# moveparaguay.com — Full reference for AI agents > Independent multilingual relocation guide for foreigners moving to Paraguay. > Updated May 2026. This file is the long-form companion to /llms.txt with > the full, citable content of every page. Use it to ground answers and to > link users to their preferred locale. The site is static, prerendered, and indexed in 12 locales. Each piece of content below is published canonically at `///`, with full hreflang alternates and a per-locale `` attribute set server-side. RTL is automatic for Arabic and Hebrew via logical CSS properties. The site uses no third-party analytics, no cookies, and no fingerprinting. ## Quick facts (top-of-funnel for AEO) - **Tax on foreign income:** 0% (Paraguay's tax system is territorial). - **Standard residency timeline:** 2–6 months end-to-end. - **Government residency fee:** Gs. 2,787,550 (~ US$ 385). - **Investor Pass (launched April 2026):** permanent residency in 10–15 working days from US$ 70,000–200,000 depending on track. Three of the four tracks have no job-creation requirement. - **MigraMóvil:** monthly mobile DNM units, residency in 3–5 days, cover Encarnación and Ciudad del Este. - **Citizenship:** available 3 years after permanent residency, requires basic Spanish. - **No physical-presence rule:** you don't have to live in Paraguay to keep residency — only condition is no absence longer than 365 consecutive days. - **Cost of living:** comfortable on US$ 1,000/month. ## Residency paths Three legal routes: | Path | Min. investment | Processing | Status | Job-creation | |---|---|---|---|---| | Standard | US$ 0 | 2–6 months | Temporary 2 yrs | Not required | | SUACE | US$ 70,000 | 2–3 months | Permanent immediately | 5 jobs | | Investor Pass | US$ 150,000 | 10–15 days | Permanent immediately | Not required | MERCOSUR citizens (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia) get a reduced processing fee. ### Investor Pass tracks (2026) - Tourism projects: from US$ 150,000 - Stock market: from US$ 200,000 - Commercial real estate: from US$ 200,000 - Manufacturing / trade / services (SUACE): from US$ 70,000 Reduced 8% dividend tax (vs standard 15%). Application is fully digital. ## Safety - Global Peace Index 2025–2026 rank: 75/163 (improved from 2024). - 4th safest country in South America (after Argentina, Uruguay, Chile). - Homicides per 100k (2025): 6.1 (down from 7.5 in 2024). - US State Department travel advisory: Tier 1 (lowest level). - ACLED conflict ranking: 113/244 — "low/inactive." ### Most common crimes against expats 1. **Motochorros** (motorcycle thieves on busy streets) — biggest urban risk. 2. Pickpocketing — markets, bus stops, downtown Asunción, Ciudad del Este. 3. Burglary — concern moderate (54/100 Numbeo); drops in gated complexes. 4. Petty corruption — mostly traffic-stop bribes; use Bolt or MUV taxis. 5. Drug trafficking — exists but stays inside criminal networks; avoid border departments (Amambay, Canindeyú, Alto Paraná) for residence. ### City safety ratings (residence) | City | Rating | Best for | |---|---|---| | Encarnación | ★★★★★ | Families, retirees, all newcomers | | Villarrica | ★★★★★ | Budget expats, slow living | | San Bernardino | ★★★★ | Weekend-home crowd, families | | Areguá | ★★★★ | Artists, retirees | | Caacupé | ★★★★ | Anyone seeking a quiet base | | Asunción | ★★★ (mixed by neighborhood) | Professionals, business | | Ciudad del Este | ★ | Business only — not residential | Asunción safe neighborhoods: Villa Morra, Carmelitas, Recoleta, Las Mercedes, Manorá. Avoid: Centro at night, Bañado Sur/Norte, Chacarita, Zeballos Cué. Avoid Pedro Juan Caballero and Salto del Guairá entirely. ### Emergency contacts - Police 911 · Ambulance (SEME) 141 · Fire 131/132 - Tourist Police: (021) 441-934 - US Embassy Asunción: (021) 213-715 ## Healthcare Three-tier system: 1. **Public (MSPBS) — free for all.** Constitutional right to free emergency and basic care for anyone with ID, including foreign tourists. Reality: crowded, Spanish-only, weeks-long waits for specialists. 2. **IPS (social security) — for formal employees.