Background Checks for Foreigners in Paraguay

That’s where background checks come in.

What You Need to Know in 2026

If you want to obtain residency in Paraguay, there’s one thing the government wants to know first:

Are you who you say you are, and do you have a clean record?

That’s where background checks come in.

For most residency applications in Paraguay, you’ll need three different certificates confirming that you don’t have unresolved legal issues:

1. A background check from your home country

2. An Interpol certificate

3. A local Paraguayan police record

These documents are sometimes called a police clearance certificate or a certificate of good conduct, depending on the country issuing them. Their purpose is simple: they verify that the applicant doesn’t have a criminal history that would prevent them from obtaining residency.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how each of these certificates works, where to obtain them, and what the process looks like when you’re already in Paraguay.

The Paraguayan Police Background Check

If you are a foreigner living in Paraguay without a cédula yet, the document you need is called:

Certificado de Antecedentes Informático para Extranjeros

This certificate confirms that you do not have a criminal record in Paraguay.

It is issued by the IT Department of the Paraguayan National Police in Asunción.

How to request it

The process is surprisingly simple.

You only need:

• A copy of your passport

• The copy must be authenticated by a Paraguayan notary

The police will not accept the original passport. They require a notarized copy, which becomes the official document in their system.

Processing time and cost

One of the pleasant surprises of Paraguay’s bureaucracy is how fast this document is issued.

• Processing time: about 24 hours

• Cost: 63,000 guaraní (around $9)

• Validity: 3 months

The office is located at:

Ytororo 704, Asunción
Open Monday–Friday from 07:00 to 17:00

It sits near the Villa Morra area and close to many immigration service offices.

Example of a certificate issued by the Police IT Department.

Once You Have Your Cédula

Things change once you obtain your Paraguayan cédula (national ID card).

At that point, you are no longer considered a foreigner in the administrative sense.

Instead of the certificate for foreigners, you will need a different document:

Certificado de Antecedentes Policiales

Digital version of the Certificado de Antecedentes Policiales.

This certificate is required for several procedures, including converting temporary residency into permanent residency.

You can obtain it from the Department of Identifications in Asunción:

Campos Cervera 6162

Two ways to request it

1. In person at the Department of Identifications

2. Online through the Portal Paraguay app

Both versions are legally valid inside Paraguay.

If you need the document recognized internationally, it can also be apostilled at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, making it valid in countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention.

The Interpol Background Check

The second local certificate required for residency is issued by Interpol.

This document verifies that you do not have any international criminal cases or active investigations.

You can obtain it at the Interpol office in Asunción:

Cnel. Gracia Nº 468

Opening hours are the same as most government offices:

Monday–Friday, 07:00–17:00

What you need to bring

To request the certificate, you will need:

• Two passport photos

• A request form provided at the office

• A notarized copy of your passport

Alternatively, you can authorize another person to handle the request and pickup with a notarized power of attorney.

Processing time and cost

• Cost: 112,000 guaraní (around $16)

• Processing time: 1–2 business days

Example of a background check issued by Interpol in Paraguay.

Can You Apply for Residency With a Criminal Record?

This is one of the most common questions from applicants.

The answer is yes — but it depends on the situation.

Paraguayan law does not require a perfectly clean record for your entire life. However, the authorities will carefully evaluate the nature of any offense.

Here’s how it usually works:

• Serious criminal convictions can lead to a denial of residency.

• The Interpol certificate must not show active criminal proceedings anywhere in the world.

• Minor offenses appearing in your home-country background check often do not prevent residency.

In these situations, it is extremely important to review the documents before traveling to Paraguay. A preliminary evaluation can prevent unnecessary travel if the case is unlikely to succeed.

Over the years, immigration specialists working in Paraguay have developed close working relationships with the immigration authorities. This allows them to request case-by-case consultations, which sometimes makes it possible to proceed even when minor issues appear in a background check.

Background Checks From Your Home Country

The third certificate required for residency comes from your country of origin.

If you have lived in another country during the last five years, the background check may need to come from that country instead.

Each country has its own procedures. Below are some of the most common examples.

United States

Applicants from the United States must provide a background check issued by the FBI.

Certificates issued by individual states are not accepted by Paraguayan authorities for residency applications.

The process typically works like this:

1. Visit the Interpol office in Asunción

2. Have your fingerprints taken using form FD-258

3. The fingerprints are sent to the FBI

The Interpol office in Asunción is recognized as an authorized fingerprint provider for FBI background checks.

• Processing time: 3–5 weeks

• Cost: approximately $18

Canada

Canadian citizens need a certificate issued by the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police).

You can have your fingerprints taken at a police station in Paraguay and then send them digitally to the RCMP. Some specialized companies also assist with the submission process.

United Kingdom

UK citizens can request their background check through the ACRO Criminal Records Office.

You will need to submit:

• A recent photo

• A color copy of your passport

• Your address history for the past 10 years

• An email address

• Payment details

The current processing cost is £55.

Alternatively, you may authorize a third party to handle the request.

Germany

German citizens can request their certificate through the Federal Office of Justice.

If you have a German electronic ID, the process is very straightforward and can be completed online using:

• AusweisApp2, or

• the official portal of the Federal Office of Justice.

The cost of the certificate is €13.

Final Thoughts

Background checks are one of the key steps in the residency process in Paraguay.

While the idea of gathering multiple certificates from different countries might sound complicated, in practice the process is relatively straightforward once you understand the steps involved.

In most cases, the required documents are:

1. A background check from your home country

2. An Interpol certificate issued in Paraguay

3. A local Paraguayan police record

With the right preparation, these documents can usually be obtained within a few days once you arrive in the country.

If you have questions about obtaining your background checks or preparing your residency application, feel free to reach out. Our team is always happy to help guide you through the proces