FAQs
The Most Frequently Asked Questions
Here is an extensive list of the most common questions and their answers. Please check for answers here before contacting us to ask a basic question, as it's probably already been answered publicly on this website. Use CTRL+F to search for the keyword(s) of your question, and if you still can't find it, try searching for a similar or substitute word which might have been used instead. Please also check our Detailed Info page, which has longer answers to many of the questions below, and more. If your question is directly relevant to the process of obtaining residency in Paraguay, it will be either covered, or linked to, in our pinned post, called "The full checklist of everything you need to do to prepare for your residency application in Paraguay". If your question is not related to obtaining residency in Paraguay, try asking Google.
How long does it take to get residency in Paraguay?
The residency process can be completed in approximately 2-to-3 weeks (once the documents are fully prepared), then the process to get your Cedula is another 2-to-3 weeks. For more information and detailed explanations of the timescales involved, please read our detailed article on this subject - click here.
Do you offer a "fast-track" service to get the residency done more quickly?
All our processes are already as fast-tracked as legally possible, at no extra cost. We do not offer a "slow-track" service.
Can I get residency in Paraguay remotely, without physically coming to Paraguay personally?
No. You must physically be present in Paraguay personally, to visit some government offices in person, for things like photographs, fingerprints, and signing some forms. We can fully prepare most things in advance of your visit, and then process everything else after your visit, without you needing to stay in the country for a long time - and we can get all the various in-person procedures done in one single day for residency (and another single day less than a month later to get your Cedula, if you want it), but you do need to physically be in Paraguay at some point in time to get residency in Paraguay.
Do you offer Permanent Residency or Temporary Residency?
We offer whatever the Government of Paraguay offers, which since October 2022, is Temporary Residency (2 years), which can then be converted to Permanent Residency after two years. For more information, please read our detailed article on converting temporary residency to permanent residency in Paraguay.
How much does it cost to get Paraguay Residency with you?
$1,450 (USD) per person, inclusive of all fees and associated costs (and including Cedula).
Do you offer discounted prices for families or groups?
No. Our prices are already very low compared to other lawyers/agents/fixers etc, and the government fees, document preparation, and workload involved for us to do everything increases on a pro-rata basis with more people, whether you are adding an extra one person, or an extra ten people. Our fees are therefore charged per person, regardless of whether you are a large family or a small family (or an individual).
Do you charge lower prices for children?
No, we charge $1,450 per person, regardless of age, nationality, gender, religion, etc. Please refer to the answer above for the reason why.
What is included with the price?
For most people, our price includes literally everything to do with the residency process, all the way through to obtaining your Cedula, including all government fees, all public notary fees, our fee, document translation, document verification, reams of photocopying, and all other requirements. The only things which are not covered are:
(a) If you need a visa to enter Paraguay, you have one extra step to complete, which is verifying your visa with the Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This needs to be done in person, and the cost is $20 (they only accept USD, in cash). If you do not need a visa to enter Paraguay, you do not need to do (or pay) this.
(b) If your Apostilled documents are not in Spanish or English, a small additional translation fee will need to be paid (variable, depending on the language and availability of the relevant translators), expect it to cost between $10 - $20 per page for most languages. If your Apostilled documents are in English, you do not need to pay any extra for translating your documents, it is included in our price. If your documents are in Spanish, they do not need to be translated at all.
Do you have lower prices for just some parts of the full process?
No. We only offer the full process, at one fixed price. If you only want some of the included items, such as obtaining a Cedula if you already have residency here, or just getting your documents translated, we do not offer these things on an individual or itemised basis. You are welcome to pay the full $1,450 and only use some of the included services though if you wish.
What payment methods to you accept?
Our preferred payment methods are either USD cash (after you arrive in Paraguay), or by bank transfer (either before you arrive in Paraguay, or after). For the full list of what we do (and do not) accept as payment methods, please read our detailed article about all the options for how you can pay for our residency services.
Do I need to deposit ~$5,000 with the Central Bank of Paraguay to get residency?
No. Since October 2022, this is no longer a requirement. You do not need to make any deposit at all, or prove your wealth or income in any way.
