MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan passports issued after April 23 not valid for France and Germany

The current situation with France and Germany represents an unforeseen diplomatic challenge

France and Germany are implementing entry restrictions to Uruguayan nationals holding passports issued on or after April 23, 2025, which prevents travel to these two European countries and affects visa applications for people with the new document.

The problem stems from a change in Uruguayan passport design by the Ministry of the Interior, effective April 15, 2025. The new format removed the “place of birth” field, justifying this as aligning with international documentation standards (ICAO Document 9303, which states “place of birth” as not mandatory). Additionally, the “Nationality” field was changed to “Nationality/Citizenship” with the code “URY.”

Despite Uruguay's claim of adherence to international standards, German Ambassador to Uruguay, Stefan Duppel, publicly confirmed that these new passports were not accepted. “Now you cannot enter Germany with these passports, not even for short stays,” he said on social media.

While no other European countries have yet expressed similar concerns, the Uruguayan Ministries of the Interior are Foreign Affairs are actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation with France and Germany.

Uruguayan opposition Senator Sebastián Da Silva announced parliamentary action, summoning Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin to explain the situation.

“This afternoon in the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, we are going to urgently summon the foreign minister to explain this mess,” he posted on X.

The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for the issuance of passports. Its website details the technical changes implemented in April, claiming that the modifications comply with current international standards.