Paraguay has formalized a new investor path that allows qualifying investors to obtain permanent residency directly, without first holding temporary residency. The details are set out in Ministry of Industry and Commerce Resolution 0283 of 2026, which identifies four available routes.
Four investor routes
The first route is the existing SUACE-style company route. This involves opening a company, presenting a business plan, and creating five jobs. Under this model, the applicant obtains permanent residency and a cédula first, then proceeds with the investment.
The newer options are based on financial instruments, real estate, and tourism projects.
$200,000 in Paraguayan financial instruments
One option is to invest $200,000 in Paraguayan financial instruments.
The transcript states that the eligible instruments are broad and may include:
- stocks;
- bonds;
- fixed-rate deposits.
The investment must be made through an intermediary regulated by the Central Bank of Paraguay. This includes banks and brokers, known locally as casas de bolsa.
The regulated intermediary must issue a sworn declaration confirming that the applicant has invested at least $200,000 in financial assets. This declaration is then presented to SUACE, which issues the constancia de inversionista, or investor certificate. That certificate is then submitted to Migraciones to obtain permanent residency directly.
There is a 24-month lock-in period. The money must remain invested for at least two years. If the funds are withdrawn before that period, there may theoretically be grounds to cancel permanent residency.
It is unclear what verification protocols will be used to confirm that the applicant maintains the assets during the 24 months. It is also unclear whether an investor can switch from one financial instrument to another during the lock-in period, as long as the required amount remains invested.
$200,000 in real estate
Another option is to invest $200,000 in real estate.
The required proof is a contract of sale signed before a notary. The applicant does not need to pay the full $200,000 immediately. The transcript states that paying 30% of the amount is enough to begin, meaning a minimum upfront payment of $60,000.
The remaining payments can be made gradually according to the contract.
This may be relevant for off-plan property purchases, where an investor buys on paper and pays monthly installments until construction is completed. These projects may allow buyers to enter at a lower price than the final completed-property price.
The real estate route can apply to different types of property investment, including:
- buying an existing property;
- buying a property under construction;
- building a house;
- developing a property as a real estate developer.
The key requirement is the $200,000 investment amount. The older idea of qualifying with a $70,000 investment and hiring five people to build a property is no longer applicable under this route.
A major caveat is that property bought or built for personal residence does not qualify for the investor path. The property must be used as an investment, such as:
- buy-to-flip;
- buy-to-rent;
- short-term rental;
- another income or investment use.
The applicant cannot live in the property personally if using it for this investor route.
$150,000 tourism project
A third option is to invest $150,000 in a tourism-related project.
There are no specific guidelines in the transcript defining exactly what qualifies as a tourism project. SUACE evaluates the proposal and decides whether it is valid.
For this route, the applicant does not need to invest before applying for residency. Instead, the applicant submits a business plan when requesting the constancia de inversionista. If the plan is detailed and accepted, the applicant can obtain permanent residency and a cédula based on the promise to complete the project.
Unlike the productive company route, tourism projects do not necessarily require hiring five people. The investment amount is the key factor.
Applicants using the tourism project route must still provide a bank statement or investment broker statement showing they have the necessary funds to make the promised investment.
Productive company route
The productive company route remains available. This is the classic model involving a company, a business plan, and five jobs.
As with the tourism route, the applicant presents the plan first and invests after obtaining permanent residency and the cédula.
Applicants must show proof of available funds through a bank statement or investment broker statement.
Financial instruments may be the simplest investor route
The transcript presents the $200,000 financial instrument route as the most straightforward option for many applicants.
The reasons given are:
- the investment only needs to be held for two years;
- Paraguayan financial products may offer attractive returns;
- the investor does not need to operate a business or manage employees;
- the process may be easier than starting a company or developing property;
- the investment can reportedly be made before obtaining a cédula.
The transcript gives examples of available returns:
- fixed-term deposits yielding around 9.5% in guaraníes;
- bonds from large Paraguayan companies or subsidiaries of international companies yielding around 11–12%;
- accumulated inflation for the year stated as less than 2%;
- the guaraní described as having gained more than 20% against the US dollar over the previous year.
These figures are presented as part of the transcript’s discussion and are not independently verified here.
Who may benefit from the investor path
The investor path may be useful for applicants who want permanent residency immediately and are comfortable locking up capital.
The main advantages are:
- skipping the two-year temporary residency period;
- avoiding the annual trips required to maintain temporary residency;
- starting the timeline toward a Paraguayan passport earlier;
- gaining more flexibility in planning travel to Paraguay.
This may be especially relevant for people whose priority is eventual citizenship or who want to avoid managing the temporary residency renewal and conversion process.
When temporary residency may still make more sense
Temporary residency remains a valid route for many applicants.
The transcript describes temporary residency as likely to remain the most popular option because it does not require locking up $150,000 or $200,000, making an investment promise to the government, or managing an investment project.
The tradeoff is time and travel. Temporary residents must make one visit per year during the first two years: one to avoid losing the residency, and another to convert to permanent residency. They also wait two years before becoming permanent residents and only then begin counting time toward a passport.
For applicants who do not need immediate permanent residency, do not want to invest large sums, or are comfortable with the yearly visit requirement, temporary residency may still be the more practical choice.
