Uruguay makes border closures more flexible and resident foreigners will be able to enter the country

The president of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, made border closures more flexible of this country, which had hardened on December 21 before the surge in coronavirus cases. Now, resident aliens can apply for a permit to enter, as well as those who need to travel for “justified family reunification situations”.

The measure was formalized by a decree signed Monday by the president and which establishes that “the exceptions provided for in article 2” of decree 104/020 of March will be taken into account, which initially limited the distribution in the country. border crossings.

<< The President of the Republic, acting with the respective minister or ministers, will authorize the entry into the country of these persons who take refuge in one of the exceptions established in article 2 of decree n ° 104/020, of March 24, 2020 ”, specifies the regulation.

As reported by the newspaper El Observador, the decree indicates that those who want to enter the country They can apply for a special permit, which will depend on the authorization of the President and some of his ministers.

Last week, President Lacalle Pou confirmed that the closure at border crossings will continue until the end of January.

“Unfortunately, and to our great regret, in particular the Minister of Tourism, we will continue with the borders closed for another 20 days,” the president said last Wednesday.

Until December 16, when it announced the new entry restrictions, the government allowed foreign entry to Uruguayans, residents or for professional or family reasons, among other exceptions.

Uruguay registered on Tuesday seven deaths from the coronavirus and 947 new infections. Last Sunday, he had the record of infections for a day since the start of the pandemic, with 1,215 cases.

In the following cases, you can now request to enter the country:

• Foreigners residing in the country.

• Conductors assigned to the international transport of goods, merchandise, correspondence, supplies and humanitarian and health aid.

• Diplomats Accredited with the Uruguayan government or with international organizations based in the country.

• Foreigners benefiting from a humanitarian or health corridor established for the embarkation or disembarkation of cruise ships, ships and planes based where the health authority determines.

• Brazilians that, demonstrating its status as limits, enter the Republic through the Uruguay-Brazil border and stay in the border town.

• Clearly founded cases of international protection in accordance with the provisions of Law No.18076 of 19 December 2006 (Refugee Law), which must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, in particular taking into account the situation of people arriving for reasons of family reunification with foreigners who already have permanent residence in the country.

• Duly justified family reunification situations (With parents, spouses, partners, unmarried minor or aged disabled children, as provided for in article 10 of law n ° 18250, of January 6, 2008, or humanitarian law not provided for in other literals, managed by the Ministry of External Relations to the National Directorate of Migration.

• Transitional income for professional, economic, commercial or legal purposes managed in front of the National Migration Directorate by the competent ministry corresponding to the field of activity concerned and according to the reasons of the emergency.

LP