South America and South Atlantic Islands

Visas

 

If you are staying for less than three months and you have a British Passport, you do not require a visa to enter Paraguay.  You must make sure on arrival that your passport is stamped by an immigration official, dated, signed and sealed. Anybody without an entry stamp in their passport will be fined when they leave the country.  This is particularly important for anyone entering Paraguay at a land border.  Sometimes long distance bus drivers tell non-Mercosur nationals that they can complete immigration formalities in Asunción.  This is not true, and visitors will incur a fine if they do not get their passport stamped at point of entry.

If you wish to stay longer than three months as a visitor you must produce a "certificado de buena conducta" (certificate of good conduct) in order to apply for a residence permit.  You should obtain this certificate from your local police station in the UK before travelling, as the Honorary Consul cannot issue one.  This must be issued in the month before you leave the UK and has a limited validity of six months.

If you intend to stay in Paraguay for longer than three months (e.g set up a business, work or study) you should contact the Paraguayan Embassy in London.

They can provide further assistance before travelling in order to make sure you get the necessary entry clearance documentation.  It can be a lengthy process to regularise your status in country if you arrive in Paraguay without the required documentation.

 

Travelling with children

 

If you are under 18, travelling across borders in the region without one or both parents, it is advisable to have written permission to travel from both parents, duly certified by the Paraguayan Consulate in London.  Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that immigration officers often request documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.