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Citizenship & passports

Paraguay citizenship in 2026: how to naturalise, how long it takes, and what about dual nationality

There is no citizenship by investment. The route is residency first, then 3 years as a permanent resident, then a petition to the Supreme Court.

By 2026-10-186 min read
The Palacio de López, seat of the Paraguayan government, in Asunción.
Photograph — Unsplash
The short answer

You can naturalise as a Paraguayan after at least 3 years of permanent residency, which the Supreme Court counts from the date of your permanent-residency resolution. With up to 2 years of temporary residency first, plan for about 5 years from arrival. The Supreme Court, not the government, decides. You need a real domicile in Paraguay, a regular occupation, good conduct and an elementary exam in Spanish or Guaraní, history and geography. The Investor Pass gives permanent residency, not citizenship. Whether you can keep your current passport is unsettled: ask the Court and your home country before you apply.

The route in one view

StageWhat it is
Temporary residencyUp to 2 years, renewable for the same period (Law 6984, Art. 46); the investor route can skip it
Permanent residencyFiled in the last 3 months before the temporary card expires; from 6 July 2026 it needs documented income
NaturalisationAt least 3 years of permanent residency, then a petition to the Supreme Court (Constitution Art. 148)
Realistic totalAbout 5 years from arrival, longer if the DNM or the Court queue is slow

What the law requires

Article 148 of the Constitution sets four conditions: you are an adult, you have resided in Paraguay for at least 3 years, you practise a profession, trade, science, art or industry, and you show good conduct as the law defines it. The Supreme Court's own rules (Acordada 464/2007) add detail: the 3 years run from the permanent-residency resolution, you need a real domicile in Paraguay (a business address with a home abroad does not count), and the Court refuses applicants who were away more than 3 months a year in each of the 3 preceding years. The 2022 Migration Law contains no naturalisation procedure, so it did not change this. A bill to regulate Articles 148 and 150 was in a Deputies committee in May 2026 and is not law.

Residence on paper is not enoughIn May 2026 the head of the migration authority said some foreigners seek residence and naturalisation for the passport without really living in Paraguay. The Court's rules cut against that: a real domicile and a limit on absences are conditions, not formalities.

The file and the exam

The Court's page lists what the petition needs. It must be signed by a lawyer (or an attorney with a special power) who sets a procedural address in Asunción, and it carries a court fee of ₲43,051.

  • Your Paraguayan cédula and passport.
  • Your birth certificate, apostilled.
  • The permanent-admission card and the DNM "Certificado de Radicación".
  • Police and criminal-record certificates, and a good-conduct certificate from your home country.
  • A work certificate from an employer showing IPS and RUC numbers, or a trade licence with RUC, or a study or professional title.
  • A CV, and a sworn declaration signed in person at the Court.

Applicants are examined on elementary knowledge of one of the official languages (Spanish or Guaraní), Paraguayan history and geography, and the constitutional rules on losing nationality.

Timeline and cost

Inside the Court the Fiscal General has 5 days to give an opinion and the Court has up to 30 days to rule once the file is complete. If granted, you swear an oath and receive the naturalisation letter (Carta de Naturalización), the instrument that proves you hold Paraguayan nationality. The passport is requested afterwards. Time to assemble the file and wait in the queue is not published. Since 12 October 2026 new naturalisation files run fully electronically through the Court's parties portal. The only official cost we could confirm is the ₲43,051 court fee: lawyer, translation and apostille costs are not published, so ask for quotes.

Can you buy citizenship?

No. We found no citizenship-by-investment programme in Paraguayan law. The Investor Pass (Resolution MIC 0283/2026) gives a route to permanent residency without the temporary stage. The naturalisation clock of 3 years of permanent residency then still has to run. See the Paraguay residency guide for the investor thresholds.

Dual nationality: what we know and what we don't

Article 149 of the Constitution admits multiple nationality only through an international treaty with reciprocity, and Article 150 says a naturalised Paraguayan can lose nationality by voluntarily acquiring another one or by an unjustified absence of more than 3 years declared by a court. What the Constitution does not say is that a foreign applicant must give up their passport to naturalise, and we found no official statement either way. A Court-hosted monograph names only Spain as having a treaty. Treat dual nationality as unsettled: ask the Court, and ask your home country whether it lets you naturalise elsewhere without penalty. Some countries penalise acquiring another nationality.

What the Paraguayan passport gives you

Rankings differ by index and date: roughly 26th with about 145 destinations without a prior visa in 2026 figures reported by the press, and 25th with 143 in another index. Details and sources are in our Paraguay passport guide.

Citizenship is not tax residency

Holding or applying for Paraguayan nationality does not by itself decide where you are taxed. See how Paraguay taxes residents and, if you are leaving another country, the checklists on leaving your current tax home. Expectat is not a law firm: verify with the Court and the authorities before you act.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a Paraguayan citizen?

At least 3 years of permanent residency, counted from the permanent-residency resolution, so about 5 years from arrival with up to 2 years of temporary residency first. Inside the Court the ruling takes up to 30 days once the file is complete; assembling the file and the queue are not published.

Does the 3 years count my temporary residency?

Under the Supreme Court's rules, no: the 3 years are counted from the permanent-residency resolution. The Constitution says only "at least 3 years of residence", so counting temporary time would be a mistake under current practice.

Is there citizenship by investment in Paraguay?

No. The Investor Pass gives a route to permanent residency, and naturalisation still needs 3 years of permanent residency.

Can I keep my current passport?

Unclear. The Constitution admits multiple nationality only through a treaty with reciprocity and says a naturalised Paraguayan who voluntarily acquires another nationality can lose theirs, but it does not say a foreign applicant must renounce. Ask the Court and your home country first.

Can I lose Paraguayan citizenship after naturalising?

Under Article 150, a naturalised Paraguayan can lose nationality by voluntarily acquiring another nationality, or by an unjustified absence of more than 3 years declared by a court. Naturalised people who must be away longer for work or study can report it to the Court.

Do I have to live in Paraguay to naturalise?

Yes in practice. The Court requires a real domicile and refuses applicants who were away more than 3 months a year in each of the 3 preceding years.

Official & government sources

Rules and fees change: apply through, and verify current requirements with, the authorities directly:

Keep readingParaguay residency & tax 2026→Paraguay passport: visa-free countries→Citizenship by descent in 2026→Dual citizenship in 2026→

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