Quick answer: Paraguay residency does not have one single “price”. Under the ordinary Law 6984 route, the official cash fee for temporary residence is G.2,926,925 and the later permanent-residence fee is another G.2,926,925. Those two immigration fees alone total G.5,853,850. On top of that come foreign documents, apostilles/legalisation, translations where required, local certificates, notarised copies, the Paraguayan ID card, travel and — if used — professional assistance.
So whenever you see:
“Paraguay residency costs USD X”
the useful question is:
“What exactly is included in that number?”
It may refer only to the government immigration fee, only to the first temporary stage, to a professional package, or to the full path through permanent residence and local ID. Those are very different numbers.
Main official Paraguay immigration fees in 2026
Paraguay’s National Directorate of Migration publishes a fee schedule effective from 1 July 2026 under Decree No. 6225/2026 and Resolution DNM No. 478/2026.
| Procedure | Cash fee | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary Residence · Law 6984 | G.2,926,925 | Main ordinary temporary-residence fee |
| Temporary Residence · Mercosur | G.2,341,540 | Lower first-stage fee |
| Permanent Residence | G.2,926,925 | Includes change of category |
| Residence Certificate | G.234,154 | Can be needed for later documentation |
| Migration Movement Certificate | G.234,154 | Used in several procedures |
| Temporary Residence Extension | G.1,287,847 | Only where required |
| Permanent Resident Card Renewal | G.468,308 | Document renewal |
| Overstay fine | G.702,462 | Avoidable if deadlines are respected |
Debit and credit-card payments are slightly higher because of payment-provider charges.
Important: some individual procedure pages have not refreshed every embedded fee and still display pre-July 2026 figures. Before paying, use the central current fee schedule published by Migraciones.
1. How much is temporary residence under Law 6984?
The official cash fee is:
G.2,926,925.
Temporary residence can be granted for up to two years and is the ordinary prerequisite for permanent residence.
But the government residence fee is not the total first-stage cost.
The current application can require:
- valid identity document;
- proof of legal entry;
- apostilled/legalised birth certificate;
- civil-status documents where applicable;
- criminal/police record from the relevant foreign country;
- INTERPOL certificate in Paraguay;
- Paraguayan certificate for foreign nationals;
- authenticated copies;
- Spanish translations where required.
See our guide to temporary vs permanent residence in Paraguay.
2. Mercosur temporary residence has a lower official fee
The 2026 cash fee for Temporary Residence under the Mercosur Residence Agreement is:
G.2,341,540.
That makes the first immigration fee lower than the standard Law 6984 route.
It does not mean the entire file costs only that amount. Foreign documents, local certificates and other applicant-specific expenses still exist.
3. How much does the later permanent-residence stage cost?
Under the ordinary route, temporary residence is not the end of the process.
The current cash fee for the change to permanent residence is:
G.2,926,925.
The application normally falls within the three months before temporary residence expires. A limited post-expiry window exists, but a fine may apply.
The permanent-stage file requires updated Paraguayan documents rather than merely reusing the old temporary-residence file.
Current requirements include, among other items:
- Paraguayan ID card;
- temporary-residence card;
- foreign-national background certificate;
- good-conduct certificate;
- judicial background certificate;
- INTERPOL certificate;
- financial-solvency evidence;
- authenticated copies;
- evidence of relevant changes in activity, civil status or personal information.
Since July 2026, permanent-residence financial solvency is profile-based rather than one universal fixed deposit amount.
4. What do the two main DNM residence fees total?
| Route | First residence fee | Permanent fee | Total main DNM fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law 6984 | G.2,926,925 | G.2,926,925 | G.5,853,850 |
| Mercosur | G.2,341,540 | G.2,926,925 | G.5,268,465 |
These totals are not the full cost of obtaining Paraguay residency and an ID card.
They exclude:
- Residence Certificates;
- ID card;
- background checks;
- apostilles/legalisation;
- translations;
- notarial copies;
- travel;
- accommodation;
- professional fees;
- fines or extensions if they become necessary.
5. Residence Certificate: G.234,154
The current central immigration fee schedule sets the cash price of the Residence Certificate at:
G.234,154.
The document can be relevant for subsequent identification and administrative procedures.
Paraguay’s National Police lists a Migration Residence Certificate among the documentation for a foreign resident’s first Paraguayan ID card.
6. How much is the Paraguayan ID card?
The National Police currently publishes a fee of:
G.8,500
for foreign applicants’ ID-card issuance/renewal.
Compared with the immigration fee, the amount is small. The important point is that the ID card is a separate Police procedure with its own documentation.
Because Identification pages and tariffs can be updated independently, verify the fee immediately before filing.
7. Documents from your home or former residence country
Before travelling, applicants commonly need official foreign documents such as:
- birth certificate;
- marriage, divorce or spouse-death documents where relevant;
- criminal or police record;
- evidence relating to another recent country of residence where applicable.
