Uruguay has social security agreements with many countries —including the United States— that let you receive your foreign pension while living here, combine years of contributions made abroad with Uruguayan ones and, in some cases, retire with contributions from both countries. If you are planning to move to Uruguay and already receive a pension from abroad, or if you worked for years in another country and want those contributions to count when you retire here, these agreements are essential. We explain which countries have agreements, how they work, what you need to do to receive your pension in Uruguay, with a special focus on US Social Security, and what options you have if your country has no agreement.
Which countries have a social security agreement with Uruguay
According to the Banco de Previsión Social (BPS, Uruguay’s social security agency), Uruguay has agreements in force with a long list of countries, including Germany, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada (and a separate one with Quebec), Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, the United States, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Romania, among others. In 2025 Uruguay also signed agreements with Australia and Finland. These agreements allow periods of work and contributions in those countries to be recognized in Uruguay, and vice versa.
The US–Uruguay agreement was signed in 2017 and entered into force on November 1, 2018. On the US side it applies to Social Security retirement, survivors and disability benefits. It allows people who worked in both countries to combine periods of coverage to qualify for benefits and avoids double social security contributions for certain workers. Separately from the agreement, US Social Security benefits can generally be paid to US citizens living in Uruguay.
In addition to bilateral agreements, Uruguay is part of the Mercosur Multilateral Social Security Agreement, which allows totalization of contribution periods among its signatories, such as Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Practical implementation can vary from case to case.
How recognition of contributions between countries works
The basic principle of these agreements is totalization of periods: if you worked 15 years in one country and 15 in Uruguay, and each country requires more years than that to qualify, you can add the periods together to meet the minimum requirement. Each country then pays you a benefit proportional to the years you contributed there.
For example, if you worked 20 years in the United States and 10 in Uruguay, each system calculates your benefit based on the agreement’s rules: Social Security pays a partial benefit related to your US coverage, and BPS pays a benefit related to your Uruguayan contributions. You do not get a full pension from each country, but you earn the right to retire by combining both periods.
When the agreement matters less
If you already receive a full pension from abroad before moving to Uruguay, the agreement mainly helps with payment arrangements. You cannot use the same years again to retire here. What you can do is keep working in Uruguay, contribute to BPS and eventually generate an additional Uruguayan pension if you meet the minimum requirements.
How to receive your foreign pension while living in Uruguay
Once you have your legal residency in Uruguay, you can arrange to receive your foreign pension in a local bank account. The procedure depends on the country that pays the pension, but in general you must notify your pension agency of your change of address and indicate how you want to receive the payments.
For US Social Security, you notify the Social Security Administration of your new address abroad, through its online services or the Federal Benefits Unit that serves the region. Payments can be deposited by international direct deposit where available or into a US bank account, which many Americans keep for this purpose. Beneficiaries living abroad receive a periodic questionnaire to confirm they are alive and still eligible, and it must be answered on time to avoid suspension.
For Spanish pensions, the INSS allows you to keep receiving your pension outside Spain as long as you submit the proof-of-life certificate it requests periodically. For Argentine ANSES pensions, the procedure is similar. To open a bank account in Uruguay you will need your residency and your Uruguayan ID card for foreigners; as a US person, you will also fill out FATCA forms.
Documents usually required to arrange payment
The documents requested by your home country’s agency generally include:
- Proof of residence in Uruguay
- A proof-of-life certificate issued by a competent authority (a notary, a consulate or the relevant agency)
- Your Uruguayan bank account details, if payments will be sent there
- Specific forms from your pension agency, which in some cases must be apostilled; the apostille and legalization of documents in Uruguay applies to documents issued here
Do not miss the deadlines for proof-of-life procedures: payments can be temporarily suspended until you regularize your situation.
Taxes on your foreign pension in Uruguay
Under Uruguay’s territorial tax system, pensions paid from abroad are not subject to Uruguayan personal income tax (IRPF), because they are foreign-source employment-related income. This was confirmed even after the 2026 reform that extended taxation to certain foreign investment income. For Americans, remember that the United States continues to tax its citizens on worldwide income, including Social Security, under US rules. Pensions paid by Uruguay’s BPS, on the other hand, are subject to Uruguayan taxes.
