Paraguay Residency 2026: Requirements, Steps, Fees & Timeline

Short answer: Most foreigners start with a temporary residency of up to two years from the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, then switch to permanent residency in the three months before the temporary card expires. Ordinary temporary residency does not require economic solvency; permanent residency does, under Resolution DNM 407/2026. The Paraguayan cédula (ID card) is a separate step handled by the Departamento de Identificaciones of the Policía Nacional.

How the system works

Under Migration Law 6984/2022 (Art. 46), temporary residency is granted for up to two years, can be extended for the same period, and is a prerequisite for permanent residency. While your temporary application is being processed you hold "residencia precaria," and the law says the precaria card is issued once, is valid for 90 calendar days, and lets you stay, leave and re-enter, work and study. It does not guarantee approval.

Permanent residency lets you live in Paraguay indefinitely. The permanent card is renewed every 10 years (Law 6984/2022, Art. 59).

Step 1: Temporary residency

Ordinary temporary residency does not require proof of economic solvency. The document checklist is below; each item is needed once, and the rules for apostilles, translations and copies that apply to all of them follow in the note after the list.

Issued in your home country

Birth certificate.
Criminal record certificate (national or federal level) from the country where you have lived for the last 3 years. Usually that is your country of origin. If you have been living in another country instead (for example, a Canadian living in Mexico), that country's certificate replaces the one from your home country, together with a document proving you lived there. Mexico is a special case: Mexican citizens, and anyone who lived in Mexico for more than a year in that period, need both the federal and the state certificate (Res. DNM 1272/2024, Art. 1). From Canada, see how to get the RCMP check from Paraguay.
Marriage certificate, if applicable. If you are divorced, the divorce decree; if you are widowed, your spouse's death certificate.

Obtained in Paraguay

INTERPOL certificate, issued by the Policía Nacional (see Details most guides miss for the address and requirements).
Certificado de Antecedentes para Extranjeros, issued by the Departamento de Informática of the Policía Nacional, not by Migraciones. Required from age 14. You need an authenticated copy of your passport to get it, and the fee is Gs. 63.000.
Sworn statements (declaraciones juradas), which you sign at the Migraciones office when you apply. Nothing to prepare in advance.

Identity and entry

Valid passport (or the national ID you entered with).
Entry record: the entry stamp in your passport or, if you entered with a regional ID such as a Brazilian cédula or Argentine DNI, the entry receipt you got at the border.
Consular visa, only for nationalities that need one to enter Paraguay, obtained before you travel and verified by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. Check whether yours does.

May be requested case by case

Migraciones may ask for any other document it considers necessary in your case. For example, if you were born outside the country whose passport you hold, it may ask for your naturalization certificate from that country, proving how you got that citizenship (this is about your foreign citizenship, not Paraguayan).

Note for all foreign documents

Apostille or legalization. Documents from Hague Convention countries need an apostille. Documents from countries outside the Convention are legalized instead: first at the Paraguayan consulate in the issuing country, then at the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores in Asunción. German documents take the apostille, not consular legalization, since 6 January 2022, when the Convention took effect between Germany and Paraguay (HCCH).
Sworn translation into Spanish, if the document is not in Spanish. Translated either by a public translator registered (matriculado) in Paraguay, or by a public translator authorized in the country where they work. In that case the translation itself must be apostilled or legalized (Law 6984/2022, Art. 50; the Migraciones checklist says the same). Our strong recommendation: whenever the Supreme Court register has a sworn translator for your document's language, have the translation done in Paraguay. A translation from abroad is best kept for languages with no registered translator. Portuguese documents issued by Brazil do not need translation, unless Migraciones asks for one because a document is unclear; other Brazilian documents, such as income proofs for permanent residency, may need one.
Notarized copies. Migraciones asks for notary-authenticated copies of each document with its full chain (for example, the birth certificate, its apostille and its translation), plus your passport photo page and your entry stamp, or the entry receipt if you entered with a regional ID.

Where to file. The Migraciones head office is at Caballero 201 corner of Eligio Ayala, Asunción. It is open Monday to Friday, 07:00 to 14:30, first come, first served (phone +595 21 411 2000). Confirm the hours before you go.

If you would rather not do this on your own, see our temporary residency service.

Step 2: Switching to permanent residency

When to apply: within the 3 months before your temporary card expires. If it already expired, you can still apply up to 1 month later and pay a fine. After that month, only an extension (prórroga) of temporary residency is possible, up to 6 months after expiry, also with a fine.

