Includes information on business customs, travel advisory, visa requirements, currency, language, health, local time, business hours and holidays, acceptable business etiquette, dress, business cards, gifts, temporary entry of materials and personal belongings,etc.
Last Published: 1/9/2020

Business Customs

Business dress and appearance, as well as one's general approach to business relations, should be conservative.  Uruguay prides itself on its slow pace of change, so new products and concepts may face a skeptical public eye.  Many businesspeople orient themselves more towards European markets and may be less enthusiastic to engage with U.S. companies.  Many Uruguayans, however, are positively disposed towards the United States and they value its high-quality products.  An advance appointment for a business visit is usually necessary and considered a customary courtesy.  Punctuality is generally observed in business settings.  Typically, business is discussed after social niceties.  Business breakfasts, cocktails, and lunches are common.  Dinners are common for closing a business agreement.

Travel Advisory

Check for Travel Advisories, if any.
No inoculations are currently necessary for entry.  International travelers are advised to contact their local public health department, physician, or travel agent at least two weeks before departure to obtain current information on health requirements.  Health insurance coverage is highly recommended.

Visa Requirements

U.S. citizens need a valid American passport, but visas for temporary visits of less than 90 days are not required for holders of tourist passports.  Those traveling on diplomatic or official passports must have a valid visa in addition to the passport.  For more information, please check the following website:  http://travel.state.gov/visa.  Business and tourist stays are limited to 90 days and may be extended for an additional 90 days.
U.S. companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States should be advised that visa-related security decisions are handled via an interagency process.  Visa applicants should go to the following links.

Currency

Uruguay’s local currency is the Uruguayan peso; as of October 2019, it traded at approximately 36 pesos to the U.S. dollar.  Purchases of large items such as real estate and automobiles are always quoted in dollars, as are appliances and many types of household goods and services.

U.S. currency is accepted almost anywhere at the official exchange rate.  Credit and debit cards are accepted in almost every shop or restaurant.  Payments done with credit card, debit card or electronic money, of certain services such as restaurants, hotels or car renting receive the benefit of 9% percent of reduction on the 22% value-added-tax. Argentine and Brazilian cash is accepted mainly in border towns.  Uruguay maintains a long tradition of not restricting the purchase of foreign currency or the remittance of profits abroad.  Free purchases of foreign currency and remittances were even preserved during the severe 2002 banking and financial crisis.  Uruguay has not seemingly engaged in currency manipulation to gain competitive advantage.  Since 2002, the peso has floated freely, albeit with intervention from the Central Bank aimed at reducing the volatility of the price of the dollar.  Foreign exchange can be freely obtained at market rates and there is no black market for currency exchange.  Most U.S. ATM networks are easily accessible and will provide U.S. dollars or local currency.  Traveler’s checks are not common. 

Telecommunications/Electronics

Uruguay has a fixed line tele-density of almost 80 percent, one of the highest in Latin America. However, its usage is being rapidly replaced by mobile communication. Telephony is fully digitalized.  Only ANTEL, the state-owned company, can provide basic telephony.  Eight other companies compete with ANTEL for international calls.  There are three cellular providers with GSM/GPRS, TDMA, and/or CDMA services. The state-owned company ANTEL has 54% of the mobile contracts.  Uruguay has the highest-speed Internet in Latin America; it is accessible in major hotels, airports, cyber-cafes, shopping centers, and some public parks, usually for free AT&T, MCI, and Sprint calling cards are accepted.

Transportation

American Airlines is the only U.S. carrier with direct non-stop flights between Montevideo and Miami. United Airlines services Montevideo daily with “codeshare” flights, by using a Copa aircraft coming and going to Panama. Delta bought 20% of LATAM shares in October 2019, and now connects Uruguay and the United States, by using LATAM flights from Santiago de Chile or Sao Paulo.
Internal transportation is mainly by car or bus.  Within Montevideo, bus and taxi services are extensive, safe, and inexpensive.  Uber is operating and widely used in Montevideo and has recently been regulated by government.

Carsharing has recently been deployed in Uruguay. Toyota Mobility Services launched the first car-sharing system in Uruguay in 2019 and by the end of the year, it is expected that also electric shared cars are available in the city.

Language

Spanish is the official language.  Although many in the business community speak English or other languages, interpreters are commonly used during business meetings.

Health

There are no major health hazards.  Uruguay enjoys high health standards for food and drinking water.

Local Time, Business Hours and Holidays

Uruguay observes standard time (GMT-3).
Normal business hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Banks are open to the public Monday through Friday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Stores are generally open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Shopping centers open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Local Holidays for Calendar Year 2019
Jan. 1                      New Year's Day
Jan. 6                      Three King’s Day
March 4-5             Two days for Carnival (6 weeks before Holy/Easter Week)
Apr. 18-19            Holy Week / Easter (dates vary from year to year)
Apr. 22                  Landing of the 33 Orientals
May 1                     Uruguayan Labor Day
May 18                 Battle of Las Piedras
June 19 Artigas’ Birth
July 18                   Uruguayan Constitution Day
Aug. 25  Uruguayan Independence
Oct. 12                   Day of the Races
Nov.  2                   All Souls Day
Dec.  25 Christmas Day

Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings

There are no restrictions on the temporary entry of business-related equipment such as laptops.  Refundable deposits on some equipment may be required and is payable at the point of entry.

Travel Related Web Resources

 

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.