It may be South America’s second-smallest country, but it is also one of the continent’s safest and most enjoyable to visit. Blessed with a spectacular coastline and some of the cleanest cities you will find in South America, Uruguay is quickly becoming a travel hot spot. Iconic UNESCO Heritage Sites like Colonia del Sacramento and the country’s booming wine industry are starting to attract more and more tourists. However, before you can visit and enjoy this incredible country, you must make sure you meet the Uruguay entrance requirements for visitors.

To assist you in making sure you meet the necessary entrance requirements for Uruguay, I have provided an outline of all the entrance requirements in this article. Furthermore, I also created a handy checklist that I linked to below that you can use to track the requirements as you meet them.

Download the Uruguay Entrance Requirements Checklist

Uruguay Passport Requirements

One of the most important Uruguay entrance requirements that you will need to consider when planning your trip is the country’s passport requirements. To be allowed into Uruguay, your passport needs to be valid on the date of your arrival. If your passport is set to expire before you arrive in Uruguay, you will need to renew your passport before your trip.

Uruguay VISA Requirements

Depending on your nationality, you may not need to obtain a VISA before visiting Uruguay. If you are a passport holder from a VISA-exempt country, you are allowed to enter Uruguay without a VISA as long as you don’t overstay your VISA exemption period. Passport holders from countries that are not VISA exempt will need to apply for a tourist VISA before traveling to Argentina.

If you are a passport holder from the following countries, you are not currently required to obtain a VISA before visiting Uruguay as long as you stay in the country for less than the specified number of days. The Uruguay entrance requirements specify that the default VISA exemption period is 90 days unless noted otherwise.

Uruguay Immunization Requirements

Important Note: I am not a medical doctor and don’t have medical experience. The information provided in this section is a summary of information that I got from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States for travel to Uruguay. I am providing you this information to help bring awareness of the necessary vaccinations to you, but consultation with my guide should not replace a discussion about your travels with your doctor or a travel medical clinic.

One of the most important, and yet most often overlooked, aspects of travel is the necessary vaccinations that are required or recommended to keep you safe and healthy when you travel. Before you depart for Uruguay, you are going to want to make sure that you have all of the proper vaccinations.

Some of these vaccinations, like the Yellow Fever vaccination, are included in the Uruguay entrance requirements. Other vaccinations, such as a flu shot and the Rabies vaccine, are recommended, but not required. For your convenience, I have summarized the CDC’s recommendations on vaccines and healthcare for travelers visiting Uruguay for you to review below.

Recommended Travel Vaccinations for Uruguay

There are several vaccinations that the CDC recommends that you get before traveling to Uruguay, which I have outlined for you below. Please pay special attention to the details in this guide section and ensure you discuss all vaccinations with your doctor or travel health clinic.

Routine Vaccinations for Uruguay

In addition, the vaccinations that are recommended for travel to Uruguay specifically, there are other routine vaccinations you should be current on before traveling anywhere in this world. For an overview of the routine vaccinations recommended by the CDC, please review the chart that I have included below.

Non-Vaccine Preventable Diseases

In addition to the recommended vaccinations, there are other health precautions to take when visiting Uruguay to avoid getting sick. While these health precautions aren’t on the list of the Uruguayan entrance requirements, they are important measures that you can take to make sure you don’t get ill while traveling.

AVOID CONTAMINATED WATER

When traveling, one of the easiest ways to get sick is to come into contact with contaminated water. Several illnesses are found in Uruguay that can be spread by either drinking or swimming in contaminated water. Before you depart for your trip, you will want to be aware of the illnesses below. To avoid getting sick, make sure you stick to drinking bottled water and avoid swimming in stagnant pools.

AVOID BUG BITES

Another easy way to get sick while traveling is to be bitten by bugs that carry illnesses. The most common insect that spreads diseases to humans is the mosquito, but ticks and flies can also spread serious illnesses through their bites.

