About 5 thousand Cubans are trying to change their immigration status in Uruguay

About five thousand Cuban migrants are in Uruguay today waiting for a change in their status in that South American country. Most of them are still not classified as refugees. Abandoning an asylum request for the permanent residence process is not an option for anyone.

The current situation of Cuban immigrants in Charrúa land was reported in a Spanish newspaper report Country, Official figures show that as of December 2023, there were 24,193 asylum applications pending in Uruguay.

The waiting time for applicants is endless. According to the Refugee Commission, this period can be up to two years, a situation that has led to several breakdowns in the management system.

For example, in 2023 alone, 9,129 people requested political asylum in Uruguay, of whom 7,293 were Cuban citizens.

provisional document

While cases come and go and deadlines are extended regarding the resolution of pending cases, Uruguay issues a provisional document. With this, migrants can work for two years and access health and education services. However, they are not allowed to initiate the family reunification process.

To obtain a specific type of residence in Uruguay, both Cubans and other foreigners must meet a number of requirements. It is required that they present the documents along with the relevant consular visa. Don’t forget that Cuban immigrants require a visa to enter Uruguay.

To complete the process, people born on the island travel to the Uruguayan Consulate in Brazil, even if they have been living in Uruguay for one or more years. There he obtained a visa and continued the residence process.

However, this option to obtain a Uruguay visa in the neighboring country becomes complicated from January 2023. Then, Uruguay began to require an entry and exit stamp or stamp from Brazil in Cuban passports.