What you file: your ID, Paraguayan cédula, temporary card, proof of any change in personal details, proof of solvency, and four local certificates, each required from age 14:

INTERPOL certificate.
Informe de Antecedentes Judiciales from the Corte Suprema de Justicia.
Certificado de Antecedentes para Extranjeros (Policía Nacional, Departamento de Informática).
Certificado de Antecedentes de Buena Conducta, issued by the Departamento de Identificaciones of the Policía Nacional.

Solvency under Resolution 407/2026: Resolution DNM 407/2026 of 28 May 2026 applies to permanent-residency applications filed from 6 July 2026 (Migraciones notice). You prove solvency through one of 12 official categories: professionals, technicians, employees, self-employed (trade and services), remote workers or digital nomads, property owners, shareholders or partners, farmers and ranchers, religious workers, retirees or pensioners, dependents, and students. Each has its own document list, and no official minimum amount has been published. The same categories apply to permanent residency under the Mercosur Residence Agreement (Ley 3565/2008), for example for Brazilian or Argentine citizens (Resolution DNM 407/2026, Art. 2). Our guide to Resolution 407/2026 lists the documents for each category.

Fine print worth knowing from Resolution 407/2026:

Property owners qualify with a title registered in their name in the property registry (RUN) within the last 2 years. Migraciones may also ask for proof of income from the property.
A professional degree on its own is not proof of solvency. You need to show actual income.
Remote workers need a work certificate showing income and how they are paid, apostilled and translated.
Students must be 18 or older and must also show how they are supported.
If you declared "ama de casa" (homemaker) as your occupation, Migraciones files you as a dependent, with that category's documents.

There is no separate digital nomad visa. Nomads start on ordinary temporary residency and prove solvency at conversion through the remote worker category.

Children and teenagers (0 to 17)

Minors have their own category and do not need to prove solvency, because their parents or legal guardians are responsible for them.

Both parents sign the application.
At least one parent must already hold Paraguayan residency or apply in the same act. For permanent residency, that parent must hold permanent residency.
If only one parent is present, you need a court order or a notarized authorization from the absent parent. If a parent has died, bring the death certificate.
If the child travels with someone other than a parent, you need a court order or a notarized authorization approved (homologada) by the Juzgado de la Niñez. That guardian must be Paraguayan or a resident, or apply in the same act.
Criminal records are not needed under 14. Teens aged 14 to 18 from Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela are exempt from the foreign criminal record, because those countries do not issue one at that age. Teens from other countries are also exempt if they bring a document showing that their country of origin, or the country where they lived the last 3 years, does not issue it at that age (Res. DNM 858/2024, Arts. 1 and 2).

Keeping your residency

Absences matter.

Temporary residents: under Resolution DNM 081/2026, Art. 1, Migraciones checks your migration record when you apply to switch. If you were out of Paraguay for more than one year during your temporary residency, you cannot switch directly; you apply instead for an extension of temporary residency for the same period, with the requirements of Art. 51 of Law 6984/2022.
Cancellation: Article 55 of Law 6984/2022 lets Migraciones cancel residency for unjustified absence of more than 1 year (temporary) or more than 3 consecutive years (permanent), unless Migraciones authorized it.
In practice: plan to be in Paraguay at least one day each year on temporary residency, and at least one day every 3 years on permanent residency. If you know you cannot make it, ask Migraciones for prior authorization (autorización previa) before you pass that limit. Confirm the procedure and any fee directly with Migraciones.

The investment route (Investor Pass)

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) updated the investor certificate (CIE) through Resolution 0283/2026, with four options: productive investment from USD 70,000 with at least 5 formal jobs and a business plan; tourism from USD 150,000; real estate from USD 200,000 for economic activity (not personal or family use); and financial instruments from USD 200,000 held at least two years. MIC presents it as access to permanent residency for investors. For the real-estate track, in practice the MIC also asks for a private purchase contract with signatures certified by an escribano and at least 30% of the price already paid; this condition has been confirmed to us verbally and is not published in writing yet, so confirm it with the MIC before you buy. Details are on the MIC announcement.

The productive track (USD 70,000, at least 5 formal jobs and a business plan) is the same idea as the older SUACE investor certificate. Resolution 0283/2026 kept it and added the tourism, real estate and financial tracks, which do not require creating jobs.

