Applying for a passport for the first time, or renewing one? The requirements, costs and timeframes differ. Here is everything: what the standard and urgent procedures cost, how to book your appointment, what to bring and how many days until you collect it.
Costs and timeframes verified against the official procedures on gub.uy. They are set by the National Directorate of Civil Identification and updated periodically: confirm on the official page before paying.
What a Uruguayan passport costs
The price depends on two things: whether it is a first application or a renewal, and whether you request the standard or urgent service. The Criminal Record Certificate is always added on top.
| Procedure | Passport | + Criminal record |
|---|---|---|
| First time, standard | $5,455 | $175 |
| First time, urgent | $10,712 | $1,402 |
| Renewal, standard | $3,703 | $175 |
| Renewal, urgent | $7,207 | $1,402 |
The gap between standard and urgent is not just the passport fee: the urgent criminal record certificate costs eight times more than the standard one. Worth factoring into the total.
How long until you get it
- Standard: collected 15 working days after the appointment.
- Urgent: 5 working days.
Add to that the wait to get an appointment in the first place, which runs 2 to 5 working days depending on demand. In both cases the timings depend on the office workload.
How long the passport lasts
Validity is 10 years, or until the age of majority in the case of minors.
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How to book the appointment
The procedure starts by booking and paying for the appointment. There are several routes:
- Online, from the procedure page, with a gub.uy account or electronic ID.
- At the offices of the National Directorate of Civil Identification.
- Through payment networks: Abitab, Redpagos and Correo Uruguayo.
Two warnings about payment: at DNIC offices you pay in local currency only, cash or debit card, and booking through payment networks or online adds additional operating costs.
Requirements for a first passport
Aged 18 and over
- Documento Nacional de Identidad (the former identity card) valid and in good condition.
- Criminal Record Certificate, processed together with the passport appointment at the DNIC itself.
If you do not have the identity document yet, that is the prior step: see the guide to the Uruguayan identity card for foreigners.
Under 18
- Valid Documento Nacional de Identidad in perfect condition.
- Recent birth certificate (issued less than 30 days ago).
- Both parents must attend, with their own valid identity documents in perfect condition.
If the minor is married, the parents’ presence is not required but a recent marriage certificate is. Where one or both parents have died, or in cases of custody or guardianship, the corresponding court documents must be presented.
Special cases
For people with evident incapacity not judicially declared, a certificate from the National Registry of Personal Acts, Interdictions Section, is required. Where incapacity and guardianship have been judicially declared, judicial authorisation is needed.
Passport renewal
Renewal follows the same logic — book, pay, attend — but is noticeably cheaper: $3,703 for the standard procedure against $5,455 for a first application. The basic requirements are a valid Documento Nacional de Identidad in good condition, plus the Criminal Record Certificate.
If you are a legal citizen
Legal citizens — foreign nationals who obtained Uruguayan citizenship through residence — also have access to the Uruguayan passport, on the same cost and timing structure. For minors, at least one parent must hold a Documento Nacional de Identidad as a legal citizen.
Where it is done
In Montevideo, at the National Directorate of Civil Identification. Elsewhere, at the corresponding Departmental Civil Identification Office. Opening hours for each office are published on the official site and are worth checking before you go.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Uruguayan passport cost?
First time standard $5,455 and renewal standard $3,703, in both cases plus $175 for the Criminal Record Certificate. The urgent versions cost $10,712 and $7,207, with the urgent certificate at $1,402.
How long does it take?
Fifteen working days for the standard procedure and five for the urgent one, plus the 2 to 5 working days’ wait to get an appointment.
How many years is it valid for?
Ten years, or until the age of majority for a minor.
Can the passport be renewed online?
Booking and paying for the appointment are done online. The final stage is in person: you have to attend the office on the booked day.
What does a minor need?
A valid identity document, a birth certificate less than 30 days old, and both parents present with their valid documents.
Can I travel on the identity card instead of the passport?
Within Mercosur, yes. Outside the bloc you need the passport.
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