Can I start the residency process before I arrive in Paraguay?
Yes you can start some of the process in advance (as long as you pay in advance). You still need to attend some government offices in person to officially start the residency process, but we can have everything prepared and ready in advance so that you can do the in-person visits literally immediately when you arrive in Paraguay if you wish. To start your residency process, please contact us via our online contact form.
Can I meet you in person before committing to hiring you and/or paying you?
Yes of course. Our offices are in Downtown Asuncion, and we can also meet you in some other areas of Asuncion where it is mutually convenient (i.e. Villa Morra). To arrange a meeting, please contact us via our online contact form.
Do I need to live in Paraguay during the residency process?
No. You will need to be here for some physical meetings (which we can arrange to all be done on one day), then you can leave immediately after that if you want to. Once your Residency Card is issued, you will need to be here again physically to obtain your Cedula (Paraguayan National ID Card). This can be done several months later though if you wish, and we can courier your Residency Card to you in another country if you wish (you will need to pay for the courier fees).
You can of course live in Paraguay during the residency process if you want to, and once you have met the Government for the first time (Step 3 of the residency process), any timescale relating to a visa or other maximum stay limits as a visitor or tourist are null and void - once your residency process has officially started, you have the right to remain in Paraguay with no time limits up until the residency process is completed.
Can you arrange accommodation for me in Asuncion?
No, you will have to book that yourself - it's not difficult. For more information on where to stay and how to book, please read our detailed article about where to stay in Asuncion.
Do I need a visa to enter, or get residency in Paraguay?
Most nationalities are now required to obtain a visa to obtain residency in Paraguay, even if they don't need a visa to come for tourism or business purposes. For more information on getting a visa for Paraguay, including checking if your nationality needs one or not, please read our detailed article about nationalities that need a visa to enter Paraguay.
Can you get me a visa or an invitation letter to Paraguay?
No. If you need a visa to either enter Paraguay, or to get residency in Paraguay, you will need to obtain this from a Paraguayan Embassy or Consulate outside of Paraguay. This is something you need to do yourself, we cannot assist with this.
Can you check my Apostilled documents for me before I travel to Paraguay?
Yes, we can check them to see if they look right or not, based on our experience. Please note that it is only the Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs who can actually verify them properly - this is done as part of your residency process. If you have followed the correct process in your home country to get them Apostilled, then they will be fine, don't worry. A quick internet search will give you plenty of examples of what Apostilled documents look like in your country (not all countries look the same).
Do I need to get my Apostilled documents translated to Spanish before I travel to Paraguay?
In most cases no - we can often get them done for you at no additional cost (if they are in English), sometimes at a small additional cost (depending on the language), and in rare cases you might need to get them translated to Spanish or English before you travel. For more information, please read our article all about getting documents translated into Spanish.
Do children need to obtain and submit a Police Report from their home country?
If your child will be aged 14 or older before the residency process is complete, yes they will need their own Police Report, which will need to be Apostilled, the same as for adults. If your child will be aged 13 or younger when the residency process is complete, they do not need a Police Report at all.
Can you help me with [insert anything other than obtaining residency]?
For anything related to obtaining residency here in Paraguay, including obtaining other related services from other trusted professionals that we know here personally, yes of course we are happy to introduce our clients to them, as well as generally trying to be as helpful as we can be for our clients, by providing other information and recommendations where appropriate.
For anything completely unrelated to residency or setting up a life or business here, such as general tourism activities, keeping you entertained, or helping you find things around the city, please hire a tour guide or a personal assistant rather than asking us to do it for you, so that we can stay focused on getting your residency completed quickly and efficiently - that's what we specialise in.
For general information and advice for people coming here for the first time, please read our detailed articles about things you need to know before you travel to Paraguay, and useful information for your first few weeks living in Asuncion.
Can I ask other questions that are not answered above?
Yes of course. Please check our Detailed Info section first, to see if it has already been answered there. If you still have questions directly related to getting residency in Paraguay which are not answered on this website (yet - we regularly add new questions and answers as and when we get asked them), then just ask us via our online contact form.
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