Official fees (Migraciones, cash, from 1 July 2026)

Procedure	Fee
Temporary residency, Law 6984/2022 (includes precaria)	Gs. 2.926.925
Permanent residency (including change of category)	Gs. 2.926.925
Extension of temporary residency	Gs. 1.287.847
Permanent card renewal	Gs. 468.308
Certificado de Radicación	Gs. 234.154
Overstay fine (Art. 87)	Gs. 702.462
Certificado de Movimiento Migratorio (your travel record)	Gs. 234.154
Cambio de Información (if your details changed)	Gs. 234.154
Res. DNM 704/2023	Gs. 234.154
Card replacement (Reposición de Carnet)	Gs. 585.385
Stay extension for visitors (Prórroga de Permanencia)	Gs. 585.385
Residencia Espontánea u Ocasional	Gs. 936.616
Fine for no entry record	Gs. 702.462

At the window most people pay combined lines. Temporary residency plus Certificado de Radicación comes to Gs. 3.161.079, and Gs. 3.395.233 with the Res. 704/2023 line. Card surcharges are 2% on debit and 2.5% to 3% on credit, plus IVA.

Card payments carry a surcharge. Government fees only; check the official fees page before paying.

Details most guides miss

These local steps happen in Asunción and are run by the Policía Nacional, not Migraciones. A typical order looks like this:

Enter Paraguay and keep your entry stamp or entry record.
Get your INTERPOL certificate and your Certificado de Antecedentes para Extranjeros (Policía Nacional, Departamento de Informática).
File your residency at Migraciones (you receive residencia precaria).
Start the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros soon after filing, because the card takes time.
Receive your residency card.
Get your certificado de vida y residencia at your local comisaría (or the Juzgado de Paz).
Take your certificates for the Talento Humano and Comandancia stamps.
Apply for your cédula at Identificaciones.

INTERPOL certificate. Issued by the Departamento de INTERPOL of the Policía Nacional, Cnel. Gracia 468 between Tte. Rodi and Dr. Mazzei, Monday to Friday, 07:00 to 17:00. Bring the original application form, a notarized copy of your passport or ID, two 3x4 photos on a white background, and a copy of your Paraguayan cédula and residence card if you have them. Fingerprints are taken in person. The fee is paid in cash only; confirm the current amount at the counter. Allow up to a week for the certificate.

Certificado de vida y residencia. You get it at the comisaría (police station) for your neighborhood or at the Juzgado de Paz; Identificaciones accepts either. The details below are for the comisaría. You must go in person both to apply and to pick it up. It is usually ready 48 hours after you hand in everything. Reception is Monday to Friday, mornings from 07:00 and afternoons from 13:00 to 17:00. Requirements (based on the Comisaría 10ª form in Asunción; your comisaría may vary):

Copy of your ID from your home country
Copies of the cédulas of 2 Paraguayan neighbors who act as witnesses (not family)
Copy of your current INTERPOL certificate, authenticated by a notary (escribanía)
Proof of address:
- your own or family home: an ANDE (electricity) or COPACO (phone) bill
- renting: your rental contract, authenticated by a notary
- or a letter from the owner with a copy of their cédula plus an ANDE or COPACO bill
Copy of your residence card, or your entry stamp or entry slip (boleta)

The certificate is valid for 6 months, and you need it for both the cédula and the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros.

The Comandancia stamps. For the cédula only, Identificaciones requires your INTERPOL and vida y residencia certificates to be authenticated by the Dirección General de Talento Humano first, and then legalized by the Comandancia de la Policía Nacional (Paraguayo Independiente y Chile). Both are usually done the same day. Fees are paid at each counter.

Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros. Issued by the Policía Nacional's Departamento de Registro de Extranjeros, and Identificaciones asks for a notarized copy. It usually takes 60 to 90 days, which is why it helps to start it soon after your Migraciones filing.

Notarized copies of everything. Many people show up with only the originals and lose a trip. Have the notarized copies listed in Step 1 made at an escribanía before you go, covering the full chain of each document.

Antecedentes de Extranjeros. See Step 1 for the issuer, requirements and fee. Migraciones asks for it again, from age 14, when you switch to permanent residency.

Typical gotchas: foreign documents must still be valid when you file; Identificaciones accepts your home country's criminal record or the one from the country where you lived in the last 3 years; to get your originals back, Migraciones requires notarized copies; and the Migraciones process is personal and in person.

Arriving from Brazil? If you spent more than 24 hours in Brazil before arriving, carry your international yellow fever vaccination certificate. Under Ministry of Health Resolution 268/2025, Paraguay asks for it from travellers coming from risk areas, which include parts of Brazil such as São Paulo, whatever their nationality, and clients arriving from Brazil have been asked for it at the airport. Airport connections of up to 24 hours are exempt, as are children under 1, people over 59 and anyone with a medical certificate of contraindication. If you need the vaccine, get it at least 10 days before you travel, because the certificate only takes effect 10 days after vaccination. The list of risk areas can change at short notice.

