Time

Uruguay is three hours behind Greenwich Mean Time and two hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time. Uruguay does not observe daylight savings time. As a result, there is a one hour time difference with Eastern Standard Time and a two hour time difference with Eastern Daylight Savings Time. The 24-hour system is generally used instead of the 12-hour a.m./p.m. system. For example, 3:00 p.m. is referred to as 15.00 hours. Business office hours are Monday through Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. (two hours earlier for factories) with a one-hour lunch break. Business and social dinners do not begin until 9:00 pm. Because evenings start late, the early evening nap is the secret to being functional the next day. If possible, one should not schedule morning meetings before 10:00 a.m.

Language

Spanish is the national language of Uruguay. Although some business people speak English, one should not automatically assume that one’s contacts can speak English. U.S. business people who speak Spanish should be aware that Uruguay has distinct differences in pronunciation, cadence, and vocabulary. Any printed matter translated into Spanish should be reviewed first by a native Uruguayan to assure its suitability in Uruguay. Unless one is certain that all parties speak English fluently, it is both wise and courteous to hire an interpreter to assist in business meetings. A list of interpreters is available upon request from the U.S. Commercial Service in Montevideo. Many large business hotels can also provide this service. Almost all business in Uruguay is conducted in Spanish, and documents and records must be in Spanish to constitute valid evidence. Before foreign language business documents are submitted to Uruguayan authorities for legal purposes, they should be translated by a certified public translator. For assistance in locating certified public translators, please contact us.

Geography/Climate/Weather

Uruguay is located in the southern cone of South America. Travelers should note that because Uruguay is in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere. When it is summer in the U.S., it is winter in Uruguay and vice versa. School summer vacations take place December through March, instead of June through August. Schools are usually closed for a two-week winter break in mid-July as well. Unless one has made arrangements otherwise, one should not travel to Uruguay for business in January, as most businesses are either closed or operating on a limited schedule. Summer, particularly the months of January and February, is hot and humid in Montevideo. Most Uruguayans are also on vacation during these two months. In winter, the coldest months are July and August, with temperatures ranging in the 40s° and 50s° F. The best months for business travel to Uruguay are April through November. For conversion from temperature degrees in Celsius to Fahrenheit and vice versa, follow these guidelines:

Celsius (Centigrade):
a)Water boils at 100 degrees C, and freezes at 0 degrees C.
b)To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply by 1.8 and add 32.

Fahrenheit:
a)Water boils at 212 degrees F, and freezes at 32 degrees.
b)To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32 and divide by 1.8.

Business Customs

In general, Uruguayans are very conservative in their approach to business. This factor should also be taken into consideration when deciding on one’s attire for meetings. An advance appointment for a business visit is usually necessary and considered a customary courtesy. Punctuality is generally observed. Typically, business is discussed after social amenities. Business cocktails and lunches are common. Business breakfasts, while not unheard of, are less common.

Tipping

Taxi drivers expect a small tip, which usually consists of 5-10 pesos. Restaurants/Bars/Pubs: the usual tip is equal to approximately 10% of the bill, although this is not a set rule, and the actual amount may be less in many cases.
Delivery Boys: about five pesos.
Theaters: Ushers generally receive a small tip of about 5 pesos in exchange for the program.
Gas stations: attendants receive about 5-10 pesos for extra services like washing the windshield or checking the oil.

Travel Advisory and Visas

U.S. citizens do not need visas if they are traveling on regular American passports. Those traveling on diplomatic or official passports must have a valid visa in addition to the passport. Travel advisories, if any, can be accessed at the U.S. Embassy web site or http://travel.state.gov.

Business and tourist stays are limited to 90 days and may be extended for an additional 90 days.

No inoculations are currently necessary for entry. International travelers are advised to contact their local public health department, physician or travel agent at least two weeks before departure to obtain current information on health requirements.

Holidays in Uruguay 

January 1	New Year's Day
January 6	Epiphany
February/March	Two days for Carnival (6 weeks before Holy Week)
February/March	Five days for Holy Week (dates vary from year to year)
April 19	Landing Day of the "33 Orientales"
May 1	Labor Day
May 18	Battle of Las Piedras
June 19	Birthday of Artigas
July 18	Constitution Day
August 25	Independence Day
October 12	Columbus Day Day
November 2	All Saints
December 25	Christmas

* Note: Some holidays that fall on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday are transferred to the preceding Monday or following Friday.

Work week

Normal business hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Banks’ public hours are Monday through Friday from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Stores are also open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Shopping centers are open every day from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Business Infrastructure

International telephone and fax services are efficient but expensive. Uruguay's telephone system is fully digitized. There is widespread use of cellular phones. International phone cards with "dial-USA" features, such as ATT, MCI and Sprint, are accepted.

