Legalization or Apostille — What’s the Difference?

Before your documents can be used in Paraguay, they must be authenticated in your home country. There are two main paths:

Apostille (Hague Convention Countries)

If your country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, you must have your documents apostilled. This is a simplified form of legalization recognized internationally.

• Examples of apostillable documents:

  • Birth certificate, marriage certificate, criminal background check.

• Apostilles are typically issued by:

  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, judicial authorities, or designated apostille offices in your country.

Legalization (Non-Hague Countries)

If your country is not part of the Hague Convention, your documents must be legalized via the Paraguayan diplomatic system:

1. First, have your documents certified by your local authority (such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Department of State).

2. Then, legalize them at a Paraguayan consulate or embassy in your country.

3. Once in Paraguay, have them authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores).

Translation to Spanish

All foreign-language documents (except Portuguese) must be translated into Spanish, the official language of Paraguay.

Where and How to Translate:

You may translate your documents in Paraguay through a certified public translator (traductor público matriculado).

If you translate them abroad, the translation itself must be apostilled or legalized for it to be valid in Paraguay.

⚠️ Translations not done by an approved translator or not properly certified will not be accepted.

Notarization in Paraguay

Many of the documents required for your residency application must be notarized by a licensed Paraguayan escribano público (public notary). This is an essential legal step to give your documents full validity before they are submitted to immigration or other government departments.

However, the notarization process in Paraguay can be complex. Some documents must be notarized before they are legalized or submitted, while others require notarization after translation, or in a specific format defined by the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones.

Because not all notarization needs are publicly listed or obvious, and because they may vary depending on your personal circumstances (e.g., marital status, documents issued abroad, minor children, professional intent), we strongly recommend working with a professional.

Do You Need Help?

Because every applicant’s case is different, the requirements for legalization, translation, and notarization may vary based on:

• Your nationality

• Your country of residence

• Whether you’re married or bringing dependents

• Where your documents were issued

That’s why we strongly recommend working with an experienced immigration advisor or fixer in Paraguay who can review your documents and help handle all formalities.