Uruguay is calm and well organised, and Montevideo is where nearly everything happens. Citizens of Azerbaijan need a visa approved in advance, and ORT’s March–July semester outlasts the 90-day stay, so you extend at Migración. Cards work widely, and a foreign card cuts the VAT on restaurant bills while the government’s non-resident benefit runs; rent, though, is often in dollars, and almost everything outside class is in Spanish.
Money
Uruguayan peso (UYU, $)
Language
Spanish (Rioplatense)
Time
UTC−3, no daylight saving
Plugs
Type C, F, I and L; 220 V
Tipping
About 10% in restaurants, left in cash or added to the card payment
911 is the national emergency number for police, and medical calls to it go to SAME 105, the public emergency medical service; 104 is the fire brigade. Operators speak Spanish.
Set these up before you fly
The essentials that take days to arrange or have to work the moment you land.
Written for students from Azerbaijan first: where a rule depends on nationality, the rule for Azerbaijani citizens is given and labelled.
ADA University · Spring 2027
Universities and places
Universidad ORT Uruguay
Montevideo
3 places
Courses are taught in Spanish, so B1–B2 Spanish is required; the university has no housing of its own, and classes are split between Campus Centro and the Pocitos campus.
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking3
Cards work widely in Montevideo, and a foreign card cuts the VAT on restaurant bills while the non-resident benefit runs; keep some pesos for buses and small shops.
YH
Your home Visa or MastercardEssential
Card payments, and a VAT cut on restaurant bills while it runs
Before departure
Why you need it: A card issued abroad is your main way to pay in the first weeks, and while the non-resident benefit runs it reduces or removes the VAT on restaurant and café bills.
Ask your Azerbaijani bank to enable the card for use abroad and online
Carry two cards from different networks in case one is declined
Pay restaurant bills by card rather than cash to get the VAT benefit
Before you rely on itThe benefit applies only to cards, electronic money or transfers from abroad, and only while the government extends it: until 30 April 2026 it was a 9-point VAT refund on gastronomy, and on 21 September 2026 a full exemption was announced for the 2027 summer season, without dates. Whether it still applies from March to July 2027 is not yet known. Your bank charges its own currency conversion fee.
Source: uruguayxxi.gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
BA
BROU and bank ATMs
Cash in pesos from a foreign card
On arrival
Why you need it: Buses, markets, small shops and some landlords still want cash, and BROU, the state bank, has the widest ATM network.
Find a BROU ATM near you on the bank’s branch and ATM map; many are open 24 hours
Check the ATM shows your card’s network (Visa, Mastercard) before you insert it
Choose pesos for everyday spending; dollars only if rent is in dollars
Decline the ATM’s own currency conversion if it offers one
Before you rely on itBROU does not publish its limits or fees for foreign cards, so expect a modest limit per withdrawal and a possible fee on top of your bank’s. Rent and deposits are often quoted in US dollars, so check which currency a price is in: both use the $ sign, and dollars are written US$ or U$S.
Source: brou.com.uy · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Pr
Prex
Free app account and Mastercard in pesos and dollars
Optional
Why you need it: Opening a Uruguayan bank account without residence is hard; Prex is the digital account many locals use to pay, send money to friends and top up.
Load pesos or dollars from a bank or at an Abitab counter
Before you rely on itNo maintenance or renewal fee. Whether a foreign passport alone is accepted for Prex Uruguay was not confirmed on its own pages; ask in the app chat before relying on it. Another route: ORT has had an agreement with Banco Santander offering exchange students a free account with a debit card; ask the exchange office whether it still runs.
Source: prexcard.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Essential apps6
A few local apps do most of the work: Cómo ir for buses, Uber or Cabify for rides, PedidosYa for delivery, gub.uy for appointments.
CI
Cómo ir
Official Montevideo bus routes and live arrival times
Before departure
Why you need it: Buses are Montevideo’s only public transport, and this official Intendencia app shows every line’s route and the live position of its buses, so you know when to leave for class.
