Uruguay Lifts All Entry Requirements

March 10, 2023 Madrid

Proving it is ready to move on from the health crisis following two years of strict social curbs, Uruguay has finally lifted all entry requirements for incoming passengers, including American travelers, joining a select list of South American nations where normality has been reinstated.

Aerial View Of Punta Del Este, Uruguay, South America

Throughout 2021 and 2022, Uruguayan authorities continued to impose health-related border measures, even after COVID cases dwindled and the mortality rate decreased across the country. Local authorities did not exactly ban unvaccinated foreigners, but they enforced testing and other health screening.

But besides the lifting of these rules, why should Uruguay be on your travel wishlist at all when there are over 140 other open countries out there?

Uruguay Reopens For Tourism Restriction-Free

Central Square In Montevideo, Uruguay, South America

As confirmed by the Uruguayan Government, which published a new decree on March 1 repealing all remaining COVID-era border restrictions, Americans seeking entry to Uruguay will no longer be subject to vaccination requirements nor pre-departure testing when failing to produce a vaccine card.

The decree has been valid since February 16, and it applies to all foreign arrivals reaching the country via any of its outer borders, be it land, maritime, or air. Previously, only vaccinated travelers were exempt from health checks landing in Uruguay, provided they presented proof of immunization.

Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans For 2023 Starting At $10 Per Week

Close Up Of A Person Holding A U.S. American Passport

Non-vaccinated individuals, on the other hand, were not so lucky and were routinely refused boarding unless they presented a negative COVID test issued between 24 and 48 hours in advance, as a general rule, or qualified as exempt from the rule, which very few were.

At last, all of these limitations have been revoked, and the experience of flying to Uruguay from the United States is the same as it was in 2019, prior to the covid surge*. But now that so many countries have reopened for tourism, and Americans have an infinite number of possibilities, why go to Uruguay, of all places?

*Taking out health insurance prior to flying is still mandatory

Sea Port In Punta Del Este During Sunset, Uruguay, South America

Is Uruguay One Of South America’s Most Promising Tourist Destinations?

Uruguay has never been the most popular vacation spot in the Global South. Sandwiched between the tropical paradise that is Brazil, and Argentina, the current world capital of football and the proud home of tango, it is often overlooked by American tourists.

Contrary to popular belief, however, the second-smallest state in South America has a lot to offer: it has white sand beaches, a colonial architecture whose beauty rivals that of Mexico’s Magical Towns, Atlantic forests, and rolling green hills dotted with family-owned vineyards.

Old Car Parked In A Cobblestone Street In Colonia Del Sacramento, Colonia Department, Uruguay, South America

The capital, Montevideo, is an eclectic metropolis built atop the remnants of a ruined Spanish citadel, encompassing both a Ciudad Vieja (or historic center) with 18th and 19th-century buildings and more modern districts crammed with skyscrapers and modernist landmarks.

A short two-hour drive from Montevideo, the resort city of Punta del Este has been dubbed South America’s response to Monaco. It may not be a sovereign principality, but within Uruguay, it is in a league of its own, replete with luxurious villas, world-class resorts and casinos, and fine-dining restaurants.

Whitewashed Villa Casapueblo In Punta Ballena, Close To Punta Del Este, Uruguay, South America

One of the main cultural attractions in Punta del Este, more specifically Punta Ballena, Casapueblo is a summer villa facing the rugged Atlantic coast that once belonged to deceased Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró. Due to its whitewashed exterior and dramatic setting, visitors call it Uruguay’s mini Santorini.

Elsewhere, in the Colonia department, facing the Argentine capital across the Rio de la Plata lies the colorful cobblestone town of Colonia del Sacramento, originally founded as a Portuguese colony in 1680. It is one of Uruguay’s best-preserved historical settlements and a popular day trip destination for tourists crossing over from Buenos Aires.

Cobblestone Laden Street Lined With Historical Colonial Era Houses In Colonia Del Sacramento, Uruguay, South America

Uruguay Is Relatively Safe For Visitors

The U.S. Department of State deems it a Level 2 destination

On top of its cultural value and promising tourism scene, Uruguay is one of the safest destinations in South America, enjoying far lower crime levels than its counterparts, in particular Brazil, and being a fast-developing society supported by strong democratic institutions and openness to foreign investment.

At present, Uruguay does not offer a Digital Nomad Visa, unlike Colombia or Ecuador, but it grants visa-free entry to U.S. and Canada passport holders for up to 3 months. Nonstop flights to Carrasco International Airport, which serves Montevideo, are available seasonally from Miami.