Paraguay launches Investor Pass for direct access to permanent residency

Paraguay, a Latin American country, has launched a new residency-by-investment route, the “Paraguay Investor Pass”, offering foreign investors direct access to permanent residency through three main investment options.

The passport ranks 24th globally in 2026, with a mobility score of 142.

The qualifying routes include a $150,000 investment in tourism projects or a $200,000 investment in either real estate or the stock market. It now competes strongly with Panama and Uruguay for high-net-worth investors due to low taxation, political continuity, and fast-track residency.

The announcement was jointly presented by Marco Riquelme, minister of Industry and Commerce and Jorge Kronawetter, national director of Migration. Under the new system, investors can qualify directly for permanent residency, bypassing temporary status entirely.

Riquelme said the reform was designed to give investors greater flexibility while strengthening key sectors of the economy. “Many wanted to establish residency first and then develop their projects. Today we are enabling that possibility, linking residency to investments that also boost key sectors such as tourism, finance, and the real estate market,” he said.

He added that the programme includes a tax incentive, reducing dividend tax for residents to 8 percent, down from 15 percent. Most of the process will be handled digitally, with physical presence required only for the issuance of the national identity card. “The system is simple, transparent, and offers ongoing support,” he said.

Kronawetter noted that the legal framework allows for direct permanent residency through a special law, removing the need for temporary residency. “We are aiming to attract individuals who are truly committed to the country, simplifying procedures through a single window that integrates immigration, tax, and identification processes,” he said.

He also highlighted rising demand for Paraguayan residency. Applications increased from 28,000 in 2024 to more than 47,000 in 2025, with projections of 80,000 in 2026, driven largely by Brazilian applicants. This is exactly what tax-conscious HNWI need after the collapse of the golden visa programs in Spain and Portugal,” Philippe May, chief executive of EC Holdings, said.