Before you rely on itCheckout may ask for a document number; whether a passport is accepted was not confirmed. Check delivery times, and pickup points, before you order.
Source: mercadolibre.com.uy · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
GU
gub.uy Trámites
Government portal listing every procedure, with costs and offices
On arrival
Why you need it: The extension of stay and any residence application are described here: the documents, the cost, the office and its hours, and, where a procedure allows it, the online start or booking.
Search for the procedure by name, e.g. “Prórroga de permanencia”
Read the requirements and costs on the procedure page
Check whether it is done in person only (as the extension of stay is) or can be started online
Before you rely on itAll in Spanish. Online procedures ask you to log in with a gub.uy user (ID Uruguay); the extension of stay has no online booking, so you simply go to the office in person.
Source: gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
Transport4
Montevideo has buses only, paid with the STM card or cash; coaches to the rest of the country leave from Tres Cruces.
TS
Tarjeta STM
Montevideo’s bus card, cheaper than paying cash
On arrival
Why you need it: Buses are how you reach ORT’s campuses and everything else in Montevideo, and the card fare is about a fifth cheaper than cash.
Paid · Card free the first time; 1-hour ticket 52 pesos by card, 64 in cash; 2-hour ticket 78 by card, 97 in cash (fares from 5 January 2026)Varies by cityVaries by university
Pay cash to the driver or conductor for your first rides
Get a card at an STM user service point (locations on the Intendencia site)
Top it up (100 pesos minimum) and tap it on the reader as you board
Before you rely on itMontevideo has no metro: buses only, and they thin out sharply between about 22:00 and 06:00. Student fares exist, but ORT says students at private universities do not get them, so ORT students pay the ordinary fare. Paying cash, carry small notes: ORT advises nothing above 200 pesos.
Source: montevideo.gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
GI
Getting in from Carrasco airport
Buses, taxis and shuttles from MVD into Montevideo
On arrival
Why you need it: Carrasco is about 20 km east of the centre, and on day one you need to know your options before your SIM works.
Check the airport’s Cómo llegar page for current bus lines and the official taxi desk
Use the airport wi-fi to book a ride if you prefer an app
Have pesos or a working card ready for the fare
Before you rely on itThe airport lists buses, taxis and shuttles but not fares; airport taxis cost far more than the bus. The airport’s help line is +598 2604 0329.
Before you rely on itEach company sells its own tickets; buy ahead for summer weekends and holidays such as Carnaval and Semana de Turismo (Easter week), when coaches fill up.
Source: trescruces.com.uy · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Bu
Buquebus
Ferries across the Río de la Plata to Buenos Aires
Optional
Why you need it: Buenos Aires is a few hours away by ferry, and it is also a common route in and out of the country.
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: ask the Uruguayan consulate how many entries your visa allows, and check Argentina’s own visa rules, before you book. For everyone: a trip to Buenos Aires means leaving Uruguay and entering it again, with both countries’ border checks at the port.
Source: buquebus.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
SIM, eSIM & internet2
Prepaid lines from Antel, Claro and Tigo (formerly Movistar) need no contract; Antel’s include WhatsApp.
AP
Antel prepagoEssential
State operator’s prepaid SIM with free WhatsApp
On arrival
Why you need it: You need a Uruguayan number for landlords, ORT and delivery apps; Antel has the widest coverage, and WhatsApp use does not eat your balance.
Paid · No monthly fee; a first top-up of at least 220 pesos activates the line (2026)
Get a chip or an eSIM at an Antel shop (bring your passport) or in the online store
Register the line in your name by dialling *611# (option 3); a passport is accepted
Make the first top-up to activate it, then buy a data pack
Before you rely on itAntel adds welcome credit to the first top-up: 200 pesos when bought online, 100 through other channels (2026). ORT advises buying at a main Antel shop with your passport, where you may be asked for a Uruguayan contact number, so have your host’s or ORT’s ready. Top up later at any Abitab counter.
