Customs Regulations in Uruguay

Used Household Goods and Personal Effects

Documents Required*

• Copy of passport and ID
• Express release bill of lading (OBL) / air waybill (AWB)
• Packing list in Spanish legalized by Uruguayan Consulate
• Certificate of residence in Spanish (stating minimum of 2 years abroad) (returning citizens)
• Authorization resolution (Uruguayan diplomat)
• Certificate of entrance issued by the Migratory National Direction (private non – citizens, returning citizens, foreigners under legal residence)
• Certificate of residence (only returning citizens and foreigners under legal residence)
• Documents proving that legal residence procedure has been started (non – citizens)
• Diplomatic franchise authorization issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Uruguay upon request of the embassy or international organization in Uruguay (foreign diplomats)
• Uruguayan diplomats need a certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating the period of employment abroad.
• Customs guarantee (foreigners with no legal Uruguayan residence)
• Signed letter of request for Customs requesting entry for household goods and personal effects (returning citizens / foreigners under legal residence)
• Banking guarantee letter (bond) in the value of the shipment, issued by a local bank in Uruguay (private non-citizens)

Specific Information

• Items other than household goods and personal effects are subject to import duties.
• Contact the local agent in Uruguay for specific regulations and requirements to avoid Customs issues, delays and extra costs.
• The packing list in Spanish must be authenticated by the Uruguayan Consulate at origin and must be typed on a computer or typewriter and printed on letterhead.
• This is mandatory only for returning citizens or foreigners already under permanent residence.
• The OBL / AWB must be endorsed by the owner of the goods with the same signature used on the entry documents when the owner of the goods physically entered Uruguay.
• Do not indicate “packed by owner” (PBO) on the packing list.
• Industrial tools, machinery, new appliances, etc. are not considered personal effects.
• The certificate of entrance is issued by the National Direction of Migration.
• For this reason, the move must be started and finished (with the entry of the personal effects and household goods) in the same condition (as a legal resident or as a foreigner citizen requesting legal residence).
• The condition must not be changed during the procedure (foreign citizens without legal residence in Uruguay).
• For the authority resolution, the owner of the goods should contact the local agent in Uruguay as the process involves multiple governmental ministries and can be confusing (returning diplomats).
• Non – citizens who have not yet obtained legal residence in Uruguay may import their household goods and personal effects duty and tax-free only if they have started the request procedure to obtain legal residence.
• The amount of the bank guarantee is determined based on the declared value of the shipment provided by the owner of the goods (foreign citizens without legal residence in Uruguay).
• A returning citizen with more than 2 years of residence abroad who decides to return permanently may import their household goods and personal effects duty and tax-free.
• The certificate of residence must state that the owner of the goods has lived abroad for at least 2 years.
• The owner of the goods must produce a bank guarantee with Uruguayan Customs which must remain in force until the permanent residence is granted.
• Returning diplomats must obtain an authenticated packing list from the Uruguayan Consulate at origin.
• Owner of the goods must arrive in Uruguay before shipment’s arrival at airport / port.
• The owner of the goods must obtain a Customs release with a note or diplomatic franchise for the incoming household goods.
• The process should be managed by the diplomat’s embassy, Consulate, or diplomatic organization to obtain the relevant documentation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (foreign diplomats).

Motorized Vehicles*

Documents Required

• Copy of passport / diplomatic identity card issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (foreign diplomats)
• Original commercial invoice in owner of the goods’ name
• Driving document in owner of the goods’ name
• Express release bill of lading
• Certificate or written evidence of car’s registration at origin country, dated 6 months before owner of the goods’ arrival to Uruguay and authenticated by the Uruguayan Consulate at origin (returning citizens)
• Written evidence of freight and insurance issued by the moving company at origin in case the movement is managed from Uruguay
• Copy of identity card (returning Uruguayan diplomats, returning citizens)
• Employment confirmation from country of origin (returning citizens)
• Confirmation of ownership and usage at origin for a period of more than 12 months (returning citizens)
• Personal sworn statement from owner of the goods (returning citizens)
• Confirmation of residency abroad for a period greater than 2 years (returning citizens)
• Vehicle property document or circulation document issued in owner of the goods’ name (foreign diplomats)
• Declaration seeking protection expressly to the law N º 18.250 and to the Decree #330/2008 (returning citizens)
• Diplomatic franchise authorization issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Uruguay upon request of the Embassy of International Organization (foreign diplomats)

