Do US citizens need a visa to visit Paraguay?

No. US citizens enter Paraguay visa-free for up to 90 days. You receive a tourist stamp on arrival at Silvio Pettirossi Airport or any land border crossing. During this 90-day period, you can begin either a SUACE investor residency application or a temporary residency application from within Paraguay — there is no requirement to return to the US first.

How much does the SUACE investor residency actually cost in total?

The all-in cost is approximately $14,000 in company formation, legal, and registration fees, plus a commitment to invest $70,000 over 10 years ($7,000 per year). You do not need to show $70,000 in a bank account upfront. So the immediate out-of-pocket cost is roughly $14,000–$21,000 (first year's investment + fees). This grants you immediate permanent residency with a 10-year residency card and Cedula.

Can I get Paraguayan citizenship while keeping my US/EU passport?

Yes. Paraguay permits full dual citizenship with no restrictions. After 3 years of permanent residency, you can apply for naturalization. There is no requirement to renounce your existing nationality. The Paraguayan passport provides visa-free access to 140+ countries including all EU Schengen states.

Do I actually need to live in Paraguay to maintain my permanent residency?

Technically, there is no legally mandated minimum stay requirement for permanent residency maintenance. However, extended absence without entering Paraguay at least once per year may result in your status being flagged as inactive. Most immigration attorneys recommend visiting Paraguay at least once annually and maintaining active banking and a registered address. For citizenship, you will need to demonstrate genuine ties to Paraguay during the naturalization hearing.

Is the temporary (Rentista) visa worth considering over SUACE?

For most expats, the SUACE investor route is superior. It grants immediate permanent residency (vs. 2 years of temporary status), processes faster (~45 days vs. 2–4 months), and the total cost difference is not dramatic when you factor in the investment being in your own company. The Rentista is mainly suitable for retirees on a fixed pension who do not want to form a company.

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🇵🇾 Paraguay

Visa & Residency

90 days

Tourist Visa-Free Stay

US, EU, Canada, UK, Australia — no visa required

$70,000

SUACE Investor PR

Over 10 years ($7,000/yr); immediate permanent residency

~$1,300/mo

Temporary Residency (Rentista)

Passive income requirement; convertible to PR after 2 years

~45 days

Processing Time (SUACE)

From application to permanent residency card + Cedula

3 years

Citizenship

After permanent residency; dual citizenship permitted

~$14,000

Company Formation (SUACE)

Registration, formation, and legal fees included

Last updated: March 2026

Overview🌆Asuncion 🌉Ciudad del Este

🛂Visa 🏥Healthcare 💰Finance 🏠Housing 💼Working 🌆Daily Life ✈️Moving 📚Education 🌅Lifestyle 📈Investing

Overview

Paraguay offers one of the world's fastest and most accessible permanent residency programs. The SUACE investor visa grants immediate permanent residency for a $70,000 investment commitment over 10 years. Temporary residency is available for employees and retirees. Citizenship — and a Paraguayan passport — follows after just 3 years of permanent residency, with dual citizenship permitted.

Key Takeaways

US, UK, EU, Canadian, and Australian passport holders receive a 90-day tourist entry stamp on arrival at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport (ASU) — no advance visa required
Investment commitment: $70,000 total over 10 years — you can invest $7,000 per year; no lump sum required upfront
Rentista (passive income): demonstrate approximately $1,300/month (100 minimum wages) in recurring passive income from outside Paraguay — bank statements, pension letters, or investment documentation required
Eligibility: 3 years of permanent residency (from the date permanent residency was granted, not from arrival date)
Hire a Paraguayan immigration attorney — fees of $1,500–3,000 for SUACE processing are standard and worth every dollar to avoid delays

Tourist Entry: Visa-Free for Most Western Nationalities

Citizens of the US, Canada, UK, EU member states, Australia, and most Latin American countries enter Paraguay visa-free for up to 90 days. A residency application can be submitted from within Paraguay during this tourist stay.

US, UK, EU, Canadian, and Australian passport holders receive a 90-day tourist entry stamp on arrival at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport (ASU) — no advance visa required
Extensions are possible through the Paraguayan immigration authority (Migraciones) — apply before expiry
Residency applications (both SUACE investor and temporary) can be lodged from within Paraguay on a tourist entry — no requirement to return to your home country
Overland entry from Argentina (Clorinda–Asuncion bridge) and Brazil (Foz do Iguacu–Ciudad del Este bridge) both issue the same 90-day tourist stamp
Overstaying is penalized with fines of approximately $15–20 per day — clear your status before beginning any residency process
Keep your entry card and migratory receipt — you will need these for any subsequent immigration application

SUACE Investor Permanent Residency (Most Popular Expat Route)

The SUACE (Sistema Unificado de Apertura y Cierre de Empresas) investor program is Paraguay's standout immigration product. It grants immediate permanent residency — not temporary — upon forming a Paraguayan company and committing to a $70,000 investment over 10 years. Processing can take as little as 45 days.

