How many days a year do you need to spend in Paraguay to keep your residency?
Short answer: Paraguay’s migration law does not set a minimum number of days per year. It sets limits on unjustified absence from the country — more than one year for temporary residents and more than three consecutive years for permanent residents. Here is what the law says, what it does not say, and how to plan around it.
Sources checked September 2026 · Ley N° 6984/2022, Articles 54 and 55
The short answer
Many people ask whether they must spend 30, 90 or 183 days a year in Paraguay. For immigration purposes, the answer is no: the law works with maximum periods of absence, not with a yearly attendance quota.
Temporary residency
Migraciones may cancel it after an unjustified absence from Paraguay of more than one year.
Permanent residency
The status is lost after more than three consecutive years of absence that has not been justified before Migraciones.
Tax residence
A different legal question with its own rules. Holding residency does not by itself settle your tax position — in Paraguay or elsewhere.
What Law 6984 actually says
Paraguay’s current migration law is Ley N° 6984/2022 “De Migraciones”. Two articles deal with absence.
Article 55 — grounds for cancelling a residency
Article 55 lets the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones cancel a residency, by a reasoned resolution, in a limited list of cases. Paragraph 2 covers absence:
In English: unjustified absence from the country for more than three consecutive years for a permanent resident, or for more than one year for a temporary resident, except where Migraciones has authorised it.
Article 54 — loss of permanent residency
In English: permanent residents lose that status if they are absent for more than three years without justifying the absence before Migraciones. The article adds that Migraciones may extend that period in cases defined by the regulations, and that a person who loses the status can recover it by meeting the legal requirements again.
Two details are worth reading closely. First, Article 55 says Migraciones may cancel — it is a ground for cancellation decided by resolution, not an automatic event. Second, both articles refer to absence that is unjustified or not authorised: the law expects the resident to justify a long absence before Migraciones.
Temporary residents: the one-year limit
Temporary residency under Law 6984 is granted for up to two years and can be extended once for the same period (Article 46). It is normally the step before permanent residency.
| Situation | What the law says | Practical reading |
|---|---|---|
| Trips abroad of any length under one year | No rule on the number of days spent in Paraguay | Travel is compatible with the status |
| Absence of more than one year | Ground for cancellation, unless Migraciones authorised the absence (Art. 55.2) | Request authorisation before reaching the limit |
| Residency period ends | The temporary residency must be extended within its validity; a new residence card is issued after an extension (Arts. 46 and 58) | A separate deadline from the absence rule |
The cédula issued to a temporary resident has the same validity as the residency and is renewed with each extension (Article 63). If you plan to be away around the time your residency expires, the expiry date — not the absence rule — is usually the first deadline to manage.
Permanent residents: the three-year limit
Permanent residency allows you to live in Paraguay indefinitely (Article 47), but it is not a licence to stay away forever.
- The status is lost after more than three consecutive years of absence not justified before Migraciones (Articles 54 and 55).
- Migraciones may extend that period in the cases set by the regulations (Article 54).
- A person who loses permanent residency can recover it by meeting the legal requirements again (Article 54).
- The permanent residence card must be renewed every ten years in order to renew the Paraguayan cédula (Article 59).
Is there a minimum number of days per year?
Law 6984 contains no minimum number of days per year that a temporary or permanent resident must spend in Paraguay.
Figures such as 183 days come from tax contexts in other countries and should not be carried over to Paraguayan immigration status. The Paraguayan rules above are about the length of an absence from the country.
One caveat: the law is complemented by its regulations and by Migraciones’ own resolutions. They can define procedures — for example, how an absence is justified or when the three-year period can be extended. Check your specific situation before a long absence rather than relying on a general rule.
Tax residence is a different question
Keeping your migration status and being a tax resident are not the same thing.
- Under Paraguay’s tax regulations, an individual is considered a tax resident when they hold permanent residence under the migration law (Decreto 3181/2019, Annex, Article 2). No day-count threshold appears in that definition.
- The tax authority (DNIT) issues tax residence certificates under Resolución General N° 65/2020. Individuals must attach a record of their migratory movements (Constancia de Movimiento Migratorio) for the period concerned.
- Your home country applies its own rules. Obtaining Paraguayan residency does not by itself end tax residence or tax obligations anywhere else.
For the details, read our Paraguay tax residency guide and the article on the tax residency certificate.
How to plan long stays abroad
Track your absences
Note your exit and entry dates. Article 55 looks at the length of an absence from the country, not at a yearly attendance quota.
Watch your expiry dates
Temporary residency lasts up to two years and must be extended in time; the cédula follows it. Permanent residents renew the residence card every ten years.
Ask before the limit
If a long absence is likely, request authorisation from Migraciones before exceeding one year (temporary) or three years (permanent).
Keep your records
Keep copies of residency resolutions, cards, the cédula and any authorisation. A migratory movement record may also be needed for tax purposes.
How EasyParaguay helps
EasyParaguay coordinates temporary residency under Law 6984 for foreign applicants, from the document review to the cédula.
Standard
USD 1,300 in total, starting with a USD 300 reservation. Official fees and translations included. Two trips for residency and cédula, about 5–7 months.
Fast-Track
USD 1,700 in total, starting with a USD 300 reservation. Official fees and translations included. One main stay of about five business days, about 4 months.
Reservation
Your documents are reviewed before you travel. The reservation is refunded in full if the review finds your case isn’t viable; it is not refundable for a change of plans.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to live in Paraguay a minimum number of days each year?
No. Law 6984 sets no minimum number of days per year. It sets limits on unjustified absence: more than one year for temporary residents and more than three consecutive years for permanent residents.
Is my residency cancelled automatically after one year abroad?
Article 55 makes unjustified absence of more than one year a ground on which Migraciones may cancel a temporary residency, by reasoned resolution, unless the absence was authorised. It is safer to request authorisation before reaching the limit.
Do I need to enter Paraguay at least once a year?
The law does not require a yearly visit. For temporary residents, the risk to avoid is an unjustified absence of more than one year. The law does not spell out how short visits affect that period, so if a long absence is likely, request authorisation from Migraciones.
What counts as a justified absence?
The law refers to absences authorised by Migraciones or justified before it, but does not list reasons in its text. Migraciones advises requesting authorisation before exceeding the limit. Ask about your specific case.
Can I recover permanent residency if I lose it?
Yes. Article 54 says a person who loses permanent residency through unjustified absence can recover it by meeting the legal requirements again.
Does keeping my residency make me a tax resident in Paraguay?
Not automatically. Paraguayan tax regulations tie an individual’s tax residence to permanent residence, and your home country applies its own rules. Obtain advice from a qualified tax professional.
Planning your residency in Paraguay?
Start with a document review before you travel. You’ll know whether your case is viable before committing to the trip.
Sources
- Ley N° 6984/2022 “De Migraciones”, Articles 46, 47, 54, 55, 58, 59, 63 — official text, Biblioteca y Archivo Central del Congreso.
- Dirección Nacional de Migraciones — migraciones.gov.py; public guidance on requesting prior authorisation for long absences (reported by Agencia IP, April 2026).
- Decreto N° 3181/2019, Annex, Article 2 (tax residence of individuals) — DNIT.
- Resolución General N° 65/2020 (tax residence certificate) — DNIT.
Checked September 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and their application can change; confirm your situation with Migraciones or a qualified adviser.