No foreign police clearance? Know exactly where you stand. The sworn-statement substitute is narrow — here's who actually qualifies.

From the law itself

What the 2022 migration law grants.

Permanent residency is defined by the current migration law, Ley 6984/2022, verbatim:

Es la autorización otorgada por la Dirección Nacional de Migraciones para residir indefinidamente en el territorio nacional, al extranjero que manifieste su intención o ánimo de establecerse definitivamente en el país, reuniendo las condiciones legales para su admisión por parte de la Dirección Nacional de Migraciones en tal carácter y luego de haber cumplido el plazo de Residencia Temporal.

It is the authorization granted by the National Directorate of Migration to reside indefinitely in the national territory, to the foreigner who expresses their intention or wish to settle definitively in the country, meeting the legal conditions for their admission by the National Directorate of Migration in that capacity and after having completed the term of Temporary Residency.

What the law asks for

What the law actually asks for.

• 01

  Foreign police clearance(s)

  From your country of origin plus every country where you had a residence in the past 3 years (per Ley 6984/2022). Apostilled and translated to Spanish.

• 02

  Interpol certificate (Asunción)

  Issued in Paraguay. Covers international wanted-persons databases.

• 03

  Paraguay National Police certificate for foreigners

  Issued in Paraguay. Confirms you have no record on Paraguayan soil.

The foreign clearances are mandatory. The substitution mechanism below is a narrow exception — it only applies to applicants who have already lived in Paraguay for more than 3 years; verify your eligibility with the DNM before relying on it.

Step 1

Get the two mandatory local certificates first.

Both are issued in Asunción, take a day or two, and don't require leaving Paraguay.

• Paraguay National Police certificate

  Certificado de Antecedentes Informático para Extranjeros

  Departamento de Informática de la Policía Nacional

  Ytororo 704 casi R.I.2 Ytororo, Bº Mcal. Estigarribia, Asunción

  Mon–Fri, 07:00–17:00

  **Gs. 63,000** (~ USD 10)

  Notarized copy of passport

  Usually **next business day**

• Interpol certificate

  Certificado de Antecedentes de Interpol

  Departamento de Interpol – Oficina Central

  Coronel Pedro Gracia 468, Bº Sajonia, Asunción

  Mon–Fri, 07:00–17:00

  **Gs. 111,502** (~ USD 16)

  2 photos 3×4, notarized passport copy, form filled on site

  Usually within a few days

Step 2 (3+ years in Paraguay only)

The Declaración Jurada substitute — and exactly who can use it.

Per the DNM's published requirements for Residencia Temporal, the only sanctioned substitute for a missing origin-country certificate applies if you have resided in Paraguay for more than 3 years. In that case you replace it with two documents: a current Certificado de Antecedentes from the Poder Judicial (Paraguayan judiciary), plus a Declaración Jurada made before the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM) — not at a notary — stating you have no criminal or police record in your country of origin. The sworn statement typically covers:

• Full passport details
• List of countries whose certificates you cannot obtain
• A declaration that you have no criminal or police record in your country of origin
• Clear statement: "I have no criminal record in the countries listed and have committed no offense subject to international warrant."

The Declaración Jurada is made before the DNM and the Poder Judicial certificate carries its own court arancel; no fixed official price for this pathway was found. If you are not eligible for it, you must present the real foreign certificate instead.

This is the DNM's published exception for long-term Paraguay residents (more than 3 years), not a general hardship workaround for new applicants. Eligibility and exact paperwork should always be confirmed directly with the DNM, as criteria are applied case-by-case under Law 6984/2022.

Step 3

File the full package at Migraciones.

Bring the full file to DNM:

• Passport
• Birth certificate (apostilled and translated)
• Police + Interpol certificates from Step 1 (originals)
• Foreign police clearance(s), apostilled and translated — or, if you qualify (3+ years in Paraguay), the Poder Judicial certificate + Declaración Jurada before the DNM from Step 2
• Medical certificate from a Ministry-of-Health-authorized doctor (cost varies by clinic; budget a small fee)
• Proof of address in Paraguay (rental contract or letter from landlord)

• Sede Central (Asunción) Caballero Nº 201 esq. Eligio Ayala · 07:00–14:30
• Encarnación Regional office, full residency processing
• Ciudad del Este Regional office, full residency processing

Residency processing fee: **Gs. 2,787,550** (~ **USD 450**)

Once accepted, you immediately receive a Residencia Precaria — a temporary document that legalizes your stay until the final decision.

Get the original remotely

How to obtain the missing certificate without leaving Paraguay.

Even if it arrives later, you'll need it when upgrading from temporary to permanent residency.

• US citizens

  File online for the FBI Identity History Summary Check (via an FBI-approved Channeler) and have it mailed to your Paraguay address.

• EU citizens

  Most EU countries (Germany, France, Spain) issue Führungszeugnis / Extrait de casier judiciaire via a government online portal with international postal delivery.

• Russian citizens

  Request via Gosuslugi portal (qualified electronic signature required). If no QES, ask the consular section of a friendly embassy or grant a notarized power of attorney to a relative in Russia.

• Ukrainian citizens

  Order through the Diia app or via an MVD service center, with international courier delivery to your Paraguay address.

• Other countries

  Check your consulate's website in Asunción — many missions issue clearances directly through the diplomatic post.

Shortcut

MigraMóvil mobile units.

If you live far from Asunción or want to save a trip, watch for MigraMóvil announcements at migraciones.gov.py. Mobile DNM units visit cities around the country on a published calendar and let you file your residency package locally. They can speed up filing, but DNM does not publish a guaranteed processing time, so don't count on a fixed number of days — confirm the current calendar and what each visit can process before you travel.

Important warnings

Read this before swearing the declaration.

• No real convictions

  If you actually have criminal history, hiding it under oath leads to residency cancellation, deportation, and entry ban. In that case, consult a Paraguayan criminal lawyer first.

• Foreign certificate validity: 6 months

  When the original eventually arrives, it's only valid for 6 months from issuance, so don't delay obtaining it.

• Permanent residency requires the full set

  Residencia Temporal is valid for up to 2 years; you file the change of category to permanent from 90 days before until 30 days after your carné expires. It requires the complete document package, so plan to have the real foreign certificate in hand by then.

Useful contacts

Numbers and addresses to save.

• DNM (Migraciones) migraciones.gov.py
• Foreign Ministry (legalizations & visas) Asunción · mre.gov.py/legalizaciones-apostilla (confirm the current address and phone on the official site)
• Interpol (certificates) Cnel. Gracia 468, Asunción · (+595 21) 228 100