Before you rely on itOlder guides and signs still say Movistar. Claro is the third operator; all three sell prepaid lines.
Source: tigo.com.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
Visa, registration & legal4
For citizens of Azerbaijan: a visa approved in advance, then an extension at Migración before your 90 days end.
VF
Visa for UruguayEssential
Entry visa, approved in advance by the Migration Directorate
Before departure
Why you need it: Uruguay’s official visa table lists ordinary Azerbaijani passports as needing a visa with prior authorisation from the Migration Directorate, so this is the first thing to start once ORT accepts you.
Paid · 3 consular pesos, listed as 42 US dollars, charged only if the visa is granted (2026)Varies by nationality
For citizens of Azerbaijan: contact Uruguay’s consular section in Moscow, which covers Azerbaijan (Mytnaya 3, office 16; +7 499 230 76 35; Monday to Friday 10:00–16:00), and agree an interview date
Bring the form, ORT’s acceptance letter, proof of funds, a passport valid 6 months beyond arrival, a photo and your flight booking
Attend the interview in person; the consul sends the file to Migración, which usually takes at least 20 working days
Once approved, have the visa issued within 60 days, then enter Uruguay within 60 days of it being stamped
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: ordinary passports need a visa with prior authorisation; diplomatic and service passports do not. Uruguay has no embassy in Baku, so the in-person interview means a trip to Moscow unless the consulate agrees otherwise; ask it first. A study visa exists for students on official or exchange programmes. The two 60-day windows mean you should not apply too early. Many other nationalities, including most of Europe and the Americas, enter without a visa.
Source: gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
PD
Prórroga de permanencia (extension of stay)Essential
Extend the 90-day entry to cover the whole semester
On arrival
Why you need it: Entry gives you 90 days, and ORT’s spring semester runs from March to July, so you will need to extend your stay at Migración before the 90 days run out.
Paid · 225.60 UI while your stay is current, 345 UI once it has expired (about 1,500 and 2,300 pesos, 2026)Varies by nationality
Note your entry date from the stamp or the entry record
Go in person, with your passport, at least 15 calendar days before your permitted stay ends
In Montevideo the office is Migración’s head office at Misiones 1513, Monday to Friday, 09:00–15:00
Documents from abroad must be apostilled and translated into Spanish
Before you rely on itThe procedure is done in person only, with no online booking listed. Applying after your permitted stay has expired costs more and leaves you out of status until it is sorted. The UI (unidad indexada) is an inflation-linked unit, so the peso amount changes daily. Ask ORT’s exchange office how long the extension is granted for.
Source: gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
RL
Residencia legal temporaria (temporary residence)
Residence for stays of six months to two years
Optional
Why you need it: A one-semester exchange is usually too short for this, but it matters if you extend to a full year or need a cédula for a bank or a lease.
Paid · 557.30 UI, plus 55.70 UI for the migration certificate (2026)Varies by residence statusVaries by nationality
Ask ORT’s international office whether your stay needs it
Gather criminal record certificates for the last 5 years, a vaccination certificate, a carné de salud (health card) and proof of means; documents from abroad apostilled and translated
Apply online with a gub.uy user, or book an in-person appointment at Migración (Mercedes 1004, Montevideo)
Once granted, apply for the cédula de identidad
Before you rely on itFor stays of at least six months. The student category needs a certificate from the university stating how long you will study, and proof of means. A cédula is only issued once residence is granted or in process, so most one-semester students live on their passport.
Source: gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
TH
Travel health insuranceEssential
Medical cover for the whole stay, bought before you fly
Before departure
Why you need it: ORT requires international health insurance before you start classes, and without a policy any doctor’s visit or hospital stay is paid out of your own pocket.
Buy a policy covering outpatient visits and hospital stays in Uruguay, for at least €30,000
Make it valid for your whole stay plus 15 extra days
Send it to ORT with your application, or hand it in after you arrive
Save the insurer’s 24-hour number and policy number in your phone
Before you rely on itThis is ORT’s own requirement; the consulate may also ask to see a policy with the visa application. ORT’s campus emergency cover only gets you first aid and a transfer to a hospital. For minor illness ORT points students to the SEMM clinics, and to the Hospital Británico for fuller care.
