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Official fees verified on 17 Aug 2026 (Decree 6225/2026 · DNM Res. 407/2026 in force). See sources

Country guide

Residency in Paraguay for Spaniards, step by step

Spain is not part of the MERCOSUR Agreement, so your case follows the general route of Law 6984/2022: with Interpol and the higher fee, even though your documents are already in Spanish and nothing needs translating. What causes the most misunderstandings is not the procedure itself but confusing immigration residency with tax residency.

Route: Law 6984/2022, general route

Quick facts

  • RouteLaw 6984/2022, general route
  • Approx. official fees≈ US$ 552 per person: temporary residency Gs. 2,926,925 + Interpol Gs. 117,077 + National Police Gs. 24,500 + certificate of residence Gs. 234,154 + ID card (cédula) Gs. 8,500 (fees in force since 1 July 2026).
  • TranslationNot required: your documents are already in Spanish. The apostille, however, is mandatory on all of them.
  • ApostilleIn Spain, before you travel: the Ministry of Justice apostilles the criminal record certificate and Civil Registry certificates; notarial documents are apostilled by the relevant notarial association.
  • Criminal recordCriminal record certificate from the Ministry of Justice, apostilled. Required from age 14; teenagers aged 15 to 18 are exempt if Spain does not issue them for minors (DNM Res. 858/2024).
  • Estimated timeApprox. 4 to 9 months in total: 2 to 6 weeks of certificates and apostilles in Spain, 3 to 5 business days filing in Asunción, 1 to 3 months until the residence card and up to 60 business days (official) for the ID card.

Document checklist

Documents specific to Spaniards

The general list is on the Process page. Here we only cover what changes because of where you come from. Process →

  • Valid Spanish DNI or passport, plus proof of entry into Paraguay: entry stamp or migration slip.
  • Criminal record certificate from the Ministry of Justice, apostilled and recent (we recommend under 3 months old when filed).
  • Full birth certificate (certificación literal) from the Civil Registry, apostilled. First names and both surnames must match your passport letter for letter.
  • Apostilled civil-status document as applicable: marriage certificate, divorce decree or spouse's death certificate.
  • Interpol (Gs. 117,077) and National Police (Gs. 24,500) record checks, obtained in Asunción, plus the two sworn statements generated by the Migraciones system.
  • For the switch to permanent residency (between months 21 and 24): the proof-of-means document for your category (DNM Res. 407/2026). If you are a pensioner, the statement with the amount and how you receive it; if you work remotely, a work certificate stating your income; if you are self-employed in Paraguay, RUC and tax returns.

How it works

The path, step by step

  1. 01

    We evaluate your case

    We tell you which route applies (Law 6984, MERCOSUR or direct permanent), which documents you need and what it costs. In writing.

    Reply within 48 h
  2. 02

    You gather documents at home

    Criminal record, birth and civil-status certificates, apostilled. We check every scan before you travel — nobody lands in Asunción with an expired document.

    2 to 8 weeks, depending on country
  3. 03

    We file at Migraciones, together

    In your first week in Asunción: Interpol, National Police, certified copies and the filing itself. You leave with 'precaria' status — you can already work, study and travel in and out.

    3 to 5 business days in Asunción
  4. 04

    Your residence card arrives

    Migraciones decides and issues the temporary admission card (2 years). We follow up and keep you posted — even when there is nothing new.

    30 to 90 days, per Migraciones
  5. 05

    ID card at Identificaciones

    Certificate of residence, proof of life and address, foreigner registration and data capture at the Identification Department. We go with you. You collect the card in person.

    Up to 60 business days (official)
  6. 06

    Permanent, at month 21

    The switch to permanent residency is requested within the 3 months before your temporary card expires. We remind you in time and prepare your proof-of-means file under DNM Res. 407/2026.

    Months 21–24 of the temporary card

See the full process

Common mistakes

Typical mistakes we see

Looking for a Paraguayan “arraigo”

In Spain, arraigo is a specific immigration figure. In Paraguay that category does not exist: the path is 2 years of temporary residency and then the switch to permanent, unless you have a Paraguayan spouse or children or you come in through investment.

Arriving with the US$ 5,000 deposit ready

That requirement belonged to the previous law and disappeared with Law 6984/2022, although many websites still publish it. Today means are proved with the document for your category, and only for permanent residency; there is no published minimum amount.

Taking for granted that residency changes your tax domicile

Immigration residency and tax residency are separate procedures before separate institutions. The tax residency certificate is issued by DNIT (RG 65/2020) and requires an active, up-to-date RUC and the migration movement certificate for the tax year. What happens with your position in Spain is decided by Spanish law: check it with an adviser there.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions from Spaniards

Do I need to translate anything?

No: all your documents are already in Spanish and Migraciones accepts them as they are. What every one of them does need is the Hague apostille done in Spain, before you travel. A Spanish document without an apostille does not enter the file, however readable it may be.

I am a pensioner. What will they ask me for?

For temporary residency, the official list does not include proof of means. For the switch to permanent it does: in your case, the pension statement showing the amount received and the financial channel through which you receive it (DNM Res. 407/2026). There is no published minimum amount; what is required is that the income be verifiable.

How much tax do you pay in Paraguay?

Paraguay taxes on a territorial basis: personal income tax reaches only Paraguayan-source income, at a rate of up to 10%, and foreign-source income falls outside its scope. That says nothing about what you may have to declare in Spain, which is governed by Spanish law and any applicable treaties: check it with an adviser there. We do not advise on Spanish taxation.

See all questions

This applies to Spaniards. What comes next depends on your case.

The evaluation is free and in writing: we tell you which route applies, your exact document list and the total cost, with official fees in plain sight and our fee fixed, with the ID card (cédula) always included.

Other country guides

Argentines

As an Argentine you enter through the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement: temporary residency requires no Interpol check and no proof of means, and your documents are already in Spanish. What does get tricky is the apostille and making the names match letter for letter between your birth certificate and your DNI or passport.

Brazilians

As a Brazilian you enter through the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement and your Portuguese documents need no translation: that is an official exception at Migraciones, and it makes for the lightest paperwork of all. The trap is assuming the exception also covers the apostille: it does not.

Uruguayans

As a Uruguayan you enter through the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement: temporary residency with no Interpol check and no proof of means, documents in Spanish with no translation and the lowest fee on the table. The delicate part is the calendar: Uruguayan record checks should be requested close to your trip, not months ahead.

Venezuelans

Venezuela is not part of the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement, so your case goes through the general route of Law 6984/2022: with Interpol and the higher fee. And one date defines everything: since 10 January 2026 Venezuelan citizens are required to hold a consular visa, and anyone whose entry was registered before that date can start or continue their residency without one.

Americans

Your case follows the general route of Law 6984/2022: Interpol, the full fee, apostilles and sworn translation of everything in English. It is the path with the most preparation, and the bottleneck is almost always in one place: the FBI Identity History Summary and its apostille.

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Radica

Radica is an immigration accompaniment service with an office in Asunción, Paraguay. We file your complete and correct application and go with you to every counter; decisions and processing times belong to the National Migration Directorate and the Identification Department.

Legal entity and tax ID (RUC): [PENDIENTE]. We are not a Paraguayan government body and have no ties to one.

Office
[PENDIENTE address], Asunción, Paraguay
Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00 (Asunción time)
WhatsApp: [PENDIENTE WhatsApp]
Email: [PENDIENTE correo]