Temporary residence is the first legal status to obtain for settling in Paraguay beyond a tourist stay. Governed by Migration Law No. 6984/2022, it is granted by the Dirección General de Migraciones in Asunción. This guide details the two existing regimes (general and MERCOSUR), the documents to gather, the real costs in guaraníes, and the processing timelines, based on information published directly by Paraguayan Migraciones.
At a glance
What to remember about temporary residence
- •Valid for 2 years, renewable once (general regime) or non-renewable (MERCOSUR)
- •Total cost: approximately 3,161,079 Gs (residence + registration certificate, about 370 €)
- •Precarious resident status is granted upon submission of the complete application and authorizes you to work
- •All foreign documents must be apostilled and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator
- •The category change to permanent residence must be done within 3 months before expiry
The temporary residence process is the only entry door for every non-MERCOSUR foreigner wishing to settle in Paraguay. Contrary to what I have read on some forums, there is no legal shortcut to avoid this step. Even a real estate investor must go through temporary residence before obtaining permanent residence, except in very specific cases. The current immigration law (Law No. 6984/2022) clarified certain points while maintaining this two-step progression. According to expatriate testimonials, the fastest applications are those where every document is checked before the appointment: a single missing piece can delay the entire process by several weeks.
General regime or MERCOSUR regime: which applies to you?
There are two distinct paths depending on the applicant's nationality. The MERCOSUR regime, derived from the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement, applies to citizens of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador, with simplified documents. The general regime applies to all other countries, including France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada, and requires a more complete application.
| Comparison of the two regimes | |
|---|---|
| MERCOSUR regime | Member/associate countries only, simplified application, validity 2 years non-extendable |
| General regime | All other countries (including France), full application, validity 2 years renewable once |
If you are French, Swiss, Belgian, or Canadian, the answer is simple: you fall under the general regime. There is no way to bypass it through MERCOSUR. The main difference lies in the number of documents to produce and the fact that MERCOSUR temporary residence is not renewable: upon expiry, the applicant must move directly to permanent residence.
Documents to gather before the appointment
This is the longest and most costly stage in terms of preparation. Each document must be obtained, apostilled, translated, and sometimes certified. I advise starting these procedures at least 2 to 3 months before departure, as certain documents (criminal record, INTERPOL certificate) can take several weeks to issue.
- 1Valid identity document (original and certified copy): passport for a French citizen
- 2Prior consular visa if required by your nationality (check with the nearest Paraguayan consulate)
- 3Proof of entry into the territory (entry stamp or boarding pass)
- 4Legalized or apostilled birth certificate, translated into Spanish
- 5Legalized or apostilled marital status certificate (single, married)
- 6Criminal or police record certificate from the country of origin and recent countries of residence, apostilled
- 7INTERPOL criminal record certificate
- 8Criminal record certificate for foreigners issued by the Paraguayan National Police
- 9Sworn declarations: commitment to respect the Constitution, description of planned activity and address in Paraguay
| Where to obtain each document (for a French citizen) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Prefecture or authorized municipality, in France | 2-4 weeks |
| Birth certificate (full copy) | Town hall of birthplace or service-public.fr | 1-2 weeks |
| Criminal record (bulletin n°3) | Casier-judiciaire.justice.gouv.fr | 1-2 weeks |
| Hague Apostille | Court of appeal of the authority that issued the document | 1-2 weeks |
| Translation into Spanish | Sworn translator before the court of appeal | A few days |
| INTERPOL certificate | Interpol.int or through the Paraguayan consulate | 2-4 weeks |
| Paraguay criminal record certificate | Paraguayan National Police, in Asunción | 1-2 days on site |
Cost and validity duration
| Fees in guaraníes (Gs) | |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence | 2,926,925 Gs |
| Registration certificate | 234,154 Gs |
| Overstay fine | 702,462 Gs |
These amounts change with internal Migraciones resolutions: check the current fee on the official portal before making any payment. The temporary residence card is valid for up to 2 years, renewable for an identical period in the general regime.
