The short version
- Mexico grants a longer initial stay (12 months vs 6), and it is renewable.
- Only Mexico offers a direct path to permanent residence on this permit.
- Tax treatment differs: Mexico — standard resident taxation; Uruguay — territorial taxation. Tax outcomes depend heavily on personal circumstances.
| Criteria | Mexico RT | Uruguay Nómada Digital permit |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | €3,955 | No fixed threshold |
| Income basis | Mixed (salary, freelance or savings) | Savings accepted |
| Initial duration | 1 year (better) | 6 months |
| Renewable | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum total stay | 4 years | 1 year |
| Path to permanent residence | Yes (better) | Indirect (switch required) |
| Path to citizenship | Via permanent residence | Via permanent residence |
| Family inclusion | Yes (better) | No |
| Working for local clients | Limited | Not allowed |
| Tax treatment | Standard resident taxation | Territorial taxation (Sistema de fuente territorial (IRPF/IRNR); optional new-resident tax holiday for those who become tax residents) |
| Health insurance | Not required | Not required |
| Insurance duration required | — | — |
| Application fee | ≈ €48.50 | ≈ €8 (better) |
| Where to apply | Embassy / consulate, In country | Online, In country |
| Processing time | 0.2–2 weeks | 2–4 weeks |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Mexico RT →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
Uruguay Nómada Digital permit →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Don't forget insurance
Both programs have their own health-insurance rules — we match plans against each one's published requirement, with the evidence shown.
Sources
- Official gazette DOF 25/07/2025 - Lineamientos Generales para la expedicion de visas (SEGOB/SRE) - Trámite 5: 680/11,460/220 UMA-days, 180-day visa, 10 business days, max 4 years (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Official gazette DOF 25/07/2025 - Lineamientos (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Official gazette DOF 15/05/2026 (edicion vespertina) - Acuerdo que reforma y adiciona los Lineamientos: new high-specialty route in Trámite 5, remote-work modality in Trámite 10, consulates barred from extra requirements; solvency thresholds unchanged (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government INEGI Comunicado de Prensa 1/26 - UMA 2026: MXN 117.31 daily, effective 1 Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Embassy Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas - Temporary Residence Visa 2026 (USD 4,630 income/6mo, 78,025 balance/12mo, USD 56 fee, family USD 1,498, 1-10 business days; no insurance) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Embassy Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego - Temporary Resident Visa Economic Solvency 2026 (USD 4,510/75,950, remote-work employer letter, USD 56 fee, up to 10 business days; no insurance) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Embassy Embassy of Mexico in Spain - Residente temporal por solvencia economica (680/11,460 UMA-days, 180-day visa, 30-day canje, up to 4 years; no insurance mentioned) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government INM - Tarifas de Derechos Migratorios 2026 (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government INM FAQ - Expedicion de documento migratorio por canje (1-year card from entry; same-day issuance possible; fee figures in FAQ are outdated and superseded by the 2026 table) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government INM - Cambio de residente temporal a residente permanente (eligible after 4 years as temporary resident; also points system and pensioner routes) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Camara de Diputados - Codigo Fiscal de la Federacion (texto vigente, ultima reforma DOF 09-04-2026), Art. 9: tax residency via casa habitacion / centro de intereses vitales (>50% Mexican-source income or main professional centre) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates, 10 June 2026 (USD 1.1539, MXN 20.1688) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Law firm Clark Hill - Mexico increases government fees effective 1 Jan 2026 (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Hoja de identidad provisoria - Tramites - gub.uy (Direccion Nacional de Migracion: includes 'nomada digital' category, cost 55.71 U.I., sworn declaration, vaccination cert per Decreto 136/2018, Decreto 394/009 / Decreto 353/23, document covers a period under 180 days) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Nomades digitales podran vivir y trabajar legalmente en Uruguay - Uruguay XXI (official: scope, 6 months renovable por 6 meses adicionales, Decreto 238/022, sworn declaration of means, no salary requirement at launch) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Permiso especial de residencia legal - gub.uy / AGESIC (official announcement: digital-nomad provisional-identity permit, 6+6 months, sworn declaration of means, criminal-record + vaccination cert for renewal, no income figure) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Residencia Legal - Temporaria - Tramites - gub.uy (ordinary temporary residence: issuing authority, 6 months-2 years duration, cost 557.30 U.I., for transition after the nomad permit) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Unidad Indexada - Direccion General Impositiva (DGI), gub.uy: official daily U.I. value table; 15/06/2026 = 6.5781 UYU, used to convert the 55.71 U.I. fee (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Uruguay llama a nomadas digitales a residir y trabajar con un permiso especial - El Observador (cost 55.71 U.I., 'actualmente no hay requisitos de sueldo' / no salary requirement, 6+6 month renewal, launch context) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media EUR/UYU exchange rate (~46.8 UYU per EUR, June 2026), used to convert the application fee to EUR (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Uruguay Tax Residency - Complete 2026 Guide (183-day residency trigger with DGI substance test, territorial system, foreign-income treatment, new-resident holiday, Law 20.446) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Uruguay Raises Tax Holiday Threshold to US$2 Million and Introduces 12% Tax on Foreign Income (Law 20.446, effective 2026-01-01) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Uruguay - Healthcare (US ITA): SNIS / FONASA structure, ASSE public hospitals and private mutualistas (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15