A volcano erupted on White Island, New Zealand on 9 December 2019. Follow the instructions of local authorities. Updates are available from the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.
Call 911 in Montevideo or 02911 outside Montevideo.
Call 911 in Montevideo or 02911 outside Montevideo.
Call 911 in Montevideo or 02911 outside Montevideo.
Exercise normal safety precautions in Uruguay.
Exercise normal safety precautions
Use common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia.
Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and bag snatching, occurs in Uruguay. Avoid using ATMs on the street.
Thieves often target cars stopped at traffic lights. Lock doors and keep windows up, even when moving. Don't leave valuables in your car.
During summer (December to March), thieves target resort areas such as Punta del Este. Other crime hotspots in Montevideo include Plaza Independencia, La Ciudad Vieja and Avenida 18 de Julio. Avoid the Cerro neighbourhood. Don't walk alone in the downtown or port area.
Protests can turn violent. Avoid large public gatherings.
Floods may disrupt local transport and damage roads. Check weather forecasts when you plan your travel.
Full travel advice: Safety
HIV/AIDS is a significant risk. Take precautions if you're taking part in activities that may expose you to infection.
Foodborne, waterborne and other infectious diseases include typhoid, hepatitis and rabies. Drink boiled or bottled water. Avoid raw or undercooked food. If you're bitten or scratched by an animal, get medical attention straight away.
Make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance. Medical care is expensive and you may have to pay upfront, even in an emergency.
Full travel advice: Health
Don't use or carry illegal drugs. Penalties for drug offences are severe. They include long prison sentences and heavy fines.
Don't buy, use or carry marijuana. Since 2013, Uruguayan citizens and permanent residents can legally cultivate and sell marijuana. However, it's still illegal for visitors to buy or possess it.
Uruguay has strict import and export laws. If you plan to import or export goods, ensure you understand local customs laws. Officials enforce these laws.
Same-sex relationships and marriage are legal in Uruguay. There are also laws banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Full travel advice: Local laws
Tourists can stay in Uruguay without a visa for up to 90 days. If you're visiting for other reasons, contact your nearest Uruguayan embassy or consulate for visa advice.
You don't need a yellow fever vaccination to enter or leave Uruguay. But you need it for other countries in the region. See the Australian Department of Health website for details.
If you're travelling via the US, you must meet US entry and transit requirements. Contact your nearest US embassy or consulate for advice.
Bring your Australian driver's licence with you. You can use it to drive in Uruguay for one year after entry. You must be at least 21 years old to rent a car.
Learn the local road rules before you drive. By law, you must use dimmed headlights when driving during the day.
Access for people with disabilities to buildings, footpaths and road crossings may be difficult. When you book your hotel, check it's accessible.
Full travel advice: Travel
The Consular Services Charter tells you what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
Australia has a consulate in Montevideo. It provides limited consular assistance and doesn't issue Australian passports.
For full consular assistance, contact the Australian Embassy in Argentina (Spanish).
Full travel advice: Local contacts
Street crime occurs in Uruguay. This includes:
pickpocketing
bag snatching
petty theft
robberies
Smash and grab robberies from cars stopped at traffic lights also occur.
During summer, from December to March, thieves target beach resort areas, such as Punta del Este. You may encounter more petty street crimes and burglaries.
To protect yourself from petty crime:
be cautious using ATMs, avoid using them on the street. Use ATMs in banks or shopping centres
avoid carrying excess cash
keep doors locked and windows up, even when moving
avoid leaving valuables on display in cars
Don't resist if you're attacked or robbed
Pay attention to your belongings
In Montevideo be very careful in:
Jardines del Hiepodromo
Casavalle
Borro
Avoid Cerro
Crime increases at night and on weekends in:
Downtown
Port Area
Plaza Independencia
La Ciudad Vieja
Avenida 18 de Julio
Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.
During periods of unrest:
avoid crowds, protests and demonstrations
don't approach demonstrations with cameras or phones
monitor the news for updates
follow the advice of local authorities
More information:
It rains throughout the year in Uruguay. Floods may disrupt local transport and damage roads.
Check weather forecasts and plan your travel to suit.
If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
More information:
Get comprehensive travel insurance before you leave. Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won’t pay for these costs.
If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.
If you're not insured, you may have to pay many 1000s of dollars up-front for medical care.
Confirm:
what activities and care your policy covers
that your insurance covers you for the whole time you’ll be away
Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.
See your doctor or travel clinic to:
have a basic health check-up
ask if your travel plans may affect your health
plan any vaccinations you need
Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.
More information:
Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.
If you plan to take medication, check if it's legal in Uruguay. Take enough legal medicine for your stay.
Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:
what the medicine is
how much you'll take
that it's for personal use
More information:
HIV/AIDS is a significant risk. Take precautions to reduce your risk of exposure to the virus.
Waterborne, foodborne and other infectious diseases are common, especially in rural areas. These include:
To protect yourself from illness:
drink boiled water or bottled water with sealed lids in rural areas
avoid ice cubes in rural areas
avoid raw and undercooked food, such as salads
avoid contact with dogs and other mammals
If you're bitten or scratched by an animal, get medical help straight away.