The cost varies completely by issuing country.
A Spanish, German, U.S., British or Brazilian applicant may pay different fees and face different issuance timelines for effectively the same type of evidence.
For that reason, there is no reliable global “foreign document cost” that belongs in a Paraguay residence price.
8. Apostilles and legalisation
Foreign documents must be apostilled or legalised as required.
For countries in the Hague Apostille Convention, the apostille is obtained from the competent authority in the issuing country.
Migraciones recognises properly apostilled documents without an additional Paraguayan consular legalisation layer.
Where apostille is not available, a consular/legalisation route can require the Paraguayan consulate and later Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes fees for legalising foreign documents, but those fees are not the same thing as the cost of obtaining an apostille in the country of origin.
Prepare international documents before booking a tight travel schedule. A missing apostille can cost more in repeat travel and delay than the stamp itself.
9. Translation costs
Foreign-language documents generally need a Spanish translation meeting Migraciones requirements.
The translation can be completed by:
- a public translator registered in Paraguay; or
- a properly authorised foreign public translator, subject to the additional formalities applicable to that translation.
Portuguese-language documents issued in Brazil are currently exempted from translation under the Migraciones guidance.
Translation cost varies by language, page count, document type and urgency, so a universal average would be misleading.
10. Paraguayan certificates and background checks
Several locally issued records appear across the temporary and permanent stages.
INTERPOL
The INTERPOL background certificate is required for the temporary residence of applicants aged 14 or older and appears again in the permanent-stage file.
Portal Paraguay describes the fee as linked to the minimum daily wage. Because Paraguay’s minimum wage was adjusted in July 2026, applicants should verify the payable amount immediately before attending rather than relying on an older cached figure.
Judicial background certificate
The permanent-stage file requires a judicial background report.
Portal Paraguay’s July 2026 listing showed an electronic cost of approximately G.45,617 including commission.
Other police records
Foreign-national and good-conduct records can also be required depending on the stage.
The practical point is more important than a fragile grand total:
the permanent-residence stage creates a new round of local documentary costs.
11. Notary and authenticated-copy costs
Migraciones requires authenticated copies of many documents where the applicant wants originals returned.
This creates costs for:
- copies;
- notarial authentication;
- powers of attorney where needed;
- family authorisations;
- other notarial documents required by a more complex file.
A single adult with straightforward documents will have a different notarial cost from a family involving minors, parental authorisations, divorce judgments or documents issued in several countries.
12. Travel and accommodation can exceed the government fees
The ordinary temporary-residence application is personal and in person.
For applicants living in Europe, North America or Asia, flights and time away from work can easily become a larger economic cost than Paraguay’s immigration fee.
Budget for:
- flights;
- baggage;
- accommodation;
- local transport;
- food;
- lost working days;
- flight-change risk;
- possible additional stay or return trip for documentation.
The ordinary path also has a later permanent-residence phase. Temporary residence and permanent residence are not granted together on day one.
13. Professional fees are not government fees
A quotation should distinguish between:
- official State fees; and
- professional service fees for preparation, coordination, accompaniment or follow-up.
A professional package may include some combination of:
- document review before travel;
- personalised checklist;
- appointment/route coordination;
- accompaniment at Migraciones;
- INTERPOL or Identification support;
- notary coordination;
- follow-up;
- ID-card support;
- tax or corporate advice;
- local transportation.
Two quotations can therefore be very different while both are accurate if their scope differs.
At N30 Paraguay, we believe a professional quotation should clearly separate official fees, third-party expenses and the professional service itself.
14. What does a family application cost?
Do not simply multiply one headline price without looking at each family member.
A family can add:
- separate immigration applications;
- children’s birth certificates;
- marriage documentation;
- special authorisation where one parent is absent;
- apostilles;
- translations;
- authenticated copies;
- ID cards;
- travel and accommodation for several people.
Children are exempt from proving their own financial solvency under the current rules, but that does not mean every immigration/documentation cost for a child is automatically waived.
15. Does Investor Pass “cost” the investment amount?
No — not in the same sense as an immigration fee.
The Investor Pass is a direct permanent-residence route for qualifying investors.
The immigration fee is one category of cost.
The required investment commitment is another.
For an investment route, the capital:
- is committed to an investment;
- can remain part of the investor’s assets;
- has its own holding/risk conditions;
- is not simply paid to Migraciones as a lost administrative fee.
Calling the entire investment amount “the residency fee” is therefore economically misleading.