What other guides get wrong

"Nobody checks your visits." Since Resolution DNM 081/2026 (Art. 1), Migraciones checks your travel record when you apply for permanent residency. More than a year abroad on temporary residency means an extension, not permanent residency.
"Solvency is a formality." Resolution DNM 407/2026 of 28 May 2026, which applies to applications filed from 6 July 2026, asks for documented, verifiable income in one of 12 categories. A degree alone no longer works.
"The investor route is USD 70,000 in the bank." The investor certificate has always been tied to a real business: a USD 70,000 investment, at least 5 formal jobs and a business plan. Since Resolution 0283/2026 that productive track sits alongside three new tracks: tourism from USD 150,000, real estate for economic use from USD 200,000, and financial instruments from USD 200,000 held for two years.
Old fees. Many guides still show amounts from before 1 July 2026.
"Any certified translator will do." Migraciones accepts two options: a public translator registered (matriculado) in Paraguay, or a public translator authorized abroad, in which case the translation itself must be apostilled or legalized (Law 6984/2022, Art. 50).
Health certificate or economic solvency for temporary residency. Neither is on the current official list.

The cédula

The Paraguayan cédula is issued by the Departamento de Identificaciones of the Policía Nacional under Resolution 717/26 of the Comandancia de la Policía Nacional (Arts. 24 and 25), not by Migraciones, and it is not automatic. The government fee is Gs. 8.500.

Permanent residents: the requirements list asks for the Certificado de Radicación Permanente and a notarized copy of your permanent card, plus the documents above. If you are a professional, bring a copy of your academic title authenticated by the Paraguayan consulate and legalized by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores.
Temporary residents can get a cédula too. Identificaciones lists requirements for temporary and permanent residents, and by law the cédula is valid for as long as your temporary residency and is renewed with each extension (Law 6984/2022, Art. 63); a first cédula on temporary residency is issued for 2 years (Res. 717/26, Art. 25). You need a Certificado de Radicación from Migraciones (Gs. 234.154) and an authenticated copy of your residence card, if you did not already request them when you filed.

Do I need to speak Spanish?

It helps, but it is not required. There is no language test. The paperwork is in Spanish, foreign documents need sworn translations, and appointments are in person, so if you do not speak Spanish or Guaraní, it is worth bringing someone who does.

How long does it take?

Timelines vary with your documents and with current volumes. In our experience, residency usually takes about 60 to 90 days; that is a typical range, not an official deadline, and Migraciones does not publish a standard total processing time. The cédula takes longer: for a first cédula for foreigners, Identificaciones lists a delivery time of 90 business days, about four months, after your residency is issued (Identificaciones requirements page).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to show income for temporary residency?
No. Ordinary temporary residency does not require proof of solvency. That requirement applies when you switch to permanent residency.

When should I apply for permanent residency?
In the 3 months before your temporary card expires. Up to 1 month after expiry is possible with a fine; after that only an extension is available.

Can I live abroad while on temporary residency?
Be careful. Plan to be in Paraguay at least once a year. More than one year abroad blocks a direct switch to permanent, and unjustified absence can lead to cancellation. Ask Migraciones for prior authorization if you cannot return in time.

Can temporary residents get a cédula?
Yes. Along with the usual documents, you need a Certificado de Radicación from Migraciones and an authenticated copy of your residence card. The cédula is issued by Identificaciones of the Policía Nacional.

What is residencia precaria?
The status you hold while your temporary residency is processed. By law the card is issued once, lasts 90 calendar days, and lets you work, study, and travel in and out.

Is there a minimum amount of money for permanent residency?
No official minimum has been published. You prove solvency through one of the 12 categories of Resolution 407/2026.

Is it easy to get residency in Paraguay?
It is stricter than it used to be, but still easy with the right preparation. The first step is accessible: ordinary temporary residency does not require proof of income or investment, and there is no language test. The work is in the paperwork: apostilled or legalized home-country documents, sworn Spanish translations where needed, local INTERPOL and police certificates, and filing in person at Migraciones. Switching to permanent residency is stricter, because you must prove solvency under Resolution 407/2026. Demand in 2026 is at record levels, so plan for longer waits.

What are the advantages of permanent residency?
You can live in Paraguay indefinitely, and the card is renewed every 10 years (Law 6984/2022, Art. 59) instead of every two years as with temporary residency. The absence rule is also more flexible: Migraciones can cancel permanent residency only after more than 3 consecutive years abroad without justification, compared with more than 1 year for temporary residents (Art. 55).

Get a plan for your case

Every file is a little different, especially on documents from abroad. If you want a checklist for your nationality and situation, book a free 15-minute call or send us a message. Our FAQ covers more common questions.

This article is general information and not legal advice. Rules, fees and timelines change; confirm with the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones and the Policía Nacional before acting.

Official sources

How to Get Residency in Paraguay: The Complete Guide