Should you apply for Paraguay citizenship through naturalization after you obtain a residence permit or permanent residency in Paraguay? Admittedly, it may be a wise decision, especially if you are an avid traveler or an international businessperson. A Paraguay passport offers numerous advantages that will significantly enhance your travel experience, with visa-free trips to multiple destinations worldwide. Even more so that the countries offering visa-free entry to Paraguay passport holders are many.
Marked in dark blue, Paraguay is a party to the Mercosur agreement, which allows unrestricted movement within South America. The other Mercosur countries are shown in light blue. Visa-free states for Paraguay passport holders are shown in pale green, turquoise is chosen for the nations that require them to obtain e-visas, while gray indicates the countries where Paraguayan citizens require a regular visa.
Paraguay is often overlooked or confused with Uruguay by many people but this landlocked country in South America has a lot to offer for those looking for their second citizenship. With its rich natural and cultural heritage, friendly legal environment, and fast and easy naturalization process, the South American jurisdiction is a hidden treasure for its potential residents and citizens. Without a shadow of a doubt, it may become your long-sought-after second home and offer you and your loved ones a new start in life.
Sitting in the heart of South America, the country is bordered by Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil and boasts a population of about 7 million. As a foreign national interested in naturalization, you will find unique opportunities here. Obtaining second citizenship via a permanent residency or company registration route is fast, uncomplicated, and affordable. In Paraguay, you can get a residence permit based on your desire to relocate, and naturalization with permanent residency typically takes 3 years. Although Paraguay is mostly known for its fertile land, abundant water resources, and diverse wildlife, it also boasts a vibrant culture, influenced by its indigenous, Spanish, and immigrant roots.
The list of visa-free countries that Paraguayans can access may spur you to move fast on your way to Paraguayan citizenship. The Paraguay passport ranks within the top 35 ones globally, offering great travel freedom. As of October 2023, Paraguayan citizens enjoyed visa-free access or the choice of visa-on-arrival or electronic visas to 144 countries and territories. Inter alia, the said list includes the Schengen area and nearly all South American states.
Another benefit of the Paraguayan passport is the country’s MERCOSUR membership. FYI: the member states enjoy access to a common market for South American countries including Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Venezuela. Besides, MERCOSUR allows the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people among its members. This means that as a Paraguayan citizen, you will be able to travel, work, study, or do business in any of these countries with just your ID card.
Interested in obtaining second citizenship in Paraguay? Please consult the table below for a comprehensive list of visa-free destinations available to Paraguay nationals.
| Jurisdiction | Visa requirements (VR – visa is required, VFE – visa-free entry, VA – visa on arrival, EV – electronic visa) | Comments |
| Australia | VR | Paraguay nationals also have the right to apply via the Internet (Online Visitor e600 visa). |
| Austria | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Zone |
| Azerbaijan | EV | For 30 days |
| Albania | VFE | For 90 days |
| Algeria | VR | |
| Angola | VR | |
| Andorra | VFE | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | EV | |
| Argentina | VFE | For 3 months |
| Armenia | EV / VA | For 120 days. With the citizenship of Paraguay, you can also apply for an e-visa to Armenia. |
| Afghanistan | VR | |
| Bahamas | VFE | For 3 months |
| Bangladesh | VR | |
| Barbados | VFE | For 90 days |
| Bahrain | VA | For 14 days. Paraguay citizens are free to apply for Bahrain visas online as well. |
| Belize | VFE | For 90 days |
| Belgium | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Area |
| Benin | EV | |
| Bulgaria | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days |
| Bolivia | VFE | For 90 days |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | VFE | For 90 days within any 6-month period |
| Botswana | VFE | For 90 days within any 1-year period |
| Brazil | VFE | For 90 days |
| Brunei | VR | |
| Burkina Faso | VA | |
| Burundi | VR | |
