Paraguay citizenship: how to get a passport by naturalisation

How Paraguayan citizenship actually works

Paraguay is routinely marketed as citizenship by investment. That description is wrong. There has never been a programme here that exchanges money for a passport. What exists is something different: one of the cheapest entries into permanent residency anywhere in the world, followed by naturalisation under ordinary constitutional rules.

The governing text is the 1992 Constitution, articles 146 to 152. It draws a sharp line between two statuses.

• Nacionalidad natural - citizenship by birth. Article 147 makes it impossible to strip; it can only be renounced voluntarily, and under Law No. 7052/2023 that renunciation is made before the Supreme Court.
• Nacionalidad por naturalización - acquired citizenship. Granted by a court and, as we explain below, capable of being lost under certain conditions.

The second difference from familiar investment programmes: the decision is not made by the immigration service or the government but by the Supreme Court of Justice, through its Civil and Commercial Chamber. Naturalisation in Paraguay is a court case with its own pace, its own evidence and a judge entitled to assess whether your connection to the country is real. The judge, not a formal checklist, decides the outcome.

Third, full rights do not arrive at once. Under article 152 a naturalised Paraguayan becomes a full citizen (ciudadano) only two years after naturalisation. Before that you hold the passport but cannot vote. The presidency and vice presidency are closed to naturalised citizens permanently - those offices are reserved for Paraguayans by birth.

The immigration side of the story is covered on our pages on Paraguay temporary residency and Paraguay permanent residency; here we focus on what happens after it.

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The road to citizenship: residency, permanent residency and when the clock starts

The three years of residence required by article 148 are not counted from your arrival, and not from your temporary status. The clock starts on the date of the resolution granting permanent admission (admisión permanente). This is the single most common source of disappointment: someone has lived in Paraguay for four years but only converted to permanent residency last year, which means two more years before a citizenship filing.

The practical consequence is that your first objective is permanent residency specifically, not merely a legal status. Migration law No. 6984/2022 offers several ways there.

Investor Pass: what changed in 2026

On 21 April 2026 the Ministry of Industry and Commerce approved Resolution No. 0283/2026. It grants PR without a temporary stage for an investment of $70,000 in a business with 5 jobs, $150,000 in tourism or $200,000 in securities or income property. Options, documents and fees are covered on our Paraguay permanent residency page.

The $70,000 threshold is the cheapest category. But it buys residency, not citizenship. It only starts the three-year clock.

What article 148 requires

The Constitution sets four conditions, and a court checks every one of them.

1. Legal adulthood. You must be 18 or older when filing.
2. At least three years of permanent residence in the country. The operative word is residence, not card ownership.
3. Practice of a profession, trade, science, art or industry in Paraguay. You have to show real economic activity: employment, a business, tax registration, invoices issued.
4. Good conduct. Police clearance from Paraguay and from your country of origin.

Arraigo: the requirement that is not in the text

Article 148 says nothing about a minimum number of days in the country, but the court's own regulation does. Under article 42 of Supreme Court acordada No. 464/2007, naturalisation is refused if there is no real home address in Paraguay or if absences exceeded three months a year during the three years before filing. On top of that the court assesses arraigo, meaning genuine roots and a factual link to Paraguay. The judge wants to know whether you live here or simply hold a card: a lease or owned home, utility bills, a bank account with movement, tax registration, family, school enrolment, entry and exit stamps.

A permanent resident who spent a few weeks in the country over three years breaches that rule directly and faces a high risk of refusal or an endless stream of requests for further proof. This is the most frequent reason a file stalls.

The document pack

The judiciary publishes a list of some fifteen items. The core of it:

• certified copies of the Paraguayan cédula and of every passport page;
• birth certificate, apostilled and sworn-translated into Spanish;
• copy of the permanent admission card and a residence certificate from the immigration service;
• criminal record certificates: police, judicial, and one from your country of origin;
• proof of employment or business activity with registration numbers;
• a CV, a sworn statement, photographs, the court fee and filing with legal support from Murblz specialists.

