Legalization of Documents and Visas

asantander wrote:

I have received a number of enquiries expressing confusion regarding the legalization of documents before arriving in Paraguay. I hope to clear some of the confusion and admit this is not fully inclusive of the many issues that can arise.

Before arriving in Paraguay to seek permanent residency, applicants are required to obtain legalization of the following documents: birth certificate, marriage and divorce certificates (if applicable) and a police check from the country in which the applicant has been living in for the previous five years. If you plan to use any educational qualifications while living in Paraguay, these must also be legalized. The legalization process involves getting the documents legalized by the appropriate government authorities in the country in which the documents were issued and, having done this, submitting the documents for legalization at the Paraguayan consulate / embassy in the country of their origin. In some cases, a regional Paraguayan consulate must be used when there is no representation in the country of origin.

For instance, an American born doctor who received his qualifications in the United Kingdom and who has lived in the Phillipines for the past 7 years and married a native of Australia in Australia, must provide the following:

An apostilled birth certificate from the state in the United States where he was born which would then be legalized by the appropriate embassy / consulate in the US.

Professional certificates notarised by a UK lawyer of his British medical qualifications. These would then require legalisation by the UK Foreign Office in Milton Keynes.

Copies of his marriage certificate legalized by the Australian authorities.

A police check done in the Phillipnes.


Having done this, the documents can be submitted to the Paraguayan consulate or embassy. In this case, the birth certificate would have to be submitted to the appropriate Paraguayan authority in the US (more below). The medical qualification to the Paraguayan consulate in the UK etc.

If there are children involved, their birth certificates must be legalized in the country of their birth before submission to the appropriate Paraguayan consulate.

I would strongly advise that all documents requiring legalization are completed before arrival in Paraguay. The first reason is that there are no money orders available in Paraguay and Paraguayan consulates / embassies outside of Paraguay do not accept private checks or payment via Western Union. The second reason is that the post in Paraguay is slow and the uncertainty this causes can be avoided by arriving with all documents ready for submission.

For US citizens:  regarding birth certificates, vitalchek provide apostilled birth certificates which require no further legalization by US authorities and these can be submitted to the Paraguayan consulate without further action.  www.vitalchek.com

The continental US has Paraguayan consulates in four states. Each has specific regional areas for which they legalize birth certificates.

www.embaparusa.gov.py/index_english.html

Consular Section in Washington, D.C.
2400 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington DC. 20008 With Jurisdiction in the States of: District of Columbia (DC); Maryland; Delaware; Virginia; West Virginia; Illinois; Iowa; Minnesota; North Dakota; South Dakota, Kansas.
Phone: 202 483 6960
Fax : 202 234 4508
e-mail: consulado@embaparusa.gov.py
web: www.embaparusa.gov.py
Consulate General in New York
211 East 43 Street
Suite 2101- New York, NY10017 With Jurisdiction in the States of: Maine; New Hampshire; Vermont; New York; Massachusetts; Rhode Island; Connecticut; Pennsylvania; New Jersey; Ohio; Indiana; Michigan, Wisconsin.
Phone: 212 682 9441/2
Fax: 212 682 9443
e-mail: consulparny@aol.com
Consulate General in Miami, Florida.
25 South East 2nd Ave.
Suite 705 - Miami, Fl 33131 With Jurisdiction in the States of: Florida; Georgia; North Carolina; South Carolina; Alabama; Tennessee; Kentucky; Mississippi; Louisiana; Oklahoma; Arkansas, Missouri also Puerto Rico; Bahamas, Caiman Island.
Phone: 305 374 9090
Fax: 305 374 5522
e-mail: paraguay@bellsouth.net
Consulate General in Los Angeles, California.
9841 Airport Blvd Suite 820
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Tel.: 310 417 9500
Fax : 310 417 9520

www.embaparusa.gov.py/index_english.html   for legalization fees please consult the section entitled legalization. I would advise checking the fees as these are subject to change.


Regarding visas, there is no specific visa for people seeking permanent residency in Paraguay. The only visa applicable is the tourist visa and there are no problems with this when submitting documents for permanent residency. You can also obtain your tourist visa at any Paraguayan consulate or embassy, there are no jurisdictional considerations.

I hope this is helpful.


Saludos cordiales,


Ariel Ortiz Santander

Thanks Ariel, It was very useful !

Thanks asantander!

I have already gone through this process and I can confirm that all documents required must be legalised in the country of emission.

I am Canadian but was living in Germany at the time, so my birth certificate and university transcripts had to be legalized at the Paraguayan Embassy in Ottawa, Canada.  Thank God my parents live in Montreal or else...  First I required a notarized copy of these documents, the notary's signature had to be legalised by the Chamber of Notaries of Québec, then legalised by the Paraguayan Embassy.  Once here in Paraguay, the seal of the Paraguayan Embassy has to be legalised again, by External/Foreign affairs!

So a lot of people confirming each other's signature!

In Germany, my marriage certificate had to be legalized by the proper authority of the area, the same thing for my kids' report cards, then sent on to the Paraguayan Embassy in Berlin.  All of these of course legalized again in Paraguay (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores).

My recommendation:  ask the Paraguayan Embassy / Consulate where each document has to be legalised, since this changes from country to country!  And this all involved time (and money)!  Civil servants all around the world work at a slower pace, not only in Paraguay!

Great help, thanks. I am going through the same situation here. I am an Australian national, working in Jakarta and I was married in Singapore and I did my BA and Masters in New York. So please guide me in this area.
Can I legalize my birth certificate at Australian embassy in Jakarta 1st and then receive a legalization at Paraguay embassy of Jakarta? or I have to get a stamp at Paraguay embassy in Australia in this case.
Also can I get a stamp at my marriage certificate from Paraguay embassy in Jakarta or I need to get a stamp 1st from Paraguay embassy in Korea (because there is no Paraguay embassy in Singapore and connected embassy to Singapore is Korea not Indonesia). I will receive my police clear certificate from Jakarta police and then I will get a stamp from Paraguay embassy which is fine. Please give me further information if possible. Thanks

Hello stevosoparo

Just for info, please note that this thread is inactive for over two years!

Regards
Kenjee
Expat.com Team

Sure, let me know if you have further details in this area. Thanks Man

HOLA
SOY SUD AFRICA. NECESITO UNA VISA PARA RECEINTEE PARAGUY?
SERA VALIDO PARA QUE PERIODO?

cheekybekker wrote:

HOLA
SOY SUD AFRICA. NECESITO UNA VISA PARA RECEINTEE PARAGUY?
SERA VALIDO PARA QUE PERIODO?

Please post in ENGLISH so that members can understand your post. Could you please not post in uppercase as it is considered to be rude and the same as shouting at someone. Thank you.