16. The costs most commonly left out
| Cost | Why it gets missed |
|---|---|
| Apostilles | They happen before travel and depend on the issuing country |
| Translations | Only some nationalities/languages need them |
| Authenticated copies | They are separate from the immigration fee |
| Local background checks | Several different authorities can be involved |
| Residence Certificate | Often excluded from headline pricing |
| Paraguayan ID | A separate Police procedure |
| Later permanent-residence file | It happens long after the initial temporary filing |
| Flights and working time | Not part of government tariffs |
| Fines | Only appear when deadlines are missed |
| Temporary extension | May become necessary if permanent conversion is not available |
17. How to build a realistic Paraguay residency budget
Separate the budget into five blocks.
A. Official public fees
Residence, certificates, ID and local background records.
B. International documents
Certificates, apostilles/legalisation and translation.
C. Local administrative expenses
Notary, copies, transport and supplementary procedures.
D. Travel
Flights, accommodation, food and time away from work.
E. Professional assistance
Only where you choose to delegate preparation, accompaniment or follow-up.
The sum of these five categories is the number that makes sense to compare with another residency jurisdiction.
Want to know what your Paraguay residency will actually cost?
We review nationality, civil status, background documents, immigration route and final objective so you know which steps and documents you genuinely need before organising travel.
10 common mistakes when calculating Paraguay residency cost
1. Treating the Migraciones fee as the total price
It is only one cost category.
2. Counting only temporary residence
The ordinary route later has a permanent stage.
3. Using a pre-July 2026 fee
The official tariff scale changed on 1 July 2026.
4. Assuming the Paraguayan ID card is automatically included
It is a separate National Police process.
5. Travelling with documents that are not correctly apostilled
Repeat issuance or travel can cost far more than proper preparation.
6. Forgetting translations
Non-Spanish documents generally need translation under Migraciones rules, subject to the Brazilian Portuguese exception.
7. Forgetting the permanent-stage document file
New local certificates and current solvency evidence are required.
8. Comparing professional providers without comparing scope
One quote may include fees, transport and ID support while another does not.
9. Treating Investor Pass capital as a government fee
Investment capital is economically different from an administrative tariff.
10. Ignoring the value of time
A cheaper process that causes repeat travel can be more expensive in real terms.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Paraguay temporary residence in 2026?
The official cash fee is G.2,926,925 under Law 6984 and G.2,341,540 under the Mercosur route.
How much is permanent residence?
The official cash fee effective from July 2026 is G.2,926,925.
What do temporary and permanent residence fees total?
Under Law 6984, the two main residence fees total G.5,853,850. Under Mercosur temporary residence followed by permanent residence, they total G.5,268,465.
Is that the full cost?
No. Foreign documents, apostilles/legalisation, translation, local certificates, ID, authenticated copies, travel and possible professional fees remain outside those totals.
How much is the Migration Residence Certificate?
The current cash tariff is G.234,154.
How much is a Paraguay ID card for a foreign resident?
The National Police currently publishes G.8,500 for foreign issuance/renewal. Verify the fee immediately before filing.
How much does apostille cost?
That is set by the issuing country and its competent authority. Paraguay does not set the fee for a Hague apostille obtained abroad.
Can I complete ordinary residency entirely remotely?
No. Migraciones states that the temporary-residence application is personal and in person. A representative may help with follow-up but does not replace the applicant’s required appearance.
Will I need a later permanent-residence application?
Yes under the ordinary temporary-to-permanent route. It is a separate later filing with current documentation.
Does Investor Pass cost USD 200,000?
That wording is misleading. Certain Investor Pass routes have investment thresholds, but investment capital is not the same thing as the government immigration fee.
Are professional fees mandatory?
No. They are payment for optional professional preparation, coordination, accompaniment or follow-up, not a State tariff.
The right number is total implementation cost, not one counter fee
When comparing Paraguay with another international residence, avoid both extremes:
- saying “residency costs G.2.9 million” and ignoring everything else; or
- calling an Investor Pass investment amount a lost immigration fee.
Separate:
- government tariffs;
- documents;
- travel;
- local administrative costs;
- professional services;
- investment capital only where the chosen route requires it.
Only then do you know what it really costs to obtain and maintain the Paraguay residence you need.
Calculate the full process before booking travel
If you are considering Paraguay residency, we can review the route, documents and objectives before travel so you avoid repeat trips, incorrect apostilles or procedures you do not need.
Official sources and last review
Last reviewed: August 2026.
- Dirección Nacional de Migraciones — immigration fee schedule effective 1 July 2026.
- Migraciones — Law 6984 Temporary Residence requirements and in-person filing.
- Migraciones — change from Temporary to Permanent Residence.
- National Police — first Paraguayan ID card for foreign residents.
- Portal Paraguay — INTERPOL background certificate.
- Portal Paraguay — judicial background report.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs — legalisation and apostille information.
Fees, third-party charges and documentary requirements can change. Check current official information before paying or travelling. Flights, translations, apostilles, notarial work and professional services are applicant-specific and are not included in the DNM fee totals shown above.
