Although there aren’t too many changes to the process, it is exciting to see that the “carnet de salud” which entitles ones with a low enough income to free health care in public hospitals, is now available to both legal residents and non-resident foreigners. If a foreigner has sufficient means, they wil be enrolled in the “mutualista” program just as Uruguayan foreign nationals.

While many foreigners have been taking advantage of this system for a long time, it is good to see it finally written down on paper, official.

Rumor has it, over 20 years ago a local am radio DJ started “La Noche de la Nostalgia” (The Nostalgia Night), a party where only old hits would be played. Since that first famed night, year after year the country has grown to celebrate hold hits, with music, costumes, and celebrations on the night of August 24^th, a day before the official celebration of the Declaration of Independence.

The celebration on the 24^th has actually become such a huge part of the Uruguayan culture that some feel it is celebrated even more than the 31st of December. The whole idea is to get back to “the good old days,” which is something the entire country can relate to.

There are plenty of public parties at bars and clubs, so make sure you find out what is going on in your area on August 24^th. Remember the Uruguay of yesteryear, which, according to the older generation, was much better than the Uruguay of today.

I found this complete chart the other day on www.from-uruguay.com, and although it is dated September of 2008, nearly a year ago, the information is still pretty accurate.

Item	Peso UY	USD	Comment
Lunch at restaurant	from 100 to 200	from 5 to 10	Places where you sit, and there’s a waiter
Dinner for two in a fancy restaurant	from around 500 to 1200	from around 25 to 60	appetizer, main course, dessert, good wine for both
Lunch at Mac Donald’s	120	6	MD is not considered a cheap meal
Movie Theatre/Cinema	from 50 to 105	from 2.5 to 5	105 weekend price
Theater	around 300	around 15	expensive
20km taxi drive in Montevideo	around 350	around 15	from carrasco to ciudad vieja
Urban bus ticket	13.5	0.675	government is making it cheaper
1 lt of gasoline	32	1.6	got a car now
Renting a one bedroom apartment in a fancy neighborhood	from around 6000 to 8000 plus common expenses	from around 300 to 400	neighborhood being pocitos or punta carretas
Renting a two bedroom apartment in a fancy neighborhood	from around 7000 to 12000 plus common expenses	from around 350 to 600	for some reason real state bubble hasnt burst here, again this is per month.
Electricity bill	around 1000	around 50
Phone bill	from around 1500 to 3000	from around 75 to 150	five person house, one teenager
Water bill	around 300	around 15
cable tv bill	around 600	around 30
internet broadband (256k download)	from 200 to 600	from 10 to 30	at least some things are less expensive
Kilo of Potatoes	around 20	around 1
Kilo of apples	around 30	aroundaround 1.5
Kilo of bananas	around 25	around 1.25
1 lettuce	around 12	around 0.6
Kilo of fatless grinded meat	around 138	around 6.9
Kilo of beef loins	around 170	around 8.5
1 lt milk	18	0.9
1 loaf of bread	18	0.9

From a reliable source, attorney Mark Teuten, we have learned something about bringing household items duty-free. He states:

article 2 of Decree No. 119/004, which regulates Law No. 16.340 states that household goods, in reasonable quantities according to the opinion of the Custom’s authorities, can be brought in free of tax within 6 months of the grant of permanent residence.

Cara are not included in this, and it means only for the first 6 months after you have been approved for your residency, not during the time when your residency is still pending.

If you bring in household goods before you are approved for residency, you wil have to post a bond, or guarantee for the estimated value of the items you are having shipped in. You determine the value. The best option to make the guarantee is to secure it through Banco de la Republica. You purchase a Certificate of Deposit for the amount your items are valued, and then the bank guarantees they won’t cash it until you show proof of residency. They charge less than 2% of the value to issue the guarantee and once you have your residency all you have to do is take your cédula, the CD and a certification from Immigration to Aduana to the bank and they will sign off on it.

Mark is a reliable British-born attorney who is certified in both the UK and Uruguay to pratice law. He can help you out with residency, real estate, business matters and more. Visit his web-site at www.teutenabogados.com for more information on his practice and available services.