Specific Information

• Foreign citizens cannot import vehicles unless importing under a diplomatic status.
• Private non – citizens and Uruguayan diplomats are not allowed to import vehicles.
• It is strongly recommended that the returning citizens contact the local agent in Uruguay prior to importing a vehicle.
• The owner of the goods must provide documentation that demonstrates permanent and uninterrupted residence in the country of origin for a period of at least 2 years.
• This documentation must be legalized by the Uruguayan Consulate at origin (returning citizens).
• The vehicle cannot be sold or transferred for a period of 4 years and must be registered directly by the owner of the goods with the appropriate local authorities (returning citizens).
• The owner of the goods must meet with Customs each year for the 4 years following the date of import.
• Uruguayan citizens returning home are only allowed one authorized automobile or motorbike with a minimum of 12 months of use and must be in the owner of the goods’ name.

Pets

Documents Required

• Vaccination record
• Veterinary health certificate issued by competent authorities at origin
• Photographs of the pet (2 copies)
• Certificate of anti-hydrofolic inoculation

Specific Information

• The certificate of anti-hydrofolic inoculation must be at least 30 days old but no older than 12 months after the date on the application.
• The certificate itself must be less than 10 working days old when the animal arrives to the country.

Wedding Trousseau / Gifts

• Wedding gifts (require a separate packing list and a visa marriage certificate) (customs duties may apply)
• Inherited goods (require a tax payment and appraisal, which takes approximately 30 days) (customs duties may apply)

Restricted/Dutiable Items

• Weapons and ammunition
• Works of art and antiques
• Alcohol and tobacco products
• Food
• Jewelry and coins
• Bicycles (allowed only as part of a household goods shipment)
• New household goods subject to duties and value added tax.
• If new goods are in reasonable amount and as part of the shipment, may be imported duty free.
• Domestic appliances, devices, and/or machines (not classified as “household goods” by Uruguayan Customs)
• Contact the local agent in Uruguay for specific regulations and requirements to avoid Customs issues, delays, and extra costs.
• Televisions, refrigerators, and other domestic appliances (must be in proportion to the size of the shipment and the members of the family)
• Medicines, drugs / narcotics
• Specialized tools / instruments will be duty free only if provided with a professional degree legalized by Uruguayan Consulate
• Car appliances
• Fumigation is required in Uruguay
• Firearms and Weapons:
• Weapons imported into Uruguay are kept under custody by the Uruguayan Armed Forces.
• Only sport guns may be imported and require a permit from Ministry of Defense.
• All firearms must be declared in the packing list.
• This includes the listing of all specifications of the weapon and all property documents must accompany it for Customs.
• At the moment of loading the container, weapons must be placed at the door of container to enable easy access for the Customs Officer.
• Customs will take possession of the weapon at the moment of shipment arrival and take them for safekeeping to the Service of Material and Armament.
• The weapon will be kept there until the owner of the goods obtains permission to import the weapon.
• Foreign citizens must obtain legal residence and an Uruguayan identity card before obtaining permission to import a weapon.

Prohibited Items

• New domestic appliances if not in reasonable amounts
• Contact the local agent in Uruguay for specific regulations and requirements to avoid Customs issues, delays, and extra costs.
• Medicines, narcotics, or drugs
• Pornographic or subversive materials
• Live plants

Consignment Instructions

Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements for the customs regulations in Uruguay have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air/sea shipments.