What documents should I check before travelling to Paraguay for arrival?

Check whether your nationality requires a visa with Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and prepare the required passport, photograph, accommodation, itinerary, proof-of-funds and legalized or apostilled criminal-record documents where requested. The Ministry recommends submitting a visa application at least 30 days before travel.

How do I prove my legal entry into Paraguay after arrival?

Register at a DNM checkpoint, airport or border crossing and keep the entry stamp or entry card, called the Comprobante de Entrada, until departure. Check the recorded details and authorized stay immediately because a missing entry record can delay verification and create problems at exit.

How long may a visitor stay in Paraguay after arrival?

A transit stay generally lasts up to 90 days. DNM may grant one extension within the applicable limit, and the fee, procedure and duration should be confirmed for the traveller's status.

Which Paraguayan document proves a local address after arrival?

The Certificado de Vida y Residencia is issued by the police station responsible for the actual address and normally uses identification copies, witnesses and an ANDE, ESSAP or COPACO bill or lease. It proves an address but is not a universal municipal registration.

Which Paraguayan residence document is needed for someone planning to live, study or work there?

A person intending to remain for residence, study, work or another lawful long-term activity generally needs the relevant DNM residence process. Submitting a temporary residence application is not the same as receiving approval, and foreign supporting documents generally require apostille or legalization plus Spanish translation.

Which emergency numbers can I use in Paraguay after arrival?

Call 911 for the Policía Nacional, 132 for volunteer firefighters, 141 for SEME medical emergencies and ambulance service, 137 for SOS Mujer, or 147 for Fono Ayuda. Regular healthcare access follows location, provider and personal-status conditions rather than one nationwide process.

Arrival in Paraguay

Arrival in Paraguay involves checking entry requirements, registering with the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM) and preserving proof of entry. Visa rules depend on nationality, while MERCOSUR citizens from designated countries may use a valid national identity document instead of a passport. People who intend to live, study or work in Paraguay generally need the appropriate residence process rather than relying on a short tourist stay.

Tip

Treat entry, short-term stay and long-term residence as separate decisions. Resolve the visa question before travel, preserve the Comprobante de Entrada, and start the DNM residence process early if you plan to live, study or work in Paraguay. Keep separate records for entry status, residence status and local address because one document does not replace the others.

byMaria&Jose

Before travelling, check with Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs whether your nationality requires a visa. A visa application may require a 3 x 4 cm photograph, passport copy, invitation, proof of funds, a legalized or apostilled criminal-record certificate, accommodation information and an itinerary. Additional documents may be requested, and the Ministry recommends applying at least 30 days before travel. At entry, every traveller, including a minor, registers arrival and departure at a DNM checkpoint, airport or border crossing. Use a valid passport unless you are a citizen of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Colombia or Ecuador and can use a valid national identity document under the applicable MERCOSUR arrangement. A temporary document certificate is not accepted as a travel document. The entry stamp or entry card, called the Comprobante de Entrada, shows the authorized stay. Check the recorded information and permitted duration immediately, then keep the document until departure. Travellers entering by land can complete the Pre Registro Migratorio online at least 48 hours before travel. The service is free and provides a QR code, but it only speeds up processing and does not replace the DNM inspection. Paraguay has 45 migration control points. The DNM's central office is in Asunción, with regional offices in Concepción, Pedro Juan Caballero, Salto del Guairá, Nueva Esperanza, Ciudad del Este, Santa Rita, Encarnación, Pilar and Mariscal Estigarribia. A transit stay generally lasts up to 90 days. DNM may grant one extension, subject to its decision and the limit applicable to the initial period. The current listed fee for a five-year Prórroga is 585,385 Gs.; confirm the fee and duration that apply to your status. Online applications are available around the clock. If the entry record is missing, online verification can take up to three working days. At departure, an overstay or missing entry proof can result in a charge listed as six J, currently 702,462 Gs., payable online or at a control point; payment at the point is made in guaraníes. Anyone planning to live, study, work or carry out another lawful long-term activity should apply for the relevant DNM residence status. A temporary residence application requires personal appearance and normally includes identity documents, proof of entry, a birth certificate, a marriage or family-status certificate where relevant, criminal or police records from the country of origin and recent places of residence, an INTERPOL record, the Certificado de Antecedentes para Extranjeros and sworn information about constitutional compliance, activity and address. Foreign documents generally need apostille or legalization and a Spanish translation; documents from Brazil have a Portuguese-language exception. Filing an application does not mean that residence has been approved. The listed fee for the residence application is 25 J, currently 2,926,925 Gs., and DNM does not state one general processing time. A Certificado de Radicación is available to holders of temporary or permanent residence through DNM or its online service. It costs 2 J, currently 234,154 Gs., and proves residence status; it is not a first registration after arrival. A Certificado de Vida y Residencia is a local address certificate issued by the police station responsible for the actual address. It normally requires a form, identification copies for the applicant and witnesses, and an ANDE, ESSAP or COPACO bill or a lease. The stated minimum time is 24 working hours. This certificate proves an address but does not function as a universal municipal population register. Foreign nationals may also need a Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros from the Policía Nacional's Departamento de Registro de Extranjeros. The Portal Paraguay listing states 48 hours and no fee, while older police information gives different timing and a fee, so verify the current requirement before applying. Keep copies of documents submitted to DNM; originals are returned only against certified copies. For emergencies, call 911 for the Policía Nacional, 132 for volunteer firefighters, 141 for SEME medical emergencies and ambulance service, 137 for SOS Mujer, or 147 for Fono Ayuda. These services do not establish one uniform process for regular healthcare, which depends on the location, provider and personal status. Address evidence, residence status and entry records serve different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable.