Uruguay residency anyone?

[SaraSara]

I split the year between a farm in Colonia and my home in suburban BA.

Right now Uruguay is about 30% more expensive than Argentina, and its bureaucracy is much, MUCH worse. Hard to believe, but it is true.

On the plus side, there's little crime, and it's very quiet.
On the minus side, it's so quiet there's not much to do except go to the beach.

It's a great place for retired people, not so for those under fifty.

 

[mariposa]

there may not be crime in colonia but there is a lot of crime in montevideo, in the centro, the old city, barrio sur (the "san telmo" of montevideo), and around the port. i saw people sitting in doorways and shooting up in barrio sur in broad daylight.

a friend's family owns a supermarket in a good neighborhood in montevideo. they recently had an armed robbery in broad daylight where 2 security guards were shot. one hovered between life and death for weeks and then pulled though.

not all is peaches and cream in expensive uruguay...

 

[steveinbsas]

This is the url for a bbc article on residency in Uruguay. For all the traumatised rentistas in Argie: you only need $650 per month guaranteed income.

But you also need blood and urine tests and can only leave the country for a maximum of six months "at a time?"

This article: http://www.ehow.com/list_6691820_uruguay-immigration-requirements.html also states that "property ownership in Uruguay, proof of income and the ability to gain employment" are included in the "general requirements" for residency, but doesn't indicate if there are different categories of residency: temporary vs. permanent or if there is a "retirement visa" that does not entail property ownership or employment even though the article notes that "many people, including retirees, immigrate to the country."



But an article from Escape Artist http://www.escapeartist.com/Special_Reports/Residency-Uruguay/ states: "It’s important to notice that Uruguay does not require that you own property or have investments in the country, in order to grant residency. On the other hand, owning property does not eliminate the income requirement." At the time this was published to the web, the stated requirement was still only $500 USD per month.

Apparently the income requirement is higher for retirees seeking a passport and property ownership is also required: "A special law, 16,340, that applies to retirees with a government pension of over USD 18,000 per year guarantees a Uruguayan passport more rapidly. For those who apply for residency under this law, a passport is granted after a year to eighteen months (the time the process usually takes). But the hurdles and requirements are higher: besides the fact that income must be an official pension, and of at least USD 18,000 per year, one must also own a property in Uruguay valued at USD 100,000 or more."

 

[SaraSara]

there may not be crime in colonia but there is a lot of crime in montevideo, in the centro, the old city, barrio sur (the "san telmo" of montevideo), and around the port. i saw people sitting in doorways and shooting up in barrio sur in broad daylight.

a friend's family owns a supermarket in a good neighborhood in montevideo. they recently had an armed robbery in broad daylight where 2 security guards were shot. one hovered between life and death for weeks and then pulled though.

not all is peaches and cream in expensive uruguay...

There IS crime in Colonia: my rural home was broken into in spite of having two full-time caretakers in their own house, a little uphill from mine. Luckily there was nothing valuable to steal - in fact, pickings were so slim that the thieves ended up taking the iron, the toaster, and the hair-dryer...! A pitiful loot, after hiking a mile cross-country and climbing over several wire fences.

Up to now crime in Uruguay has been mostly property crime - burglars generally waited until a house was vacant to break into it. However, that is changing, and fast. In exclusive Punta del Este there's not a single house without either iron bars or a large sign from an alarm company.

The cost of living has risen so dramatically these past two years that a number of expats have already gone back home. A couple went back after being burglarized the day they arrived. They got in mid-morning, went to the grocery store, and when they returned they found that their house had been robbed - the thieves carried away absolutely everything but their two cats. They even stole the cat carriers.

 

[mariposa]

unfortunately this confirms everything i have recently heard from uruguayan friends. besides, the main conversation there seems to be that just about all young (or not so young) professionals, including several i know, are leaving for greener pastures every chance they get because they don't see a future in their own country.

 

[SaraSara]

Can't say I've talked to many people there but on my own visits I didn't see a big difference. Could be Argentina is cheaper on some items, but again with inflation running very high here for several years and Uruguay much much lower it would seem more logical that Uruguay has a lower COL overall today. I have a sister in law who traveled from another country to shop in B.A. after the melt-down in 2001 because it was cheaper. With the high inflation she no longer makes the trip. Can't comment on the bureaucratic problems your friends encountered moving there but can't believe it could be any worse than Argentina.

I have homes in both countries and find Uruguay far more expensive. The upkeep of my Colonia place is 45% higher than what I pay for a far more comfortable home in San Isidro. And I'm comparing RURAL versus BIG CITY prices - costs in a similar location in Argentina would be about 60% lower.

In Uruguay, my average monthly electric bill is US$145, versus EIGHT dollars in BA. Gas is 50% higher, too, and the phone is so exorbitant that I gave up my land line and make do with the cell phone. Groceries are about 30% higher, and the same goes for restaurants. Clothes and such are prohibitive, and so crummy that I don't shop there if I can help it.

Uruguayans do the same: the Colonia ferry is always filled with people making day runs to Buenos Aires just to shop.

