Paraguayan citizenship and passport in 2026

Methods of obtaining

The Paraguayan Constitution distinguishes between nationality by birth and nationality by naturalization. Nacionalidad natural is received by people born in Paraguay, children of Paraguayans born abroad subject to the conditions of registration and radicación permanente, as well as children of unknown parents found in the country. This is a classic combination of the principles of jus soli and jus sanguinis, but for the children of Paraguayans abroad, it is not only the blood that is important, but the subsequent formalization of the connection with Paraguay.

For foreigners, the main path is naturalización (naturalization). The Constitution requires the age of majority, a minimum of three years of radicación in the country, regular exercise of a profession, craft, science, art or industry, and a buena conducta. In practice, the procedure goes through the Corte Suprema de Justicia, in person, with the participation of a lawyer and with verification of documents, domicile, work, criminal records and integration. This is not a migration application, but a separate judicial-administrative process where the Supreme Court assesses whether a person is truly connected to the country.

Settlement qualification

The constitutional period for naturalization is three years of radicación mínima en territorio nacional. But in practical terms, for most applicants the path is longer. First, the foreigner first holds temporary residence, then receives permanent residence, and only after that waits three years to apply for the Carta de Naturalización. Therefore, the standard path often looks like 2 years of temporary status plus 3 years of permanent residence, and then a separate process in CSJ. The official Poder Judicial explicitly states: after receiving the radicación permanente, you must wait 3 years to request the Carta de Naturalización.

In this case, the period is not limited to the formal possession of the card. Acordada 464/2007 says that the radicación continuada is not considered fulfilled if the person has only a formal commercial address in Paraguay, but a real domicile abroad. Also a problem is traveling for more than 3 months a year in each of the three years before filing. Therefore, for citizenship you do not need “passport tourism”, but a well-organized body of evidence: address, work or business, documents, certificates, presence and a clear center of life in the country.

Citizens' rights

Paraguayan citizenship gives access to a full set of rights unavailable to residents, including political participation, protection of the state, the right to a Paraguayan passport and a stronger regional position within Mercosur. For a naturalized citizen, a nuance is important: according to Article 152 of the Constitution, they become a citizen in the political sense 2 years after receiving nationality. That is, Carta de Naturalización does not mean immediate inclusion in all political rights the next day.

Within the region, Paraguayan citizenship is convenient as a Mercosur status: it simplifies life, work and legalization in neighboring countries compared to passports from third countries. But within the Paraguayan system itself, there are positions reserved for paraguayos naturales or requiring special status. Therefore, the Paraguayan passport should be viewed as a strong tool for regional mobility, tax and life strategy, but not as a complete erasure of the distinction between a citizen by birth and a naturalized citizen.

Responsibilities of citizens

Paraguayan citizenship comes with civic responsibilities. Participation in elections is traditionally seen as a citizen's duty, and the political inclusion of a naturalized person occurs after the deadline established by the Constitution. Separately, it must be taken into account that obtaining citizenship through the CSJ requires an oath and recognition of the Paraguayan constitutional order. For a foreigner, this is not a decorative step: the state expects loyalty, real domicile and the absence of behavior incompatible with the status received.

The second practical responsibility is to maintain a clear administrative and legal record. Naturalized citizens in Paraguay are more vulnerable than citizens by birth: Article 150 of the Constitution provides for loss of nationality upon unjustified absence from the country for more than 3 years, if determined by a court, or upon voluntary acquisition of another nationality. Therefore, after naturalization, the connection with Paraguay cannot be completely severed, especially if the person received citizenship as an immigration tool.

Paraguayan citizenship and taxes

The Paraguayan tax system remains one of the clearest in the region: it is structured around Paraguayan-source income. Ley 6380/2019 establishes that the IRE taxes income, benefits and profits from a source in Paraguay; The income of resident individuals from a Paraguayan source is also important for IRP. This makes Paraguay attractive to people with international incomes, but only if the income structure does not truly create a Paraguayan source.

