Every year, 500 British and Uruguayan nationals between the ages of 18 and 30 can experience life and culture in the other country for a period of up to 2 years.
Uruguayan citizens who would like to travel to the UK under this scheme need to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) visa. British citizens who would like to travel to Uruguay should apply for a Working Holiday temporary residency.
The scheme fosters closer relations between British and Uruguayan nationals. It enables young people to get a better understanding of the other participants’ culture, society, and languages through travel, work, and life experience abroad.
This is the only Youth Mobility Scheme that the UK maintains with a Latin American country. Since its launch in 2024, hundreds of people have already taken advantage of this opportunity.
Information about the scheme and how to apply, for British and Uruguayan nationals
Information for British nationals
British citizens interested in applying for a Working Holiday temporary residency must attend the Uruguayan Consulate in London and submit the following documents
- a valid passport in good condition, with an expiry date at least one year in the future
- a medical certificate from the country of residence where it states that you do not have medical conditions that would make it impossible for you to reside in Uruguay
- evidence of a Police Certificate from the country of origin and from any country that you have lived in for the past 5 years. This should be apostilled or legalised, whichever is appropriate. In the UK you can apply for this at http//www.gov.uk/copy-of-police-records. This must have been issued within the 6 months prior to the filing of the application
- documents that demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to meet their needs (such as salary payslips, bank statements, pensions) issued within 30 days of the application date
- a declaration of the intended time they will remain in Uruguay, up to a maximum of 2 years
- an apostilled or legalised birth certificate – a certified translation will be required in Uruguay in order to obtain the Uruguayan National Identity card
Once you have submitted your documentation, the Consulate will inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Migration Direction, which will notify the National Migration Office. A decision will be made within a maximum of 15 working days.
If the application is successful, the Consulate will let you know. You will then need to enter Uruguay within 180 days from the notification day. If you need a visa, the Consulate will issue a tourist visa without consulting with the National Migration Office, referring to the temporary residency granted.
Once you are in Uruguay, you will need to go in person to the National Migration Office and the National Civil Identification Office to apply for a National Identity card and pay the required fees.
If you need more information, please contact the Uruguayan Consulate or Uruguayan Embassy [email protected] or [email protected], or call +44 (0)207 584 4200
Information for Uruguayan nationals
- applications for the Youth Mobility Scheme are online. You can apply from any country in the world, except from the UK
- you can apply if you are a Uruguayan National aged 18 to 30 years old and hold a Uruguayan passport
- you can spend up to 2 years in the UK, with multiple entries
- you can work but it is not compulsory
- you can travel, study short courses or volunteer
- you do not need any language, job or skill requirements
- you must apply for a visa and pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge
- you need to demonstrate you have the equivalent to £2,530 in a bank account for at least the 28 days before applying
- you need to get a Criminal Record Certificate. Please request it from the Consulate- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the British Embassy
- you cannot apply if you have any dependants living with you or who are financially dependent on you at the time of application
- you must not have previously taken part in the scheme
Applicants will usually get a decision on their visa within 3 weeks.
For more information, please go to Youth Mobility Scheme visa Overview or contact [email protected].