Uruguay Eliminates Passport Limitation Affecting Naturalized Nationals

In a significant and long-awaited policy correction, Uruguay has recently amended a longstanding legal and bureaucratic anomaly that effectively rendered its passport useless for many naturalized citizens seeking to travel internationally. The reform, enacted through Decree No. 043/2025, comes after years of criticism from legal experts, immigration consultants, and international human rights observers.

Background: A Two-Tier Passport System

Uruguay, widely regarded for its stable democracy, liberal migration policies, and respect for civil liberties, has long been a top destination for immigrants from Latin America, Europe, and beyond. However, its passport system had been the subject of controversy due to a peculiar administrative practice: naturalized citizens—regardless of how long they had lived in the country—were issued passports stating their country of birth rather than "Uruguayan" as their nationality.

This practice stemmed from Article 81 of the Uruguayan Constitution, which draws a distinction between "nacionales naturales" (natural-born citizens) and "nacionales legales" (legal or naturalized citizens). While both groups enjoy full civil and political rights within Uruguay, the distinction caused confusion and complications abroad.

Many naturalized citizens traveling with Uruguayan passports found themselves subject to additional scrutiny or outright denial of entry in certain countries, especially in Europe and North America. Immigration officials were often perplexed by passports that identified individuals as "Argentinian," "Cuban," or "Pakistani" in the nationality field, despite being issued by the Uruguayan government.

Real-World Consequences

The repercussions were not merely bureaucratic. Naturalized Uruguayans—many of whom had renounced previous citizenships—were effectively stateless in the eyes of foreign authorities. The contradiction between the passport’s nationality field and its issuing country often led to:

• Delays at international borders

• Visa rejections or additional screening

• Inability to obtain visa-free travel privileges granted to Uruguayan nationals

• Questions over diplomatic protection and consular support

  
  

This was especially problematic for Cuban and Venezuelan naturalized citizens who fled authoritarian regimes and sought to rebuild their lives under the legal and constitutional protection of Uruguay.

Legal and Diplomatic Pressure

For years, immigration lawyers and civic organizations lobbied the Uruguayan government to harmonize its passport documentation with international standards, notably those outlined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Article 5.8 of ICAO’s Document 9303 clearly states that the passport nationality field must reflect the issuing state, not the country of birth or former citizenship.

Furthermore, regional and global migration agreements—such as the MERCOSUR Residency Agreement and the United Nations’ Global Compact for Migration—call on member states to avoid discriminatory practices that hinder the full integration of immigrants.

Uruguayan human rights groups, including the Instituto de Estudios Legales y Sociales del Uruguay (IELSUR), described the former system as institutional discrimination, incompatible with modern human rights standards and Uruguay's own egalitarian principles.

The Reform: What Changed?

The reform enacted in early 2025 standardizes the nationality field in Uruguayan passports for all citizens, whether by birth or naturalization. Under the new regulation:

• The nationality field will now state "Uruguayan" for all passport holders.

• Place of birth will still be indicated separately, in accordance with ICAO guidelines.

• Uruguayan identity cards (Cédula de Identidad) will also reflect unified nationality nomenclature to ensure internal consistency.

  
  

The government also announced an expedited reissuance process for affected passport holders, especially those planning international travel in the short term.

Implications for Naturalized Citizens

This policy shift has far-reaching implications for the estimated 500,000+ naturalized citizens living in Uruguay. It:

• Grants full and unambiguous international recognition of their Uruguayan nationality.

• Reopens visa-free travel access to countries previously denying them entry.

• Eliminates legal gray zones around diplomatic protection and citizenship status abroad.

• Aligns Uruguay with international human rights and mobility standards.

For dual nationals who had previously avoided using their Uruguayan passport due to its limitations, this move restores confidence and reinforces their legal identity on the global stage.

A Model for the Region?

Uruguay’s decision could set a precedent in Latin America, where distinctions between natural-born and naturalized citizens still persist in various forms. Countries like Chile, Paraguay, and Colombia have faced similar critiques for their documentation inconsistencies, and Uruguay’s pivot might inspire legal reforms region-wide.

By removing a structural barrier that effectively punished those who had lawfully acquired citizenship, Uruguay not only reaffirmed its commitment to equality but also strengthened its global reputation as a rights-respecting nation.

Conclusion

Uruguay’s correction of its passport nationality anomaly is a landmark in the recognition of naturalized citizens as full and equal members of the national community. It aligns administrative practices with constitutional values and international law, offering both symbolic and practical restoration of dignity and mobility rights.

In an era where identity and migration remain politically charged, Uruguay’s decision stands as a quiet but powerful affirmation that citizenship—once granted—must be complete, consistent, and respected everywhere.