4 scams of the Paraguayan residence of gestorías

When I finally decided to take the leap and to look for the residence in Paraguay, I'm not going to lie: I was excited, but also with a touch of nerves. Imagine, the idea of starting a new life in a vibrant country full of opportunities sounds amazing, right? But, as soon as I got into it, I found myself swimming in a sea of information that, honestly, left me more confused than calm.

There were a lot of agencies and people all over the place offering me their services, and the prices... wow, they were varied! That's when I realized that I had to make an important decision: did I go it alone or did I hire an agency to guide me through the process?

What I didn't expect was to find out that not all that glitters is gold. After my own experience and after hearing what happened to others, I realized that there are a lot of traps in this path. And as I don't want you to fall into the same ones, I'm going to tell you about the 4 most common scams that you should avoid if you are thinking of taking up residency in Paraguay.

Scam 1 - They only give you an ID card and forget about the ID card.

One of the scams that I have heard the most (and that really annoys me) is that of some gestorías that sell you a package that seems quite attractive, promising you the residency at a “low” and competitive price. But here's the catch: what they are actually giving you is just the residence card, leaving out something fundamental: the cédula Paraguayan.

At first, it may seem like you got a good deal. But here's the important thing: for your residency in Paraguay to be complete and really valid, you need both the carnet and the cédula. Imagine you pay about $1,500 and, in the end, you only get the carnet. What they don't tell you is that, without the cédula, you are going to be quite limited.

Why does it matter so much? Because without the cédula, you cannot work, open a bank account, or do other procedures that are key to your life in Paraguay. And, of course, if you move to a new country, it's not just to live there, but to be able to integrate and function normally, right?

The worst thing is that, once you get the carnet, many times the agency disappears or completely ignores the rest of the process. If you then go back to them for help in obtaining the carnet, suddenly there are additional and much higher fees than what you were initially told. In the end, you end up spending much more than you had planned.

My advice: make sure that the agency that you hire include the card in the package from the beginning. This way you will avoid surprises and you will be able to start your new life in Paraguay with peace of mind.

Low price but hidden extra fees

Another type of scam I've seen a lot is when an agency promises to get you a residency and cédula at a price that sounds like a great deal. too good to be true, The cost, say, about $800, while elsewhere the cost is usually between $2,000 and $3,000. Sure, such an offer is tempting, especially if you're on a tight budget... but this is where you have to tread very carefully.

The trick is that these low prices only cover the basics, such as initial counseling and maybe the submission of a couple of documents. But what they don't tell you is that do not include all the administrative fees and costs that inevitably arise in the process. Before you know it, you start getting asked for extra payments here and there, and that initial $800 turns into a mountain of unexpected expenses.

From the stories I've heard, those who fall into this trap end up paying much more than they thought they would, with surprise charges popping up at every step. And the worst thing is that in the end you don't even know how much it's really going to cost you. Here the saying that «cheap is expensive». So, if you decide to opt for a more economical offer, make sure that all be very clear from the beginning and that you don't get any surprises later.

Promises to obtain licenses very fast

Another common scam is when an agency promises you that you will have your documents ready in the blink of an eye, sometimes in just a few days. Of course, there are always procedures that can be fast, but you have to be clear that if someone assures you that you will have everything in hours or in a few weeks, that is usually a scam. red flag.

Opting for these procedures «express» may be very tempting, but the reality is that they are often linked to illegal practices. And although at the time it may seem like the perfect solution to avoid all the red tape, the consequences can be much more serious than you imagine. I know of cases of people who fell into this trap and ended up in legal trouble that, honestly, could have been avoided.

Remember that, although nothing may happen to you in the short term, acting outside the law can lead to problems later on. It is best to always go the legal route, even if it is slower, to avoid future headaches. In the end, doing things right from the beginning is what will save you complications.

Distance Transactions

Another common trap is when the "gestorías" tell you that you can get your residency without even having to set foot in Paraguay. Sounds great, doesn't it? But, although there are certain documents that can be prepared from abroad, the the vast majority of important procedures require you to be physically present.

For example, filling out forms (which are generally made by hand), fingerprinting, fingerprinting, or even photos, are steps that simply cannot be done remotely. While you can submit initial information for review before you travel, the final part of the process has to be done in person. Attempting to skip these steps will only get you into trouble: your documents could be rejected, or worse, you could end up getting scammed.

So, although the idea of doing everything from your home country seems comfortable, the reality is that you cannot avoid the essential steps if you really want to complete your residency legally. Make sure that the agency you choose explains to you well that you need to be present. This way you avoid surprises and unnecessary complications.

Conclusions

When you decide to take the step and obtain residency in Paraguay, it is very important that you inform yourself well and do not get carried away by offers that sound too good to be true. We already know that many times the agencies offer low prices or promise fast procedures, but, as we have seen, these promises can hide some traps that, in the end, will cost you much more than you expected.

The best thing to do is to make sure that the agency you choose is clear and transparent with what they offer. Don't forget to ask questions and make sure that the whole process is covered, from the initial application to obtaining the certificate. Never rely on offers that include remote procedures, because, although it may sound convenient, there are key steps, such as fingerprinting and taking photos, that simply cannot be done remotely.

And watch out for the very low prices, because in many cases such attractive costs hide extra fees or incomplete services.

In the end, cheap or fast can end up being a nightmare. So take your time to do everything right and not risk problems in the future. Make sure that your residency in Paraguay is legitimate and well managed, so you don't end up in a legal mess or with complications that you could avoid, remember that you can ask for help by contacting me at alejandro@vivirparaguay.com