General information
Entering as a visitor
Before residency, it helps to know how entry works. According to the National Directorate of Migration (Dirección Nacional de Migraciones):
- Mercosur citizens: can enter with their country's valid national ID card, which works as a travel document within the bloc. Everyone else needs a valid passport.
- Visas: Migraciones publishes which nationalities need one. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay are listed as "no visa required".
- Length of stay: up to 90 consecutive days as a visitor, extendable once.
- Entry record: keep it, because you will be asked for it when you leave.
What residency is and who grants it
Residency is the authorization to live in Paraguay. It is granted by the National Directorate of Migration, under Law 6984/2022 on Migration. The law sets out three categories:
| Category | What it is, under the law |
|---|---|
| Spontaneous or occasional | For specific, lawful activities. Up to 90 days, extendable for the same period within the year. |
| Temporary | For people coming to settle and work. Granted for up to 2 years, extendable for the same period. |
| Permanent | Allows you to live in the country indefinitely. As a general rule, it follows temporary residency. |
Migraciones also lists specific categories, such as temporary and permanent residency for Mercosur citizens, permanent residency for foreign investors (through SUACE) and permanent residency for children and spouses of Paraguayans.
Which one applies to you depends on your nationality, your family and what you plan to do here. That is decided case by case, not by a guide. One more point: buying or renting property does not replace the residency process.
The Paraguayan ID card
The identity card (cédula) is issued by the National Police, through its Identification Department. The Migration Law provides that it is issued to foreigners with temporary or permanent residency.
- You apply for it after residency: the Police ask for the residency certificate issued by Migraciones.
- With temporary residency, the card expires with the residency and is renewed with each extension.
- With permanent residency, the card becomes your identity document in the country.
The RUC and DNIT
The RUC (Registro Único de Contribuyentes) is the taxpayer registry. It is run by the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT), created by Law 7143/2023.
According to DNIT, the RUC is mandatory for everyone who carries out economic activity, individually or through a company. Registration starts online at dnit.gov.py and is completed at an Internal Revenue office. DNIT states that registration is free.
To issue invoices you will also need your receipts authorized ("timbrado"). Which taxes apply depends on your activity: that is a question for an accountant.
Setting up a company
In Paraguay, company setup goes through SUACE (Sistema Unificado de Apertura y Cierre de Empresas), created by Law 4986/2013 and part of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIC). It works as a one-stop shop on a digital platform.
Through SUACE you can set up, among others, corporations (S.A.), limited liability companies (S.R.L.), single-owner limited liability companies (E.I.R.L.) and simplified stock companies (EAS). Merchant registration and the foreign investor certificate are also handled there.
An EAS, created by Law 6480/2020, can be formed by one person or several, individuals or companies, and is processed online.
Which type of company makes sense, with which partners and how it fits with your residency is a decision to make with a professional.
How I can help
I support you and coordinate with the professional in charge of each procedure. It works like this:
- You tell me about your case on WhatsApp: what you need, where you are and your timeline.
- I coordinate with the professional. With your permission, I pass your enquiry on.
- She advises you and handles the procedure: requirements, documents, costs and timelines for your case, before anything starts.
No procedure has guaranteed approval: the decision always belongs to the public agency. Your details are only shared with the professional if you allow it.
What we checked and what we didn't
- We checked the agencies, the laws cited and the residency categories against official sources.
- We do not publish requirements, fees or processing times: they change by resolution and depend on each case.
- Entry rules and the visa list change. Confirm them with Migraciones before you travel.
- Choosing a residency category or a type of company is a job for a licensed professional.
Official sources
Information checked in October 2026
- Law 6984/2022 on Migration (BACN).
- Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, entry and exit requirements, visa information, spontaneous or occasional residency, temporary residency and permanent residency.
- National Police, Identification Department, first ID card for foreigners with temporary or permanent residency.
- Law 7143/2023, creating DNIT (BACN), and DNIT, how to register for the RUC (23/06/2025).
- Law 4986/2013, creating SUACE (BACN), and Ministry of Industry and Trade, SUACE General Directorate.
- Law 6480/2020, creating the EAS (BACN), and MIC, what an EAS is.
General information. For your specific case, we will put you in touch with the right professional.