Paraguay permanent residence

Permanent residence is granted to foreigners who express the intention to settle permanently, meet the legal conditions and have completed their period of temporary residence. The change from temporary to permanent must be requested within the three months before the temporary card expires. If the card has expired, the change can still be requested up to one month afterwards, paying the overstay fine. After that, only a renewal of temporary residence is possible, up to six months after expiry, also with a fine.

Bring originals with authenticated copies of: your valid Paraguayan identity card (or a police report of loss); your temporary residence card (or a loss report); any document proving changes in civil status, profession, names or other data; and, from age 14, the certificate for foreigners from the National Police IT Department, the good conduct certificate from the National Police Identification Department, the judicial record certificate and an INTERPOL certificate.

You must also prove economic solvency with suitable, verifiable documents showing real income or resources, following the categories in the DNM's annex. University professionals present their degree registered and endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Science together with proof of actual practice, such as registration with the Social Security Institute (IPS) or tax returns; the degree alone is not enough. Technicians and other categories follow similar rules.

The DNM annex lists the accepted ways to prove means. Employees show an IPS insurance certificate or an employment contract approved and registered by the Ministry of Labour. Independent workers in trade or services show their taxpayer registration plus VAT returns for the last three months or the last annual IRP return and a tax compliance certificate showing activity. Remote workers and digital nomads show an employment certificate stating income and how it is paid.

Property owners show a title registered with the National Unified Registry (RUN) at least two years earlier, and the DNM may ask how the property generates income. Shareholders show the registered company deed or share register naming them; for an EAS (simplified joint-stock company) a certificate from the directorate for legal entities and beneficial owners is required. Applicants aged 0 to 17 form their own category and are exempt from proving means.

Permanent residence costs 25 jornales, PYG 2,926,925 in cash from 1 July 2026, or PYG 3,161,079 with the residence certificate. If your data have changed, add 2 jornales (PYG 234,154) for the change of information, and the overstay fine of 6 jornales if applicable. Card payments carry a provider commission of 2 to 3 per cent plus VAT.

A certificate of residence (Certificado de Radicación) costs PYG 234,154. Fees on the DNM pages are cash amounts; electronic payments carry the provider's surcharge.

The permanent residence card is indefinite but must be renewed every ten years, and the Paraguayan identity card issued to permanent residents is valid for ten years. The procedure is personal and in person; follow-up can be done personally or through a legal representative. The DNM may ask for additional documents, and filing them does not guarantee approval.

Applications are lodged at DNM headquarters in Asunción (Caballero 201 corner Eligio Ayala), open Monday to Friday 07:00 to 14:30 on a first-come basis. Foreign documents need an apostille or, otherwise, legalisation by a Paraguayan consulate and then the Paraguayan foreign ministry.