Many of the emails I receive include questions about establishing residence offshore and also ask how to acquire a second passport and citizenship in a specific country.
Because there is a great deal of passport fraud on the Internet, with fake passports offered in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars for almost every nation you can imagine, many of my answers debunking these frauds no doubt disappoint my correspondents. But better they learn -- before they lose!
This week a new rumor floated into my in-box alleging that the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, (yes, that's its official name), was issuing immediate citizenship and second passports for those willing to meet the government's requirements.
This claim didn't sound right to me, especially since I only recently completed my latest edition of The Passport Book, (see below), a popular guide I authored published by the Sovereign Society for several years now.
Nice Place to Live
Uruguay is a small country with only 3.4 million people bordered by Brazil and Argentina and to the east, the Atlantic Ocean. Lying low on South America’s coast, Uruguay lacks most of the natural scenic attractions that draw visitors to many other Latin American countries. Its highest mountain just tops 500 meters, and its temperate climate sustains broad grasslands suitable for ranching. Excellent beaches along the Río de la Plata where it meets the ocean attract a wealthy crowd escaping from urban congestion in nearby Buenos Aires and São Paulo -- rich folks headed for the famous "in" beach resort of Punta del Este, Uruguay's answer to Newport, Rhode Island. Once a foreign national becomes assimilated into the large expatriate community of Punta del Este , life can be quite pleasant. Bridge nights and cocktail parties are routine where many people of wealth make their home.
Elsewhere Uruguay's infrastructure is fair, but declines in quality as the distance from the south coast increases. Montevideo, the capital, is an attractive, modern city – among the safest in the world. Political stability has been outstanding in recent decades, and Uruguay's position at the center of the Mercosur regional trade bloc has begun to stimulate economic growth.
Military dictatorships dominated government in the last century, and more recent democratic governments have not fared much better due, to corruption and graft that is a way of life here. Banks and currency dealers selling gold and foreign currency were once commonplace in Montevideo. Until a few years ago strikes, high inflation, and emigration of professionals and skilled workers damaged the nation’s reputation.
A major plus: Uruguay is a tax haven that imposes no personal income or estate taxes and has one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. There is an annual wealth tax of up to 3% on capital owned and domiciled within the country.
Surprise - No Fast Passports
So imagine my surprise when I was contacted by an earnest believer who insisted, (and wanted my concurrence), that Uruguay was now granting immediate residence and a passport with full citizenship, instead of having to live there three years before a passport could be obtained, (which was my understanding of the law).
Well, it took some extensive fact checking to get to the truth -- including consulting a knowledgeable expat American I know who lives there, a leading immigration lawyer in Montevideo, and, (least accurate of all), a staff member of the Uruguayan consulate in Miami.
So here's the truth, should you be interested in making your home in what was once called "the Switzerland of South American."
According to Uruguayan immigration law, foreigners who qualify as "retirees" who are granted permanent residency in Uruguay eventually, but not immediately, are entitled to a Uruguayan passport. This applies to the primary visa holder, as well as a spouse and children (under 18 years of age). However, under current (2007) official practice, we were told that while residence in the country may be granted immediately, obtaining an official passport usually takes at least three to five years of proven residence. Under the terms of Law 16.340 (Dec. 23, 1992), to qualify "a foreign person" who can prove he or she is "a retiree in a foreign country"; who obtains "permanent residency in Uruguay"; is entitled to certain benefits when they provide "documentation certifying his/her retiree status and a steady and permanent minimum monthly income" of US$500.
In the past, the new resident was also required to show proof of "purchase of real estate property or Uruguayan government securities "valued at a minimum of US$100,000," but as of 2007, we were told this requirement has been suspended. After three years residence, persons who qualify as above described are granted an official Uruguayan passport, the same passport that is granted to other citizens of the country, which can be used for international travel. The law states that the new resident (and dependents) are entitled to a pasaporte común (common passport -- a passport which is neither diplomatic nor military in nature), the type issued to all citizens.
For more information you can contact the Embassy of Uruguay, 1913 “Eye” Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006, Tel: (202) 331-1313 E-mail: uruwashi@uruwashi.org; Web site: http://www.embassy.org/uruguay/ But I must tell you, the embassy staff was of little or no help when I contacted them, insisting that only the consulate nearest my home could assist me.
* If you want reliable information about how to obtain valid second passports and dual citizenship, click here: http://web-purchases.com/190SGOPS/W190H721/
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