| Bhutan | EV | |
| Vanuatu | VR | |
| Vatican | VFE | |
| Great Britain | VFE | For 6 months |
| Hungary | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Venezuela | VFE | For 90 days |
| East Timor | VA | For 30 days. Available at certain entry points only. |
| Vietnam | VR | A pre-arranged visa obtained online through travel agencies is available for Paraguayan citizens at the airports of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Phu Quoc, or Da Nang. With a Paraguayan passport, you can stay in Phu Quoc without a visa for up to 30 days. |
| Gabon | EV | E-visa holders with Paraguay citizenship must arrive through the Libreville International Airport. |
| Haiti | VFE | For 3 months |
| Guyana | VR | |
| Gambia | VFE | You must obtain an entry permit from the Gambia Immigration Department before your trip. |
| Ghana | VR | |
| Guatemala | VFE | For 90 days |
| Guinea | EV | For 90 days |
| Guinea-Bissau | EV / VA | For 90 days |
| Germany | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Honduras | VFE | For 3 months |
| Hong Kong | VFE | For 30 days |
| Grenada | VR | |
| Greece | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Zone |
| Georgia | EV | |
| Denmark | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Area |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | EV | For 7 days |
| Djibouti | VA | Paraguay passport holders may receive their visas on arrival to Djibouti at certain entry points only. |
| Dominica | VFE | For 6 months |
| Dominican Republic | VFE | For 90 days |
| Egypt | VA | For 30 days |
| Zambia | EV / VA | For 90 days |
| Zimbabwe | EV | |
| Israel | VFE | For 3 months |
| India | EV | For 60 days. E-visa holders must enter India via 24 designated airports or 3 designated seaports. |
| Indonesia | VR | |
| Jordan | VA | Visas on arrival are only available subject to certain conditions. They are not available at all entry points. |
| Iraq | VR | |
| Iran | VA | For 30 days |
| Ireland | VFE | For 3 months |
| Iceland | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Area |
| Spain | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Italy | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Yemen | VR | |
| Cape Verde | VA | Paraguay passport holders may get visas on arrival to Cape Verde at certain entry points only. |
| Kazakhstan | EV | |
| Cambodia | EV / VA | For 30 days. As an extra option, Paraguay citizens are free to apply for Cambodia visas online. |
| Cameroon | EV | |
| Canada | VR | |
| Qatar | VA | For up to 30 days. Visas to Qatar are issued to Paraguay passport holders for free. They are available at the Hamad International Airport. Paraguayan passport holders can also apply for electronic visas to Qatar. |
| Kenya | EV / VA | For 3 months |
| Cyprus | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period |
| Kirghizia | EV | E-visa holders must arrive in Paraguay through the Manas International Airport. |
| Kiribati | VFE | For 90 days within any 12-month period |
| China | VR | |
| Columbia | VFE | For 90 days. Your stay in Paraguay may be extended for up to 180 days within one year. |
| Comoros | VA | |
| Costa Rica | VFE | For 90 days |
| Cлte D’Ivoire | VR | |
| Cuba | A tourist card is required. | |
| Kuwait | VR | |
| Laos | VA | For up to 30 days. Visas on arrival to Laos are available for Paraguay passport holders at certain entry points only. |
| Latvia | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Area |
| Lesotho | EV | |
| Liberia | VR | |
| Lebanon | VA | |
| Libya | VR | |
| Lithuania | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Liechtenstein | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Luxembourg | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Mauritius | VFE | For 90 days |
| Mauritania | VA | Paraguay passport holders can get their visas on arrival to Mauritania at the Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport. |
| Madagascar | VA | For 90 days |
| Macedonia | VFE | For 90 days |
| Malawi | VA | |
| Malaysia | VFE | For 1 month |
| Mali | VR | |
| Maldives | VA | For 30 days |
| Malta | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Area |
| Morocco | VR | |
| Marshall Islands | VA | |
| Mexico | VFE | For 180 days |
| Micronesia | VFE | For 30 days |
| Mozambique | VA | For 30 days. Visas on arrival are only available for Paraguay passport holders subject to certain conditions. |
| Moldova | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period |
| Monaco | VFE | |
| Mongolia | EV | |
| Myanmar | VR | |
| Namibia | VR | |
| Nauru | VR | |
| Nepal | VA | For 90 days |
| Niger | VR | |
| Nigeria | EV | |
