The Uruguayan identity card is now called the Documento Nacional de Identidad (DNI). The name changed, the procedure did not: it is still the document you need to live, work and handle anything official in Uruguay. Here is how a foreign national obtains it, what documents are required depending on your immigration status, and how long delivery takes.
Verified against the official procedure on gub.uy. Requirements and fees are set by the National Directorate of Civil Identification and can change: confirm on the official page before booking.
What it is and why you cannot do without it
The Documento Nacional de Identidad — what everyone has always called the cédula — is the primary identification document in Uruguay, for nationals and foreigners alike. It is compulsory from 45 days of age and you will be asked for it for almost everything: opening a bank account, signing a rental contract, being registered with the BPS social security system, or joining a health provider. It also works as a travel document within Mercosur.
The procedure has one prerequisite: you must first have started your legal residency application with the National Directorate of Migration. It does not have to be finalised, but it does have to be under way.
Requirements
Two documents, and this is where the whole difficulty of the procedure lies:
- Birth certificate recorded in the Foreigners’ Section of the Uruguayan Civil Registry. If you have not registered it yet, that is a separate, earlier step: see the guide to registering foreign certificates.
- Certificate of Residence issued by the National Directorate of Migration.
If your certificate is not registered yet: the provisional document
This is the route that solves the problem for most people. If you do not have the complete documentation, a provisional identity document can be issued. For that you need to present:
- Certificate of residence from the National Directorate of Migration.
- Birth certificate from your country of origin in Spanish, translated and apostilled, or a consular certificate.
If your certificate is in another language, watch this detail: the translation must be done by a sworn translator registered with the DNIC itself, and you request the list at the office. Not just any translation will do. And if the document comes from abroad, you first need the apostille or legalisation. More on this in the guide to document translation.
Contáctanos para más información
How to book
There are four routes, and it is worth knowing all of them because availability varies:
- Online: with a gub.uy user account or electronic ID (digital DNI with a card reader, Abitab’s Identidad Digital, or Antel’s TuID). Payment is made through the BROU or Sistarbanc electronic wallet.
- Through the “Tuapp” app: register, go to “Servicios” and choose “Reserva CI”.
- By landline telephone.
- In person: at Civil Identification offices or through payment networks — Abitab, Redpagos and Correo Uruguayo.
One detail about payment: at DNIC offices you can pay only in cash or by debit card, in local currency. Booking through Abitab, Redpagos or Correo Uruguayo carries additional operating costs. And if you book and then do not attend: after 90 days from the appointment request, no refunds are issued.
Offices with particular rules
- Colón, Belloni and Ciudad del Plata: they handle first-time applications and renewals, but do not sell appointments at the office. You have to obtain them online, by phone, via Tuapp or through payment networks.
- Pereira Rossell Hospital: serves only children up to 9 years old applying for the first time.
On the day
The procedure must be carried out by the holder in person, attending at the booked date and time at the corresponding office. It cannot be delegated.
If the applicant is under 14, they must be accompanied by an adult holding a valid identity document.
How long delivery takes
- Children under 9: collect the document the same day they apply.
- Aged 10 and over: from 5 working days after the application, with a maximum of 90 days to collect it.
What it costs
The DNIC publishes the current fee schedule on the procedure page, updated periodically. Because it changes, it is worth checking it directly on the official site before you go. What is constant: paying at DNIC offices costs less than booking through payment networks, which add their operating fee.
What having it allows you to do
With the document in hand you can work as an employee and be registered with the BPS — see the requirements to work as a foreigner —, open a bank account, join the health system, rent a home and travel within Mercosur without a passport.
Frequently asked questions
Are the cédula de identidad and the Documento Nacional de Identidad the same thing?
Yes. It is the same document under a new name: what used to be called the cédula de identidad is now the Documento Nacional de Identidad.
Can I get the document while my residency is still being processed?
Yes. The certificate of residence issued by the National Directorate of Migration is enough; you do not need permanent residency.
What if my birth certificate is not registered with the Civil Registry?
A provisional document can be issued on presentation of the certificate of residence and your birth certificate from your country of origin in Spanish, translated and apostilled, or a consular certificate.
Can someone else apply on my behalf?
No. The procedure is carried out solely by the holder, who must attend the office at the booked date and time.
How long does delivery take?
From 5 working days for those aged 10 and over, with up to 90 days to collect it. Children under 9 receive it the same day.
Is it valid for travel?
Within Mercosur, yes. To travel outside the bloc you need a Uruguayan passport.
Contáctanos para más información
