Importing Personal Effects into Paraguay: Documents & Customs Rules

Source: FIDI Customs Guide · Updated 2026-10-17 · Source updated 2026 · Download the Paraguay Import Guide (PDF)

General comment

• The customs do not accept the apostille of HAYA.
• Immigrants coming to the country for labour purposes will be required to submit the employment letter issued by the local company they will work for, as well as the receipt that will be given to them when applying for the permanent residency at the Immigration offices.
• In case that the client is coming to the country just as an immigrant, without any labour contract, they will require submitting the temporary residence card.
• All shipments must be re weight at the Paraguayan port, if the shipment has a difference of more than 4%, a correction to the manifest will be required. The cost will be USD 100.00.
• All shipments must be registered as CASUAL IMPORTER applying the 80/20 regulation process.

• Avoid shipping with MAERKS, MSC, SAFAMARINE, SEALAND.

The timeframe to get the customs clearance done for:

• Immigrants - Returning citizen: from 6 to 7 working days.
• Diplomatic: 4 to 5 working days.
• Mention in the BL port of discharge: Asuncion, Paraguay.
• If you ship with MSC, there will be extra charges of USD 150.00.

Removal goods non-Citizens / Immigrants

• Temporary residence card or Migrations entrance form.
• Passport’s stamp from the last Paraguay entry.
• Registration form with 4 signatures and photo ID from consignee.
• Paraguayan Bank account holder certificate.
• Packing list.
• 2 copies of the OBL or AWB showing the real weight of the cargo and the tare weight of the container printed at destination.
• Casual Importer Registration at Customs.

• Temporary Residence Card (This must have been issued within 6 months prior to the arrival of the shipment).
• The passport entry stamp must correspond to the most recent entry into the country and must not be older than 6 months at the time the shipment arrives.
• Within the first six months of this type of residence, foreigners have the right to import their household goods without paying taxes.
• Transhipments through the Port of Buenos Aires will be managed via the Paraguayan Franco Port.
• A US$ 90.00 charge will apply to all OBLs.
• All shipments are re-weighed at the Port of Asunción. If the weight shown on the Bill of Lading differs by more than 4% from the weight recorded upon re-weighing, a fee of USD 100.00 will be charged for the Bill of Lading weight correction.

• The procedure to obtain the radiation permit takes about 3 months and may be obtained if all the documents requested by the immigration office are completed. Our Relocation department can help with this.
• Removal goods consist of used household effects, which have been in the owner’s use and possession abroad for at least one year and will be for the continued use of the owner at his new residence.
• If your agent has to translate the inventory/packing list into Spanish or make corrections to the B/L or AWB, extra costs may be invoiced to the origin agent without notice.
• Customs Clearance process can take 6 to 7 working days.
• All immigrant shipments are subject to a physical customs inspection during clearance. The container will be opened, and random boxes will be inspected. Therefore, please provide a detailed description of the contents of each box on the packing list.

Diplomat removals

• Diplomatic passport.
• Diplomatic accreditation by Paraguayan Governments.
• Diplomatic Franchises.
• Registration form with 4 signatures and photo ID from consignee.
• Casual Importer Registration at customs.

• Diplomats can import alcohol in their shipments - please mentioned in the packing list as rest of winery. If the client wants to ship alcohol in big quantities, the Embassy needs to provide diplomatic franchises for these.
• Diplomats can import food in their shipments -please mentioned in the packing list as rest of warehouse. If the client wants to ship food in big quantities, the Embassy needs to provide us diplomatic franchises for these.
• Duty free entry.

• To start the procedure to obtain the diplomatic franchise, the owner must be first accredited by the Paraguayan Government and must be in Paraguay min. 4 weeks before the arrival of his shipment. We are unable to give the green light until these requirements have been fulfilled.
• The diplomatic franchise can take up to 4 weeks to be ready.
• Customs Clearance process can take 4 to 5 working days. Diplomatic shipments are not subject to physical inspection upon arrival at destination.

Returning citizens

• Paraguayan ID card
• Passport’s stamp from the last Paraguay entry.
• Registration form with 4 signatures and photo ID from consignee.
• Paraguayan Bank account holder certificate
• Provisional Repatriation Certificate.
• Packing list.
• 2 copies of the OBL or AWB showing the real weight of the cargo and the tare weight of the container PRINTED AT ORIGIN.
• Casual Importer Registration at Customs.
• Final Repatriation Certificate.

