Paraguay Resources
Paraguay is a country of families, communities & networks. It’s sometimes hard to find information online, especially in English. There is a very true saying here “you can get everything in Paraguay, you just need to know where.” Someone will know someone, that knows someone – this is how it works in Paraguay!
We have learned many lessons on our journey to Paraguay some good, some not so good!
We take it slow and enjoy every day, absorbing more about our new home and the Paraguayan culture. We want to share this knowledge, so you have a bit more of an understanding of how things work here. You don’t realise until you leave the “Western gulag” how conditioned you have become and how technocracy (systems & rules) control your behavior.
Moving to Paraguay brings you lots of new freedoms but you also need to understand that the processes are quite different here and the responsibility to understand and do due diligence falls on you. Knowledge & networks are important in this new paradigm…
The Paraguay Relocation Guide
Getting your head around what you need to organise when you relocate to Paraguay can be a challenge.
Many people choose different paths, some bring a shipping container & all their worldly belongings and others (like us) sell everything and rebuilt their lives again in Paraguay. It’s all about what works best for you personally.
This Guide is a starting point and designed to help you understand more about Paraguay and the process of moving here and getting settled. It contains links to our key blogs and YT vids to help you make the important decisions. Click below to download the Guide for $5 USD.
Residency
One of the most important aspects of applying for residency in Paraguay is ensuring you have the correct documents and an immigration consultant that knows what they are doing! You also need to shop around as prices can vary dramatically. If you speak fluent Spanish you could apply yourself, there are various steps and paperwork required but the information is readily available on the Paraguayan immigration website. It may take you a few days & trips to various offices to get things sorted.
If you aren’t fluent in Spanish then ideally engage someone to prepare and submit the documents for you. Check out our tips for choosing the best person for the job.
- Choose an agent that can verify all your documents are correct before you plan your trip/move to Paraguay.
- Documents must be apostilled to prove that they are authentic. It’s important that names are correct on passports, birth certificates etc. Your agent should be aware of the processes for each country and should advise you whether your documents will be accepted by immigration.
- You do not need to pay any money upfront. Payment for the application process should only be made when your application process starts in Paraguay.
- The immigration agent should 100% guarantee that your application will be processed without problems. Unfortunately there are agents out there that don’t check documents are correct before submitting them and then ask for more money to have the application progressed. An agent that guarantees their work will commit to paying for any extra costs that arise during the process.
- You do not need to use an immigration lawyer for this process. You just need someone who is experienced with dealing with the Paraguayan immigration department.
- Do your due diligence on pricing, especially if you are a family. Children 13 & under don’t require an Interpol check and this should be reflected in the price of their application fee.
- Your application fee should also include your Cedula (National Identity Card) this is applied for after your Temporary Residency is approved.
- Your Temporary Residency & cedula are valid for two years then 3 months before expiry you can apply for Permanent Residency.
YouTube Vids on the Residency Process
Choosing an Immigration Agent
If you are planning to move to Paraguay your first step may be choosing someone to process your Temporary Residency application.
In this Guide we talk about what you should look for in an Immigration Agent. This is an unregulated marketplace and you could potentially pay way more than you should or even pay money with no outcome.
Take your time to choose the right person and don’t just grab the first person you come across. Any good Agent should offer a complimentary consult! Click below to download the FREE Guide.
Driving in Paraguay
When you first arrive in Paraguay you can drive on a licence from your home country for 3 months. If you are planning to rent a car then it’s a good idea to get an international licence before you come (some rental car companies require this) Some people that arrive in Asuncion are afraid of driving (yes the traffic can be crazy there) but once you head out from the big city it’s pretty easy to drive around Paraguay. The main roads are of a high standard and well sign posted.
Once you have your cedula you can apply for your Paraguayan drivers licence. Paraguay has a decentralised model for land tax, car tax & drivers licence fees, which means you apply for your licence and pay a small yearly fee to the Municipality (town, city, area) where you live. This funds the infrastructure within the Municipality. It’s actually an easy process (outside of Asuncion where you need to do a driving test) so you can do it yourself rather than paying someone for it – $150 USD is a crazy price to pay for a drivers licence!
All you need to do is head down to your local Municipality with your cedula and they will inform you of the requirements, there is sometimes a slight variation between areas so check this first.
YouTube Vids on Driving in Paraguay
Property – Buying
Looking for property is a bit of a roller coaster ride in Paraguay. Much of what you find online is overpriced. There is a lot of property/land for sale but most of it isn’t online. Again it’s generally networks and patience that will help you find a suitable property. The best plan is to have a look around Paraguay and decide what region suits you. Then rent a property in that area so you get a feel for the community and start building contacts that can find you property at a good price. Do not rush this process!
The following websites are the key online property portals in Paraguay:
https://clasipar.paraguay.com/categorias/inmuebles
https://www.hendyla.com/inmuebles/
You can also find property on Facebook Marketplace and there are also lots of FB groups for house & land sales.
If you are looking to buy property in Paraguay you must do your homework!
Check out our Paraguay Property Buying Guide video below, you can also download our Paraguay Property Buying Guide ($7 USD) this 47 page guide will help you to understand the buying process and any potential problems and pitfalls you may encounter. Knowledge is power especially in the Paraguayan property market! You can purchase it here https://ko-fi.com/s/c57bbca27c
YouTube Vids on Buying Property in Paraguay
The Paraguay Property Buying Guide
Finding and buying property in Paraguay is a challenge for anyone moving to this country!
This 47 page guide is packed with advise and numerous real-life examples of lessons learned in this unregulated market.
It’s is an essential toolkit for anyone looking to buy property in Paraguay.
Click below to download the guide for $7 USD
Check out our PROPERTY IN PARAGUAY playlist on our YT channel for important info on the boxes you need to tick when buying a property in Paraguay.
Property – Renting
If you are moving to Paraguay permanently we have found the easiest way to approach it is to initially spend some time in Asuncion. Check out our blog post on our stay in Asuncion when we first arrived HERE You can apply for residency and have a good look around as well, Asuncion offers more shopping choices and may be your go to place for things you can’t find in other parts of Paraguay.
Beyond Airbnb & real estate websites there are many furnished and unfurnished properties to rent short or long term all over Paraguay. Many Europeans have relocated to Paraguay, built a house of their own and houses for accommodation as well.
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