Applying for a Uruguayan pension with contributions made abroad
If you are not yet retired and worked several years in a country with an agreement, you can use those years to meet the pension requirements in Uruguay. BPS recognizes contribution periods abroad when a bilateral or multilateral agreement exists and lets you totalize those years to reach the minimum years of service.
You start the process at BPS by submitting documents proving your contributions abroad. Each country has its own certificate of contribution periods: in Spain it is issued by the Social Security General Treasury, in Argentina by ANSES, in Brazil it is the Certidão de Tempo de Contribuição, and in the US the agreement procedures are coordinated with the Social Security Administration. Documents must be apostilled in the issuing country and, if they are in a language other than Spanish or Portuguese, you will need the translation of documents in Uruguay by a public translator. Under many agreements, the agencies exchange information directly.
The process can take several months because BPS must communicate with the other country’s agency to verify the information. Once approved, BPS grants a benefit calculated on your Uruguayan contributions, while the other country pays its proportional benefit.
Requirements to request recognition of foreign contributions
You do not need Uruguayan citizenship to apply; legal residency and a valid ID card are enough. The basic documents include:
- An official certificate of contribution periods in the foreign country, apostilled and translated into Spanish if applicable
- A copy of your Uruguayan ID card
- Proof of registration of foreign certificates if BPS requests your birth or marriage record
- BPS forms, duly completed
Retirement ages
Uruguay’s 2023 pension reform is gradually raising the general retirement age, with the minimum years of service and age depending on your year of birth. There are also other qualifying routes with different combinations of age and years of service. When you totalize periods with another country, you must meet each country’s own age requirements, so you may be able to retire in one country before the other. In the US, the full retirement age for Social Security depends on your birth year.
What if your country has no agreement with Uruguay
If your country has no social security agreement with Uruguay, you cannot combine contribution years made there with those made here. Each pension system works independently, and you must meet each country’s minimum requirements separately. That is why it is worth checking BPS’s official list before planning: the number of countries with agreements is larger than many people think and keeps growing.
What you can always do is receive both pensions at the same time if you meet each country’s requirements independently. Uruguay does not prevent you from receiving a foreign pension while receiving a Uruguayan one.
Private pensions and foreign retirement plans
If you have a private pension plan or retirement account in your home country —such as a 401(k) or an IRA in the United States, a Spanish pension plan or a Chilean pension fund— you can keep receiving it from Uruguay. These do not depend on social security agreements because they are private schemes. Coordinate with the plan administrator to update your address and set up payments. The tax treatment of withdrawals from investment-type plans can differ from that of public pensions, especially after Uruguay’s 2026 changes on foreign investment income, so get advice from an accountant who knows both systems.
Alternative: working in Uruguay and building local contributions
If you arrive in Uruguay without being able to totalize your foreign contributions and you still need years to retire, the option is to work in Uruguay and start contributing to BPS. With legal residency you can work as an employee or self-employed without restrictions; regulated professions require degree validation.
Many foreigners also choose Uruguay to retire without depending on a Uruguayan pension, living on income, savings or passive income from abroad. In that case the agreements matter less, but you should plan access to Uruguayan healthcare, which works through mutualistas and the National Health Fund (FONASA), since US Medicare does not cover care in Uruguay.
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive my US Social Security while living in Uruguay?
Generally yes. US citizens can receive Social Security benefits while living in Uruguay, and there is a US–Uruguay social security agreement in force since 2018 that also allows combining periods of coverage in both countries. You must keep your address updated with the Social Security Administration and answer its periodic questionnaires.
Does Uruguay tax my foreign pension?
No. Pensions paid from abroad are not taxed under Uruguay’s personal income tax, due to the territorial system. For Americans, US taxation of Social Security and other retirement income continues under US rules.
How do I know if my country has an agreement with Uruguay?
BPS publishes the list of international agreements in force and the details of each. Check that list or get advice before planning your retirement, because the list is long and expanding.
The information in this article is general in nature, may change and does not replace professional advice for your particular case.
Conclusion: plan your retirement before you move
Social security agreements are the tool that lets you receive your foreign pension while living in Uruguay and combine years of contributions from different countries. Before moving, check whether your country has an agreement in force, gather your contribution records and organize your residency and the bank account where you will receive payments. The viviruruguay.com team can support you with residency, your ID card and the rest of the procedures so your retirement in Uruguay starts in order. Book a consultation and plan your retirement with the backing of professionals who know the Uruguayan system in detail.