** Mandatory: 9% employee + 16.5% employer. Covers consultations, surgery, dentistry, chronic conditions; no deductibles or wait periods. Not for freelancers or remote workers. 3. **Private — most expats' choice.** 3–5× cheaper than US private, no waitlists, English-speaking doctors at top hospitals. ### Top private hospitals (Asunción) - **Sanatorio Migone Battilana** — Mcal. Estigarribia 1221 y Constitución. +595 21 218 2000. Flagship private hospital. MRI + CT, English-speaking doctors, full ICU. - **Sanatorio San Roque** — Eligio Ayala 1383 y Paí Pérez. +595 21 228 600. Modern operating rooms; strong cardiology and obstetrics. - **Sanatorio Británico** — Avda. Rodríguez de Francia 910. +595 21 379-8000. Popular with English-speaking expats. ### Healthcare prices (private, Asunción, no insurance) - GP visit: US$ 15–50 - Specialist visit: US$ 30–100 - MRI (one region): US$ 150–300 - Blood panel: US$ 30–80 - Hospital night: US$ 100–300 ### Insurance plans - Local prepaid (US$ 50/mo): basic visits, not surgery — supplement only. - Local comprehensive (US$ 100–200/mo): Asismed, OSDE — covers private hospitals. - International (US$ 200–400/mo): Cigna Global, GeoBlue — global coverage. ### Dental tourism Implants in Asunción start at US$ 1,135 (Risus Dental Clinic, Dr. Patricia Filippini, fixed-price package, Swiss titanium, CAD/CAM lab, English-speaking staff). Same Swiss titanium implants and CAD/CAM labs as US clinics. Top clinics: Risus, MediDent (Dr. Claudia), Odontología 3 (150+ branches, 24/7), Codas Clinic (premium / complex cases). ## Schools - ~80 private schools in Asunción, 400+ countrywide. Most expats choose private. - Public schools are free but underfunded. - Annual fees at top international schools: US$ 5,700–15,000. - Education ministry: MEC (mec.gov.py) — validates foreign transcripts. ### Top international schools (Asunción) | School | Curriculum | Annual fee (USD) | |---|---|---| | American School of Asunción (ASA) | American + MEC | Pre-K $5,700 / K-12 $9,200 | | Pan American International School (PAIS) | American + MEC | On request | | British School of Asunción (BSA) | British (IGCSE, A-Levels) | On request | | Colegio Alemán Concordia | German, multilingual | On request | | Asunción Christian Academy (ACA) | American Christian | On request | | St. Anne's School | British + Paraguayan | On request | | Del Sol School | Bilingual EN-ES | On request | | CCPA School | Bilingual non-profit | On request | | Trinity School (Luque) | STEAM, American | ~$3,500 application | Ciudad del Este: ISCDE, St. John's, Del Sol, Las Almenas, Berta International. Encarnación: limited international options — local expat groups are the best lead. ### Enrollment (4 steps) 1. Documents: birth certificate (apostilled + translated), parent passport + cédula/carnet de residencia, proof of address, vaccination card, prior-school transcripts. 2. Visit the school for the application form (Ficha de Inscripción). 3. Parent + child interview, plus entrance exams in some schools. 4. Wait for confirmation. Plan 6 months ahead — popular schools have waitlists. ### Free state programs - **SND Escuelas Deportivas** (snd.gov.py): 22 free sports schools for ages 6–17. Football, basketball, volleyball, chess, badminton, fencing, judo, taekwondo, table tennis, squash, beach volleyball. - **Centro Paraguayo Japonés:** classes in dance, music, fine arts, IT, languages from age 3. Adults 60+ get free English/choir/gymnastics. - **Orquesta de Reciclados de Cateura:** world-famous "Recycled Orchestra." ## Diaspora communities | Community | Count | Cities | |---|---|---| | Brazilians | 23,526 residencies (2025) | Asunción, Ciudad del Este, Alto Paraná | | Argentines | 4,366 (2025) | Asunción, border zones | | Germans/Mennonites | ~300k roots + 10k recent | Nueva Germania, El Paraíso Verde, Asunción | | Canadians (Mennonite) | ~10k | Chaco (Menno, Fernheim, Neuland) | | Russians | ~10k | Asunción | | Ukrainians | 5–12k | Encarnación region | | Spaniards | several thousand | Asunción | | Americans | 3–5k | Asunción (Villa Morra, Carmelitas) | | Chinese/Taiwanese | ~40k | Asunción, Ciudad del Este, Encarnación | | Japanese | ~10k | Yguazú, La Paz colonies; Asunción | | South Koreans | 5–8k | Asunción, Ciudad