It is important not to repeat the simplistic myth “Paraguay does not tax foreign income at all under any circumstances.” The law contains special source rules, including cases where services, activities, rights or economic use are associated with Paraguay. In addition, dividends are subject to IDU: 8% for residents and 15% for non-residents for Ley 6380. This is why the Investor Pass is interesting not only from a migration perspective, but also from a fiscal perspective: MIC specifically indicates a reduction in the dividend burden from 15% to 8% for residents.

Second passport

Article 149 of the Constitution allows for nacionalidad múltiple through an international treaty of reciprocity at the constitutional level. In addition, Law 7052 regulates birthright citizenship and multiple nationalities, including cases of treaties, constitutional reciprocity and the situation of paraguayos naturales that are naturalized abroad.

For naturalized foreigners, the logic is stricter. The Constitution expressly provides for the loss of nationality of naturalized Paraguayans upon the voluntary acquisition of another nationality, unless there is permissible reciprocity. Treaty exceptions do exist: for example, with Italy there is an agreement approved by Ley 6479, and with Spain there is a separate historical treaty base.

For some clients, the path to citizenship may be justified, but it requires living in the country, patience, and a willingness to accept judicial uncertainty.

Deprivation of citizenship

For paraguayos naturales, protection is maximum: Article 147 of the Constitution explicitly states that no Paraguayan by birth can be deprived of his nationality, although he can voluntarily renounce it. This makes birthright citizenship very stable. Therefore, a child born in Paraguay and falling under article 146 of the Constitution receives a qualitatively different status than a naturalized adult foreigner.

For naturalizados the risk is higher. Article 150 of the Constitution provides for the loss of nationality in the event of an unjustified absence from the Republic for more than 3 years, if this is declared by a court, or in the event of the voluntary acquisition of another nationality. Acordada 464/2007 further describes the casación de cartas de naturalización procedure and the control of the stay of naturalized persons. This does not mean that the passport is "automatically taken away", but it does mean that after naturalization, the connection with Paraguay must remain legally protected and explainable.

Inalienability

A citizen by birth cannot be forcibly deprived of his nationality, but can voluntarily renounce it. This follows directly from Article 147 of the Constitution. Acordada 464/2007 also provides for a renuncia procedure: the person must indicate the nationality he chooses, submit the relevant documents and confirm that there are no pending legal cases. For naturalizados, renunciation of the Carta de Naturalización and cancellation has more severe consequences.

This is important for international planning. Paraguayan citizenship by birth is stable, but not completely “unchangeable”. Naturalized citizenship, on the contrary, requires caution: you cannot disappear from the country for a long time without explanation, you cannot build a strategy for subsequent naturalizations without analyzing Article 150 and international treaties. Therefore, Paraguay is suitable for those who want a rational and inexpensive path to regional status.

Freedom of movement

The Paraguayan passport is convenient as a regional and international document. It provides visa-free or simplified access to many Latin American countries, the Schengen area and a number of other destinations. Within South America, not only the passport plays a special role, but also the cédula de identidad: for travel within the region, the Mercosur citizen document is often more practical than the classic visa logic. For the client, this means not only tourism, but also easier regional mobility, banking trips, business meetings and life between several countries.

But the Paraguayan passport should not be understood as a top global document on the level of the most powerful passports in the world. Its value lies elsewhere: low cost of living and residence, territorial tax logic, Mercosur, a fast path to permanent residence for investors and a relatively clear procedure for citizenship through CSJ. This is a passport that supports a carefully designed regional strategy, not a showcase document for maximum visa-free travel. It is of particular interest to those who view Latin America as a regional system rather than as a single country.

Marital status

Family in Paraguay most quickly affects not naturalization itself, but access to permanent residence. Migraciones provides a separate permanent residence route for children and spouses of Paraguayans. This is important: if a spouse, child or other family connection entitles you to obtain permanent residence faster, then the three-year period before citizenship can begin earlier than with the usual two-step path through temporary residence.

Having a child in Paraguay also changes family strategy. The child receives birthright citizenship under Article 146 of the Constitution, and the parents receive a strong basis for legalization and consolidation of status.

But parents do not automatically become citizens: they still need to follow their own route through residence status, actual residence, and documentation, buena conducta, work or other type of regular activity and procedure in the Supreme Court. The family helps build the route, but does not replace naturalization.