Obtaining a Paraguayan Visa

I just happened to be with Sportsman when I got my Paraguayan visa, along with Punter 127.

The process is very simple, all you need a is $65 USD and a passport photo.

The next day when we picked up our US PassPorts, the visa's are glued inside the pass port. The first thing we checked was length of time the visa was good for.

All three of us, the visa was good for the length of time the US PassPort was good for.

In my case, since the passport was less than a year old, was 9 1/2 years. The Paraguayan visa expires the exact day my pass port expires.

Exon

I am a seldom poster but avid reader. My Paraguayan passport was issued in Washington and is good until my passport expires (in 2013) I cannot remember the fee, but the $65 mentioned earlier seems in the ballpark.

I also have a passport lifetime visa.

""Valido por 9 anos dias a partir de su ingreso al Paraguay."

"Fecha de expedicion 02 Mar 2007"

"Fecha de vencimiento 23 Ago 2016"

Notice that it says "9 anos dias." In my visa, the "9 anos" was handwritten in and "dias" is after the blank. But the date of expiration (fecha de vencimiento) is when my passport expires.

I don't know why some of you have gotten less than these lengths on your visas. Everyone I've ever known to get a visa has gotten one for the life of the passport.

Now, I do have entry stamps in my passport of 90 days, but only one actual visa. The wording on the entry stamps are "Valido por 90 dias" but doesn't say anything about "su ingresso al Paraguay."

The visa, as Exon mentioned, is a piece of paper that is glued onto one of the passport pages with a lot of information, very official with watermarks and a silver strip on the left side.

Do you have a pasted-in visa on a page or is it only a stamp?

[QUOTE=El Queso]Now, I do have entry stamps in my passport of 90 days, but only one actual visa. The wording on the entry stamps are "Valido por 90 dias" but doesn't say anything about "su ingresso al Paraguay."

The visa, as Exon mentioned, is a piece of paper that is glued onto one of the passport pages with a lot of information, very official with watermarks and a silver strip on the left side.

Do you have a pasted-in visa on a page or is it only a stamp?[/QUOTE]I have pasted-in visas - one in my old brown "official" passport, three in my still-current "tourist" passport. Each of them says "valido por 90 dias a partir de su ingreso al Paraguay." The "90" is hand-written, but "dias" is hard-printed on the visa sticker. Overstamped with the Embassy seal.

No "fecha de expedicion" or "fecha de vencimiento". Just the "fecha" when the passport-control officer stuck the sticker into my passport.

Maybe this is a "gringo-buster" thing up here in Washington, DC. Maybe I'd have gotten a "life of the passport" visa if I'd gotten it in Buenos Aires, or in Montevideo?

I went for my visa yesterday and picked it up today. I received the multiple entry visa good for the life of the passport. I was with a friend who had done it before, so I had help. There are two forms to fill out. I filled them out on the wall of the building outside. My handwriting sucks and it looked like a doctor filled it out. I could not even read it but apparently the Paraguayans could or they just did not give a shit.

When you show up get the forms from the girl in the information booth. Fill out the forms. And then you go to Caja 2 pay 65U$D fork over your passport and you get a receipt and are told to come back tomorrow. Caja 2 is usually the shorter line.

I had passport photos taken at kinkos back home but they were not the correct size. I had to go a few doors down and get photos taken for 22 pesos that were the correct size. In hindsight I should have just paid the woman to use the tool to cut the photos to trim the ones I had.

One thing I picked up on is the fact that cutting in line is no big deal. When we dropped off the forms people cut in front of us a few times. When I picked my passport up today I walked right up to the window and slid my receipt under the glass in front of about 7 people. Not a peep was said. I was in and out today in under 2 minutes.

Gato,

Did you have to pay in USD? Or were you able to pay in pesos argentinos?

Everything is in USD, even the Paraguayans were paying in USD.

I got my Paraguayan visa earlier this week and wanted to provide an update. Thanks to the previous posts in this thread, it made the process a lot easier. As mentioned earlier in the thread, ignore the line up outside the Consulate and go directly inside to caja 1 where there probably will be no line up at all. (there will be a very long lineup for caja 2). You show your passport and receive an information sheet along with an application form and health questionnaire.

You then go to the store a couple of doors down where you get the visa photos which will cost 22 pesos for 4 photos (although only one is required). Again ignore the line up as they will take the photos right away.

You then take the completed forms, photo, passport and $65 back to caja 1, the forms will be checked, you will be given a receipt and told to return the following day for your visa which will be attached to one of the pages in your passport.

Canadians, in addition, have to provide a photocopy of an airline ticket, bus ticket, etc. As well as a copy of documentation showing financial solvency (bank statement, credit card, debit card or cash). I provided copies of my airline email confirmation and a recent bank statement. This is all set out in the information sheet mentioned above. The visa will only be valid for 3 months although a multiple entry visa can be obtained for $100, which will also only be valid for only 3 months.

Chica Seeker,

That was one valuable post! I just may still make it to Paraguy this trip! If I had read your post prior to hitting the Embassy & then the consulate this morning, I could have submitted my passport at Caje numero over to the photo place (got a card this morning) and been on my way tomorrow. I will try again at 8am. I may make it to Asuncion on this trip yet!

I wish I had read it last night, but just did not see it. Thanks again for your help!

Mil gracias Che!

Eo Daman

Just to bump up the address of where you would get a visa for Paraguay here in Baires;

Consulate is Viamonte 1851 (at Av Callao)

"Agencia Paraguay" (for your photos) is 1821 Viamonte.

Both open at 8am

I noticed in the US State Department website the following requirement:

USA Citizens arriving by air may obtain a "Visa en Arribo" (visa upon arrival) at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in Asuncion. The current fee is $160, payable in USA Currency (credit cards not accepted). If not arriving at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, prior to traveling to Paraguay, you must apply for a visa in person or by secure messenger at the Paraguayan Embassy in Washington, DC, or the nearest Paraguayan consulate, and you must pay a fee.

This is a change from before when US citizen had to get a visa ahead of time. I wonder how long the Visa en Arribo is good for. My visa is good for multiple entries for the life of the passport.

[URL]http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/paraguay.html[/URL]

[QUOTE=Sportsman;441358]This is a change from before when US citizen had to get a visa ahead of time. I wonder how long the Visa en Arribo is good for. My visa is good for multiple entries for the life of the passport.

[URL]http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/paraguay.html[/URL][/QUOTE]Got one last year at this time. Don't remember the cost but it was multiple entries for 90-days. And take note that if you happen to be on a flight with a handful of people who need one, it is a slow process. They use technology from the early 90's to do it. Or just make sure you are first in line.

All US citizens need a visa to enter Paraguay. This is the catch. You can buy it at the airport upon arrival For $160.00 cash and its good for 90 days but if you buy it at a Paraguay consulate or embassy in the USA its still $160.00 but its good for the life of your passport. If you are making a connection in MIA its possible take public transportation to the Paraguay consulate and get back to the airport for a late flight out.

If I were in Buenos Aires and wanted to go to Paraguay, I would go to the Paraguayan Embassy to get my visa just because the women working there are so smoking hot. They are very nice, too.

I have been to 43 countries and [B]nothing[/B] fucks like a paraguaya.