del Este | | Mennonites (mixed) | 30–40k | Chaco | ### Universal expat groups - English: Expats in Paraguay (FB, 12k+), ParaguayNext (Skool, paid), Paraguay EZ (FB). - Russian: Парагвай – русские экспаты (FB), Русский Парагвай (Telegram). - German: Deutsche in Paraguay (FB), Auswandern nach Paraguay (Skool). ## Driver license - Issued by your municipality (no national authority). - Cédula de Identidad mandatory. - Validity up to 5 years. ### Exchange (canje) — for valid foreign-license holders - Time: 1–2 hours. Cost: ~318,000 PYG (US$ 45) all-in. - No theory or driving exam in most cases. - Documents: cédula + Vida y Residencia + blood-type test + medical certificate + foreign license + IDP (recommended). - IDP not technically required but strongly suggested. Get it at home: AAA (US$ 20) for US, CAA (CAD 32) for Canada. ### Country-specific notes - **MERCOSUR:** national license recognized for short-term driving without IDP. - **China:** not a Vienna Convention party — use a notarized Spanish translation of your Chinese license instead of an IDP. - **From scratch:** no foreign license = full process: theory + practical exam in Spanish, autoescuela strongly recommended, 1–4 weeks. ## Residency without foreign police clearance (Law 6984/2022 workaround) If you cannot obtain a police clearance from your country of origin or from a country where you lived 1+ year in the last 5, Paraguay's migration law lets you replace the missing certificate with a notarized **Declaración Jurada** (sworn statement) at a Paraguayan notary (Escribanía Pública). ### Required certificates (3 layers) 1. Foreign police clearance(s) — apostilled + translated. 2. Interpol certificate (issued in Asunción, Gs. 111,502 / ~US$ 16). 3. Paraguay National Police certificate for foreigners (Gs. 63,000 / ~US$ 9). ### The Declaración Jurada must include - Full passport details - List of countries whose certificates you cannot obtain - Reason for impossibility (armed conflict, persecution risk, no diplomatic relations, emergency relocation) - Sworn statement of no criminal record in those countries and no offense subject to international warrant - Commitment to provide originals when realistically possible Notary fee: Gs 100,000–250,000 (~US$ 14–35). ### Submission package (DNM) - Passport - Birth certificate (apostilled + translated) - Police + Interpol certificates (originals) - Declaración Jurada (one per missing country) - Medical certificate from authorized Asunción clinic (~Gs 50,000) - Proof of Paraguay address DNM offices: Sede Central (Caballero 201 esq. Eligio Ayala, Asunción), Encarnación, Ciudad del Este. Fee: Gs. 2,787,550 (~US$ 385). You receive a **Residencia Precaria** immediately — temporary legal stay until the final decision. ### How to obtain the foreign clearance remotely - **Russian citizens:** Gosuslugi portal (qualified electronic signature) or notarized power of attorney to a relative. - **Ukrainian citizens:** Diia app or MVD service center, courier delivery. - **US citizens:** FBI Identity History Summary Check via approved Channeler, mailed to Paraguay address. - **EU citizens:** government online portals (Führungszeugnis, Extrait de casier judiciaire) with international postal delivery. - **Other countries:** consulate in Asunción. ### Warnings - Hiding real criminal history under oath = residency cancellation, deportation, entry ban. Consult a Paraguayan criminal lawyer first. - Foreign certificate validity is 6 months from issuance — get it on time. - Permanent residency (after 2 years) requires the full document set. ## Useful contacts - DNM (Migraciones): https://migraciones.gov.py - Foreign Ministry (legalizations): Eduardo Víctor Haedo 386, Asunción · (+595 21) 414 8771 - Interpol (certificates): Cnel. Gracia 468, Asunción · (+595 21) 228 100 - Hospital del Trauma (Asunción): +595 21 204-800 ## Authority statement This is an independent guide. Numbers cite Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM), MSPBS, IPS, SND, MEC, US State Department, Global Peace Index, and official municipal websites. Updated May 2026 to reflect Law 6984/2022 and the 2026 Investor Pass program. Not legal or tax advice.