As an extensive traveler I have found that Chinese food is actually a staple restaurant in most countries. In that statement, I use the term “Chinese food” quite loosely. What most restaurants serve up (even if you see a Chinese cook in the back) is what residents of the local country think Chinese food should taste like. You can imagine this is pretty frustrating for a Gringo who grew up pointing to items on the menu because the waiter didn’t speak any English.

Gran China, which is located on San Jose 1077 between Rio Negro and Paraguay in Centro actually does real Chinese food. The flavors are pretty dead on, and the spicy chicken was actually spicy! Overall, the entire experience left a pleasant taste in my mouth. The dumplings were right on, the fried rice was everything you would hope for, and even the sweet and sour and wonton soups were exactly what I would expect from a Chinese restaurant.

The place is small, only about two tables wide, and not particularly fancy, but they charge for the food not the atmosphere, so a a full multi-course meal with drinks can run you about UY$400.

If you don’t speak Spanish or Chinese the menu is in English, but you may need to use your deductive powers to figure out what some of the translated items actually are. Even if you get it wrong, you will surely enjoy whatever surprise plate the kitchen brings out.

Many who come to Uruguay, work for a Uruguayan company, and have their residency benefit from these plans. The health care is reliable, the insurance actually covers a good deal, and I think you’ll find you are way better taken care of than with some of the health insurance providers in the States.

The only issue with the arrangement of this health insurance is that the directors of Uruguayan corporations are not entitled to receive coverage from the health insurance plans through BPS. Directors, although they pay into BPS for themselves and their employees, must pay for private coverage.

The *sneaky* way out of this is my setting up your Uruguayan business and then hire nominee corporate directors from outside of Uruguay. They then give you total power of attorney so that you can operate the company, and since you are technically just an employee, you receive health insurance benefits via BPS.

Your other option is to set up a unipersonal, sole proprietorship, but that is another set of struggles in its own right.

In Uruguay every contract includes a deposit equal to 3–5 months of rent, plus the payment of 1 month’s rent in advance and the service fee to the realtor which is equal to 1 month’s rent. So, be prepared to fork over a large chunk of change right off the bat. If you are planning on staying in the apartment for less than a year the deposit may go down, but in general 5 months is the standard.

When looking into an apartment it is important to ask about “Gastos Comunes” which means Common Costs. These are paid separately from the rent and cover building maintenance, the doorman, lighting in the common areas and hallways and an elevator (if there is one). It is also important to ask if gas and electricity are included, and what the payment plan is if they are not. Also remember to ask if there are any outstanding bills on the apartment from previous renters such as electricity or water, as the company could end up trying to stick you with the bill.

Apartments in Uruguay come furnished, partially furnished and completely empty, so make sure and ask what furnishings are included in yours. Partially furnished usually only have a stove and a fridge, while fully furnished will include that and furniture and kitchenware.

Remember – furnishings may not include sheets or towels, so make sure you bring those with you as they are WAY more expensive in Uruguay. (We’re talking like US $90 for a plain old queen set.)

Make sure you at least attempt to negotiate the rent. They expect it. They may try to charge more because you are a foreigner, so stand your ground and compare with other apartments. Ask around to find out what other people are paying for rent before deciding if you got the best deal or not. Chances are if you express your reservations about the rent price it may go down anywhere from 10 – 20% of the original asking price.

My recommendation, and that of pretty much every expat I have spoken with, is that it is always best to rent first, and buy later. I am an investor by nature and I know firsthand that deciding hastily, even when you are 100% positive it is the right choice, is never a good idea. So, before you even come to Uruguay, it is a good idea to research different areas, and make a list of the places where you are seriously considering relocating. Then, when you arrive in Uruguay systematically visit each one.

Montevideo is usually the first place on everyone’s list, but I believe that is just because its the only Uruguayan city most people know. The cost of living in Montevideo is higher than anywhere else in the country, except the popular Punta del Este. Areas along the coast running from west of Punta del Este to Colonia are cheaper than actually being within the city, and living in the interior of Uruguay is by far the cheapest option. So, if money is your chief concern, then by all means, move out to Gaucho Country.

