Settling in Paraguay takes preparation. Between residency, banking, housing, and healthcare, each step has its own right time and right order. Here are the practical tips we give our clients before, during, and after they arrive in Asunción.
Learn about the country before you pack your bags
Paraguay remains little known in France, Belgium, or Switzerland. Before you leave, take the time to understand what the lifestyle is actually like: a hot, humid climate for much of the year, a cost of living well below Europe for housing and food, but not free either, and local habits different from your own. Many of our clients take a scouting trip first before starting the process: it's the best way to avoid unpleasant surprises once you've settled in.
- Compare the cost of living in Asunción with your current budget, line by line: housing, food, healthcare, transport.
- List concretely what you're looking for: taxation, climate, peace and quiet, professional opportunities.
- Avoid deciding on a whim. A few weeks on the ground often changes your perspective.
Plan your residency process as early as possible
This is where we see most expats lose the most time. Paraguayan residency is built in two stages: a temporary residency, then a permanent one once the conditions are met. Each stage requires specific documents (civil status, criminal record, proof of income) that often need to be legalized and translated before your arrival. The more you prepare this file in advance, the faster your settling in will be once you're on the ground.
We support this process from start to finish, from preparing the documents to obtaining the resident card. This is the document that then lets you open a bank account, sign a lease, or sign up for local health insurance.
Good to know: if your income comes from abroad, it is not taxed in Paraguay. If you run a local business, the tax rate stays fixed at 10%. It's one of the simplest tax systems in the region, but that doesn't mean you can skip doing the paperwork properly from the start.
Prepare to open your bank account
Opening a bank account in Paraguay as a foreigner is anything but automatic: banks require a valid residency and a complete file. This is a step to prepare, not something to improvise on the ground while hoping it sorts itself out in a week. We cover the process and the documents to gather in our guide to opening a bank account.
Think through housing and neighborhood before you sign anything
The rental market in Asunción works differently than in Europe: the guarantees required, lease lengths, and neighborhoods vary widely in terms of safety, quiet, and price. Our advice: rent short term first while you visit several neighborhoods, rather than signing a one-year lease in your first week on a place you've only seen once. Villa Morra, Carmelitas, and Las Lomas don't share the same budget, the same atmosphere, or the same type of residents.
Sort out your health coverage before you arrive
The private healthcare sector works well in Asunción, with good hospitals, but it relies on solid insurance. Taking out suitable coverage before you leave, or as soon as you arrive, saves you from paying for care out of pocket if something goes wrong. Also look into schooling for your children if you're moving as a family: options exist, but they need to be planned ahead, not sorted out in a rush.
The details on insurance options: our guide to health insurance in Paraguay.
Plan ahead for transport and your driving license
In Asunción, having a vehicle genuinely changes your day to day: public transport exists but remains limited for a comfortable lifestyle. Look into converting your foreign driving license early: the process and timeframes vary depending on your home country, and it's better to start as soon as your residency is underway rather than at the last minute.
Focus on integration, not just the administrative move
A successful move abroad isn't just about paperwork. It also plays out in everyday life: a basic grasp of Spanish makes a huge difference for paperwork and conversations with neighbors or at the market, even without aiming for a perfect level. The French-speaking expat community in Asunción is active and welcoming, and can save you months of adjustment by sharing their own experience. Also take the time to understand local codes: a slower pace of life, real importance placed on human contact, and professional relationships less hierarchical than in Europe.
For a fuller picture of everyday life on the ground: our article on life in Paraguay.
Get support on the points that matter
Residency, banking, housing, health, taxation: every step has its own pitfalls, and most are avoided by simply steering clear of the classic mistakes rather than improvising. That's exactly what we do at Resident Paraguay: we support French-speaking expats at every step of their move, with paperwork prepared in advance and follow-up all the way to permanent residency. If you'd like us to take a look at your situation, contact us, we'll tell you concretely where to start.