Paraguay issues 29,765 residence permits in the first half of 2026: an 81% increase

According to Paraguay’s Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM), between January and June 2026 the agency granted 29,765 residences. This is an 81% rise compared with 16,456 approvals for the same period in 2025.

The number of applications also increased: a total of 33,243 requests were filed, which is 62% higher than in the same timeframe last year (20,567).

In terms of outcomes, temporary permits accounted for 23,833, while permanent permits totaled 5,932. From the demand side, applicants split into 27,024 applications for temporary status and 6,219 for permanent status.

Notably, the number of residences issued in just the first half exceeds the volume Paraguay processed for the entire 2024 year — 28,464. It also reached 73% of the 40,600 residences recorded in 2025. A similar pattern is seen in the “incoming flow”: over six months, 33,243 applications were submitted—more than 29,126 in 2024—amounting to 70% of last year’s level (47,687).

Brazilian nationals account for 3/4 of all issued permits

The largest share of granted residences went to citizens of Brazil. They received 22,628 residences—equivalent to 76% of all DNM decisions for the first half of the year. Argentina ranked second (2,210), followed by Germany (1,132) and Spain (821).

At the same time, the concentration among Brazilian applicants is strengthening. In 2025, Brazilians obtained 23,526 out of 40,600 residences (a 58% share). Already in the first six months of 2026, the number issued to the Brazilian group reached 96% of the full-year 2025 total for that nationality segment.

Two quarters move in opposite directions

DNM published the first-quarter figures in April, but it does not disclose second-quarter results separately. To estimate quarterly dynamics, the analysis compares the six-month totals with the available first-quarter data (calculations were performed using accessible datasets rather than directly from DNM’s quarterly splits).

In the “incoming flow,” there is a decline: the number of applications fell by 16.0% compared with the previous quarter. Meanwhile, the “outflow” (approvals) is increasing: approvals were issued 8.5% higher. Within the structure, most of the drop is concentrated in temporary residence permits, while applications for permanent status declined only marginally.

The agency’s decisions also shifted in different directions: temporary approvals rose by 15.4%, while permanent approvals decreased by 15.3%.

In addition, the first half indicates that the country is still behind the pace previously cited by the DNM director. In the context of launching Investor Pass in April, Paraguayan authorities forecast 80,000 applications for 2026. By mid-year, the figure stands at 33,243 submitted applications.

Permanent residence loses ground in what is actually being granted

The share of permanent permits within the issued outcomes changed over time: in the first quarter it was 22.5%, and in the second it fell to 17.6%. For the full year 2025, the permanent segment’s share was higher—26.2%.

However, demand for permanent status did not drop in parallel. In the applications structure for permanent status, the share was 17.0% in the first quarter and 20.7% in the second. In other words, people continue to apply for permanent Paraguayan residence, but fewer approvals are being issued.

At least two regulatory changes are affecting the permanent segment. First, the immigration law from November 2025 removed the route with a USD 5,000 deposit, which previously allowed applicants to obtain permanent status immediately. As a result, applicants focused on demonstrating financial capacity now have to go through a two-year temporary stage.

Second, Resolution 407, signed on May 28, 2026 and applied to applications filed from July 6, 2026, tightened the criteria used to determine economic solvency at that same stage. However, the impact of this decision does not fall within the current reporting period.

What other documents are being processed

Another category tracked separately is precarious residence—an intermediate document issued to applicants on temporary grounds while their case is being processed in the system under Law 6984/22. For this indicator, the volume typically reflects queue size and system workload rather than the number of people who have been fully accepted.

The immigration service links the rise in applications to an unprecedented influx. In response, DNM launched a contingency plan for overload: it extended working hours and added shifts on non-working days to speed up document checks and file processing.

A strong start to the year—but the “permanent” segment is crucial

In Paraguay, the number of approved residences in the second quarter turned out to be higher than the number of applications received. This may point more to a backlog reduction than to a sudden acceleration in demand. Therefore, the headline growth reflects not only applicant interest, but also how quickly DNM is handling processing.

Attention typically focuses on permanent pathways: applications remain in the pipeline throughout the half-year, but approvals decline. Two rule changes reinforce this trend: one removed the “on entry” route to permanent status, and the other raised the requirements for transitioning to permanent status.

Data from the second half of the year will provide the first “signal” regarding Resolution 407. Applications submitted from July 6 will be assessed using a stricter financial capacity test, and the key indicator will be the number of positive decisions for permanent residences.

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