Paraguay Criminal Record: Complete Police Clearance Guide
Learn which criminal-record certificate Paraguay requires, whether it must come from your country of origin or recent country of residence, how apostille and translation work, and which Paraguayan police checks are completed locally.
Last reviewed: July 2026. Migraciones may request additional documents depending on the case.
Paraguay police-clearance requirements at a glance
For ordinary temporary residence under Law 6984, applicants aged 14 or older generally submit a valid foreign criminal or police certificate, an INTERPOL certificate obtained in Paraguay, and a Paraguayan certificate for foreigners issued by the National Police.
Foreign criminal record
Issued at national or federal level by the competent authority in the relevant foreign country.
INTERPOL certificate
Obtained locally in Paraguay as part of the residence-file preparation.
Paraguayan foreigner check
Issued by the National Police’s information department for foreign applicants.
Which country must issue your foreign criminal record?
The correct issuing country depends on where you actually lived during the three years before applying.
You lived in your country of origin
Submit the criminal-record certificate from your country of origin, issued by the competent authority with national or federal coverage.
You lived in another country
Submit the certificate from the recent country of residence, together with proof that you lived there during the relevant period.
You lived in Paraguay for more than three years
The current ordinary temporary-residence checklist allows a current Paraguayan judicial criminal record plus a sworn declaration of no foreign criminal record, subject to Migraciones verifying the residence period.
Official criminal-record checklist for temporary residence
| Requirement | Who needs it? | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign criminal or police certificate | Applicants aged 14+ | Current, national or federal in scope, and apostilled or legalised. |
| Proof of foreign residence | Applicants using a certificate from a country other than their nationality | Must show residence in that country during the relevant three-year period. |
| INTERPOL certificate | Applicants aged 14+ | Original plus an authenticated copy. |
| Paraguayan certificate for foreigners | Applicants aged 14+ | Issued by the National Police’s information department. |
| Spanish translation | Where the certificate is not in Spanish | Prepared under Paraguay’s published translation rules. |
| Authenticated copy | For return of the original | Prepared by a Paraguayan notary where required. |
The three background checks explained
1. Foreign police clearance
This shows the applicant’s record in the relevant foreign jurisdiction. Migraciones requires national or federal validity rather than a purely local municipal search.
2. INTERPOL certificate
This is a Paraguayan residence-process document obtained from INTERPOL in Paraguay. It is not the same as the police certificate from your home country.
3. Paraguayan police certificate for foreigners
This local check is issued by the National Police for foreign applicants and forms part of the immigration file.
How recent must the criminal record be?
Migraciones requires a valid or current certificate, but the exact validity period is determined by the issuing document and the administrative rules applied to the file.
In practice, applicants should request the certificate close enough to their planned travel and filing date that it remains current through apostille, shipping, translation and submission.
EasyParaguay’s operational guidance is to review your timeline before ordering the record, especially when the country has long processing or apostille delays.
Apostille and Spanish translation
A foreign criminal-record certificate must be prepared for legal use in Paraguay.
Apostille or consular legalisation
If the issuing country and Paraguay use the Hague Apostille Convention, obtain an apostille from the competent authority in the issuing country. Otherwise, follow the consular legalisation route.
Spanish translation
Documents in another language must be translated by a public translator registered in Paraguay or through the accepted foreign-translator route, which can require separate authentication of the translation.
Read the complete Paraguay apostille guide before preparing foreign documents.
Common country examples
The exact certificate name and apostille authority vary by country. Always confirm that the document has national or federal coverage where Paraguay requires it.
United States
Applicants commonly use an FBI Identity History Summary because Paraguay asks for national or federal coverage. State-only records may not satisfy that requirement by themselves.
United Kingdom
An ACRO Police Certificate is commonly used for immigration and foreign-residence purposes. Confirm the current document and legalisation route before ordering.
Canada
A national RCMP-based criminal-record product is generally more aligned with a national-scope requirement than a local police-only search.
France
The relevant national criminal-record extract should be requested in the correct official format, then apostilled and translated where required.
Belgium
Request the appropriate official extract from the competent authority, ensuring the version is suitable for foreign use before apostille and translation.
Germany
The Federal Central Criminal Register certificate is the type commonly associated with national coverage. Confirm the foreign-use and apostille procedure.
Spain
The national criminal-record certificate must be valid for foreign use and prepared with the applicable apostille.
Australia
A national police check is generally more suitable than a state-only record when national coverage is required.
Argentina, Brazil and MERCOSUR
MERCOSUR applicants still need the criminal or police certificate required by the current regional residence checklist.
Special rule for certificates issued in Mexico
The current Migraciones checklist states that Mexican citizens, and foreigners who lived in Mexico for more than one year during the previous three years, must submit both the federal and state certificates.
Both certificates must be properly legalised or apostilled.
