Uruguay - May 2024

An executive decree launched in Uruguay creates a special residency program based on family, or educational ties, which will also facilitate integration. The special residency program applies only to migrants who have been in the country for more than 180 days at the time of the decree's issuance. It is therefore aimed at regularizing the status of people who are already in the country. It will benefit over 20,000 foreigners, mostly Cubans, caught in a "migratory limbo" who entered the country as asylum seekers but stayed in Uruguay without being able to acquire legal residence. Additionally, it provides a process to permanent residency and eventually citizenship. The program will also facilitate family reunification, which is not possible for individuals who have an undefined legal status.  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has praised the measure for recognizing migrants' humanitarian needs and strengthening pathways to stay legally in Uruguay. Migrants’ organizations support the measure, stating that it will help thousands stay legally in the country.

Sources: El País Uruguay, Infobae, El Pais, UNHCR, Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs