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Guide Details
Household Goods
Documents
Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.
- Original national ID card
- Temporary residence Carnet issued by Paraguayan immigration
- Certificate of Customs
- 2 copies of the packing list (detailed, with quantity, description, and unit value for each item)
- 2 copies of the Original Bill of Lading (OBL) or Air Waybill (AWB), showing the actual weight of the cargo and the tare weight of the container
- All documents (packing list and OBL/AWB) must bear the Consular Visa stamp from the Paraguayan Consulate or Embassy at origin. If no Paraguayan Consulate is present in the country of origin, documents must be legalized at the nearest Paraguayan Consulate or Embassy.
- For immigrants coming to work: employment letter from the local company, plus the receipt from the immigration office confirming application for permanent residency
- For immigrants arriving without a labour contract: temporary residence card
- All documents above
- Country of origin document
- List of goods and bill of lading stamped by the Paraguayan Consulate at origin
- Letter/Certificate of residence issued by the Paraguayan Consulate at origin
- Repatriation identification
- Sworn declaration
- Copy of passport
- Diplomatic passport
- Diplomatic accreditation by the Paraguayan Government
- Diplomatic franchise
Specific Information
Paraguayan Customs does not accept Express Release OBLs or Sea Waybills. Only original OBLs are accepted. The Apostille of The Hague Convention is not accepted in lieu of the Paraguayan Consular Visa stamp; all documents must carry the stamp directly.
Household goods and personal effects must have been in the owner's use and possession abroad for at least 12 months and will continue to be used by the owner at their new residence in Paraguay.
Foreigners holding a valid temporary residence permit may import used household goods duty-free within the first 6 months of obtaining that residence. The process to obtain the permanent residence (radiation) permit takes approximately 3 months.
Returning Paraguayan citizens who have lived abroad for at least 2 years may import goods free of duty and taxes, provided they obtain the required documents from the Repatriation Office before the shipment arrives.
Diplomats may import household goods and personal effects duty-free. To initiate the diplomatic franchise process, the diplomat must be accredited by the Paraguayan Government and must be in Paraguay at least 4 weeks before the shipment arrives.
All shipments are subject to the CASUAL IMPORTER 80/20 regulation process. All shipments are re-weighed at the Paraguayan port; if the weight differs from the manifest by more than 4%, a manifest correction is required at a cost of approximately USD 90. A USD 90 charge also applies to all OBLs.
All documents (packing list, BL or AWB, and commercial invoice for vehicles) must carry the Consular Visa stamp per Circular No. 29 of the Central Customs Office. If the destination agent must translate the inventory/packing list into Spanish or correct the BL/AWB, additional costs may be charged to the origin agent.
Works of art, antiques, household appliances, electrical appliances, gifts, souvenirs, machines, spare parts, and carpets require no additional documentation if included as part of the household goods shipment.
Important shipping note: Avoid Maersk, Safmarine, and Sealand for Paraguay shipments -- the local representative does not permit personal effects and containers cannot transship. MSC carries an extra charge of approximately USD 150. The BL must state the port of discharge as Asuncion, Paraguay.
Clearance timeframes: immigrants and returning citizens approximately 8-10 days; diplomatic shipments approximately 4 days.
Prohibited & Restricted Items
Prohibited Items
- Alcohol (prohibited for non-diplomatic imports; diplomats may include alcohol with appropriate diplomatic franchise documentation, listed as "rest of winery" on the packing list; large quantities require embassy-provided diplomatic franchises)
- Plants (import with removal goods is prohibited)
- Military equipment
Restricted / Dutiable Items
Food items, including tinned goods: Permitted in small quantities as part of a removal, but a health inspection is required, which may extend the customs clearance process. Diplomats may include food in larger quantities with appropriate diplomatic franchise documentation; list as "rest of warehouse" on the packing list.
Firearms and ammunition: Permitted with authorization from the Paraguayan police or relevant authorities.
Dangerous objects and weapons: Permitted with authorization from the police or relevant authorities.
Wedding trousseaux: Subject to payment of duties.
Inheritances: Subject to duties; a legalized inheritance certificate is required.