Criminal-record rules for minors
Applicants under 14 are generally exempt from criminal, judicial and police certificates.
Migraciones also publishes specific exemptions for certain foreign adolescents where their country does not issue the required certificate at that age. The published list includes nationals of Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela within the applicable age range.
Adolescents from other countries may also be exempt if they provide official evidence that the relevant country does not issue such certificates to persons of their age.
Step-by-step criminal-record preparation
Map your last three years of residence
List every country where you lived and identify any stay longer than one year.
Confirm the correct issuing jurisdiction
Determine whether Paraguay expects your country-of-origin record or a recent country-of-residence record.
Order a national or federal certificate
Avoid local-only products unless official guidance confirms they are sufficient.
Review names and identity details
Check all surnames, accents, dates of birth and passport details before authentication.
Obtain apostille or legalisation
Use the competent authority in the issuing country.
Translate into Spanish
Use an accepted public-translator route after the source document is verified.
Obtain the local Paraguayan checks
Complete the INTERPOL certificate and National Police certificate for foreigners in Paraguay.
Submit before expiry
Coordinate travel, notarised copies and the Migraciones appointment so all certificates remain current.
Common police-clearance mistakes
Using a local instead of national record
The ordinary checklist expressly requires national or federal validity.
Ordering from nationality instead of residence
A recent country of residence can become the relevant jurisdiction.
Forgetting proof of foreign residence
The certificate from another country should be supported by evidence that you lived there.
Confusing INTERPOL with the foreign certificate
The Paraguayan INTERPOL check does not replace the foreign national record.
Missing the Mexico dual-certificate rule
Both federal and state records are required in the circumstances published by Migraciones.
Using an expired or old certificate
Authentication does not extend the document’s administrative validity.
Name inconsistencies
Different surname formats can trigger document observations and extra affidavits.
Translating before verification
This wastes time and money when the wrong record was ordered.
Paraguay criminal-record FAQ
Does Paraguay require a criminal-record certificate for residency?
Yes. Applicants aged 14 or older generally need the foreign certificate and the local Paraguayan checks listed for their residence category.
Which country should issue my certificate?
Usually your country of origin if you lived there, or the country where you resided during the relevant recent period.
What if I lived in another country during the last three years?
If you lived there for more than one year, Migraciones requires that country’s certificate plus evidence of residence.
Does the record need national or federal coverage?
Yes. The ordinary temporary-residence checklist expressly calls for national or federal validity.
Do I also need an INTERPOL certificate?
Yes for applicants aged 14 or older under the ordinary temporary-residence checklist.
Is the Paraguayan police certificate separate?
Yes. The certificate for foreigners issued by the National Police is separate from INTERPOL and from your foreign record.
Does the foreign record need an apostille?
Yes if the Apostille Convention applies. Otherwise, use the applicable consular legalisation route.
Does it need Spanish translation?
Yes unless an official exception applies, such as qualifying Portuguese-language documents issued in Brazil.
How old can the certificate be?
It must be current when submitted. Plan around the issuing country’s stated validity and processing time.
Do children need police clearances?
Applicants under 14 are generally exempt. Additional age-based exemptions can apply where a country does not issue records to adolescents.
Do US applicants need an FBI check?
An FBI Identity History Summary is commonly used because it provides federal coverage, unlike a state-only record.
Do UK applicants use an ACRO certificate?
An ACRO Police Certificate is commonly used for overseas immigration purposes, subject to current UK issuance and legalisation rules.
What is the special rule for Mexico?
The published Paraguay rule requires both federal and state certificates in the specified circumstances.
What if I have lived in Paraguay for more than three years?
The current ordinary checklist provides an alternative using a current Paraguayan judicial record and a sworn declaration, subject to proof and Migraciones verification.
Can a criminal record automatically disqualify me?
Not every entry has the same legal effect. Migraciones can review the facts and request additional documentation. Obtain individual legal advice for any record.
Can EasyParaguay review the certificate before I apostille it?
Yes. A pre-check can confirm the jurisdiction, certificate type, names, timing and authentication plan before further expense.
Continue your Paraguay residency research
Check your criminal-record document before apostille and translation
EasyParaguay reviews your country of origin, recent residence history, certificate jurisdiction, document dates and apostille plan before your residence file is prepared.
Official sources and legal notice
- Dirección Nacional de Migraciones — Temporary Residence
- Dirección Nacional de Migraciones — MERCOSUR Temporary Residence
- Policía Nacional — INTERPOL certificate requirements
- Policía Nacional — Police record certificates
- Poder Judicial — Paraguayan criminal-record services
This page provides general information and does not constitute personalised immigration or criminal-law advice. Requirements, validity periods, certificate formats and administrative interpretation can change. Migraciones may request additional documents depending on the applicant’s history.
