How to Apostille Documents for Paraguay Residency

Yes. Paraguay has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since 30 August 2014 (approved by Ley 4987/13). A foreign document apostilled in another Convention country needs no consular step and no further legalisation in Paraguay, and Migraciones recognises it without any other certification.

In the country that issued the document, by that country's competent authority, not in Paraguay. In the US, federal documents such as FBI background checks are apostilled by the US Department of State, while documents issued by a state (such as birth certificates) are certified by that state. In the UK, the FCDO Legalisation Office issues apostilles. The Hague Conference (HCCH) website lists the competent authority for every member country.

Request your Identity History Summary from the FBI ($18 per person for mail requests, or online through edo.cjis.gov). The FBI authenticates the result with its watermark and the signature of a division official, but it does not forward results for apostille. You send the result yourself to the US Department of State Office of Authentications with Form DS-4194 naming Paraguay and a $20 fee per document. The State Department says it processes mailed requests within 5 weeks of receiving them.

Migraciones requires foreign documents to be current. Under Res. DNM 754/2024, a home-country certificate with no stated expiry is treated as valid for 6 months from its issue date, and an expired one may still be accepted if it was valid when you entered Paraguay, expired no more than 12 months ago, and you have not left the country since. We could not confirm that this resolution is still applied in October 2026, so aim to file within 6 months of the issue date. The foreign record is needed for temporary residency; permanent residency uses Paraguayan certificates.

Yes, documents not in Spanish must be translated. For residency, the translation can be done by a traductor público registered in Paraguay, or by a sworn translator in the country of origin, in which case the translation itself must be apostilled or legalised. Brazilian documents in Portuguese need no translation for Migraciones. For naturalisation, the Supreme Court requires a CSJ-registered translator. Translator prices are not regulated, so ask for a written quote.

The document must first go through the Paraguayan consulate in the country of origin and then be legalised by the Foreign Ministry (MRE) in Asunción. MRE legalisation fees are set under Ley 1030/97: for example ₲351,250 (about US$60) for a foreign birth certificate or criminal record. Taiwan has a separate treaty with Paraguay (Ley 6045/18) that removes the consular step.

The Foreign Ministry (MRE) charges ₲234,200 (about US$40) per document. A Paraguayan apostille is only for Paraguayan documents that will be used abroad; it has no validity inside Paraguay, and you do not need one on foreign documents you bring for residency.

No. Paraguay does not issue e-Apostilles, and the MRE describes no online application. You apply in person at an MRE window (7:30 to 13:00). The MRE does run an online register where anyone can check an apostille it has issued.

Yes. The birth certificate and the civil-status certificate are on the Ley 6984 list for temporary residency, and all foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled. Get a certified copy from the issuing office and have it apostilled in that country. In the US, a birth certificate is a state document, so the state that issued it certifies it, not the US State Department.