The Parliament of Uruguay has approved a law that naturalises not only children (as is the case at present) but also grandchildren born to Uruguayans who have settled abroad. This will enable the said persons to vote, in case they returned to live in Uruguay, as well as to run for office. 

Ana Margheritis, our EUDO Citizenship country expert for Uruguay notes that granting nationality to children of Uruguayans abroad beyond the first generation born outside the country has been debated in Uruguay in the last few years. In late 2013 the Frente Amplio (Broad Front, the coalition in government) encouraged the approval of a bill to grant nationality to grandchildren of emigrants. After long negotiations, on 20 December 2015 Congress finally passed Law 19362, thus introducing such an amendment to Law 16021 (published on 12 January 2016 in the Official Bulletin). Opposition parties argued that this change is unconstitutional (i.e., running counter article 74 of the National Constitution and not approved by the required two thirds of the votes). The change was also objected because, in connection with the initiative to permit extra-territorial voting rights to Uruguayans abroad also fostered by the Frente, it might be driven by the intention to attain long-term electoral gains for the coalition in power.

Read more in El Pais, and consult our country profile pages for details of current and past citizenship legislation in Uruguay.