Uruguay corrects an anomaly that made its passport unusable for naturalized citizens

For many years, Uruguay🇺🇾 stood out for an administrative practice that was unique in the world, with serious consequences for thousands of naturalized citizens: their Uruguayan passports were unusable for international travel due to an error in the mention of their nationality.

A misinterpretation of international standards

At the root of this problem lies a misinterpretation ofInternational Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Uruguay listed the country of birth as the nationality of its naturalized citizens on their passports, instead of indicating their new Uruguayan nationality. In some cases, the "nationality" field was even left blank, especially when the person had lost his or her original nationality after naturalization, as is the case in several countries that prohibit dual nationality.

This situation arose from a literal reading of the Spanish translation of ICAO Manual 9303, which uses the term "nationality" where the English version speaks of "citizenship". As a result, full Uruguayan citizens found themselves with passports that did not allow them to travel, as they were not recognized as valid by many countries, including France and Switzerland, which required a passport from the country of origin.

Unsuspected consequences

This malfunction has affected some 16,000 naturalized citizens, with 1,500 new cases each year. The example of Gulnor Saratbekovaa native of Tajikistan and resident in Uruguay for over 20 years, illustrates the seriousness of the situation. Having lost her Tajik nationality (Tajikistan does not recognize dual nationality), she could neither travel on a Tajik passport, nor use her Uruguayan passport to leave the country or enter other states.

"I felt like I was in a void, like I belonged in two places, but at the same time I belonged nowhere. [...] It was as if I had a father and a mother, but neither recognized me as their legitimate child."

Gulnor Saratbekova

Over and above the practical difficulties (refusal of entry, visa requirements, detentions at the border), the issue has been brought before the European Court of Justice. Inter-American Commission on Human Rightswho saw this as a possible violation of the right to nationality and identity.

A recent administrative correction

Faced with mounting pressure, the Uruguayan Ministry of the Interior finally corrected this anomaly this month. From now on, the passport's "Nationality" field will show "Nationality/Citizenship" and the code "URY" for all citizens, whether born or naturalized. The "Place of birth" field has also been removed, in line with current ICAO recommendations.

The first beneficiary of this new passport was Gulnor Saratbekovawho received the document on April 16, 2025, putting an end to years of administrative uncertainty and obstacles to his freedom of movement.

While this reform solves immediate travel problems, it does not resolve the fundamental issue: the Uruguayan Constitution continues to distinguish between "natural citizens" (born in Uruguay or descended from Uruguayans) and "legal citizens" (naturalized). The National Human Rights Institution is planning to organize a meeting with Parliament to encourage constitutional reform on this point.

• Uruguay

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