Obtaining a Paraguayan Visa

Punter 127, Exon, and I went to get our visa for Paraguay at the consulate on Viamonte this week. We arrived at 10:00 am on Monday. We needed a passport size photo so we went to get them from the document and photo store few doors down from the consulate. There were a line of about 15 people stretching outside the store onto the street. Punter waited in line and I went to the consulate for the visa application and health questionnaire forms. I went to the window immediately to the left after entering the consulate front door. The visa application can be downloaded from the Paraguay embassy.

[url]http://www.embaparusa.gov.py/visas_english.html[/url]

A copy of it is attached here. So you can fill it out ahead of time. I was told bring the filled out forms to Caja 1. (This step is different from the last time when I got the visa two years ago).

After I got the forms, I went back to the document / photo store. Punter and Exon are still waiting in line and it seemed it hadn't moved at all. I went inside the store just wanted to confirm they could take the photos for us. They told me yes and we could come right inside the store and by-pass the line. The cost was 11 pesos for 2 photos minimum even though only one photo was needed for the visa. We got them within 5 minutes.

Exon suggested go to a café around the corner for a cup of coffee and sit down to fill out the forms. Once we were done, we returned to the consulate and went straight to Caja 1. Good thing that was the caja for us because there was no line at all as compared to around 30 people in caja 2. The guy took our forms, passport, and 65 USD application fee – by the way they can provide change since all their transaction are in USD. We were provided a receipt and were told to return the next day to the first window after 9:00 am to pick the passport.

On Tuesday, again we arrived to the consulate around 10:00 am. The consulate again has wall to wall people waiting in different lines. We went to the first window, only one person was in front of us. In two minutes we got our passport back with multiple entries visas good for the life of the passport.

It was a painless process since we didn't have to wait inline at all.

Crap. Looks like Paraguay is going to be ruined now, for sure.

Thanks for the info, though. Are you flying on Gol?

[QUOTE=Jaimito Cartero]Crap. Looks like Paraguay is going to be ruined now, for sure.

Thanks for the info, though. Are you flying on Gol?[/QUOTE]I haven't set a date for my travel yet. But seems like Gol is the airline of choice.

I was wondering can I apply for a visa for Paraguay while I am still in the US?

I am not sure if I will be traveling from here or from BA.

Thank you in advance.

[QUOTE=Master J]I was wondering can I apply for a visa for Paraguay while I am still in the US?

I am not sure if I will be traveling from here or from BA.

Thank you in advance.[/QUOTE]MJ,

I got mine at the Paraguayian Embassy in Washington DC, took a few days but overall a breeze. If you live near a city with a Paraguayian Embassy nearby you can take this route.

[QUOTE=Jaimito Cartero]Crap. Looks like Paraguay is going to be ruined now, for sure.

Thanks for the info, though. Are you flying on Gol?[/QUOTE]Yes, I'm booked on Gol.

Mongers,

It looks like the process for obtaining the Paraguayan visa has not changed at all since I got mine back in October 2007. Flying on GOL is the best option to Asuncion, as it is the cheapest, non-stop, uses new 737-800 aircraft, and now you can earn AAdvantage miles on GOL flights.

Suerte,

Rock Harders

[QUOTE=Tequila Tim]MJ,

I got mine at the Paraguayian Embassy in Washington DC, took a few days but overall a breeze. If you live near a city with a Paraguayian Embassy nearby you can take this route.[/QUOTE]There is one in NY for my region. I am correct that you send the original passport to the embassy? That looks like an accident waiting to happen?

Also does it seem that there is a heightened interest in Paraguay perhaps from having nice experiences from those providers in BA?

When those who mention GOL airlines do they fly from South America or US as well.

Does anyoneone have any recommendation for a nice hotel. I do not think I want the Sheraton or any other chain, but I did start off well in BA 7 years ago at the Hilton for $112 a night!

I am starting to look foward to this one.

GOL is a low cost carrier out of Brazil. As far as I know, they don't fly out of South America. I think they took over some of the assets of the big Brazilian airline that went under (Varig), so their routes have expanded a bit of late.

I've only taken them within Brazil in 2006 or 2007. Service seemed fine.

There have been some trip reports of Paraguay, so I'd recommend starting there.

The airport code is ASU. I don't know of anyone flying direct there from the US. I checked from NY and MIA and neither showed any direct flights. I'd guess those would be the two cities most likely to have service. I'd guess you have to connect through Brazil for many trips.

[QUOTE=Master J]There is one in NY for my region. I am correct that you send the original passport to the embassy? That looks like an accident waiting to happen?[/QUOTE]Pretty much standard procedure for acquiring any visa. If you live near the consulate / embassy of country x, you can usually deliver it in person.

[QUOTE=Ben There]Do you know if I need a visa if I am crossing between Iguazu Foz and Paraguay?

Thanks.[/QUOTE]If you are crossing from either Brazil or Argentina into Paraguay you will need a visa if you are using an American passport or other passports that require a visa. Also, Canadians, Australians, and New Zeleanders need visa to enter Paraguay.

Suerte

Sportsman posted last month that he obtained a Paraguay visa for the life of the passport. I've got an Australian passport. I've obtained a tourist visa with multiple entries on 3 occasions in Buenos Aires, paid the $65, and the visa lasted only 3 months each time. Am I doing something wrong?

[QUOTE=Gabar]Sportsman posted last month that he obtained a Paraguay visa for the life of the passport. I've got an Australian passport. I've obtained a tourist visa with multiple entries on 3 occasions in Buenos Aires, paid the $65, and the visa lasted only 3 months each time. Am I doing something wrong?[/QUOTE]Gabar, I believe you're reading the visa right.

My experience is a few years old, but it started with an official visit with a brown (Government Official) passport, then continued with several more "tourist" visits with my blue passport. Each visa says the same thing - "valido por 90 dias a partir de su ingreso al Paraguay" (valid for 90 days after your entry to Paraguay) My colleagues on that trip, both of them holding all-but-diplomatic status as liaison officers between our agency and Paraguay's corresponding service, told me they have to get fresh visas every 90 days. They figured it's worth it - as a matter of fact, the three of us went back together as "tourists" on the following New Year's holiday, and had a rollicking good time.

To support that 90-day limit, the visa application includes the question, "Have you ever been in Paraguay before?" Since I answered "yes" every time since the first, I believe that the Consulate would have told me if my visa was still valid.

What the heck - it's a small thing, about as much trouble and expense as a visit to a BsAs privado (if you're going from BsAs) Not as pleasurable, of course, to be "screwed by the government", but it's part of the price.

Gabar,

I think your visa has a limitation of length of each visit, which in your case is 90 days. Since you have a multiple entries visa, the visa is still valid after the first visit. There should be issue and expiration dates (fecha) on your visa. I guess is you do not need to get a new visa each time, but verify that with the embassy / consulate.

My visa says "valido por 09 años a partir de su ingreso al Paraguay" and another line for the expiration date which is the expiration of my passport. My take is I can stay in Paraguay as long as my passport is valid – no limitation for the length of each stay.

Sportsman

I just checked my passport and all 3 visas definitely say "valido por 90 dias a partir de su ingreso al Paraguay", with everything from dias on already typed in, and with an expiry date 3 months after the date I told them I was going there. I think Sportsman got lucky when he got got a 9 yr one. Not to worry, a few days in BsAs visiting Gysells every time I visit isn't hard to take.