OFFICIAL NOTICE – PLEASE TAKE NOTE!
The Paraguayan Immigration Authority has published a new regulation that affects all applications for permanent residency (Residencia Permanente) as of January 1, 2026.
RETROSPECTIVE CHECK STARTING JANUARY 1, 2026
From January 1, 2026, for every application for permanent residency, the authorities will check whether the applicant has spent more than 365 consecutive days outside Paraguay since obtaining the temporary residence permit (residencia temporaria).
For this purpose, an additional document – the “movimiento migratorio” – will be issued by the Immigration Authority, which clearly lists all entry and exit dates of the applicant.
If the absence exceeds 365 consecutive days, the applicant will not receive permanent residency but instead will be granted a 2-year extension of temporary residency.
EXAMPLE FOR CLARIFICATION
Case example:
Departure from Paraguay: September 20, 2024
Planned re-entry: October 6, 2025
Total absence: 381 days → more than 1 year
Consequence: According to the current law, the temporary residency is considered interrupted.
A direct transition to permanent residency is not possible. The affected person must first apply for a Prórroga (extension) of temporary residency.
Only after complying with the 365-day rule will it later be possible to apply for permanent residency again.
RECOMMENDATION FOR APPLICANTS
All applicants should carefully check the date of their last departure from Paraguay.
If the temporary residency card is still valid, it is strongly recommended to submit the application for permanent residency before December 31, 2025.
OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES
The decisive factor is not the issue date of the residency permit or the cedula, but only the date of the last exit from Paraguay.
Re-entry must occur within 365 days of the last departure.
If this deadline is exceeded, the possibility to apply for permanent residency at a later stage is lost.
CONCLUSION
This decision marks the second attempt by the authority to introduce this regulation. The first attempt (October 2024) was withdrawn after two weeks due to implementation issues.
Although this requirement was even removed from the criteria as of January 1, 2025, the reintroduction now comes as a surprise.
Interestingly, well-known loopholes – such as leaving through the Friendship Bridge in Ciudad del Este (where an exit is often not officially recorded) – still exist.
We will continue to keep you updated on all developments.
If you have any questions, we are happy to assist!