Uruguay · Retire or live on savings
Uruguay Retiree PR (Law 16.340)
Income needed: $1,500+ a month
Beneficio Ley 16.340 — jubilados que obtienen residencia permanente
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Retiree PR (Law 16.340) is a retire or live on savings route for Uruguay. Applicants need income of $1,500+ a month. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Money needed
- $1,500+ a month
Cost, time and long term
Shown, not spent$100k+ · $1,500+/mo
- $100,000Home bought in Uruguay worth at least US$100,000 that cannot be sold for 10 years; alternative: Uruguayan government bonds of at least US$100,000 nominal held in custody at Banco de la República for at least 10 years.
- $1,500 a monthMinimum monthly retirement or other income generated abroad, shown by receipt.
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 5 years of residence
Legal citizenship needs 5 years of habitual residence in Uruguay, or 3 years if you have a family established in the country and capital, property or a profession.
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- Foreign retirees who choose to reside permanently in Uruguay qualify for the Law 16.340 benefit.
What you must show3
- Retirement pension or other income generated abroad is at least US$1,500 per month.
- A home bought in Uruguay is worth at least US$100,000 and cannot be sold for 10 years.
- Alternatively, Uruguayan government bonds of at least US$100,000 nominal are held at Banco de la República for 10 years or more.
Documents2
- Proof of retirement by receipt is required.
- Documents from abroad must be translated and legalised.
Steps1
- From abroad, apply at the nearest Uruguayan consulate; within Uruguay, at a Dirección Nacional de Migración office.
After you arrive1
- The benefit allows entry of household goods and one motor vehicle, which cannot be sold for 4 years and must be insured.
What happens at day 183
How Uruguay decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in a calendar yearIndividuals are tax resident if present more than 183 days in the calendar year, or if the main base of activities or economic or vital interests is in Uruguay.
- Foreign-source income
New residents, 11 years
A person who becomes Uruguayan tax resident on or after 1 January 2026 may elect to be taxed as a non-resident (IRNR) on foreign-source capital income and gains for the year of the change of residence plus the next 10 fiscal years, once only; afterwards two IRPF options run for up to 20 further fiscal years.
- Special regime
Pre-2026 new-resident options on foreign capital income: IRNR tax holiday or 7% IRPF · 7% tax
People who became Uruguayan tax residents from 2020 to 2025 could choose, once and only until 31 December 2025, to pay the non-resident tax (IRNR) for the year of the change and the next ten fiscal years, so foreign-source capital income pays no Uruguayan tax in that time, or the personal income tax (IRPF) at 7% with no time limit instead of 12%.
All tax rules for Uruguay Tax records checked
Full official text
Import benefit for retired foreigners who take permanent residence: household goods and one vehicle may enter, the vehicle cannot be sold for 4 years. 1
What you must show
- Assets of at least $100,000 · Home bought in Uruguay worth at least US$100,000 that cannot be sold for 10 years; alternative: Uruguayan government bonds of at least US$100,000 nominal held in custody at Banco de la República for at least 10 years. 1
- Income of at least $1,500 a month · Minimum monthly retirement or other income generated abroad, shown by receipt. 1
Requirements
- Foreign retirees who choose to reside permanently in Uruguay qualify for the Law 16.340 benefit. 1
- Retirement pension or other income generated abroad is at least US$1,500 per month. 1
- A home bought in Uruguay is worth at least US$100,000 and cannot be sold for 10 years. 1
- Alternatively, Uruguayan government bonds of at least US$100,000 nominal are held at Banco de la República for 10 years or more. 1
- Proof of retirement by receipt is required. 1
- Documents from abroad must be translated and legalised. 1
- From abroad, apply at the nearest Uruguayan consulate; within Uruguay, at a Dirección Nacional de Migración office. 1
- The benefit allows entry of household goods and one motor vehicle, which cannot be sold for 4 years and must be insured. 1
Stay
- The benefit is attached to permanent residence; no fee.