Anything not in Spanish must be translated by a translator accredited with the Supreme Court. The court fee itself is symbolic, in the region of 43,000 guaraníes, a few dollars. The real money goes on legalisation, translation and professional support.

The exam

The Supreme Court administers a written test under its internal rule (acordada 464/2007). Topics: Paraguayan history, geography and culture, plus civics and the basics of the constitutional structure of the state. It is scored out of 30 with a pass mark of 21, that is 70 percent. Sittings are held roughly every two weeks on Mondays and results follow about a week later. The test is not hard, but it does need preparation: memorising spoken answers will not help, since the questions are written and in Spanish.

Timelines and what really happens in 2026

The honest arithmetic looks like this.

All in, four and a half to six years from the first step to the passport is realistic. Anyone promising a Paraguayan passport in twelve to eighteen months is either selling you residency under the label of citizenship or proposing a structure that will fall apart later.

What stretches the process in practice: an incomplete pack, inconsistent spelling of your name across documents, weak proof of residence, no tax activity in Paraguay, changes in the composition of the chamber, and general court workload, since naturalisation files are not treated as urgent.

What speeds it up: continuous physical residence, an operating Paraguayan company that files returns, a child born in Paraguay, a Paraguayan spouse, and a file assembled carefully from day one.

Paraguay citizenship for Russian citizens: process, notification and practice

A Russian passport closes no doors in this process. Paraguayan law does not sort applicants by nationality, and Russian citizens enter without a visa: a 2013 agreement allows 90 days in every 180. The friction for Russians lies elsewhere - in Russian paperwork, in the notification Moscow requires and in the oath.

The route for Russian citizens

1. Documents from Russia. Birth certificate, criminal record certificate and marriage certificate if applicable. Only Russian authorities can apostille them, at 2,500 roubles per document (about USD 30, sub-paragraph 48, paragraph 1, article 333.33 of the Russian Tax Code). If nobody is in Russia to handle it, you will need a representative with a notarised power of attorney.
2. Spanish translation. For the court, anything not in Spanish must be translated by a translator on the Paraguayan Supreme Court register (traductor público matriculado, a sworn translator), as required by article 173 of the Code of Judicial Organisation (Law No. 879/81).
3. Temporary or straight to permanent residency. You apply in person in Asunción at the National Migration Directorate (Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, DNM). Investors putting in USD 70,000 or more under the Investor Pass get permanent residency with no temporary stage; everyone else goes through two years of temporary residency first.
4. Identity card. Once you hold a residence card, the National Police Identification Department issues a Paraguayan identity card (cédula).
5. Three years of living in the country, then court. From here the route is the same for everyone: the exam, the document pack, the Supreme Court decision, the oath.

Notifying the Russian Interior Ministry of a second citizenship

This is the step Russians skip most often, and the penalty for skipping it is criminal. Article 11 of the Russian citizenship law (No. 138-FZ of 28 April 2023) requires a Russian citizen to report every foreign citizenship and every residence permit or other document granting permanent residence abroad. For Paraguay that means two notifications: one after permanent residency and one after citizenship.

Hoping Russia never finds out is pointless. The Supreme Court's internal rules (acordada No. 464/2007, article 49) require the court to report each naturalisation to the Foreign Ministry, which then informs the country of prior nationality.

You keep Russian citizenship, with one caveat

The court's document list does not ask for proof that you have left Russian citizenship. However, according to the explanatory memorandum of a 2025 bill by deputy Johana Vega, current practice includes a renunciation of the nationality of origin in the oath. Russia gives that statement no legal effect: under article 10 of law 138-FZ, acquiring a foreign citizenship does not end Russian citizenship, and Russia treats a dual national solely as its own citizen.

The practical upshot is simple. You enter Russia on the Russian passport and deal with Russian consulates on it too. The Paraguayan passport works everywhere else.

