Is Dual Citizenship Legal And How To Get It ?

hi James,

if that's the law in Paraguay then that's it. even if you claim lost passport and get a new one, then all you have is a new passport but NO dual citizenship.

my 2 cents.

I don't think anything involving "trick" is legal. You can either do it legally or you can try to trick the system is my take on it. But I am also confused on this point- my boyfriend is a gestor público in Paraguay (paralegal I guess). He has said that if we were to marry, I would automatically become a Paraguayan citizen. The fact that it's that easy kind of blows my mind- does anyone know what happens in a case like this?

I definitely do not want to lose my U.S. citizenship, and as far as I am aware, if you have to declare yourself to another country, you do so. If you do not have to declare yourself to that country, I'm under the impression you can have dual citizenship. Does anyone know more about this situation? I know it's a whole different experience when dealing with children than adults...

I'll be looking into it more in the future, but anyone's personal experience would be really beneficial. Thanks!

James,
It sounds like you're referring to the Paraguay side of things.

ie. Paraguayan born citizen, marries and moves to US and wants US citizenship.  They would not be allowed to have dual citizenship and would lose their Paraguayan status.

I'm not a lawyer, but that is the story I've heard.

Legal residency in Paraguay should be fairly easy to obtain.  And from watching the world cup, it seems like players are being "nationalized" all the time.  I would first reach out to your local Paraguayan Consulate - they "should" be helpful.

The Big E's assumption is correct concernng the Paraguayan side of this.  My wife immigrated to the US, got her US citizenship but was  never required to turn over her cedula or passport from Paraguay.  She understood at the time though that had she tried to use them after having gotten her US citizenship she would of been breaking the Paraguayan law.  Both documents have since expired and she verified shortly prior to that happened that Paraguay would not allow dual citizenship and therefor not re-issue either document.  Now in Paraguay, she must apply like me for a foreign national/resident cedula.  There is some hope that President Lugo may try to change the law to allow dual citizenship, but that is in the "rumor category".  Apparently with every change of president since the dictatorship this rumor always re-emerges so who knows.....

hello JamesB,

There are international treaties made between countries that allow dual citizenship. Paraguay has a number of these and if you make enquiries with your country's officials, they will tell you if one with Paraguay exists.

If you should desire Paraguayan citizenship, you must first obtain permanent residency. After obtaining permanent residency, you do not have to stay in Paraguay full time. You are strongly advised to visit the country once during this period, preferably not just before your three year period is about to end.

There are a number of other threads on the expat-blog regarding this topic that are more current than your enquiry. Please see these to avail yourself of their content if you so wish.

kind regards,

Ariel Ortiz Santander

I donŽt understand the need to become a Paraguayan citizen.  With your permanent residency, you are allowed to work, buy property, have bank accounts, etc.  IŽve been here for over thirty years, and there are no drawbacks to being a permanent resident.  My I.D. card indicates my nationality, but thatŽs as far as it goes.   
I would like to point out that a lot of expats regret later in their lives that they moved here.  Take into account pensions, etc. Life is not rosier here than in Europe.  Nor is it easier, unless you are in the top income slot.

On my last vacation to the US in Feb 2011, the prices there amazed me.  Clothes, shoes, supermarket goods etc are cheaper than they are here.  Cars are too.

"On my last vacation to the US in Feb 2011, the prices there amazed me.  Clothes, shoes, supermarket goods etc are cheaper than they are here.  Cars are too."

I'll comment on Memb's observation here.....Cars are for sure less expensive in the US than in PY, but other goods I would say are much cheaper in PY than in the US.  With the following caveat though......that is if you buy only "US made" or possibly "Euro made" imported goods sold at the bigger supermarkets or upscale stores in PY to these same brands sold in the US or Europe, you will pay more for them in PY than in at least the US. 

But if you compare cost of the universally available Chinese or third world produced goods (clothes, shoes, etc) or local goods (food primarily) that most Paraguayans and American's buy in their standard shops in both countries, they are a lot cheaper in PY than the US from my experience. 

For instance, in terms of foodstuffs if we go to one of the large super markets in Asuncion we can load up with enough foodstuffs to feed a family of 6 for about 75% of the cost doing the same shopping for a family of 3 at our local WalMart here in the US.  This is a comparison done with costs experienced in Asuncion about 2 weeks ago and a day ago here in the US.  But as I stated above, we stick with the local foods mostly.  Cost at the supermarket at Del Sol Shopping Center in Asuncion was a little over Gs 400,000, cost at WalMart in the US was $130.

In terms of clothing, I would bet that most folks in both PY and the US buy clothing made in China these days, and I always end up with a few shirts on visits to PY that are a much cheaper there than in the US.  But again, I don't buy my clothes at exclusive shops in either country as I'm too old, ugly and poor to worry about dressing well %^).  So just my "two cents" or "Gs 50".

majbjb wrote:

"So just my "two cents" or "Gs 50".

2c US cents are now only worth Gs.50 !!????  GO Paraguay GO!

Can anyone explain how long it normaly takes to obtain permanent residensy and thereafter how long it takes to get a passport of Paraguay?
Anwar

we can help you get citizenship and passport with other government ID

How about long term visa for foreigners, is it possible to reside for longer period in Paraguay without any hassel to get the visa upon arriving ?

Only visa's available in Paraguay are tourist visas that are good for 90 days straight.  A "one time" entry visa is just that, you come in and can stay for up to 90 days, then you have to leave and get another visa.  A "multiple entry" visa is good for the life of your passport it's stamped in and you can stay up to 90 days at a time  with it too, then you have to leave or pay a fine for overstaying.  But with this one you can come back as many times as you want or can stand to.  Lots of people use this type of visa for extended stays just leaving briefly and then returning, but sometimes that can be a hassle.

anwarkabir wrote:

Can anyone explain how long it normaly takes to obtain permanent residensy and thereafter how long it takes to get a passport of Paraguay?
Anwar

The PR process is relatively straightforward. Fees are reasonable and you can do it in two visits. The citizenship component comes up after three years of PR.

As to the poster above who asked what the purpose of a second citizenship was when PR would give you all needed privileges, having a second citizenship allows you to escape the game that has been set up whereby each of us is effectively "owned" by the government of whatever patch of dirt we're born on. In the US, they can freeze your passport because you owe the IRS a small amount of money, or because of certain civil actions.