To make sure you don’t fall ill from an insect bite while in Uruguay, I would recommend bringing insect repellent and mosquito netting with you when you visit and avoid getting bitten by bugs as much as possible.

BE AWARE OF AIRBORNE AND DROPLET ILLNESSES

Out of all the ways that illnesses can be spread, airborne diseases are the hardest to protect yourself against. After all, you don’t have to physically touch or be touched by an infected person or animal and there isn’t a repellant that you can spray on to avoid catching these illnesses.

This is why it is always important to be observant of those with whom you interact while traveling and make sure you don’t expose yourself to potentially harmful airborne illnesses. According to the CDC, the particular airborne illnesses that you should be aware of while traveling to Uruguay are as follows:

Uruguay Customs Restrictions

Another important aspect of travel to Uruguay that you must be aware of before you travel is the country’s customs regulations. Like other countries, there are certain goods that you are restricted or even prohibited from bringing into the country. To ensure you don’t make the costly mistake of having one of these restricted items in your baggage, I have outlined the Uruguay entrance requirements for customs regulations for you to review below.

FREE IMPORT

According to the VISAHQ.com, website, the following items are considered free-import items when entering Uruguay, but with limits (as described below).

• 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 500g of tobacco (for travelers over 18 years old).
• 2 liters of alcohol (for travelers over 18 years old).
• Non-commercial amount of gifts and other items for personal use. The allowance is distributed as follows:
  • Entering by Land: Goods worth up to US$ 150 or equivalent (once a month).
  • Entering by air or sea, US$ 300 for travelers from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay (once a month). The allowance for travelers from other countries is up to US$ 500 or equivalent (once a year).
  • Passengers under 18 years old are allowed a 50% corresponding allowance.
• Sporting goods and musical instruments for personal use.
• Electrical equipment for personal use.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Before you will be allowed into Uruguay, you will also need to clear customs to be sure you aren’t carrying any prohibited items with you. For instance, travelers are strictly prohibited from bringing the following items into Uruguay:

• Narcotics.
• Alkaloids.
• Pornography.
• Subversive material of any type.
• Counterfeit items.
• Cultural artifacts and other objects of cultural importance.
• Explosive and flammable material.
• Plants and any products made of plant parts.
• Fruits and vegetables.
• Soil, seeds (or items with vegetables or seeds, such as bracelets, etc.), and flowers.
• Animal feed and other veterinary-related products (biological or chemical).
• Trees or any products made of tree parts.
• Fresh dairy products like cream, milk, etc.
• Birds.
• Bees and honey.
• Meat of any kind.

CONTROLLED ITEMS

In addition to these prohibited items, the government of Uruguay has placed limits on the quantity of other items that can be brought into the country. If you plan to travel with any of the following items when visiting Uruguay, you will want to plan accordingly so that you do not violate the Uruguayan entrance requirements:

• Live animals (health certificate required along with complete and valid inoculations).
• Endangered species or any products made from endangered species as outlined by CITES.
• Medication:
  • MUST be accompanied by a prescription, in the original container, and with the original label.
  • The quantity should NOT BE GREATER than what is needed for the length of your stay in the country.
• Mobile telephones need to be declared (and a tax needs to be paid if one is planning to change to a Uruguayan telephone provider).

Uruguay Currency Restrictions

The final aspect of the Uruguay entrance requirements that you will want to ensure you comply with is the amount of currency you plan on bringing to the country. Like all countries, you can’t bring in or take out as much currency as you want when visiting Uruguay. Most countries have currency restrictions, and Uruguay is no different. According to the US State Department website, the government of Uruguay has the following currency limits and regulations in place:

• Each visitor can only bring in USD 10,000 or less into the country. Any amount greater amount must be declared with Uruguay’s customs authorities.
• Each visitor can only leave Uruguay with USD 10,000 or less. Any amount greater amount must be declared with Uruguay’s customs authorities.

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