Investment commitment: $70,000 total over 10 years — you can invest $7,000 per year; no lump sum required upfront
You do not need to show $70,000 in a bank account — a business plan and annual investment commitment are sufficient
Company formation through SUACE is mandatory — SUACE is a government one-stop shop that handles business registration, tax registration (RUC), and residency application simultaneously
Total formation and legal costs: approximately $14,000 including company registration, notarial fees, legal representation, and government fees
Applicant receives a 10-year permanent residency card and a Paraguayan Cedula de Identidad from the outset — no interim or temporary status
No criminal record certificate required from every country lived in — only from country of citizenship and most recent country of residence
No minimum physical presence requirement to maintain permanent residency — however, spending at least one day per year in Paraguay is strongly recommended to avoid inactive status
Spouse and dependent children can be included in the same application at minimal additional cost
Processing timeline: approximately 30–60 days from complete application submission; some attorneys report 45 days as typical

Temporary Residency (Rentista / Pensionista / Employee)

Paraguay's temporary residency covers retirees on foreign pensions, individuals with passive income, and those employed by Paraguayan companies. Temporary residency is valid for 2 years and convertible to permanent residency.

Rentista (passive income): demonstrate approximately $1,300/month (100 minimum wages) in recurring passive income from outside Paraguay — bank statements, pension letters, or investment documentation required
Pensionista (retiree): foreign pension or Social Security income accepted; same $1,300/month threshold applies; import duty exemptions on personal effects for retirees
Employee visa: requires a job offer from a Paraguayan company; the employer handles most of the paperwork through Migraciones
Documentation: apostilled criminal background check (country of citizenship + last residence), birth certificate, proof of income/employment, passport, and Paraguayan consulate legalization
All documents must be apostilled and translated into Spanish by a certified Paraguayan sworn translator (traductor publico)
Temporary residency is valid for 2 years and renewable; convertible to permanent residency after 2 years of active presence
Processing time: 2–4 months through Migraciones; slower than the SUACE investor route

Citizenship & Paraguayan Passport

Paraguayan citizenship is available after 3 years of permanent residency. The Paraguayan passport provides visa-free access to 140+ countries and Paraguay permits full dual citizenship.

Eligibility: 3 years of permanent residency (from the date permanent residency was granted, not from arrival date)
No language test is legally required for citizenship — but a basic Spanish conversation with the citizenship judge is part of the naturalization hearing
No renunciation of existing citizenship required — Paraguay allows full, unrestricted dual citizenship
Paraguayan passport: visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 140+ countries including all EU Schengen states, UK, Japan, and South Korea
The naturalization hearing is conducted in Spanish before a judge — applicants describe their life in Paraguay, knowledge of Guarani culture, and reasons for seeking citizenship
Citizenship by descent: children born in Paraguay are automatically Paraguayan citizens regardless of parents' nationality (jus soli)
After citizenship, you can apply for a Paraguayan passport — valid for 10 years; renewable at any Paraguayan consulate worldwide
Paraguayan citizenship is constitutionally irrevocable once granted — it cannot be stripped by future governments

Practical Visa Tips & Common Pitfalls

Paraguay's immigration system is less bureaucratic than many Latin American alternatives, but there are still pitfalls. These tips apply to 2026 applicants.

Hire a Paraguayan immigration attorney — fees of $1,500–3,000 for SUACE processing are standard and worth every dollar to avoid delays
Begin the apostille process for your criminal background check and birth certificate 2–3 months before travel — US FBI checks take 8–12 weeks
The SUACE investor route is overwhelmingly the best option for most expats — faster, simpler, and results in immediate permanent residency vs. 2-year temporary status
Open a Paraguayan bank account immediately — Banco Continental, Itau Paraguay, and Sudameris are the most expat-friendly options
The Cedula de Identidad is your most important document in Paraguay — it replaces your passport for daily identification and is required for banking, phone contracts, and all official transactions
Join 'Expats in Paraguay' and 'Paraguay Expat Forum' Facebook groups — the community is small, helpful, and experienced with current immigration realities
Ciudad del Este immigration offices are less crowded than Asuncion — some attorneys use CDE for faster processing
Keep digital and physical copies of every document submitted — the Paraguayan system is not fully digitized and paper records matter