Calling Montevideo - The international country code for Uruguay is 598 and the city code for Montevideo is 2. If one wishes to phone someone in Uruguay from the United States, one should dial: 011 + 598 + 2 + telephone number. When a traveler wants to make an international phone call from Uruguay, he/she should dial: 00 + country code + area code + number. For example, if one wants to call a U.S. number, one should dial: 00 + 1 + (area code)+ telephone number.

Calling Cell Phones - When making calls to cell phones in Uruguay from the U.S., one must dial 011 + the country code (598) + the cell phone number without the initial 0 -- e.g. 011 + 598 + 94-999999, not 011 +598 +094 +999999.

Lodging

Uruguay has a good selection of international class business hotels. Several U.S. chains are present in the country and offer the same level of comfort and service as their hotels in the United States. Many categories of hotels are available throughout the country.

Montevideo has several five-star category hotels. There are five U.S.-managed hotels in Montevideo (Sheraton, Radisson, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Days Inn) and four in the seaside resort of Punta del Este (Conrad-Hilton, Days Inn, Best Western, Choice).

U.S.-managed hotels in Montevideo:

Radisson Victoria Plaza Hotel (*****)
Address: Plaza Independencia 759
Montevideo 11.100
Uruguay
Tel: (5982) 902-0111
Fax: (5982) 900-5186 or 908-5403
e-mail: radisson@adinet.com.uy
website: http://www.radisson.com
Embassy rate (as of Oct. 2006):
Single: USD95
Double: USD110

Sheraton Montevideo Hotel (*****)
Address: Victor Solino 349
Montevideo 11.300
Uruguay
Tel: (5982) 710-2121
Fax: (5982) 712-1262
e-mail: sheraton.montevideo@sheraton.com
website: http://www.sheraton.com
Embassy rate (as of Oct. 2006):
Single: USD92
Double: USD92

Best Western Palladium (****)
Address: Tomas de Tezanos 1146
Montevideo 11.300
Uruguay
Tel: (5982) 628-8484
Fax: (5982) 628-8485
e-mail: marketing@bestwestern.com.uy
website: http://www.bestwestern.com.uy
Embassy rate (as of Oct. 2006):
Single: USD52
Double: USD60

Days Inn Obelisco (****)
Address: Acevedo Diaz 1821/23
Montevideo 11.800
Uruguay
Tel: (5982) 400-4840
Fax: (5982) 402-0229
e-mail: info@daysinn.com.uy
website: http://www.daysinn.com.uy
Embassy rate (as of Oct. 2006):
Single: USD38
Double: USD44

Holiday Inn Montevideo (****)
Address: Colonia 823
Montevideo 11.100
Uruguay
Tel: (5982) 902-0001
Fax: (5982) 902-1242
e-mail: hotel@holidayinn.com.uy
website: http://www.holidayinn.com.uy
Embassy rate (as of Oct. 2006):
Single: USD48
Double: USD58

Note: The above rates include breakfast and the use of all of the hotels' facilities (i.e. spa, swimming pool, business center, garage, etc.) at no extra charge. Per Uruguayan Government decree, the above rates are tax-exempt for non-residents.

Other hotels in Montevideo HOTELS

Several airlines have service to Montevideo's Carrasco International Airport from Europe and other parts of Latin America. There are currently two daily U.S. carrier (American Airlines and United Airlines) flights to and from the U.S. Both flights have a stopover in Buenos Aires. Internal transportation is mainly by car or bus. Within Montevideo, bus and taxi services are extensive, safe and inexpensive.

Uruguay observes standard time (GMT-3), which is either one or two hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time depending on U.S. Daylight Savings Time.

The electrical current is alternating 50-cycle, 220 volts, single and triple phase. Specially requested electric power supply to industry may be three-phase, 380 or 415 volts, 50 cycles. Some hotels offer dual voltage.

Business travelers should also be aware that outlets in Uruguay are shaped differently than those in the U.S. Electric plug configurations are usually two round-tipped straight pins or 2-3 flat pins with the top two slightly angled to form a "Y" shape. Business travelers are advised to carry adapters in addition to transformers.

Temporary Entry of Goods

There are no restrictions on the temporary entry of business-related equipment (i.e. laptops, etc.) Refundable deposits may be required and are payable at the point of entry.

U.S. business travelers are encouraged to obtain a copy of the "Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts: Guide for Business Representatives" available for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Tel: (202) 512-1800, Fax: (202) 512-2250. Business travelers seeking appointments with U.S. Embassy Montevideo officials should contact the Commercial Section in advance. The Commercial Section can be reached by telephone at (5982) 418-7777 ext. 2325, fax (5982) 418-8581, or e-mail at montevideo.office.box@N0SPAM.mail.doc.gov .

The information provided above is designed to help U.S. executives traveling to Uruguay on business. If you have any suggestions or comments on this portion of the site, please contact us.