Paraguay residency requirements
Every document Migraciones asks for, who needs it and how to prepare it, so your apostilles are right the first time.
The short version
- Birth certificateApostilled + translated
- Civil-status certificateApostilled + translated
- Criminal recordAge 14+, national level
- PassportValid 6+ months
- In ParaguayPolice + INTERPOL
Your Paraguay residency document checklist.
Pick who's applying. Your ticks are saved in this browser only.
From your home country
Every foreign document: an apostille, or legalisation by a Paraguayan consulate if the issuing country is not in the Apostille Convention.
- Everyone
- Everyone
- Adults
- Age 14+
- Couples
- Children
In Paraguay
- Everyone
- Age 14+
- Age 14+
- Foreign documents
- Everything
Later, for permanent residency
Filed in the last 3 months of your temporary card. Bring the original and an authenticated copy of each; the four certificates are required from age 14. Permanent residency in detail
- Passport or ID from your home country, still valid
- Paraguayan cédula and your temporary residency card
- Police certificate for foreigners (Policía Nacional)
- Good-conduct certificate (Policía Nacional, Departamento de Identificaciones)
- Judicial record certificate (Certificado de Antecedentes Judiciales)
- INTERPOL certificate
- Proof of income under Res. DNM 407/2026 (what counts)
- Proof of any change in civil status, name or occupation
At Migraciones you'll also sign two sworn declarations (respect for the law; your activity and address).
How foreign documents become valid in Paraguay.
Apostille at home
From the competent authority in the country that issued the document. If your country isn't in the Apostille Convention, use consular legalisation instead.
Sworn translation
Into Spanish by a public translator registered in Paraguay. Multilingual EU certificates are easier to verify but usually still need translating.
Copies
Original plus an authenticated copy of each. Keep scans in the cloud and offline.
Who issues your documents.
- Criminal record: FBI Identity History Summary (national level), apostilled by the US Department of State.
- Birth & marriage certificates: apostilled by the Secretary of State of the state that issued them.
- Entry: visa-free for up to 90 days until 13 August 2027 (Ley 7314/2024).
- Criminal record: RCMP certified (fingerprint-based) criminal record check.
- Apostille: Canada has issued apostilles since 11 January 2024. Global Affairs Canada handles federal documents like the RCMP check; provinces handle their own, such as birth certificates.
- Entry: visa-free for up to 90 days until 13 August 2027 (Ley 7314/2024).
- Criminal record: your national certificate (e.g. casier judiciaire, Führungszeugnis, certificado de antecedentes penales), apostilled.
- Apostille: every EU country issues them. Ask for multilingual civil-status extracts where available.
- Lived elsewhere? If you spent more than 1 year in another country in the last 3 years, Migraciones wants that country's record instead, with proof of residence.
When to request what.
3–4 months before
Order birth, civil-status and marriage certificates; start the FBI or RCMP check.
1–2 months before
Apostilles on everything; scans in the cloud. Check nothing will be too old at filing.
In Paraguay
Police and INTERPOL certificates, translations and copies, then file at Migraciones.
Sources
Checked 8 October 2026.
- Migraciones: temporary residency requirements
- Global Affairs Canada: Canada joins the Apostille Convention
- Global Affairs Canada: authentication of documents
Informational content only, not legal advice.
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