Expats on dollar or Euro incomes are struggling. Inflation is lower than in Argentina, but the Uruguayan peso has appreciated so much that it makes up for the difference in inflation rates, and then some.

Writers in International Living's pay are fond of quoting property prices from six years ago, and an exchange rate of 29 pesos per dollar. During these past four years the dollar has often been below 19, and it has now "climbed" to 20.17. WOW....!

 

[sandra12345]

I live in Hawaii, but I was born in Uruguay. I went back last year to "buy" a retirement home in my country and this is what I found: houses with iron bars in all windows and doors are a pre requisite, but do not really help if the thief want to get in. My sister in law is full of pride for her new found fortune living high in Carrasco, the only drawback is she has to have 3 German shepherds, electric fence, automatic gate, and bars in all windows. She has to draw the curtains at night so the "watchers" will not check the activity in the house. She lives high in fear surrounded by a corp staff that earns next to nothing, and then she complaints about security? Well...that is Uruguay for you. People that have nothing, working really hard and a bunch of pirates for middle class. Realtors, lawyers, escribanos and owners, all looking to raid your wallet with overpriced, badly built homes. You cannot trust lawyers or escribanos in Uruguay even if you speak superb local Spanish. I speak the fluent local dialect and can assure to anyone that do not have that skill, that hey will end up buying the equivalent of the Empire State Blg without knowing what hit them. And if you think you got a bargain think again. Since 2005 the price of real estate has raised so high that buying a home in Honolulu seems a bargain in comparison. Those houses are usually without permits and then it will cost an arm and a leg to get it straight, specially if you are a foreigner loaded with gold coins in the Brou's coffers. And if you died, God help you heirs to get a piece of the pie, your lawyer will end up enjoying the fruits of your labor before they get anything. Volumes have been written about litigation and the justice system. On the other hand...Serious, four dollars for a tiny little coffee in Punta del Este OUTSIDE of the season? 200,000 homes by the filthy Rio de la Plata? Pleople talk about Rocha like a new found land, well Rocha is the home of "pirates". That fish dinner in a "artesano" restaurant probably has been laying in the sun all morning without ice, the 100 dollar a day "cottage" by the sea, probably does not even have a septic tank, (effluent is discharged directly to the ocean and washes up in the beach and the rocks, in La Paloma, Punta del Diablo and the others. Those bollitos of seaweed to take down with your beer have been taken out of the same rocks that sea lions cavort around, no health check!. So you have just offered near asking price for a house that does not comply with any building standards, but it is sooo cute....too bad the owner just raised the price by 20%, the Realtor will tell you. Security? There are copamientos ( forced home entries and kidnappings), if you have something not even two German shepherds will help because the criminals have the same whistles the police employs to keep the dogs at bay. I would just not walk away from Uruguay ( the land of fairy tales) I would run like in a marathon out of the darn country. I feel so sorry for so many foreigners thinking it is paradise found!...whatever.
I am looking into Argentina..why: because Argentinians are cultured, fun, classy, more aware, less of a cheap smarty pants and the life in Baires is phenomenal and way cheaper that bs Montevideo. The country offers all kinds of recreations. just my opinion. But if you are still bent for Uruguay, do not hesitate to contact me. I can be your consultant and help you navigate this seemingly peaceful country. Saludos!

 

[Davidglen77]

I was recently in Montevideo, and while the city seemeed cool and somewhat like a small section of Buenos Aires in terms of architecture and layout, I found the city somewhat forbodding especially off the main avenues and at night. Prices for food, lodging and goods seemed to be about the same as Buenos Aires give or take a few pesos. It looks like yet another city that once had a lot of grandeur to it became poor and has not been able to turn itself around due to politics and the global economy syndrome. Also Uruguay is a VERY small country with less then 4 million people in the ENTIRE country. So there is not going to be too much growth and overall development in the near future. Colonia is charming and Montevideo is nice to visit once but I would not consider living there.......just my opinion.

 

[fifs2]

Also Uruguay is a VERY small country with less then 4 million people in the ENTIRE country. So there is not going to be too much growth and overall development in the near future. Colonia is charming and Montevideo is nice to visit once but I would not consider living there.......just my opinion.[/quote]


Don`t be so sizist David..Ireland had less than 5 million inhabitants before the celtic tiger stormed ahead..so size isnt everything..intellect clout matters...and is it just an urban myth that Uruguay exports more beef than Argentina?

 

[Alilou]

Not sure if this is helpful but I've heard more than once that Uruguay is great... as long as you go there with a job. Which I think why so many young professional are leaving. The lack of jobs. But here's another trend... Argentine business jumping ship to Uruguay for tax purposes (Argentine taxes are super hard on businesses). My fiance's company moved to the zona franca this year and we are moving next year. We've done a little research and the housing prices haven't been shocking to us... Since we haven't moved yet, I don't have a lot to say about the quality of living but I feel like it's a much more relaxed place than Bs As and that's a huge plus for us. Another plus... it's rated as the least corrupt Latin American country (tied with Chile).