Residency & stay

Paraguayan citizenship: naturalization

The last step of the Paraguay path: the court naturalization procedure, run by our partner lawyer and supported by us in English from the first document to the certificate.

Price: from $3,500
Duration: Proceedings often take over a year
For whom: After three years of permanent residency

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Naturalization in Paraguay is not an administrative form but a court proceeding (juicio). It is filed with the competent civil court, and at the end the Corte Suprema de Justicia issues the naturalization certificate, the Carta de Naturalización. You become eligible after three years of permanent residency; the two years of temporary residency do not count, so from your first cédula it is around five years.

Our partner lawyer runs the proceeding. We explain each stage in English, coordinate the documents from your home country and from Paraguay with the lawyer, and stay your point of contact until the certificate is in your hands. The proceeding can take longer than a year.

The first question most applicants ask is what happens to their current passport. Paraguay generally tolerates dual nationality, so naturalizing here does not by itself force you to give up the citizenship you hold. Whether your home country lets you keep it is decided by that country’s own law, and some do not, so confirm it with the authority or a nationality lawyer there before you take the oath.

What's included

An upfront check of the requirements, above all the three years of permanent residency
The court naturalization proceeding through our partner lawyer
A document list for your home country and Paraguay, agreed with the lawyer
Guidance on preparing for the Corte Suprema knowledge examination
An English-speaking point of contact throughout the proceeding
The official and court fees of the proceeding and the sworn translations

Process

1First call and a check that the requirements are met
2Home-country documents (birth certificate, police record) with apostille or consular legalization and translation; in Paraguay, among others, a police clearance, an INTERPOL certificate, proof of address and the statements of two witnesses who are Paraguayan citizens
3Filing with the competent civil court by our partner lawyer
4The written knowledge examination set by the Corte Suprema de Justicia
5Processing, oath and hand-over of the Carta de Naturalización
6Afterwards you apply for the Paraguayan passport with the Policía Nacional

From filing, experience points to 6 to 18 months, and the processing after the examination alone can take 3 to 12 months. There is no official way to speed the proceeding up. Allow 4 to 8 weeks of lead time for the apostilled and translated home-country documents.

Who is this for?

For permanent residents who see Paraguay as their long-term base and want a second passport as a safeguard. If you are still at the start, the groundwork begins now: an unbroken record of tax filings and a demonstrable life in Paraguay are part of the file later.

Pricing

Citizenship application$3,500

The price includes the court proceeding through our partner lawyer, the official and court fees and the sworn translations. Not included: the apostilles or consular legalizations of your home-country documents, which you arrange where they were issued, and the later application for the Paraguayan passport.

Important note: The courts decide on naturalization, and nobody can promise an outcome or a timeframe. A Paraguayan partner lawyer runs the proceeding; we coordinate and give no legal advice ourselves. What we say about dual nationality is general information: whether you keep your current citizenship is a question for your home country’s authorities or a nationality lawyer there. US citizens remain taxed by the IRS on worldwide income after naturalizing in Paraguay; only renouncing US citizenship changes that.

FAQ

When can I apply for Paraguayan citizenship?

After three years of permanent residency with a valid cédula. The two years of temporary residency do not count, and the clock starts when you receive permanent residency, so from your first cédula it is around five years.

What are the requirements for naturalization in Paraguay?

Besides the three years of permanent residency: a clean criminal record, proof that your life is rooted in Paraguay (for example a lease, statements from a Paraguayan bank account or your history of tax filings), the statements of two witnesses who are Paraguayan citizens, and a pass in the written knowledge examination of the Corte Suprema de Justicia.

What does the Paraguayan citizenship exam cover?

The Corte Suprema de Justicia sets a written knowledge examination under its Acordada N° 464/2007. It covers Paraguay’s history, geography and civics and the basics of how the Constitution organizes the state, and you need 21 of 30 points to pass. Working Spanish helps throughout the proceeding.

Do I lose my current passport if I become a Paraguayan citizen?

Not on the Paraguayan side: Paraguay generally tolerates dual nationality. Your home country decides separately whether you keep its citizenship when you naturalize elsewhere. Many countries allow it, some restrict it, and a few withdraw citizenship automatically, so check your own country’s rule before the oath.

Do I have to live in Paraguay continuously before naturalization?

There is no strict presence requirement, but your life should credibly be based in Paraguay, with regular entries. For the permanent status itself, an uninterrupted absence of three years or more ends it.

Do I really need a lawyer for Paraguayan naturalization?

A lawyer is not mandatory. The forms are in Spanish, though, the proceeding runs before a court, and an incomplete file costs weeks. That is why a Paraguayan partner lawyer runs the proceeding on our side.

Does Paraguayan citizenship change how I am taxed?

Not directly. Paraguay’s territorial system follows your tax residency, not your nationality. Your home country applies its own rules, and US citizens stay taxed on worldwide income unless they renounce; a tax adviser classifies your situation.