PARAGUAY: OPEN FOR BUSINESS » Immigration and Citizenship

Crossing the Border from Ciudad del Este to Foz de Iguazu

admin — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 07:16:28 +0000

A number of people have asked us about the tri-border region, that is the name given to the area where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet. In particular, people get confused about customs and immigration between Brazil and Paraguay. So how does it work? What are the rules? Do you have to get your passport stamped?

The border between Brazil and Paraguay is basically open. Anyone can jump on a moto-taxi and whizz across in a couple of minutes. Drivers of cars are not normally stopped by customs officers either. Nobody will ask to see your passport. The rationale behind this open border arrangement is free trade between the two countries. (It’s worth noting that Argentina is not part of this agreement and has much stricter border and customs checks)

However, anyone planning to travel on beyond the immediate border area is required to check in with the passport offices on both sides of the Puente la la Amistad (Friendship Bridge) that links Paraguay and Brazil. Once to get a stamp out of the country you are leaving, and once to get a stamp in to the country you are entering.

Certain citizens need a visa for Brazil but not for Paraguay, and vice versa. For example on my last trip to that area, one of our group was a Cypriot (Cyprus) passport holder. Cypriots don’t need a visa for Paraguay, but they do for Brazil. In Asuncion, we went to the Brazilian consulate and asked for a tourist visa, but they said it would take 3 days and there was no time for that in our itinerary. Fortunately, at the Brazilian consulate in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, he was able to obtain a visa in 3 hours one morning, and we crossed to Brazil that same afternoon.

The requirement to obtain stamps in passports also applies to people travelling on long distance buses between Brazil and Asuncion. Many times the bus drivers want to save time and refuse to stop at customs, but it is important to be insistent. Stories abound of travellers who have arrived overland in Asuncion without a visa, only to be forced into paying huge fines when trying to leave by air from Asuncion.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below and I’ll try to answer. Otherwise, I’m now researcging overland border crossings from Paraguay to Bolivia and will let you know what I discover.

Visa Free Travel Agreements for Paraguay Citizens

admin — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:37:29 +0000

Letter	Passport Type
D	Diplomatic Passport / Pasaporte Diplomatico
O	Official Passport / Passaporte Oficial
E	Special Passport / Pasaporte Especial
S	Service Passport / Passaporte de Servicio
C	Ordinary Passport / Pasaporte Común

TREATY SIGNED WITH / TRATADO FIRMADO CON	TYPE OF PASSPORT / TIPO DE PASAPORTE	SIGNATURE: PLACE & DATE / FIRMA: LUGAR Y FEHCA
ARGENTINA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 10/12/1962
AUSTRIA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 17/01/1969
BELGIUM/BELGICA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 21/11/1960
BRAZIL/BRAZIL	D. O. E. C.	FOZ DE YGUAZU 27/03/1965
BOLIVIA	D. O.	SANTA CRUZ 17/09/1990
BOLIVIA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 21/09/1993*
CHILE	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 16/12/1976
COLOMBIA	D. O.	BOGOTA 15/11/1980
COLOMBIA	C	ASUNCION 07/12/1992
COSTA RICA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 16/06/1992
CUBA	D. O. S	LA HABANA 20/11/2000
CZECH REPUBLIC/REP. CHECA	D. O.	ASUNCION 10/08/1998
DENMARK/DINAMARCA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 21/03/1963
ECUADOR	D. O. E. C. S.	QUITO 13/07/1967
FINLAND/FINLANDIA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 08/10/91
FRANCE/FRANCIA	D. O. C	PARIS 10/04/1997
GERMANY/ALEMANIA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 30/11/1962
GREECE/GRECIA	D. O. C.	ASUNCION 13/10/1998
GUATEMALA	D. O.	GUATEMALA 14/09/1972
HOLY SEA/SANTA SEDE	D. S.	ASUNCION 21/05/1997*
HUNGARY/HUNGRIA	D . O.	BUDAPEST 10/11/1992
HUNGARY/HUNGRIA	C.	ASUNCION 03/07/2003
INDIA	D. O.	ASUNCION 6/10/1995
ITALY/ITALIA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 08/04/1965
ISRAEL	D. O. E. C.	JERUSALEN 21/11/1965
JAPAN	All passports / Todo tipo de pasaportes	ASUNCION
KOREA/COREA	D. O.	ASUNCION 02/12/1982
LIECHTENSTEIN	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 10/01/1964
LUXEMBURG/LUXEMBURGO	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 21/11/1960
MEXICO	D. O.	MEXICO 01/08/1997
MORROCO/MARRUECOS	D. O. E. S.	RABAT 24/07/2000
NETHERLANDS/PAISES BAJOS	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 21/11/1960
NORWAY/NORUEGA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 21/03/1963
PANAMA	D. O. E. S. C	ASUNCION 10/08/1998
PERU	D. O.	ASUNCION 30/03/1990
PERU	C	ASUNCION
POLAND/POLONIA	D. O.	ASUNCION 07/08/1991
PORTUGAL	C.	ASUNCION 01/04/1998
PORTUGAL	D. O. E.	LISBOA 25/11/1999
ROMANIA/RUMANIA	D. O.	ASUNCION 21/05/1994
RUSIA	D. O. S.	ASUNCION 20/11/1995
SLOVAK REPUBLIC/REP.ESLOVACA	D. O.	ASUNCION 27/08/1996
SOUTH AFRICA/SUDAFRICA	D. O.	ASUNCION 12/08/1988
SPAIN/ESPAÑA	D. O. E. C.	MADRID 25/05/1959
SWEDEN/SUECIA	D. O. E. C.	MADRID 21/03/1963
SWITZERLAND/SUIZA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 10/01/1964
UNITED KINGDOM/REINO UNIDO	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 27/10/1966
URUGUAY	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION 16/05/1975
VENEZUELA	D. O.	ASUNCION 08/06/1990
VENEZUELA	D. O. E. C.	ASUNCION

Documents Required to Apply for Residence in Paraguay

admin — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:03:27 +0000

Below is a list of the documents typically required if you want to apply for Permanent Residence in the Republic of Paraguay.

Don’t be put off, the process is really not as difficult as it seems.

You could in theory deal with the immigration processing yourself, if you have plenty of time and patience. However, it is customary to hire a law firm or maybe a paralegal (known in Paraguay as a gestor) to handle matters for you. These people are experienced at what they do and generally help you move through the bureaucracy much more smoothly.

The information below was supplied by the Paraguayan Consulate in London, UK.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCE

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

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO BE OBTAINED IN PARAGUAY.

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.