Importing a Used Personal Vehicle
Required Documents
- Original Bill of Lading or AWB
- Original commercial invoice of the vehicle (with Paraguayan Consulate stamp at origin)
- Title or registration certificate
- Copy of client's passport
- Country of manufacture and complete vehicle details
- Pre-shipment inspection certificate (Bureau VERITAS/BIVAC or SGS, required for non-diplomatic shipments)
Specific Information
Only diplomats may import vehicles duty-free. All other importers (foreigners and returning Paraguayan citizens) pay import taxes of approximately 35-37% on the value determined by Paraguayan Customs authorities.
Vehicles older than 10 years cannot be imported, except for diplomatic shipments.
All non-diplomatic vehicles must be inspected before shipment by one of two authorized international inspection companies: Bureau VERITAS (BIVAC) or SGS. Failure to meet the pre-shipment inspection requirement may result in mandatory re-export.
An emissions gas inspection (inspección de gases) is required at customs for all vehicle shipments, including diplomatic ones. This inspection is conducted by the Environmental Secretariat (MADES) and carries an additional fee of approximately USD 150.
Pets
- Health and vaccination certificates, visaed (stamped) by the Paraguayan Consulate at origin
- Certificate of freedom from leishmaniasis
- Air Waybill (for air shipments)
- Copy of the owner's passport
The vaccination record must be dated no less than 30 days and no more than 12 months prior to arrival. The veterinary health certificate must not be dated more than 10 days before the pet's arrival and must be stamped by the relevant agricultural authority at origin. It must include the owner's name and address, and the pet's breed, sex, date of birth, size, color, description, country of origin, and a statement declaring the animal free from disease.
The certificate of freedom from leishmaniasis is a requirement specific to Paraguay not widely noted in older guides; it is essential for dogs entering the country and must accompany all other documents.
No quarantine is required if all document requirements are met.
Consignment Instructions
Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air, sea, and road shipments.
Paraguay is a landlocked country. Sea shipments arrive via the port of Buenos Aires and are then handled through the Paraguayan Franco Port for transshipment to Asuncion. The Bill of Lading must clearly state the port of discharge as Asuncion, Paraguay. Do not use Maersk, Safmarine, or Sealand lines; use approved carriers and confirm with the destination agent before booking.
Express Release OBLs and Sea Waybills are not accepted under any circumstances. Only original OBLs are processed. Apostille stamps do not substitute for the Paraguayan Consular Visa stamp; all documents (packing list, OBL/AWB, vehicle invoice) must carry the Paraguayan Consulate stamp at origin before shipping.
Packing lists must be in Spanish (or translated to Spanish by the destination agent at additional cost), fully detailed with quantity, item description, and unit value for every item. Generic descriptions will not be accepted. No item should be listed as "miscellaneous" or similar.
For diplomatic shipments, the diplomat must be in Paraguay and accredited by the government at least 4 weeks before the shipment arrives to initiate the diplomatic franchise. This timeline is firm; late arrival by the diplomat will delay or block clearance.
All wood packing materials must be ISPM 15 compliant. All shipments are re-weighed at the Paraguayan port; budget for the USD 90 manifest correction fee if there is any possibility of a weight discrepancy exceeding 4%.
Cultural & Other Information
Paraguay is a landlocked republic in South America, bordered by Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. The capital is Asuncion. Spanish and Guarani are both official languages; Guarani is widely spoken in daily life outside formal and business contexts. The currency is the Paraguayan Guarani (PYG).
Paraguay has one of Latin America's most open economies, with low tariffs and a significant informal trade sector. The country's location between Brazil and Argentina, and its role in the Mercosur trading bloc, make it a regional transshipment and re-export hub. Hydroelectric power from the Itaipu and Yacyreta dams provides abundant cheap electricity, underpinning a growing manufacturing and agri-processing sector.
The 80/20 casual importer regulation and the Consular Visa stamp requirements are among the most distinctive procedural features for international movers, and both must be coordinated before the shipment departs origin. Paraguay's customs authority, previously the Dirección Nacional de Aduanas (DNA), was integrated into the broader Dirección Nacional de Ingresos Tributarios (DNIT) as part of a public administration consolidation.
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