Official sources
- Beneficio para extranjeros jubilados que obtengan residencia permanente (Ley 16.340) · Ministerio del Interior — Dirección Nacional de Migración · checked 2026-10-10
- Constitución de la República Oriental del Uruguay, art. 75 · Centro de Información Oficial (IMPO), Uruguay · checked 2026-10-11
Retiree PR (Law 16.340) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retiree PR (Law 16.340) | Needs income of $1,500+ a month | – | – |
| Rentista / retiree residence | – | – | – |
| Retiree permanent residence Mexico | Needs income of MXN 134k+ a month ≈ $7,310 | – | Yes |
| Pensioner visa M Colombia | Needs income of COP 5.3M+ a month ≈ $1,640 | 3 yr | Yes |
| Pensionado residence Costa Rica | Needs income of $1,000+ a month | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Retiree PR (Law 16.340)?
Assets of at least $100,000. Home bought in Uruguay worth at least US$100,000 that cannot be sold for 10 years; alternative: Uruguayan government bonds of at least US$100,000 nominal held in custody at Banco de la República for at least 10 years. Income of at least $1,500 a month. Minimum monthly retirement or other income generated abroad, shown by receipt.
How long can I stay on the Retiree PR (Law 16.340)?
The benefit is attached to permanent residence; no fee.
Is there a tax break for Retiree PR (Law 16.340) holders in Uruguay?
Pre-2026 new-resident options on foreign capital income: IRNR tax holiday or 7% IRPF (closed to new choices since 31 December 2025): People who became Uruguayan tax residents from 2020 to 2025 could choose, once and only until 31 December 2025, to pay the non-resident tax (IRNR) for the year of the change and the next ten fiscal years, so foreign-source capital income pays no Uruguayan tax in that time, or the personal income tax (IRPF) at 7% with no time limit instead of 12%. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Pre-2026 new-resident options on foreign capital income: IRNR tax holiday or 7% IRPF (closed to new choices since 31 December 2025)
7% tax
Details
People who became Uruguayan tax residents from 2020 to 2025 could choose, once and only until 31 December 2025, to pay the non-resident tax (IRNR) for the year of the change and the next ten fiscal years, so foreign-source capital income pays no Uruguayan tax in that time, or the personal income tax (IRPF) at 7% with no time limit instead of 12%. Those who chose keep the option; people who become resident from 1 January 2026 fall under the impatriate regime (art. 24-BIS) instead, which has no 7% option.
Taxed on
Foreign-source movable capital income (interest, dividends and similar) from non-resident entities; other income such as employment income remains under IRPF category II.
Who it applies to
- Became a tax resident in fiscal years 2020 to 2025 and made the choice by 31 December 2025 (art. 24 as amended by Ley 20.446 art. 649: the option could be made once and until 31 December 2025).
- Declared no prior use of the option and that no residence ground applied in the immediately preceding fiscal year.
- Option exercised once, by form 0306 filed with the DGI.
- Extending the pre-2020 option to 10 years needs real estate in Uruguay worth more than 3,500,000 indexed units (UI), bought on or after 22 Jan 2021.
Exclusions
- Not open to people who become tax resident on or after 1 January 2026.
- Applies only to foreign-source movable capital income.
- Employment and other income remain taxable under IRPF.
- For residents from before 2020 the earlier option (5 years +1) can be extended to 10 years if the person holds Uruguayan real estate above 3,500,000 indexed units bought on or after 22 Jan 2021 and spends at least 60 days a year in Uruguay.
Days in the country
- More than 183 days in calendar year · Individuals are tax resident if present more than 183 days in the calendar year, or if the main base of activities or economic or vital interests is in Uruguay.
Tax residence
Tax residence rests on the 183-day or centre-of-interests tests; the option was made once on becoming a resident, no later than 31 December 2025.
Visas
Tax regime is independent of the residence category; it is closed to new entrants from 2026.
Other taxes
Option form 0306; VAT, social security and employment income taxes not covered.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Uruguay
Retirement and live-on-savings visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Beneficio para extranjeros jubilados que obtengan residencia permanente (Ley 16.340) · Ministerio del Interior — Dirección Nacional de Migración · checked 2026-10-10
- Constitución de la República Oriental del Uruguay, art. 75 · Centro de Información Oficial (IMPO), Uruguay · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.