There are, however, other factors that come into play, such as your need for an internet connection. Internet can be difficult to get in the interior and it is most readily available within Montevideo (best packages, greatest amount of bandwidth, etc.).

Another thing to consider is purchasing a vehicle. If you plan on living in the city, there is no real need to buy a car, as public transportation and taxi services are readily available. Living in the interior without a car, on the other hand, would be a little more difficult.

While exploring a neighborhood for possible relocation look to stay at an ‘aparthotel.’ These apartment/hotel establishments are well priced, and give you the opportunity to get a better feel of what life is really like in the area than a normal hotel does. In general aparthotels offer a sleeping area a sitting area, and a small kitchen, and they are located in residential neighborhoods, oftentimes in converted houses.

The local inmobiliarias, as real estate offices are called, are oftentimes the best places to start your search for housing, whether you are looking for a long-term or short-term rental, or the purchasing of a home. I recommend using the inmobiliaria as opposed to the internet because pricing on the internet is generally 10% or so higher. (Gotta love that gringo tax!) To get a pricing idea and to see what is on the market check out CASAS.com.uy and APARTAMENTOS.com.uy.

Even if you don’t speak Spanish, many of the real estate agents, especially in the typical expat communities, speak English.

Just remember: Don’t rush. Take your time to consider your options, and what you can and can’t live without while deciding where to relocate in Uruguay.

Universidad ORT Uruguay has developed a special semester program for international students who are coming from non-partner universities. To qualify for the program you have to have completed 6 months of Spanish study at your home institution.

The program at ORT includes a Spanish course/workshop – 3 hours per week/ 6 ECTS credits, orientation and academic advisors, and up to 5 regular courses from the programs offered at the University, according to your background and Spanish level.

For more information about studying at the Universidad ORT Uruguay click here.

The Universidad Catolica also offers exchange programs for International Students. More information about their program can be received by writing to interinter@ucu.edu.uy.

At the Universidad Montevideo, international applicants can apply to the Universidad from within Uruguay, but they must first present their diploma to a Uruguayan consulate in the United States for verification and legalization, then have it legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Uruguay, and request the process of verifying the diploma in the Departamento de Inspeccion de Ensenanza Secundaria. The full description of where those offices are located can be found on the University’s web-site by clicking here.

The Universidad de la Republic in Uruguay offers information for students coming from other countries here.

If you are not currently studying at a University in the States, and not participating in any exchange program, most Universities do require the legalizing of your high school or college diploma by their government offices, first at a Consulate in the State and second in Uruguay. There are 9 Uruguayan consulates in the continental United States, 1 in Hawaii, and 1 in Puerto Rico. The cost of legalizing such a diploma is USD $112 and information on how to do so can be found by visiting the Consulate section of the American Embassy web-site. Look under the section titled “Legalization of Documents.”

For detailed information on what each University requires, it is recommended that you browse their web-site and contact the person in charge directly.

The Casino Victoria is actually two grand casinos, with slot machines and table games, and climbing jackpots. Games include baccarat, blackjack, bingo, horse races, and for the European guests, trendy French roulette tables.

As far as casinos go, Casino Victoria in Montevideo is a nice one. It opens daily at 2 pm, and offers a relaxed atmosphere where you can hang out with friends, grab a drink, and enjoy the evening.

Casino Victoria is constantly adding new games, and working to provide guests with a variety of games to play. The staff is friendly (and they almost all speak English!) and the vibe is great.

The hotel also boasts 2 bars, 3 restaurants, a spa, swimming pool, golf, tours, convention and meeting centers, and more, together with it’s 256 rooms and suites and only 11 miles away from the Carrasco International Airport. Situated in Plaza Independencia, it is close to everything, allowing guests to get a taste of Montevideo without having to travel too far. The hotel gets rave reviews, and so does the casino.

To read more about the Victoria Casino and make reservations click here.

759 Plaza Independencia

Montevideo, Montevideo 11100

www.radisson.com/montevideouy.com

Tel: (598) 2 9020111

Toll-free reservation line: (888) 201–1718