Temporary Residency: Under Paraguayan Immigration Law No. 6984/2022, holders of Temporary Residency are not required to live permanently in Paraguay. However, the law provides that temporary residency may be revoked if the resident remains outside Paraguay for more than one consecutive year. In practical terms, this means that temporary residents should enter Paraguay at least once per year to maintain their residency status. While this rule is rarely enforced strictly in practice, it must be respected by those who intend to apply for Permanent Residency in the future.

Permanent Residency: Paraguayan law provides that remaining outside Paraguay for more than three consecutive years may result in the loss of permanent resident status. In practical terms, this means that permanent residents should enter Paraguay at least once every three years in order to maintain their residency. While this rule is not always enforced strictly in practice, it becomes particularly important for those who plan to apply for Paraguayan citizenship.

The most important requirement for converting Paraguayan Temporary Residency into Permanent Residency is compliance with the residency stay rules. Specifically, the temporary resident must not have been outside Paraguay for more than one consecutive year, in other words you must enter Paraguay at least once per year.

The application for permanent residency may be submitted starting three (3) months before the expiration of the temporary residency. It is also possible to apply up to one (1) month after expiration, provided that a late fee is paid.

At the time of application, depending on the applicant’s situation, documents proving economic stability must be submitted. These may include professional qualifications, an employment contract, business-related documentation, or other proof of income.

To become a Paraguayan citizen through the naturalization process, the applicant must have held Permanent Residency for a minimum of three (3) years. The applicant must be an adult and the application must be filed in person through a Paraguayan lawyer.

Additionally, the applicant must provide documentation proving the ability to support themselves financially. This may include either an employment certificate issued by a company or proof of registered assets. If the applicant owns real estate, notarized property title documents must also be submitted.

The process also includes a sworn declaration (Declaración Jurada) issued by the Paraguayan Supreme Court (Suprema Corte de Justicia).

No. There is no requirement to open a local bank account or make a financial deposit in Paraguay in order to obtain Temporary or Permanent Residency. Under the immigration law revised in 2022, the former deposit requirement was abolished.

Likewise, when applying to convert Temporary Residency into Permanent Residency, the National Directorate of Migration does not require applicants to open a bank account or place funds on deposit. Instead, applicants must submit documentation proving economic self-sufficiency. This may include professional qualifications, proof of employment, business-related documents, tax payment certificates, or other evidence of income.