What Paraguayan citizenship gives Russians

• Visa-free access to the Schengen area for 90 days in 180, to Japan, the UAE, Turkey and Mexico; the United Kingdom with an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
• Access to the Mercosur residence agreement: living and working in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay on simplified terms.
• A document that sits outside the restrictions several countries have introduced specifically for holders of Russian passports.

What it does not do: Russian citizenship does not vanish from bank forms. Banks in the EU and elsewhere ask about every citizenship you hold, and an honest answer includes both.

Citizens of Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan go through the same Paraguayan procedure, since the law sets no nationality restrictions. What differs is how their own countries treat a second citizenship, and that is worth checking before filing. To compare neighbouring routes, see Argentine citizenship and Uruguayan citizenship.

Citizenship by birth, by descent and by marriage

By birth

Paraguay applies jus soli. A child born on Paraguayan soil acquires citizenship automatically and, under article 147, can never be deprived of it. That does not give the parents citizenship, but it substantially strengthens the arraigo argument in a later court case and makes residency easier to obtain. We cover the details on our page about Paraguayan citizenship by birth of a child.

By descent

Children of Paraguayans born abroad acquire citizenship through an option procedure, provided they settle permanently in the country. Law No. 7052/2023 tidied these rules up: it implements articles 146, 147 and 149 of the Constitution, sets out the option, reacquisition and renunciation procedures, and confirms explicitly that a Paraguayan by birth who acquires another passport remains Paraguayan.

By marriage

Here a popular misconception takes hold. Marrying a Paraguayan does not shorten the naturalisation period. Law No. 2193/2003 does let a foreign spouse obtain a cédula and permanent resident status directly, skipping the temporary stage, which saves roughly two years. But article 148 grants spouses no exemption: three years of permanent residence, the exam and the court case all still apply.

The same holds for foreign children of Paraguayans: law 2193/2003 gives them direct access to a cédula and permanent resident status, after which the ordinary rules apply.

Does Paraguay allow dual citizenship?

Paraguay allows dual citizenship for Paraguayans by birth and leaves very little of it to naturalised citizens. The line is drawn in the 1992 Constitution, and for a foreigner who gets a passport through the courts it matters more than any passport ranking.

What the Constitution says

• Article 149. Multiple nationality may be admitted by an international treaty of reciprocity, of constitutional rank, between the state of origin and the state of adoption. Paraguay has two such treaties: with Spain (1959) and with Italy (exchange of notes on 26 February 2019, approved by law No. 6479/2019). Both are written for citizens by origin.
• Article 150. A naturalised Paraguayan loses that nationality through unjustified absence from the country for more than three years, as declared by a court, or through voluntary acquisition of another nationality.
• Articles 146 and 147. Nationality by birth cannot be taken away; it can only be renounced voluntarily.

What the statute says

Law No. 7052/2023 regulates articles 146, 147 and 149 - nationality by birth only. Under it, Paraguayans by birth who acquire another passport remain Paraguayan for all legal purposes unless they renounce. The law does not cover naturalised citizens.

For naturalised citizens the rules come from the Supreme Court's internal regulation (acordada No. 464/2007). Loss of nationality takes the form of cancelling the naturalisation certificate (casación de la carta), and the Attorney General (Fiscal General del Estado) may request it at any time (article 58). Cancellation restores the previous nationality unless an international treaty provides otherwise (article 56).

How it works in practice

Paraguay naturalises few people, and every file is in plain view of the court. Three people took the oath at the ceremony of 5 December 2024 and eight on 18 December 2025. We found no published statistics on revocations under article 150, but the rule is in force and the Attorney General's power to act has no time limit.

Paraguay notifies your previous country itself: after a naturalisation the court informs the Foreign Ministry, which informs the country of origin (article 49 of acordada 464/2007). What happens to your earlier passport then is a matter for that country's law: some states are relaxed about a second citizenship, others strip their own on voluntary naturalisation abroad.

Does Paraguay allow dual citizenship with the US, Canada or Mexico?

