Havana/“Uruguay seeks to regularize thousands of migrants who already reside, work and contribute to the development of this country.” This is how the Cuban representative announced on her social networks Leydis Aguilera the decree of Residence by Arraigo signed last Thursday by President Yamandú Orsi. The resolution is an alternative for the 30,715 people with a pending refugee application, of which 27,337 are from the Island.
This regularization route is for those who “entered regularly through one of the immigration points established before January 1, 2026.” In addition, people whose request for refuge was “denied” will be able to join this program. Those with a pending process, if they want to be part of the program, must waive their procedure.
Those interested must present to the National Immigration Directorate a passport-sized photograph, a valid identification document, the criminal record certificate for the last five years from the country of previous residence and the vaccination certificate.
In addition, migrants must “prove their own means of living,” for which they can provide receipts for payroll contributions to the Social Security Bank, which are used to guarantee the social security of workers. As of January 2026, the number of migrant contributors exceeded 104,000 people, which represents almost 7% of the total number of workers registered with the financial institution.
As of January 2026, the number of migrant contributors exceeded 104,000 people, which represents almost 7% of the total number of workers registered with the financial institution.
Aguilera specified that the current decree continues the one established in 2024 by the Administration of Luis Lacalle Pou. This route, he said, “could only be accessed by those who had entered the country before May 23 of that year.” The legislator announced that work will continue in Parliament for “the State’s respect for human rights and the dignity of people.”
The representative of Cuban origin highlighted that “the majority of migrants who arrive in the country are professionals with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate.”
Last June it was announced that a total of 11,000 Cubans entered from January to October through a border point between Brazil and Uruguay, which separates the Brazilian city of Sant’Ana do Livramento and the Uruguayan city of Rivera.
“An average of 30 per day“, highlights the report Migrant trafficking in Brazilan intelligence analysis, prepared by the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to figures from the Uruguayan newspaper The CountryLast year, more than 22,000 Cubans entered, of which 14,900 stayed. Among them, “whole families, grandparents and children with malnutrition.”
