🇵🇾 Paraguay
South America's easiest residency-to-citizenship path, with a territorial tax system and no minimum income requirement
Visa Options
- Standard Permanent Residency (MERCOSUR/general) (Permanent) — No fixed income threshold; proof of legal livelihood, clean criminal record, apostilled documents (note: the old flat $5,000 bank-deposit shortcut was discontinued)
- SUACE Investor Residency — Real Estate/Financial (Permanent (direct)) — $200,000+ in Paraguayan real estate or approved financial instruments
- SUACE Investor Residency — Productive Business (Permanent (direct)) — $70,000+ investment in a business plan creating 5+ local jobs
- SUACE Investor Residency — Tourism (Permanent (direct)) — $150,000+ investment in a qualifying tourism project
Tax Overview
- Income Tax (Paraguay-source): Up to 10% flat on Paraguay-source personal income
- Foreign-source income: Generally not taxed — Paraguay uses a territorial system
- Corporate Tax (IRE): 10%
- VAT (IVA): 10% standard (5% reduced rate on some staples/rent)
Cost of Living
- Comfortable living (single, typical): $700 – $1,200/mo — one of the lowest in the region
- 1BR Apartment (Asunción): $300 – $550/mo
- 1BR Apartment (Ciudad del Este/smaller cities): $200 – $380/mo
- Groceries: $150 – $260/mo
- Utilities: $50 – $100/mo
- Dining out: $5 – $12/meal
- Public transport: $15 – $25/mo
- Private health insurance: $40 – $100/mo
Relocation Checklist
- Confirm current residency route (standard vs. SUACE investor) with an immigration attorney
- Apostille documents (birth cert, police record) — must be recent (often <6 months old)
- Get a Paraguayan police background check after arrival
- Apply in person at Dirección General de Migraciones in Asunción
- Obtain your cédula de identidad paraguaya (national ID)
- Open a Paraguayan bank account
- Register with RUC (tax ID) if generating local income
- Track physical presence — citizenship is available faster here than in most of the region (residency-dependent, check current rules)