More information:
Private hospital facilities in major urban centres are reasonable. But public hospitals in the rest of the country usually have limited facilities.
Treatment at private clinics and hospitals is expensive.
Usually you'll have to pay or confirm insurance details before treatment. This is the case even for emergency care.
You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.
If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter. But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
More information:
Drug laws are severe in Uruguay. Penalties include jail time and heavy fines.
Uruguay set up a system for the legal production and sale of marijuana in 2013. That system is only for citizens and permanent residents of Uruguay.
It's illegal for visitors to buy or possess marijuana.
More information:
Customs officers enforce import and export rules. Restrictions apply to:
precious jewels
gold
firearms
antiques
medications
business equipment
Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you’re overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.
More information:
Same-sex relationships are legal in Uruguay.
Since 2003, laws have banned discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Uruguay legalised same-sex marriage in 2013.
More information:
Uruguay recognises dual nationality.
Contact the Embassy of Uruguay in Australia before you travel for details relevant to your situation.
More information:
Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders.
Make sure you meet all entry and exit conditions. If you don't, the Australian Government can’t help you.
Australian tourists can enter Uruguay without a visa for up to 90 days.
Entry and exit conditions can change. Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Uruguay for details about visas, currency, customs and other travel requirements.
Authorities may need to see a letter of consent if the child is:
aged under 18 years
travelling alone
travelling with 1 parent
Parents who aren't travelling with the child must sign the letter.
Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Uruguay well before you travel for advice.
More information:
You don't have to be vaccinated for yellow fever to enter or exit Uruguay. However, it's needed for other countries in the region.
Find out about returning to Australia after exposure to yellow fever.
More information:
If you're travelling through the US, you must meet US entry and transit rules.
Check your visa needs with the nearest embassy or consulate of the United States well before you travel.
More information:
Some countries won’t let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you’re just transiting or stopping over.
Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.
You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.
The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport’s expiry date before you travel. If you’re not sure it’ll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.
Your passport must have at least one blank page at the time of your arrival in Uruguay.
Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.
Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.
If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible.
In Australia, contact the Australian Passport Information Service.
If you're overseas, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate.
The official currency of Uruguay is the Peso (UYU).
Some locations also accept payment in US Dollars (USD) and Argentine Peso. A number of ATMs also dispense USD.
Sometimes there are disruptions to local transport services. Be prepared to change your plans.
You can drive with an Australian driver's licence in Uruguay. Your licence is valid for 1 year from your date of entry.
You must be aged 21 years or over to hire a car. Car rental companies will also need either:
an Australian driver's licence, or
an International Driving Permit (IDP)
Residents need to get a Uruguayan licence.
Be careful when travelling by car. In Uruguay:
driving standards are poor
many vehicles are poorly maintained
drivers often ignore traffic rules
You're 3 times more likely to die in a car accident in Uruguay than in Australia.
By law, you must use dimmed headlights when driving during the day.
Toll roads between the major cities are well maintained. You must pay tolls in cash. The condition of other roads varies.
More information:
The Australian Government doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.
Check Uruguay's air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network.
More information:
Montevideo and Punta del Este are popular stops for cruise ships.
If you plan to take a cruise:
make sure your passport has the right visas
check the ship's medical facilities meet your needs
find out the cost of onboard medical treatment
get adequate travel insurance
make sure your insurance covers medical evacuation and overseas hospital costs
speak to your insurer about any existing conditions
More information:
If you have a disability, you may find accessibility standards are different from Australia. Don't assume that hotels will be accessible.
In Uruguay, anti-discrimination laws apply to people with disabilities but they're not fully enforced.
Access to buildings, footpaths and road crossings may be difficult.
More information:
Depending on what you need, contact your:
family and friends
travel agent
insurance provider
employer
airline
Call 911 in Montevideo or 02911 outside Montevideo.
Call 911 in Montevideo or 02911 outside Montevideo.
Call 911 in Montevideo or 02911 outside Montevideo.
Always get a police report when you report a crime.
You can report a crime online, but you must have someone at the police station sign the report within 48 hours for it to be valid.
Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.
Contact your provider or the Uruguay Consumer Protection Agency (Spanish) with any complaints about tourist services or products.
Read the Consular Services Charter for information about what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
Australia has a consulate in Montevideo. It provides limited consular assistance and doesn't issue Australian passports.
25 de Mayo 455 - 2° Piso
11,000 Montevideo, Uruguay
Phone: (+59 8) 984 51451
Email: ausconur@gmail.com
For full consular services, contact the Australian Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Villanueva 1400
(C1426BMJ)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Phone: +54 11 4779 3500
Fax: +54 11 4779 3581
Website: argentina.embassy.gov.au
Facebook: Australia in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay
Twitter: @EmbAustraliaBA
Check the Embassy website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.
In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:
+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
1300 555 135 in Australia
Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.