Source: ort.edu.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
Housing & daily life2
ORT has no dorms: start from its housing list and rent a room, since flat leases need a local guarantee.
OH
ORT housing listEssential
ORT’s list of rooms, residences and flats in Montevideo
Before departure
Why you need it: ORT has no dorms and no housing grants for exchange students, so its list is the safest place to start your search before you fly.
Email intercambio@ort.edu.uy once you are nominated and ask for the housing list
Pick options near the campus you will attend: Campus Centro is at Cuareim 1451
Ask each provider whether gastos comunes (building charges) are included
Book at least the first weeks before you fly
Before you rely on itORT shares the list for information only: it does not recommend any option, does not handle payments and does not step in if something goes wrong with a landlord. Some prices exclude gastos comunes for water, doorman, heating and lift.
Source: ort.edu.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
GD
Garantía de alquiler (rental guarantee)
Why an ordinary flat lease is hard for a one-semester student
Before departure
Why you need it: Uruguayan landlords ask for a guarantee backed by a local institution or several months’ deposit, which a newly arrived student rarely has, so most exchange students rent a room or a residence place instead.
Prefer rooms in shared flats or student residences that do not ask for a garantía
See the room in person or by live video before paying anything
Get a written agreement stating rent, currency, deposit and what is included
Before you rely on itThe state-backed guarantees (MVOT, BHU, Contaduría General de la Nación) ask for things a one-semester student will not have: the Contaduría’s, for example, wants a Uruguayan cédula and formal local income. Rents are often quoted in US dollars. Never wire a deposit for a place you have not seen.
Source: gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Student life2
ORT’s exchange office handles your application, orientation and enrolment; practically all courses are taught in Spanish.
Why you need it: It sends the application form and acceptance letter, gives you the housing list and your wi-fi password, and is who you ask about the visa letter and the extension of stay.
Make sure ADA has nominated you to intercambio@ort.edu.uy (March semester deadline: 15 December)
Send the form with your transcript, proof of Spanish, a passport copy and your insurance
Pick courses from ORT’s published course lists; at most five are suggested
Enrol in Gestión in the two weeks before classes; changes are allowed for two weeks after they start
Before you rely on itIn 2026 the first semester ran from 9 March to 31 July (exams included), with the welcome orientation on 7 March; check the 2027 dates on ORT’s academic calendar. Class timetables appear only a few days before term, so clashes between courses from different programmes are possible. Exchange students from partner universities pay no tuition, but ORT offers no housing or living grants.
Source: ort.edu.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
OS
ORT Spanish requirement (B1)
Spanish level needed for courses taught in Spanish
Before departure
Why you need it: Practically all ORT courses are taught in Spanish, so the application asks for proof of at least intermediate (B1) Spanish from anyone whose first language is not Spanish.
Check the level your courses ask for: B1 in general, C1 for some Communication and Design courses
Get a DELE certificate or equivalent; ORT also accepts a letter from your Spanish teacher
Ask ORT which English-taught courses run in the March semester before you count on them
Before you rely on itORT offers some courses in English to exchange students, but its pages do not list them by semester. Whether taking only English-taught courses exempts you from the Spanish proof is not stated; ask the exchange office.
Source: ort.edu.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
Communication & language2
Rioplatense Spanish uses vos and a “sh” sound for ll and y; offices work in Spanish and WhatsApp carries every conversation.
WA
WhatsAppEssential
The messaging app everyone in Uruguay uses
Before departure
Why you need it: Landlords, classmates, shops, clinics and companies all use WhatsApp, and Antel prepaid lines include WhatsApp without using your balance.
Before you rely on itWhen you get a Uruguayan SIM, keep WhatsApp on your Azerbaijani number or use Change Number so you do not lose chats. Uruguayan mobile numbers start with 09; from abroad drop the 0 after +598.
