How to Get Your Paraguay Cedula

Now that you’ve obtained temporary residency, the next crucial step is to secure your Cédula de Identidad Paraguaya, the primary form of identification for foreign residents in Paraguay. This national ID card is essential for daily life, enabling access to administrative processes and various services like opening bank accounts and obtaining a driver’s license.

Prerequisites: Before You Begin

The Cédula application process can only begin after your residency has been formally approved by the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM). This guide assumes you have already completed the following:

• Secured temporary or permanent residency and received your Residency Card (Carnet de Radicación).
• Retained your original, apostilled (or legalized) and translated copies of your Birth Certificate and Civil Status documents (e.g., marriage certificate), as these are required again for the Cédula application.
• Your original Passport, which must be valid.

Step 1: Obtain and Legalize Required Local Paraguayan Documents

The following documents must be obtained from various departments of the National Police. Several of these certificates have a short validity period (typically 3 months) and require a multi-step legalization process before they can be submitted. Careful preparation is essential.

1. Certificado de Vida y Residencia (Certificate of Life and Residence)

• Issued by: Your local Police Station or Justice of the Peace.
• Legalization Process: This certificate requires a 3-step legalization:
  1. Get the report from the Information Department (Informatica).
  2. Take it to the Personnel Department for certification.
  3. Final legalization at the Comandancia de la Policía Nacional.

2. INTERPOL Background Report (Local)

• Issued by: INTERPOL Information Department (Colonel Gracia & Lieutenant Colonel Rody).
• Important: This certificate is only valid for three months. It is highly likely the one from your residency application will have expired.
• Legalization Process: This report requires a complex 4-step legalization process:
  1. Obtain the report from the Information Department.
  2. Get it certified at the Personnel Department.
  3. Take it to the Comandancia de la Policía Nacional.
  4. Take it to the Ministry of the Interior for final legalization. The cost for this final step is Gs. 115,000.

3. Certificado de Antecedentes para Extranjeros (Police Record for Foreigners)

• Issued by: Information Department of the National Police.
• Note: This certificate also has a 3-month validity and you may need to get a new one.

4. Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros (Foreigner Registration Card)

• Issued by: INTERPOL National Police.
• Location: In the basement of the same INTERPOL building where you get your background report.
• Requirements: You must present your now fully LEGALIZED Interpol certificate and Certificate of Life and Residence to apply for this card.
• Cost & Processing Time:
  • Standard service: Gs. 115,000 for 10-14 day processing.
  • Express service: Gs. 215,000 for same-day processing.

Cédula Document Checklist

Carefully assemble your document dossier. You must present the original documents along with authenticated photocopies from a Paraguayan public notary (escribano público). Photocopies must be on uncut sheets.

Step 2: Submit Your Cédula Application

With your complete document package, you must apply in person at an office of the Departamento de Identificaciones.

• Main Address: Avenida Boggiani corner with R.I. 2 Ytororó, Asunción.
• Process: An official will verify your original documents against the authenticated copies. You will then provide your biometric data, which includes having your photograph taken, fingerprints scanned electronically, and providing a digital signature.
• Application Fee: Gs. 8,500.

Step 3: Collect Your Paraguayan Cédula

Processing Time: The standard processing time for the Cédula to be printed and ready for collection is 30 business days.

Collection: The new biometric Cédulas with electronic chips can only be collected by the holder. You must present your original application receipt (contraseña). If you lose the receipt, you must file a police report (denuncia) to be able to collect your card.

Summary of Key Costs & Processing Times

Prefer to have help?

Although the process is laid out, sometimes it’s nice to just let someone else take care of it. We can provide that for you. We have two processes that you can choose from that gives you a choice for cost and speed.

If you would like to it all taken care of quickly, we can provide you with our Lightning Process that makes the most of your precious time in a streamlined process.

For those that plan to spend time in Paraguay and aren’t in a rush, we also offer the Standard Process that requires more in-person visits and involves longer wait times.

Whatever you choose, we’re here to help you along the way. Welcome to your sweet home Paraguay!