Regarding the budget: 2,926,925 Gs for residence (~340 EUR), 234,154 Gs for the registration certificate. Translations: 50-80 EUR/doc. Total: 500 to 900 EUR for a single person.
In practice, the total cost including translations, apostilles, and travel can reach 500 to 700 € for a single person, and more for a couple or family. Sworn translation costs are often the most underestimated line item: budget 50 to 80 € per document depending on the translator and text length.
- 1Sworn translation costs (French > Spanish): 50 to 80 EUR per document, i.e. 300 to 600 EUR for a complete application of 6 to 8 pieces
- 2Apostille costs: varies by court of appeal, budget 10 to 30 EUR per document in France
- 3Travel costs to Asunción if doing the procedures on site: transport, accommodation, meals during waiting days
- 4INTERPOL certificate: 50 to 100 EUR depending on the country and processing time
- 5Total estimated for a single person (excluding the residence title): 500 to 900 EUR
The 'precarious resident' status during processing
One of the most reassuring aspects of the Paraguayan system is the precarious resident status. As soon as you submit your complete application to Migraciones, you receive this provisional status that allows you to live and work legally in Paraguay while waiting for the final decision. Processing can take 2 to 6 months depending on the season and the workload of the services.
- 1Precarious resident status is granted upon submission of the complete application, pending the final decision
- 2It allows you to leave Paraguay and return without losing your place in the process
- 3It authorizes you to study and work legally during processing
- 4Minors aged 0 to 17 are exempt from proving their own economic solvency, provided the legal guardian has a valid residence or applies simultaneously
Concretely, you can arrive in Paraguay with a passport and a one-way ticket, submit your application in the first few days, and leave again with a precarious status that authorizes you to stay and work. This is much more flexible than the prior visa systems required by most other South American countries.
Renewing or switching to permanent residence
The category change to permanent residence must be initiated within 3 months before the temporary residence card expires. Beyond that deadline, regularization is still possible up to 1 month after expiry, by paying the overstay fine of 702,462 Gs. Past that period, your situation becomes irregular and severely complicates any subsequent procedures.
Actual timelines experienced by expatriates vary. Some obtain their permanent residence in 3 to 4 months after submitting the category change application, others wait up to 8 months. Holiday periods (December-January and July) systematically slow down the administration. I recommend anticipating and submitting the category change application as early as possible within the 3-month window before expiry, without waiting until the last week.
- 1Recommended time to start the category change: 3 months before temporary residence expiry
- 2Regularization margin: 1 month after expiry, with a fine
- 3Actual time to obtain permanent residence: 3 to 8 months depending on the season
- 4Once permanent residence is obtained: validity of 10 years, renewable, and the right to apply for naturalization after 3 years of legal residence (Article 148 of the Paraguayan Constitution)
A little-mentioned aspect in guides: Paraguayan naturalization is accessible after only 3 years of legal residence, which is one of the shortest timelines in South America. Article 148 of the Paraguayan Constitution sets this threshold, but the actual process before the Supreme Court can take an additional 1 to 2 years. Once naturalized, you obtain the right to vote, access to all public jobs (except the presidency and certain constitutional functions), and a Paraguayan passport that grants access to numerous countries without a visa. Many expatriates make this choice after a few years, attracted by the relative simplicity of the system.
Last updated:
Sources
- Dirección General de Migraciones: Portal oficial (2026)
- Dirección General de Migraciones: Residencia temporal (Ley 6984/2022) (2026)
- Dirección General de Migraciones: Residencia temporal MERCOSUR (2026)
- Dirección General de Migraciones: Cambio de categoría hacia la residencia permanente (2026)
- France Diplomatie: Consejos a los viajeros Paraguay (2025)
- Service-Public.fr: Preparar su expatriación (2025)
- SENATUR: Información Turística Paraguay (2025)
My method
This page is written from France, sourced as carefully as possible, but I can be wrong or miss on-the-ground detail. A price that changed, outdated info, a photo to share? Every correction is credited if you want.
Report an error or send info →Share