Blog · 2025-12-08

How to obtain the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros in Paraguay

The Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros (foreigner's registration card) is the official document that certifies a foreign national's registration in Paraguay. Issued by the National Police, it takes the form of a plastic card bearing the holder's photograph. Obtaining it is mandatory for every foreigner who has been granted residency in Paraguay, and it is a necessary step before applying for the Paraguayan national identity card (cédula de identidad). Below we explain the requirements, the documents and the procedure for obtaining the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros, based on official government sources.

What is the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros?

The Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros is the foreigner registration card issued in Paraguay by the National Police's Department of Foreigner Registration. The document confirms that a foreigner has been entered into the police register, as the law requires. In practice, the foreigner's card functions much like a domestic identity document: it holds the holder's personal details, photograph and fingerprints.

Why do you need the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros?

Above all, the document is compulsory for every category of foreign resident in Paraguay. Without the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros it is impossible to obtain the Paraguayan cédula, the national identity card. In other words, once a foreign national has secured temporary or permanent residency, they must register with the police and obtain the Carnet. Under National Police rules, a copy of the Carnet is among the documents required when applying for a foreigner's cédula. The foreigner's card therefore confirms your resident status and your registration with the authorities, and serves to verify that you have no criminal record.

Who must obtain the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros?

Every foreign national who has been granted permission to reside in Paraguay is required to register with the police, without exception. This applies both to holders of temporary residency and to permanent residents. In addition, foreigners married to Paraguayan citizens, as well as the children of Paraguayan citizens who were born abroad and are processing their documents in the country, must also obtain the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros. In short, the foreigner's card is required in every case where a non-resident processes Paraguayan documents relating to residence, status or civil standing.

Requirements and documents for the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros

To obtain the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros, the applicant must submit the required set of documents in person to the National Police. The exact list depends on the applicant's category, but the basic package includes the following:

• Core documents (for all foreign residents): a notarised copy of the passport (or of the identity document from the country of origin); a notarised copy of the Paraguayan residency card - the Carnet de Admisión Permanente or the Carnet de Radicación Temporaria (the permanent or temporary residency document); notarised copies of the Interpol clearance certificate and the Vida y Residencia certificate (proof of address); a completed application form of the prescribed type; and two passport-style photographs (colour, 3×4 cm).
• Additional documents for a foreigner married to a Paraguayan citizen: a notarised marriage certificate and a copy of the Paraguayan spouse's identity document. These are submitted together with all of the core documents listed above.
• Additional documents for the son or daughter of a Paraguayan citizen: a notarised birth certificate and a copy of the Paraguayan parent's identity document. If the applicant is over 18, an Interpol clearance certificate is also required (minors are exempt). These documents are submitted in addition to the core list; children under 18 must also attend together with their parents.

Please note that all foreign documents must be translated into Spanish and duly legalised before submission. Only copies certified by a Paraguayan notary (escribanía) are accepted. This applies to the passport, to birth and marriage certificates, and to certificates issued abroad - without legalisation and notarisation these documents will not be accepted.

How to obtain the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros

1. Preparing the documents in advance

Before applying for the Carnet, you must first obtain two key certificates in Paraguay: the Interpol certificate (Informe de Antecedentes Interpol) and the Vida y Residencia certificate (confirmation of your address). The Interpol certificate is issued through the National Police's Interpol division, while the proof of residence is issued by the local police station (comisaría) for your area. Once obtained, both documents must be legalised at police headquarters.

2. Filing the application at the Department of Foreigner Registration

The application for the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros must be filed by the applicant in person. Documents are received by the Department of Foreigner Registration (Departamento de Investigación de Delitos de la Policía Nacional) in Asunción, at Azara esquina EEUU. The office is open Monday to Friday, from 7:00 to 17:00. The applicant must complete the form and provide the full set of documents in line with the requirements. A police officer receives the documents and checks that they are correctly prepared and complete. On the spot, the applicant's fingerprints are taken along with a photograph and an electronic signature, since the Carnet is a personalised document containing biometric data. The applicant must be present in person - the process cannot be carried out through a representative.

3. Waiting for the card and collecting it

Once the application and documents have been submitted, the applicant simply waits for the Carnet to be produced. According to official information, the foreigner's card takes around 10 working days to issue. After that period, the applicant can collect the finished Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros from the same police unit where the application was filed (bringing the document confirming the application, or the receipt).

Processing times and cost of the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros

Obtaining the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros generally takes about two weeks (10 working days) from the date of submission. In some cases the card is ready sooner - applicants report, for instance, that with a complete set of documents the card was issued the very next day. Even so, it is wise to plan around the official timeframe of up to 10 working days.

The fee for issuing the Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros amounts to one daily minimum wage (1 jornal mínimo diario) at the rate in force at the time of application. The exact amount is adjusted each year in line with increases in the minimum wage. For 2025, the fee is roughly 100,000-120,000 Paraguayan guaraníes. Payment is normally made at the police unit's cashier when the application is filed. Note: spouses and children of Paraguayan citizens who hold a repatriate certificate are exempt from this fee under the law.

For permanent residents, the finished Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros generally has no expiry date. For foreigners with temporary residency, the Carnet may be issued with a validity of 90 days, renewable.

The Carnet de Registro de Extranjeros is therefore a key intermediate document, without which a foreign national cannot fully integrate into Paraguay's legal and administrative system - obtaining a national identity card, registering on the electoral roll, opening a bank account, and so on.

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