Not by treaty: the only dual nationality treaties are with Spain and Italy. An American, Canadian or Mexican who naturalises in Paraguay keeps the passport already held as far as Paraguay is concerned. The risk runs the other way: a naturalised Paraguayan who later takes US, Canadian or any other new citizenship gives Paraguay grounds under article 150.

The bill on dual citizenship for naturalised Paraguayans

On 4 August 2025 deputy Johana Vega filed a bill in the Chamber of Deputies to regulate articles 148 and 150. It expressly recognises dual citizenship for naturalised citizens and drops the mandatory renunciation of the nationality of origin. In May 2026 the migration committee was still gathering legal opinions and had issued no report. Until a law passes, article 150 applies as written, and how any new statute squares with the Constitution's explicit text will only become clear once it is adopted.

The key planning conclusion follows in the next section: if another naturalisation lies ahead, the order in which you collect passports decides everything.

Article 150 and dual citizenship: the real catch

This is the most important section on the page, and it almost never appears in promotional material.

Article 150 of the Constitution states that a Paraguayan by naturalisation loses that nationality in two situations: unjustified absence from the Republic for more than three years, as declared by a court, and voluntary acquisition of another nationality. Jurisdiction belongs exclusively to the judiciary.

What this means in practice:

• Paraguay asks for no proof that you have left your current citizenship, and passports you already hold are outside the scope of article 150. According to the explanatory memorandum of a 2025 bill, the oath does include a renunciation of the nationality of origin, but your country of origin is free to ignore it - Russia, for one, does.
• A new citizenship acquired voluntarily after you naturalise in Paraguay does formally create grounds for losing the Paraguayan one. If two years after your Paraguayan ceremony you naturalise in, say, Spain or Brazil, your Paraguayan status becomes vulnerable.
• A possible exception is countries with which Paraguay has a constitutional-level dual nationality treaty under article 149. There are two: Spain (1959) and Italy (approved by law No. 6479/2019). Both, however, are written for citizens by origin, and their texts do not say whether they protect a naturalised Paraguayan.
• The rule is not self-executing; a court procedure is required, and mass deprivations are not something Paraguay does. Even so, building a multi-year plan on the hope that nobody gets around to your file is a poor idea.

Do not confuse the two regimes: law 7052/2023 protects Paraguayans by birth who take a second citizenship. That protection does not extend to naturalised citizens, who remain governed by article 150. Your children born in Paraguay never face this issue at all.

The second ground for loss is just as practical: absence from the country for more than three consecutive years without good reason. Leaving right after the ceremony and never returning carries its own risk.

Paraguayan taxes: the territorial principle

Paraguay is one of very few countries where territorial taxation sits in the tax code itself (law No. 6380/2019) rather than resting on practice or on a special regime for newcomers. Income from a Paraguayan source is taxed. Foreign income falls outside the personal income tax base altogether.

Two clarifications that usually get lost in marketing. First, citizenship and tax residency are different things. A passport does not by itself make you a Paraguayan tax resident, and it does not cancel obligations in the country where you actually live. Second, for Paraguay to be accepted as your tax home you need a factual link: presence, housing, a centre of vital interests. Without that, your current tax authority will simply not accept a Paraguayan certificate.

Rate comparisons across jurisdictions live in our world tax rates section, while banking and corporate matters are covered under personal accounts in Paraguay and business accounts.

The Paraguayan passport: where it opens doors and where it does not

In 2026 the Paraguayan passport gives visa-free or simplified access to roughly 145 destinations. That is the country's best result on record. Judge the document by the specific countries you need.

Mercosur membership is a distinct benefit. A Paraguayan citizen can use the bloc's residence agreement in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and several associated states, which makes settling anywhere in the region far simpler.

One more point: Paraguay is a treaty country for the United States E-2 investor visa. That is neither a green card nor a route to American citizenship, but it is a working instrument for anyone who wants to run a business in the US.

What the passport does not give you: visa-free entry to the United States, Canada or China, and no automatic right to work in the European Union. If the European labour market is the goal, look at European programmes in our residency by country section.

