Paraguay Residency Documents Checklist (2026)
The Paraguayan residency file is documentary. The Asunción processing time is short; the home-country apostille leg is where files stall. This is the 2026 working checklist.
- Documents required
- 8–12 depending on profile
- Apostille required
- All foreign-issued docs
- Translation
- Official Paraguayan translator
- Validity window
- Most docs <90 days from issue
Core personal documents
Full apostilled birth certificate (long-form, not short-form), apostilled marriage or divorce certificate where applicable, apostilled criminal record from every country of residence in the past five years (FBI for US, ACRO for UK, BKA Führungszeugnis for Germany, equivalent for other jurisdictions). Each document must be issued recently — most are accepted within 90 days of issue, some within 180. The apostille adds two to four weeks on most jurisdictions.
Qualifying-means evidence
For the investment route, bank statements showing the qualifying capital, and the evidence trail of how that capital will be deployed into Paraguayan economic activity. For the professional route, the apostilled university degree and a current CV. For the pension route, the pension payment history from a recognised foreign pension provider showing USD 1,500/month or higher and an apostilled certificate of pension status.
Translation and legalisation
Every foreign-language document must be translated into Spanish by an officially recognised Paraguayan translator. We coordinate the translation chain so that documents arrive in Asunción already translated and properly bound — the migration office rejects loose translations or translations from non-recognised translators. This is one of the most common rejection reasons for self-filed applications.
In-Paraguay documents created during the file
Paraguayan medical certificate (issued by a recognised local clinic), Paraguayan address registration (issued against the lease), passport photographs to local specification, and the file's biometric capture done in Asunción in person. These are produced during the in-country leg of the file and are coordinated against the principal's first visit.
What happens if a criminal-record document expires mid-file?
Re-issue and re-apostille. Migration will not accept a stale document; we monitor expiry against the filing date and reissue proactively.
Can documents be e-apostilled?
E-apostilles are accepted from countries that issue them in the Hague-compliant format. Some jurisdictions (notably parts of the US) still require physical apostilles.
Do I need to be physically present for the file?
Yes — at least one in-Paraguay visit for biometric capture, medical certificate and the migration appearance. Typically one trip of 5–10 days is sufficient.
Live decision on the table?
Paraguay file, home-country exit, multi-leg structure, banking — direct partner time, no pitch deck.