Paraguay offers one of the most accessible residency by investment programs available. Unlike the more traditional process, which requires obtaining temporary residency before permanent residency, the residency by investment program allows immediate access to permanent residency valid for 10 years. Additionally, family members of those who obtain residency through investment can also gain permanent residency without going through the temporary stage, another interesting advantage to consider with this type of process.
Over the years, we have helped more than 80 people from around the world obtain residency through investment, and 250+ people worldwide to obtain their residency in Paraguay through the more classic process involving temporary residency first. If you are considering doing the same and need assistance, you can send us an email: our team will be happy to help you, and we respond to all inquiries within 24 hours.
How does the residency by investment program in Paraguay work?
The residency by investment program in Paraguay is designed to attract individuals who can encourage the creation of opportunities and jobs, as established by Law No. 978/96. Unlike other similar programs around the world, the applicant can achieve the status of resident by investment even before making the actual investment. The important thing is to demonstrate the capacity to invest in the country, as required.
To access this program, it is necessary for SUACE, the Paraguayan entity managing relations between public administration and private companies, to recognize the applicant the constancia de inversionista. This is a document in which SUACE certifies that the applicant is qualified as an investor. To qualify for the constancia de inversionista, the applicant shall present a business plan to SUACE showing an investment project of at least $70,000 and the subsequent creation of at least 5 jobs.
Our company also provides support for those wishing to obtain the invitation letter as an investor, which is needed for Citizens of countries that require a visa to travel to Paraguay. If you are interested, you can send us an email and talk for free with our team about your specific situation.
Requirements for obtaining residency by investment
The documents required to obtain residency through investment, as stipulated by Law No. 6984/2022, are:
- Entry visa to the country, if required;
- The certificate of constancia de inversionista, which we just discussed;
- Personal or company bank account with at least $70,000 in liquidity;
- Passport with at least 6 months of validity before expiration;
- Apostilled birth certificate;
- Apostilled background check;
- Apostilled certificate proving your civil status (marriage, divorce, or death certificate of spouse);
- Certificate issued by the Department of Computer Science of Paraguay stating that the applicant has not committed cybercrimes;
- Certificate issued by Paraguay’s Interpol attesting to the absence of ongoing legal proceedings against the applicant;
- Spanish translation, performed by a public translator registered in the official roster, of all documents;
The last three documents must be obtained directly in Paraguay.
How long does it take to obtain residency through investment?
The time required to obtain residency through investment in Paraguay varies significantly depending on whether the procedures are carried out independently or with the help of a consultant.
If you choose to do the process with the help of a manager, it will take 5 working days. This is the expected process:
- Upon arrival in Paraguay, the manager should have already had all documents translated by a public translator registered in the official roster;
- In the first 3-4 days, you will carry out all initial procedures (Interpol documents, Department of Computer Science, and the identification card of the Paraguayan national police);
- On the 5th day, you are ready to apply for the carnet de radicaccion;
- Once the client has returned to their home country, the manager will take care of receiving the carnet de radicaccion and requesting the identity card on behalf of their client. If necessary, they will also take care of opening a bank account and the RUC number, and then send all the documents where the client desires to receive them.
This is, at least, what we offer to our clients. The experience and time required may vary depending on the manager you rely on.
In the case of doing everything on your own, it will take 45-60 days, of which:
- In the first 3-4 days, one waits for the authenticated translation of their documents;
- From the 5th to the 9th day, you will conduct the initial procedures;
- On the 10th day, you are ready to go to the Department of Immigration to request the carnet de radicaccion;
- Between the 25th and 35th day, the carnet de radicaccion should be ready. With this, you can apply for the ID card;
- In the following 15-20 days, the ID card should also be ready;
- At this point, count another 3-4 days to open a bank account, apply for a driving license if desired, and request the RUC number if desired.
Maintaining and renewing permanent residency
Despite the name, “permanent” residency actually needs to be renewed every 10 years. The process is very simple and requires just a visit to the Department of Immigration of the National Police.
There are no annual costs to maintain residency, and no minimum stay is required. Just know that the amount of time you spend in Paraguay may have some implications on your tax situation. You can discover more about this in our guide to minimum stay requirements.
As established by article 34 of Law No. 978/96, it is possible to lose residency if a person qualified as an investor does not actually complete their investment within 90 days following the issuance of the constancia de inversionista document.
Residency by investment in Paraguay: what are the alternatives?
The main alternative to the residency by investment program is to first obtain temporary residency and then convert it to permanent residency. This alternative does not require committing to an investment in the country and does not require to show your bank account, granting lower costs and higher flexibility.
Temporary residency is valid for 2 years, and you are eligible to convert it to permanent residency after just 12 months. This step only requires a visit to an office of the Department of Immigration and is very simple.
Read also: Complete guide to Temporary Residency in Paraguay
The advantages of residency by investment are:
- Immediate obtaining of permanent residency;
- Facilitating the opening of a company in Paraguay;
- Avoiding the conversion of temporary residency to permanent, which can save a trip to Paraguay for the applicant.
The advantages of first obtaining temporary residency are:
- No need to present a business plan, also avoiding the cost and time needed to prepare it;
- Not having to commit to investing in the country;
- No requirement to demonstrate one’s assets or income.
Both paths are equally effective for eventually obtaining the Paraguayan passport 3 years after obtaining residency in the country.
Need help with residency procedures?
If you need help with residency in Paraguay, feel free to send us an email. We are always happy to answer all questions and doubts, which we do within 24 hours even on holidays. Our team responds in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Moreover, we can offer, through our accountants and lawyers, consultations on taxation and investments in Paraguay.
We are pleased to say that the Paraguay Pathways team has already helped hundreds of foreign citizens obtain their permanent residency in Paraguay, both through investment and through the classic route of temporary residency.