How much does Paraguay citizenship cost?

The state charges about USD 1,100 for the whole road to a passport if you go through temporary residency, and about USD 600 via the Investor Pass. Beyond the fees, the main costs are documents and translations, and the court stage needs legal support, which Murblz specialists provide together with locally licensed partners.

Paraguay sets migration fees in jornales - units of the minimum daily wage. Since 1 July 2026 one jornal equals 117,077 guaraníes (decree No. 6225/2026, DNM resolution No. 478/2026), and fees are revised whenever the minimum wage rises. The amounts below are cash prices; dollar figures use a rate of roughly 5,900 guaraníes to the dollar.

A worked example for one applicant

Temporary residency route: two migration fees (5,853,850 guaraníes), the residence certificate, two police clearances, the court fee and the passport - roughly 6.4 million guaraníes, or about USD 1,100. Add USD 400-900 for documents and translations, so roughly USD 1,500-2,000 before any support. We quote our own support, including the court stage, after reviewing the documents.

Investor Pass route: one permanent residency fee instead of two, so state charges are about 3.5 million guaraníes, or roughly USD 600. With documents and translations it comes to roughly USD 1,000-1,500, excluding the investment, company set-up and support. The USD 70,000 itself does not go to the state, but it has to sit in a real business: an empty company draws questions at renewal and again in court.

The example is illustrative: a family pays fees for every adult and child, and applicants from non-Spanish-speaking countries usually need more translations. If you need a company for the investment, see company registration in Paraguay; for the tax side, see taxes in Paraguay.

How the price compares

Caribbean citizenship-by-investment passports cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in non-refundable contributions and require no relocation. Paraguay is dozens of times cheaper but charges in time instead: at least three years of living in the country with permanent residency. Other options are collected in our citizenship by country catalogue.

Compare with all programs: second passport cost in 2026

Alternatives to Paraguayan citizenship

Compare all countries in second citizenship.

Who Paraguayan citizenship suits and what can go wrong

Paraguayan citizenship is one of the cheapest roads to a second passport, but the price is paid in years of living in the country. That is exactly where the line runs between those the route suits and those it does not. The detailed budget is in the section above.

Who it suits

• People genuinely prepared to spend a meaningful part of the year in South America.
• Entrepreneurs with foreign income who want a low-tax base and inexpensive infrastructure.
• Families planning to have a child in the country: the child is a citizen immediately and unconditionally.
• Anyone who needs a second document outside the usual Caribbean programmes, with a clean reputation and no awkward questions from banks.

Who it does not suit

• Anyone in a hurry. Five years is a normal horizon, and neither money nor contacts will shorten it.
• Anyone who will not show up. Residency can be maintained from a distance; citizenship essentially cannot.
• Anyone with another naturalisation ahead of them. Article 150 makes that sequence dangerous.
• Anyone chasing visa-free travel to the United States or Canada. The Paraguayan passport does not provide it.
• Anyone expecting tax residency to change automatically. Without relocating, it does not.

What can go wrong

First, a hollow investment. Shell companies with no turnover and no staff draw attention both at renewal and in court. Second, providers promising citizenship in twelve to eighteen months: that usually means either a deliberate confusion of terms or a backdated arrangement that will void the whole file. Third, document mismatches, where a single letter in the transliteration of a surname can cost months. Fourth, underestimating the exam. Fifth, breaking the clock: a long absence in the middle of the three-year period will have to be explained.

One more scenario worth keeping in mind: rules change. The Investor Pass appeared in April 2026 and rewrote the route into permanent residency. Constitutional naturalisation requirements have moved less often, but a bill pending in the Chamber of Deputies since 2025 would rewrite the naturalisation procedure too. Plan against the law in force on the date you file.

Benefits of a Paraguay passport

How to get Paraguay citizenship (step by step)

Stage 1 - permanent residency

Stage 2 - citizenship

FAQ

145 visa-free destinations with a Paraguay passport