Source: play.google.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
GT
Google Translate
Camera and conversation translation, offline Spanish
Before departure
Why you need it: Migración forms, leases and course pages are in Spanish only, and few officials switch to English; the camera mode reads them on the spot.
OK; Uruguayans say it constantly to agree or close a sentence
¡Ayuda! Llamen al 911
Help! Call 911
Emergency & safety3
911 is the national emergency number; Azerbaijan’s embassy in Buenos Aires covers Uruguay and keeps an office in Montevideo, so save both before you go.
EO
Embassy of Azerbaijan (Buenos Aires, with an office in Montevideo)
Consular help for citizens of Azerbaijan in Uruguay
Before departure
Why you need it: The embassy in Buenos Aires covers Uruguay and has its consular section there, but it also keeps an office in Montevideo, which is the nearest place to ask for help if your passport is lost or stolen.
Save the Montevideo office: Bulevar Artigas 417, Oficina 302 (Gamma Tower), +598 2714 5387, montevideo@mission.mfa.gov.az, Monday to Friday 09:00–18:00
Save the consular section in Buenos Aires: +54 11 4777 3655, consul_buenosaires@mission.mfa.gov.az, Monday to Friday 10:00–12:30
Keep a scan of your passport and visa in your email
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save. Consular documents are handled by the section in Buenos Aires (Maure 2151), so a replacement passport may mean contact with, or a trip to, Buenos Aires; report a lost passport to the police first. Buenos Aires is on the same time as Montevideo.
Source: gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
9A
911 and SAME 105
Police, fire and ambulance numbers, free from any phone
Before departure
Why you need it: Save the numbers before you need them: 911 reaches police and passes medical emergencies straight to SAME 105, the public emergency medical service, which has worked from the same control room since 2026.
Before you rely on itOperators speak Spanish; say your street and the nearest corner (esquina), the way Uruguayans give addresses. Fire brigade direct line 104. If your insurer works with a private emergency service, its own number may get an ambulance faster.
Source: gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
DE
Denuncia en línea
Report a lost or stolen passport or phone online
Optional
Why you need it: A police report is what your insurer and the embassy ask for after a theft, and foreigners can file it online in Spanish.
Open the Ministry of the Interior’s online reporting system (denuncia.minterior.gub.uy) from this page
Choose the type: lost or stolen documents, phone, theft
If asked, confirm the report in person at a police station (comisaría)
Before you rely on itSome reports must be confirmed in person at a comisaría. The form is in Spanish; have Google Translate open.
Source: gub.uy · the provider or a government body · Checked
Culture & practical tips
Mate, late dinners and a two-currency price system take a week to get used to.
01Vos, not tú
Uruguayans say vos tenés instead of tú tienes, and pronounce ll and y as sh: calle sounds like “cashe”. Textbook Spanish is understood everywhere; just expect to hear it differently.
02Mate goes everywhere
People carry a gourd and a thermos to class, the park and the bus. If someone offers you mate, drink the whole serving and hand it back; saying gracias means you are done.
03Two currencies, one sign
Pesos and US dollars both use $. Rent, flats and electronics are often priced in dollars (US$ or U$S), groceries and buses in pesos. Always ask which one.
04Late dinners, quiet Sundays
Restaurants fill from about 21:00, and many shops close or shorten hours on Sundays. Supermarkets usually stay open.
05Check the VAT line on the bill
While the non-resident benefit runs, paying a restaurant bill with a card issued abroad is what cuts the VAT; cash does not. Check the bill to see whether it was applied.
06Carnaval and Turismo week
Carnaval (February) and Semana de Turismo (Easter week) are national holidays: offices close, coaches and beach towns fill up. Book trips early and do paperwork before them.
07March is late summer
You arrive at the end of summer and leave in winter. Montevideo winters are damp and windy, and many flats have weak heating: pack warm layers for June and July.
08Addresses use corners
People give an address as a street and the nearest cross street (esquina). Say both to a taxi driver or an operator.
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