Uruguay has introduced specific measures to minimize administrative irregularity linked with international human mobility and is pursuing legal framework revisions to promote migrants’ rights, bilateral and multilateral social security agreements, visa waiver agreements, and various measures in line with civil society recommendations.

The most significant examples of regularization and access to residence and identity documents are the following:

• Creation of the Rapid Response Plan for permanent residences under the National Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior (since 2013), which enables the migrant person to obtain an identity card at the same time as the permanent resident procedure begins.
• Promulgation of Article 162 of the Budgetary Law Nº 19355 of 19 December 2015 (regulated by Decree 118/018), through which legal residence is granted to persons in a particularly vulnerable situation who have stayed in the country illegally.
• Diversification of the types of entry visas to the country, for those nationalities that require it, by the approval of Decree 356/2018, of 29 October 2018.
• The Residency Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Directorate of Migration, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Development, deal specifically with emergency cases of persons in a particularly vulnerable situation (e.g. people who require immediate attention and have been admitted to health or residential centres but do not have Uruguayan documentation).
• In coordination with authorities at various levels of the education system, together with the National Civil Identification Directorate, a systematic process is underway for documenting migrant minors who are in school and who for various reasons have not obtained their identity card. However, access to educational institutions is guaranteed pending regularization.
• As of 1 January 2019, electronic documents for migration purposes, which can be electronically verified, are exempt from legalization or apostille. The national bodies that have to decide on migration procedures may consider foreign electronic public documents with an electronic signature valid and effective for the purposes of such procedures, without the need for legalization or apostille (Law Nº 19.670, art. 112.)
• Promulgation of Law 19.254 on 28 August 2014 granting permanent residence to citizens of MERCOSUR, States Parties and associated countries, and foreign relatives of Uruguayans. Residence is free, no means of subsistence are sought, and at the beginning of the procedure, a certificate is issued in order to obtain a provisional identity card for one year.
• It was made possible for foreign consular offices accredited in the Republic to issue documents for migration purposes without having to request the document in the country of origin and apostille it.
• In cases of family reunification for foreigners who need a visa to enter the Republic, said visa is granted free of charge in accordance with article 113 of Law 19.670 of 15 October 2018. Those who have applied for a temporary or permanent residence from consular offices are also exempted from the payment of the Consular Fee.

In addition, some good practices or actions contributing to a safe, orderly and regular migration are highlighted which, along with those mentioned above, facilitate social and economic inclusion. The following are noteworthy in this regard:

• Development of an appropriate legislative framework based on a human rights perspective. Uruguay is continuously working on regulatory adjustments and changes in administrative procedures to guarantee access to and protection of rights.
• Promotion and signing of multilateral and bilateral social security agreements and visa waiver agreements.
• Integration into the migration policy of civil society recommendations, strengthening of its participation and support for the activities it organizes.
• Coordination with national public policies implemented in various areas (work, education, health, culture, housing, social security) to provide comprehensive and coordinated institutional responses, as well as to strengthen the integration of migrants into Uruguayan society and national development projects, including Uruguayan nationals living abroad.
• Organization and support of rights dissemination activities (workshops, web portals and brochures) aimed at both the migrant population and public officials (awareness-raising workshops) and society (information and awareness campaigns).
• Dissemination of information that facilitates the migration process, such as guides to migrant persons on requirements for residence, study, work, access to social security, health services and justice.
• Permanent work with civil society organized in the Advisory Council on Migration at the National Migration Board.
• Promotion of specialized spaces (departments, commissions, etc.) within public institutions and bodies, and at different levels of government (national, departmental and municipal).