• Returning Paraguayans (minimum two years outside the country).
• The Paraguayans returning have the right to import their goods without paying duties.
• Therefore, they must visit the Paraguayan Consulate in the country of origin and apply for a Provisional Repatriation Certificate.
• To apply for the Provisional Repatriation Certificate, they must present the packing list and a copy of the original Bill of Lading.
• Therefore, it is important that the original Bill of Lading can be printed in the country of origin (multiple copies). The client should take one copy to the Consulate for the application and bring the remaining copies with them to Paraguay, handing them over to us as soon as they arrive.
• The documents do not need to be legalized. However, obtaining the Provisional Repatriation Certificate is a mandatory procedure that the returning citizen must complete before leaving the country of origin.

• To obtain the Final Repatriation Certificate, the client must upload the required documents through the SEDERREC online portal. Your agent can provide guidance and assistance throughout the process; however, the application must be completed and submitted personally by the returning citizen. It could take 5 working days to be ready.
• Customs Clearance process can take 6 to 7 working days.
• All shipments are subject to a physical customs inspection during clearance. The container will be opened, and random boxes will be inspected. Therefore, please provide a detailed description of the contents of each box on the packing list.

Wedding trousseaux

• Same as above.

• Could be subject to payment of duties if the residence has more than 6 months of issuance prior to the arrival of the shipment.

Inheritance

• Legalised inheritance certificate.

New furniture and HHG

• Items that are new or packed in their original manufacturer's packaging are not considered personal effects.

• Importation of new items is prohibited.

Works of Art & Antiques

• Same as above.

• No document required if part of the household effects.

Household appliances

• Same as above.

• No document required if part of the household effects.

Electrical appliances

• Same as above.

• No document required if part of the household effects.

Presents and Souvenirs

• Same as above.

• No document required if part of the household effects.

Machines, appliances, spare parts

• Same as above.

• It depends on the type of machinery. Some machinery may be accepted as part of the personal effects; however, Customs may require additional documentation, particularly in the case of industrial machinery.

• If they are tools, there is no problem importing them as part of the household goods shipment.

Carpets

• Same as above.

• Only rugs made from animal hides or skins may be subject to import restrictions, depending on the species and the applicable regulations.

Plants

• Importation with removal prohibited.

• Importation with removal prohibited.

Cats and dogs, other animals

• Health and vaccination certificates visaed by the Paraguayan Consulate
• Certificate free of leishmaniasis
• CITES
• AWB
• Copy of the client’s passport

Alcohol

• Immigrants and Returning Citizens: Up to 12 bottles - please mentioned in the packing list as rest of winery.
• Diplomat: Can import alcohol in their shipments - please mentioned in the packing list as rest of winery. If the client wants to ship alcohol in big quantities, the Embassy needs to provide diplomatic franchises for these.

Tins and food

• Immigrants and Returning Citizens: Up to 2 boxes and must be sealed - please mentioned in the packing list as rest of warehouse.
• Diplomat: Can import food in their shipments - please mentioned in the packing list as rest of warehouse. If the client wants to ship food in big quantities, the Embassy needs to provide us diplomatic franchises for these.

• Food requires health inspection, which may prolong customs clearance process.

Arms, ammunitions, dangerous objects

• Permitted only with a valid firearms license and prior authorization issued by the Police authorities.

Fumigation of imported and exported wooden crates

• Paraguayan Government adopted ISPM-15 (International standards for Phytosanitary
• Measures Publication 15) Guidelines for
• Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade (aka NIFM-15) to standardise the treatment of wood packing materials used for the transport of goods. §

Exporting Personal Effects from Paraguay: Documents & Customs Rules

Source: FIDI Customs Guide · Updated 2026-10-17 · Source updated 2026 · Download the Paraguay Export Guide (PDF)

Non-Citizens

• Paraguayan ID card
• Passport
• Proof of residence
• Permanent and/or temporal filing car

• Proof of residence: rent contract, water bill, electricity bill.

Diplomatic

• Diplomatic release
• Passport
• Tax exemption card

• Diplomatic release: Given by the Minister of Exterior Relations in Asuncion, it needs to be requested by the corresponding Embassy.

Paraguayans

• Paraguayan ID
• Company note *
• Proof of residence at destination
• Passport

• Company note: If the client is moving due work reasons.

Paraguay Moving Guide: Documents, Duties & Shipping Notes

Source: IAM Country Guide · Updated 2026-09-19 · Source updated 2026 · Download the Paraguay Country Guide (PDF)

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

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.

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.

Clearance timeframes: immigrants and returning citizens approximately 8-10 days; diplomatic shipments approximately 4 days.

Prohibited & Restricted 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

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.

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%.