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GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
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The admission, the entrance, permanence and exit of foreigners in the Paraguayan territory is governed by the provisions of the National Constitution, Law 978/96 “Immigrations Law”, which its regulated by Decree Nº 18.295, which purpose is to promote the population and work force flow required by Paraguay. Law 978/96 creates the Immigration Office, which is in charge of the execution of national migratory policies.
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It must be noted that the foreigner admitted,as non-residents cannot work on their own or in a dependency labour relation, save express authorisation of the Immigrations Office.
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EXEMPTED PERSONS
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The persons exempted from this regime are diplomatic and consular service personnel accredited and recognised by the Paraguayan government. Administrative and technical official, family of said official and/or representatives named previously are also exempted.
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ADMISSIONS OF FOREIGNERS. CATEGORIES
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Foreigners may be admitted under the following categories: residents and non-residents (tourist visa).
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PERMANENT RESIDENCE
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Under this category, foreigners enter the country to reside in it to develop any activity that the proper authorities consider useful for the development of the country. The foreigner with permanent residence must obtain a Paraguayan identification card. Once admitted, these foreigners may remain in the country for an indefinite amount of time, unless they incur in one of the causes that result in the cancellation of the residence or expulsion from the country. The duration of the permanent residence document is 5 years, renewable for equal length periods.
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WHERE TO APPLY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE
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Applicants for Permanent Residence must apply at the Paraguayan Embassy/Consulate in the country of residence. Only in the cases where there is no Paraguayan resident or concurrent Embassy/Consulate, the Immigration Office will accept the change of category from non-resident to resident (Article 3, Decree No. 13.025 issued on May 3, 2001).
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CANCELLATION OF RESIDENCE AND/OR DEPORTATION
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The court and/ or the Immigrations Office may determine the cancellation of the residence in the different categories.
Foreigners with residence in Paraguay:
a. must comply with local laws and regulations, non compliance would cause the expulsion from the country;
b. they must exercise their profession and/or activity and/or comply with the conditions that motivated his residence in the country;
c. who leave the country, without prior justification, for a period longer than 3 years.
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DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCE
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1. Identification Document (passport or any other);
2. Police or Court Records of the country of origin of the applicant; *
3. Birth Certificate; *
4. Civil State Certificate; (married, divorced, separated, widowed); *
5. Health Certificate from the country of origin or of last residence; *
6. Consular tourist visa for the countries that require it;
7. Economic solvency statement, that my be proven as follows:
a. Deposit in a bank in Paraguay in the amount of at least five thousand dollars (U$D 5.000.-) in a savings or current account in the name of the applicant or its equivalent in local currency or any other currency at the date of the proceedings;
b. Real Estate property deed of a property located in Paraguay; or
c. University Diploma attached to a promise or work contract in Paraguay with the indication of the amount to be received as fees or salary. A commercial license will not be accepted. *
* These documents must be legalised at the Paraguayan consulate in the country of origin. The identification document does not require legalisation
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ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO BE OBTAINED IN PARAGUAY.
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1. issued by the National Police, Identifications Department of Paraguay;
2. Interpol certificate issued by the regional office in Asuncion, Paraguay;
3. Life and residence Certificate issued by the jurisdictional police station;
4. Proof of legal entrance to the country (visa or sealed passport), issued by the immigrations authorities at the control posts (airports and border);
5. 6 ID photographs in colour 3 x 3;
6. Affidavit that the applicant will abide by the laws of the country signed by a Notary Public.
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SANCTIONS
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The sanctions established in the Immigrations Law is a fine and even jail sentence, since the Immigrations Office and the Criminal Courts are competent to resolve.
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Jail sentence may vary from 3 months to 2 years in accordance to the importance of the case, which among other may consist of the use, forgery and modification of documents; re-entering the country without authorisation of a foreigner whom had previously been expelled from the country.
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The fines may be imposed to foreigners that do not complied with the purpose that caused the residence in the country and any other obligation that arises from said act.
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In the application of a fine, the following must be taken into account: the nature, the background information and the recidivism factor of the infraction, as well as the background information of the transgressor.
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