Paraguayan nationality law is based on the principle of
Jus soli
''Jus soli'' ( or , ), meaning 'right of soil', is the right of anyone born in the territory of a state to nationality or citizenship. ''Jus soli'' was part of the English common law, in contrast to ''jus sanguinis'' ('right of blood') ass ...
. The nationality law is based on the Chapter 3 of the
Paraguayan Constitution of 1992. The legal means to acquire
nationality
Nationality is the legal status of belonging to a particular nation, defined as a group of people organized in one country, under one legal jurisdiction, or as a group of people who are united on the basis of culture.
In international law, n ...
, formal membership in a nation, differ from the relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as
citizenship
Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state.
Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationalit ...
.
Birth in Paraguay
Any person born in
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
acquires Paraguayan nationality at birth. The only exception applies to children of persons in the service of a foreign government (like foreign diplomats).
Naturalization
Foreigners may apply for Paraguayan nationality if they meet the following criteria:
*being older than 18 years old.
*permanent resident in Paraguay for at least 3 years.
*having a good behavior following the law.
*make a financial investment in the country or hold a steady job
Passports of naturalized Paraguayans list nationality as "naturalized Paraguayan" instead of just "Paraguayan".
Dual Nationality
Dual nationality is permitted under the
constitution of Paraguay
The Republic of Paraguay is governed under the constitution of 1992, which is the country's sixth since independence from Spain in 1811.
Independence
The recorded history of Paraguay began in 1516 with the failed expedition of Juan Díaz de S ...
on a reciprocity basis, meaning that unless Paraguay has a bilateral agreement with another nation, that other nationality is not permitted. As of 2022, the only countries that have a reciprocity agreement in regards to dual nationality with Paraguay are
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
and
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
.
Loss of nationality
In Paraguay, there is a distinction for loss of nationality between nationals born in Paraguay and those who have been naturalized. In the latter category, naturalizing in another country or being expatriated from the country for more than three years without permission, results in loss of nationality, as provided in Article 150 of the National Constitution of Paraguay,
Constitution of Paraguay 2011
constituteproject.org and proceedings thereunder must be instituted by an individual or an agency, for instance, the Migration department.
References
Citations
Bibliography
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External links
Direccion General de Migraciones
{{Paraguay topics
Nationality law
Law of Paraguay
Immigration to Paraguay