Uruguay wants to legally clarify that people with "legal citizenship" are also considered Uruguayan nationals. This could eliminate a legal peculiarity that has existed for years, which has led to problems especially with passports and the international recognition of nationality.
In short: Those born abroad who later obtain Uruguayan legal citizenship are today citizens of Uruguay, but are not automatically treated as Uruguayan "nationals" in every context. This is exactly what the government wants to change. However, the bill is still in the political process and is not yet law.
What is it about?
Uruguay distinguishes between natural citizens and legal citizens. Natural citizens are fundamentally people who are considered natural citizens of Uruguay by virtue of their birth or family descent. Foreigners, on the other hand, can acquire legal citizenship later under certain conditions.
The peculiarity is that citizenship and nationality have not fully meant the same thing until now. A legal citizen can therefore be a Uruguayan citizen without being treated as an Uruguayan national in all legal and international contexts.
This gap is now to be closed.
What should change?
The government wants to legally clarify that both ciudadanos naturales and ciudadanos legales are considered Uruguayan citizens.
The existing categories would not be abolished. There would still be natural and legal citizens.
However, the new clarification would be crucial: Those who are ciudadano legal of Uruguay should also be recognized as nacional uruguayo.
At first glance, this sounds like a legal detail, but it can have significant practical implications.
Why does the passport play a role in this?
The issue became particularly visible in recent years with the Uruguayan passport. Ciudadanos legales can already obtain a Uruguayan passport today. However, difficulties arose from the question of which nationality is recognized internationally.
Other countries and authorities often distinguish very precisely between citizenship and nationality. The unique Uruguayan construction can therefore lead to misunderstandings or problems abroad.
The planned clarification aims to make it clear that ciudadanos legales are also Uruguayan citizens.
Especially important in the case of dual citizenship
For many immigrants, another point is interesting: Not every country of origin readily allows dual citizenship. Under certain circumstances, acquiring another nationality can even lead to the loss of the previous one.
Here, the existing Uruguayan regulation can be problematic: A person could lose their original nationality, while at the same time not being clearly treated as a Uruguayan citizen internationally everywhere.
The government therefore also sees the planned reform as a matter of protection against possible statelessness.
Minors should also be taken into account.
The legislative proposal is also supposed to provide changes for children and adolescents. According to the announced plans, minors could in the future gain access to the Carta de Ciudadanía through their legal representatives. Upon reaching adulthood, they would have to confirm this decision themselves.
For international families, this would also be a relevant expansion of the existing system.
What does this mean for people moving to Uruguay?
For the Residencia, that is, the right of residence, nothing changes initially due to the proposal. It is important to distinguish between three levels: Residencia is the right to live in Uruguay. Ciudadanía legal is a later possible legal citizenship status. Nacionalidad refers to the actual nationality.
The new legislative proposal mainly concerns the last two points.
Those who live permanently in Uruguay and later acquire ciudadanía legal could in the future receive a significantly clearer nationality status.
This is particularly interesting for people who wish to stay in Uruguay long-term, want to use a Uruguayan passport, or come from countries whose rules on dual nationality are more restrictive.
No applicable law yet.
Important is: The change is not yet in effect.
The government has announced the legislative initiative and wants to have it decided in parliament. Only when the process is completed and the law is passed will a new binding legal situation arise from it.
Until then, the previous regulations continue to apply.
Conclusion
Uruguay wants to eliminate a legal peculiarity that has so far led to unnecessary uncertainties for naturalized foreigners.
Is a ciudadano legal also a Uruguayan citizen?
The government wants to answer this question clearly with yes in the future.
For people who move to Uruguay long-term and later want to acquire ciudadanía legal, this would be an important improvement - especially regarding passports, international recognition, and securing one's own citizenship.
Sources and note:Presidency of the Republic and other official Uruguayan authorities. As of October 2026. The planned change is still in the legislative process. This contribution serves general information purposes and does not replace individual legal advice.