| Netherlands | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area (the regulation applies to the European part of the Netherlands) |
| Nicaragua | VFE | For 90 days |
| New Zealand | VR | Paraguay passport holders have the right to make transit trips to New Zealand without a visa. |
| Norway | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Area |
| UAE | VFE | For 90 days |
| Oman | EV | For 30 days |
| Pakistan | EV | |
| Palau | VA | For 30 days |
| Panama | VFE | For 180 days |
| Papua New Guinea | VR | |
| Peru | VFE | For 183 days |
| Poland | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Portugal | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Republic of the Congo | VR | |
| Rwanda | EV / VA | For 30 days |
| Romania | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period |
| El Salvador | VFE | For 3 months |
| Samoa | VA | For 60 days |
| San Marino | VFE | |
| Sao Tome and Principe | EV | |
| Saudi Arabia | VR | |
| Swaziland | VR | For 30 days |
| North Korea | VR | |
| Seychelles | VA | For 3 months |
| Senegal | VR | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | VFE | For 1 month |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | VFE | For 3 months |
| Saint Lucia | VA | For 6 weeks |
| Serbia | VR | |
| Singapore | VFE | For 30 days |
| Syria | VR | |
| Slovakia | VFE | For 90 days within any 180 days while in the Schengen Area |
| Slovenia | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| United States of America | VR | |
| Solomon Islands | VR | |
| Somalia | VA | For 30 days. Paraguay citizens must provide the Somali authorities with an invitation letter received no later than 2 days before their arrival. |
| Sudan | VR | |
| Surinam | Tourist card on arrival | For 90 days |
| Sierra Leone | EV | |
| Tajikistan | EV | |
| Thailand | VR | |
| Tanzania | VA | |
| Togo | VA | For 7 days |
| Tonga | VR | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | VR | |
| Tuvalu | VA | For 1 month |
| Tunisia | VR | |
| Turkmenistan | VR | |
| Turkey | VFE | For 90 days |
| Uganda | EV / VA | TBD at the entry point. You may also apply online. |
| Uzbekistan | EV | For 30 days |
| Ukraine | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period |
| Uruguay | VFE | For 90 days |
| Fiji | VFE | For 4 months |
| Philippines | VFE | For 30 days |
| Finland | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| France and its territories | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Croatia | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period |
| Central African Republic | VR | |
| Chad | VR | |
| Montenegro | VFE | For 90 days |
| Czech Republic | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Chile | VFE | For 90 days |
| Switzerland | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Sweden | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Sri Lanka | EV / VA | For 30 days |
| Ecuador | VFE | For 90 days |
| Equatorial Guinea | EV | |
| Eritrea | VR | |
| Estonia | VFE | For 90 days within any 180-day period while in the Schengen Area |
| Ethiopia | EV | |
| Republic of South Africa | VFE | For 90 days |
| South Korea | VFE | For 30 days |
| South Sudan | EV | |
| Jamaica | VFE | For 30 days |
| Japan | VR |
Paraguay citizens are also subject to certain non-visa restrictions. Several countries enforce requirements as to passport expiration dates for those with Paraguayan passports. Many nations stipulate that such passports must remain valid for a minimum of 6, 4, 3, or 1.5 months upon arrival. Take a look at the list of the above states:
- Anguilla
- Bahrain
- Bhutan
- Cayman Islands
- Comoros
- Egypt
- Fiji
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Malaysia
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saint Lucia
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- United Arab Emirates
- EU countries (excluding Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom as well as EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens).
In other countries, travelers are usually required to have a passport that is valid either upon arrival or for the intended duration of their stay. Canada and the United States usually deny entry to non-citizens with a criminal record. A few nations, including Argentina, Brunei, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States, mandate fingerprinting upon arrival.
Still have questions about obtaining residence permits, permanent residency, tax residency, or citizenship in Paraguay? Don’t hesitate to contact Q Wealth experts to have them answered! We will be happy to help you resolve any possible issues.
31 October 2023 