Individuals and families relocating
Prepare the identity, civil-status and background records needed for each person rather than treating a family as one file.
Available nowParaguay residency guide
Choose the route. Then build the document plan.
Paraguay offers a standard pathway that normally begins with temporary residence and a separate route for qualifying foreign investors. We help you understand the difference before documents, capital or travel are committed.
Current planning information · Reviewed September 2026 · Approval remains with Paraguayan authorities.
Standard pathwayTemporary residence first
Initial validityUp to 2 years
Investor pathwayDirect permanent route may apply
ApplicationPersonal and in-country
01Why people consider Paraguay
A flexible base for several kinds of plans.
Paraguay’s location in the center of South America, comparatively accessible standard pathway and separate investor framework make it relevant to more than one applicant profile.
Remote professionals and long-term planners
Explore a lawful residence base while keeping immigration status, tax residence and time spent in each country clearly separated.
Founders and investors
Compare the ordinary temporary route with an investor pathway tied to a qualifying project and current MIC/SUACE criteria.
02Residency pathways
The right route depends on what you intend to do.
A company or investment can be relevant to one pathway, but it should never be presented as necessary for every applicant.
Standard residence pathway
Most applicants begin with temporary residence under Law 6984/2022. The permit can be issued for up to two years and gives access to a Paraguayan identity card for the same validity period. Permanent residence requires a later change-of-category application and current proof of economic solvency.
- No qualifying investment is identified for the initial temporary application
- Personal filing in Paraguay is required
- The permanent-stage evidence is reviewed separately
Foreign investor pathway
Paraguay’s investor framework is administered through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and SUACE. The published business route identifies a US$70,000 minimum investment and at least five formal direct jobs; the 2026 Investor Pass announcement also introduced broader investment categories.
- Route and qualifying asset must be confirmed before funds are committed
- A project, financial evidence and local formalities may be required
- Personal and professional due diligence remains essential
Planning note: Investment thresholds, qualifying assets, evidence and processing practice can change. We confirm the live route with the appropriate local professional and authority before you act.
03How preparation works
Move from background to a review-ready file.
Published processing times are estimates. Document readiness, appointments, government review and the route selected all affect the schedule.
- Assess
Map nationality, recent residence, family status, timing and the reason for applying.
- Select
Compare the standard and investor pathways without assuming either one fits.
- Prepare
Obtain the correct originals, apostilles or legalizations and translations.
- File
Attend the required in-country appointments with locally reviewed documents.
- Continue
Plan the cédula, permanent-stage, RUC, company or accounting work separately.
Your personalized checklist
Your recent history changes the preparation.
A generic list cannot tell us where a police record should come from, whether a civil-status document applies, or which country must issue and authenticate each record.
- Citizenship, passport and country of birth
- Countries of residence during the previous three years
- Age, marital status and family applications
- Expected travel date and route interest
- Business, investment, RUC and accounting plans
04Document map
What an initial file may need to cover.
The final list depends on the applicant and pathway. Originals, authenticated copies and additional records may be requested.
Prove who entered
A current passport or accepted identity document, any required visa, and evidence of lawful entry into Paraguay form the starting point.
Connect the personal history
A birth certificate is central. Marriage, divorce, name-change and dependent records can apply according to the applicant’s circumstances.
Cover the correct countries
From age 14, applicants may need a national or federal police record from the country of origin or a country of residence during the prior three years, together with Paraguayan checks.
Authentication
Foreign records generally need an apostille or consular legalization, depending on where they were issued.
Translation
Documents in another language generally need a Spanish translation that meets Paraguay’s current formalities.
Validity
Police and other time-sensitive records must still be valid when filed. Do not order them until the sequence is confirmed.
Personal filing
Residence applications are personal and in person, although a legal representative may assist with follow-up.
What residency can support
Life and activity in Paraguay
- Legal residence under the approved category
- Access to a Paraguayan cédula after residence is granted
- A basis to live, work, study or develop a lawful local activity
- A later permanent-residence application for eligible temporary residents
What it does not settle
Separate decisions
- Tax residence in Paraguay or any other country
- RUC registration and ongoing filing obligations
- Bank account approval or financial-product access
- Eligibility for naturalization or a Paraguayan passport
Business and tax planning
Residency is one part of the structure.
Paraguay’s territorial approach to income taxation is often part of the conversation, but immigration residence does not automatically make someone tax resident or end obligations elsewhere. Company formation, RUC registration, invoicing and recurring accounting each need their own analysis.
Paraguay residency questions
Questions to resolve before acting.
Does every applicant need to invest?
No. Paraguay’s standard pathway generally begins with temporary residence and does not identify a qualifying investment for that initial application. Investment becomes central when someone seeks the separate investor route.
Can an investor apply directly for permanent residence?
A qualifying foreign investor may be able to use the MIC/SUACE framework for direct permanent residence. The current category, investment, job or asset requirements and evidence must be confirmed before a project is presented.
Do I need to travel to Paraguay?
Yes. The Migration Directorate describes residence filing as personal and in person. The number of days and whether a later visit is needed depend on appointments, route, document acceptance and the cédula process.
Which police certificate should I obtain?
For applicants aged 14 or older, current public guidance refers to a national or federal certificate from the country of origin or the country where the applicant lived during the previous three years. Your exact residence history should be reviewed before ordering records.
Does residency make me tax resident or guarantee citizenship?
No automatic conclusion should be drawn. Immigration residence, tax residence and judicial naturalization use different tests. Citizenship requires a separate legal assessment of residence, conduct and ties to Paraguay.
Research basis
Built from public guidance, then written for planning.
We reviewed Paraguay’s current government guidance alongside independent market explanations. Government rules control; commercial summaries are useful context and may become outdated.
Ready for the first step?