Is Paraguay an Immigration option ?
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Paraguay is often overlooked as an emigration option, but it has just about everything you might need for an active agriculture investor.
There are thousands of hectares of empty land available for livestock or agriculture. Most importantly, it sits atop one of the world’s most significant freshwater aquifers in a world running out of water. It is called the Guarani Aquifer, which Argentina and Brazil share.
Paraguay also boasts the largest hydroelectric facility in the world with an annual capacity of roughly 90 TWh; they use only a tiny fraction and export more than 85% to neighbouring Argentina and Brazil. It is called the Itaipu Dam.
Paraguay’s economy has benefitted from rising commodity prices and overall regional growth… and despite the government’s occasional left-leaning sabre-rattling on behalf of the rural poor, politicians tend to stay out of the way of serious investors.
It is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of soybeans and the major exporter of rice in Latin America.
Paraguay’s tax burden (as a percentage of GDP) is among the lowest in the world at around 12%, the same as Hong Kong. It’s 28% in the US and averages 35% among OECD members. For this reason, Paraguay is a mini tax haven… but not on anyone’s radar.
Paraguay’s individual income tax is only 10%; it affects only the higher income earners and applies to income sourced within Paraguay, not worldwide income.
Here’s the truth– establishing a second residency overseas can be a great idea; it ensures that you have a place to go should you ever need to leave your home country, and it can even lead to an eventual second passport. Note: “second residency” doesn’t necessarily mean you must live there permanently.
Paraguay is ideally suited for a second residency. Why? Because of the country’s political stability, energy and agricultural sustainability, low tax environment, and straightforward immigration procedure.
Here is a short summary of Paraguay’s immigration procedure:
1) Obtain necessary documents from your home country, including a clean police report, birth certificate, and marriage/divorce certificates as applicable. All must be certified by the Paraguayan consulate overseeing the document’s issuing jurisdiction.
You’ll also need to provide a bank reference letter and, depending on your passport (US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand), a tourist visa to Paraguay.
2) Travel to Asuncion and submit your application in person. Among other things, this requires establishing a local bank account with at least USD 10,500. Local bank rates are currently around 4% in USD and up to 12% in local currency. You’ll also need a medical screening and various other requirements on the ground.
3) The permanent residency application takes up to 4-months to be approved, though it can be much less if you use a well-connected facilitator.
4) After three years as a permanent resident, you are entitled to apply for naturalization.
Clearly, there are many more details and situations that must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
For example, do you hold different citizenship as your country of birth? Do you require proof of funds? These may impact the situation.
As with most things, the immigration procedure in Paraguay is all about who you know. The right contacts in Paraguay really streamline (NOT circumvent) the process.
Talk to Gateway to South America – Paraguay if you want to consider moving there or just want to invest in their farmland. info@gtsa-paraguay.com
Contact the Gateway to South America team to learn about the best investment opportunities in the region. The company is a benchmark for foreign investors wishing to invest in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, providing expert advice on property acquisition and investment tours.
www.gatewaytosouthamerica.com
About Gateway to South America
Established in 2006, Gateway to South America began as a single office in Buenos Aires. Since then, it has grown into a vibrant regional network, providing professional real estate marketing services to clients in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. If you enjoy reading our news site, please share it on your social media!
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