The United States and Uruguay agreed to exchange immigration data, a step toward visa exemptions

(From Montevideo, Uruguay) – One of the issues on the negotiating table in between United States and Uruguay It includes Uruguay in the list of countries that do not require a visa to enter the North American country. President of Uruguay Louis Lacalle Pou He is confident that inclusion on the list is “imminent” and this week his government took another step in this direction by signing a cooperation agreement that refers to the exchange of information.

He Ministry of Home Affairs Uruguayan and the Department of Homeland Security The United States formalized a Memorandum of Cooperation, which focused on the exchange of information and “Emphasis on biometric data“, informed the head of that portfolio, Nicholas Martinelli. The aim, the leader assured, is to improve border security.

The agreement was signed by Martinelli and the United States Ambassador to Uruguay, Heide Fulton, and signifies “another step toward the visa waiver program,” he highlighted. “Uruguay is very close as one of the few countries in the world that will not require a visa to enter”, he celebrated. Chile is also in this list.

The exchange of this data can verify the identity of travelers, Determine their “immigration status” and identify “potential risks linked to terrorism or crime.”

The memorandum, Martinelli added, seeks to “verify the identity of persons” requesting entry, entry, transit, departure, visas or other immigration benefits. It also aims to uphold decisions on “inadmissibility or expulsion” in accordance with the laws of both countries. At the same time, it allows to promote the prevention, detection and investigation of serious crimes such as terrorism,” highlighted the government leader.

“This signing represents a significant step forward in bilateral cooperation, aimed at strengthening and protecting the interests of both nations,” the home minister concluded.

Fulton, meanwhile, explained that the agreement would allow for “better protection” of borders with “effective exchange of information.” “The United States is proud to continue the partnership with the Ministry of the Interior and other partners in Uruguay,” he declared, published by the embassy on social network X.

Soledad Sánchez, administrative coordinator of the National Immigration Directorate, told a press conference that the two states have been working “for many years” on a joint migration agenda. The agreement envisages that the exchange of information will be implemented with data on “frequent travellers”.

At the end of November, The Uruguayan president highlighted that negotiations between the two states were “on the right track” to achieve liberation. Yet he chose to be cautious and not “move forward”. The matter was on the table at a meeting with President Lacalle Pou Joe Biden.

In June 2023, a group of Republican and Democratic senators introduced a bill in Congress to remove tariffs on Uruguayan products, Remove visa requirement for businessmen And start studying to stop asking any citizen for this document.

The initiative requests that Uruguay be immediately included among the countries that They can access E1 and E2 visa typesDesigned for people with some type of commercial activity and investors respectively.

The project was introduced by the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a Democrat Robert MenendezHis party partner Tim CainAnd the Republicans Bill Hagerty. Menendez highlighted in a statement that Uruguay is “a nation that stands as a world leader for its commitment to democracy and the rule of law.”

An initiative introduced in Congress proposes that the White House review whether the “visa waiver program” defined in the Immigration Law and Nationality Law meets the criteria for designating a country. The proposal provides for a period of 90 days from its promulgation to ensure that a country meets the selection criteria.