And thanks for letting me know about the newsletter popup activity. We just set it up and clearly it needs to be tweaked! Hope you make it to Uruguay in the future! — Karen
Hi Karen. I am English and my wife Filipino. We want to move to Uruguay which shouldn’t be a problem for me, but I’m not sure how Uruguay Immigration would view my wife. She is half way through UK’s laborious 5 year process to secure Indefinite Leave to Remain, so still classed as a Philippines national. Any thoughts on Uruguay’s likely attitude regards her?
Hi Max, things are in flux as a new government is coming to power on March 1 2020. However the president elect has been talking about flexibilising already generous immigration terms, so perhaps that will be even better news for you and your partner. I’ve asked residency expert Laura Canepa of Mobility LC to weigh in with her experience on this. Hopefully she will answer soon! Thanks for writing
Hi Max!! Hope you are well. I am Laura Cánepa, immigration expert, recently awarded as Top Immigration Advisor for 2019.
From the Uruguayan perspective she won’t have any problems. Uruguay has an open approach to immigration and does not discriminate any nationality or origin. If you are legally married you would even be considered as a couple for the application process making it even easier.
She will need to show both Philippino and UK police records which will need to be appropriately legalised/apostilled before coming to the country.
I will be delighted to assist you further. Please feel free to contact us at residency@mobilitylc.com for a general assessment of your particular case. Kind regards!
I am an Indian by birth born in Mumbai, I am 57 years of age. I would like to spend the autumn of my life…sipping Yerba Mate in Uruguay.
Your comments will be invaluable to my research…or rather search for peace….sand and solitude.
Hi Karen! Thanks for this great article. Do you have any advice for finding employment in Uruguay, specifically as an English teacher? Thank you!
Hi Leigh, I’d recommend you join some of the Facebook groups for Uruguay expats where you’ll find a number of teachers who can give you advice. Good luck! Karen
Wow, wonderful recommendation for us, Karen, thanks! Glad you liked the article and hopefully both of our sites’s readerships will benefit from both Guru’guay and Uruguay Expat Life.
By the way, that “we have you in our sidebar blogroll” actually now really is “we have you in our sidebar blogroll”. It was active on our alternate/backup site, but not on our main one. Fixed that!