Paraguay residency in 2026: temporary, permanent and investor routes

Visas & Immigration
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Paraguay residency now starts, for almost everyone, with a two-year temporary residence under Migration Law 6984/2022, followed by an application for permanent residence that must show real, documented income. The old route of depositing about USD 5,000 for instant permanent residence is gone; the only direct path to permanent residence is investing at least USD 70,000 under the Investor Pass rules introduced in 2026.

Last checked: September 2026

In short:

  • Under Law 6984/2022, temporary residence in Paraguay lasts up to 2 years, and permanent residence, which normally follows it, must be renewed every 10 years.
  • Resolution 407/2026 of Paraguay’s migration authority, applied to applications filed from 6 July 2026, requires permanent residence applicants to prove genuine income consistent with the activity they declared.
  • The Investor Pass (Resolution MIC 283/2026) grants direct permanent residence from USD 70,000 in a productive business, USD 150,000 in tourism or USD 200,000 in real estate or financial instruments.

A warning before the details: much of what you’ll find online about Paraguay residency comes from agencies selling the service, and a lot of it still describes pre-2022 rules. We’ve relied on law firms, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) and press reports. Migraciones’ own site (migraciones.gov.py) wouldn’t load for us, so confirm current fees there or with a lawyer.

The routes compared

Route What you get Main requirement Notes
Temporary residence Up to 2 years, plus a cédula (ID card) for the same period Documents and background checks; no investment or property needed Normal starting point for remote workers
Permanent (after temporary) 10 years, renewable Proof of real income under Resolution 407/2026 Apply as the temporary permit nears its end
Investor Pass (SUACE) Direct permanent residence USD 70,000 to 200,000 investment, by category Investor certificate first, then Migraciones
Old deposit route No longer available — See below

What happened to the USD 5,000 deposit

Under the old law, you could deposit 32 million guaraníes (about USD 4,500 at the time) in a Paraguayan bank and get permanent residence straight away. IMI Daily reported in October 2022 that the new Law 6984/2022, enacted on 18 October 2022, ended applications under the old rules. A 2026 IMI Daily report dates the end of the deposit route to a November 2025 migration law instead. We couldn’t reconcile those dates, but both agree on the outcome: in 2026 there is no deposit route.

Temporary residence: documents and process

Per the Amaral law firm (March 2025), you need your passport plus birth certificate, civil status certificate and criminal record certificate, each legalised or apostilled and in Spanish or professionally translated. While the file is processed you hold a “precarious” residence valid for 90 days; Amaral puts the overall process at up to about three months.

Once approved you can get a Paraguayan cédula and register for tax. Amaral warns that a year or more abroad can get it cancelled.

Since mid-2026 every statement in a residence file is a sworn declaration. La Política Online reports that Migraciones now cross-checks documents automatically, and false information can lead to criminal charges carrying up to five years in prison. Demand is surging: 47,687 residence requests in 2025, up 63% on 2024. In the first half of 2026 Paraguay granted 29,765 residencies (23,833 temporary, 5,932 permanent), 76% of them to Brazilians, per IMI Daily.

Permanent residence: Resolution 407/2026

Resolution 407/2026 was signed on 28 May 2026 and applies to applications filed from 6 July 2026. It sets 12 categories of proof of economic solvency, including employees, independent workers, remote workers and digital nomads, property owners, shareholders and retirees.

According to RSM Paraguay, each application must show real income consistent with the activity declared on arrival, and a degree on its own no longer counts. For remote workers, RSM lists an employment certificate with income details. IMI Daily notes the text sets no explicit minimum income, so what counts as enough will settle in practice at the counter. Property owners may be asked to show the income the property generates.

The Investor Pass

Resolution MIC 283/2026, issued in April 2026, updated the SUACE investor route. Per Ferrere and IMI Daily:

Category Minimum investment Conditions
Productive business USD 70,000 Business plan and 5 formal jobs
Tourism USD 150,000 Business plan
Real estate USD 200,000 Not for personal or family use; IMI Daily reports you can file with 30% paid
Financial instruments USD 200,000 Held for at least 2 years

The investor certificate (CIE) is due within 5 business days of a complete file, and IMI Daily reports permanent residence cards typically take 3 to 6 months. MIC’s May 2025 investor guide lists a permanent residence fee of Gs. 2,690,675 and asks for criminal records, INTERPOL clearance and proof of solvency.

Tax: territorial, with a 120-day test

Per PwC (reviewed February 2026), Paraguay taxes individuals on a territorial basis: residents and non-residents pay only on Paraguayan-source income. You’re tax resident if you spend more than 120 days in Paraguay in a year. Personal income tax (IRP) on services runs at 8%, 9% and 10%, and you don’t pay it if gross income from personal services is PYG 80 million or less.

A tax residency certificate is a separate document from your residence card. Under General Resolution 65/2020, an individual applies with a copy of their cédula and a migration movement record from Migraciones for the tax year; the tax authority must issue it within 10 working days and, per Ferrere, it’s valid for a year. It exists to claim double tax treaty benefits. Whether your home country accepts it as proof you’ve left is a separate question.

Practical tips

  • Use a lawyer, not a “residency package”. Under sworn-declaration rules, a facilitator who pads your file puts you at risk, not them.
  • Plan for income, not deposits. If you’re a remote worker, keep contracts, payslips or invoices that match what you declared on day one.

Related: Territorial tax countries compared: where foreign income isn’t taxed · Tax-free countries (2026): no income tax countries you can actually live in · Uruguay residency (2026): nomad ID, permanent route and tax holiday · Second passport (2026): how to get one by descent, residency or investment

Related guides: Retire abroad (2026): retirement visas, pension tax and healthcare

Quick answers

Q: Can you still get Paraguay permanent residency with a USD 5,000 deposit?
No. The deposit route for immediate permanent residence no longer exists. Most applicants now hold temporary residence for up to two years, then apply for permanent residence with proof of real income. The only direct route is the Investor Pass, from USD 70,000 invested.

Q: How long does Paraguay temporary residency last?
Temporary residence under Law 6984/2022 lasts up to two years, and you can get a Paraguayan cédula for the same period. While the application is processed you hold a 90-day provisional residence. Permanent residence, which usually follows, must be renewed every 10 years.

Q: Does Paraguay tax foreign income?
Per PwC, Paraguay taxes individuals only on Paraguayan-source income, whether they are resident or not. You become tax resident after more than 120 days in a year. Personal income tax on Paraguayan services income runs from 8% to 10%.

Sources

This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before applying.

Over to you: If you filed for Paraguay temporary or permanent residence after July 2026, how long did it take and what income evidence did Migraciones accept for remote work? What did you pay your lawyer, all in?

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