Paraguay Moves Investor Pass from Launch to Implementation

A July cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the National Directorate of Migration gives the Investor Pass an operational framework aimed at simplifying investor residence and company establishment procedures.

3 October 2026

Paraguay is moving the Investor Pass beyond its initial launch and into a more operational phase. The programme, introduced under MIC Resolution No. 283/2026, allows qualifying foreign investors to apply directly for permanent residence through several investment routes rather than first obtaining temporary residence.

MIC and Migration formalise cooperation

On 3 July 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) and the National Directorate of Migration signed a three-year cooperation framework specifically aimed at facilitating and accelerating the residence process for investors. The agreement calls for coordinated procedures and, where possible, the use of digital tools to simplify the steps connected with company formation and establishment in Paraguay.

The agreement is important because the Investor Pass sits across two administrative systems. MIC, through SUACE, issues the Foreign Investor Certificate (CIE), while Migration is responsible for the residence permit. Closer coordination is therefore necessary if the programme is to deliver a genuinely faster investor-entry process rather than simply creating additional investment categories.

Four investment routes are now available

The current framework recognises four routes. Productive investments in industry, commerce or services start at USD 70,000 and require a business plan and at least five formal jobs. Financial investments start at USD 200,000 and must be maintained for at least two years. Real-estate investments also start at USD 200,000 but must be linked to an economic activity rather than personal or family use. Tourism projects have a USD 150,000 threshold and require a business plan and technical monitoring.

The diversification matters because the previous model was primarily designed around an operating business and job creation. The financial and real-estate routes allow investors whose economic contribution does not immediately take the form of payroll to qualify under separate conditions.

Permanent residence still requires compliance checks

The Investor Pass does not make residence automatic. Applicants must document the qualifying investment and complete the relevant CIE and migration procedures. The framework preserves criminal-record checks, declarations concerning the origin of funds, anti-money-laundering controls and monitoring of the investment commitment.

For foreign investors, the practical significance is therefore not only the lower or differentiated investment thresholds. The programme creates a clearer link between investment policy, migration and business establishment. Its success will depend on how consistently the two institutions implement the new procedures and whether the promised simplification is reflected in processing times and documentary requirements.

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