Uruguay has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 2012, so U.S. documents need an apostille and then a translation. The distinctive part is the translation rule: it must be done by a public translator in Uruguay or by the consular office itself.
Quick facts
That the consulate will translate for you, at a published rate of $54 per page up to five pages, is genuinely useful: it removes the search for a translator whose credentials Uruguay will accept.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Apostille on a U.S. state document | $3–$25 per document | Secretary of State of that state |
| Apostille on a U.S. federal document | $20 per document | U.S. Department of State |
| Consular translation | $54 per page, up to five | The consular office |
| Apostille on a Uruguayan document | Charged in Uruguay | Foreign ministry |
| Birth registration | $18 | Separate from the translation |
Note that the translation can cost several times the procedure itself. A three-page American birth certificate translated at the consulate runs well above the $18 registration fee.
How to prepare a document for Uruguay
- Order the certificate from the issuing office, in the shortest acceptable form.
- Have it apostilled: state documents by the state, federal ones in Washington.
- Decide between a public translator in Uruguay and the consular office.
- Count the pages, since the consular rate is charged per page.
- Email the consulate the scanned documents where that route is offered.
- Attend the appointment with the originals.
Required documents
- Original certificate with the apostille attached.
- Scanned copies where the post accepts an email filing first.
- Identification of the person filing.
- Payment in the form that post accepts.
What the consulates do
They renew passports and identity cards, issue first passports to natural citizens, register births, marriages and deaths, translate documents, and assist Uruguayans in difficulty.
Consulate General of Uruguay
View details →Coral GablesConsulado de Uruguay en Miami, Florida, USA
View details →HoustonConsulate General of Uruguay
View details →MiamiConsulado Del Uruguay
View details →Santa MonicaConsulate General of Uruguay
View details →South JordanConsulate of Uruguay
View details →WashingtonEmbassy of Uruguay
View details →Additional notes
Fewer pages, lower cost
Because translation is charged per page, ordering a concise certificate rather than a long-form extract can save real money.
The five-page ceiling
The consular translation service tops out at five pages. Longer documents need a public translator in Uruguay.
Two apostille offices
Federal documents such as FBI records go to Washington, not to a state.
Never apostille a photocopy
The certificate attaches to an original or a certified copy from the record keeper.