It used to take a couple of days or weeks to get your Paraguayan cedula (ID card); now, it takes at least 45 days. But why?

The Identification Department of the National Police needs to send your data for double-checking to the General Directorate of Police Intelligence, and it takes time. The reason to do that from the September of 2024 is the cooperation of the Mercosur countries. Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay are taking the mutual agreements more seriously, and they empathise with the importance of checking the validity of the documents issued by the member states. It simplifies the answer: false documents must be cleared from national and international systems.

Also, do not forget that the Mercosur Border Information System is now alive. The member states know precisely when you enter and leave through your biometric data.  This is a crucial issue for the temporary residents who wish to become permanent. As they will have to prove that they fulfilled the minimum stay requirements.

I translated the National Police‘s relevant resolution regarding the cedula process. It is simple, fast, and not a legal translation, so I apologise for the errors.

Remember that Tucanoprod has been one of the leading legal service providers for immigration in Paraguay since 2017. Ask for a consultation if you have doubts or need detailed information from the source.

RESOLUTION NO. 537*

BY WHICH IT IS PROVIDED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF IDENTIFICATIONS AND OTHER UNITS OF THE NATIONAL POLICE, IN CHARGE OF ISSUING PERSONAL DOCUMENTS SUCH AS IDENTITY CARD, CIVIL REGISTRATION, PASSPORT, CERTIFICATE OF LIFE AND RESIDENCE, CERTIFICATE OF BACKGROUND FOR FOREIGNERS, DRIVER’S LICENSE, CARRYING OF WEAPONS, AND OTHERS, REQUEST TO THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF POLICE INTELLIGENCE A REPORT ON THE PERSONAL DATA OF FOREIGNERS.

Asunción, July 2024

*V10:* Note J.i. No. v0/2024, dated July 02, 2024, signed by Commissioner General Director Rubén Oporto Sánchez, Director General of Police Justice of the Department of Identifications, requesting the authorisation of the Department of Identifications of the National Police to channel the data of foreigners in the cases of applications for identity cards and passports to the General Directorate of Police Intelligence.

*CONSIDERING:*

– The need to accredit the legitimacy of the personal data of foreign persons requesting documents issued by the National Police, such as Civil Identity Cards, Passports, Certificates of Life and Residence, Certificates of Background for Foreigners, Weapons Carrying Cards, and others.

– That Law N 7280/24 “On Reform and Modernisation of the National Police”, states in Article 6:
The National Police has the attributions and functions, including 7. To register and organise throughout the national territory the personal identification service and registration of the background and domicile of the persons.
– Inc. 8. To issue Identity Cards, Passports, Certificate of Background, Certificate of Life and Residence, or of carrying firearms and other documents related to its functions.
– Inc. 9. To coordinate the surveillance and control of persons at the national border with other competent institutions. Organise the registration of foreigners and control their entry and exit in coordination with the National Direction of Migration.
– Inc. 27. To exchange information at the national and international level, cooperate with similar institutions to prevent, investigate, and combat punishable acts, and comply with and enforce the laws, regulations, and other provisions related to its functions as assigned by the Constitution.

Article 206 of the same body of law provides that: “The organisation of the Police Forces, responsible for the ultimate command, direction, planning, coordination, control, administration, and use of budgetary, human, and financial resources, is exercised by the Deputy Commander of the National Police through the Commander.”

That, within the framework of the Cooperation Agreements subscribed by our country with the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Argentina, and other countries, in terms of information sharing, intelligence sharing, and collaboration in fact-finding of punishable acts, it is necessary to establish the backing and traceability to the information to avoid the use of official personal documents of false content issued by the Paraguayan National Police, both incoming and outgoing, regarding background checks, arrest warrants, and the authenticity of foreigners’ documents.

*THEREFORE,* in the use of the powers conferred by Article 210, paragraphs 1, 2, 5, and 14 of Law No. 7280/2024 “ON REFORM AND MODERNISATION OF THE NATIONAL POLICE”.

*THE COMMANDER OF THE NATIONAL POLICE OF PARAGUAY RESOLVED:*

THE COMMANDER OF THE NATIONAL POLICE OF PARAGUAY RESOLVED:*

1. PROVIDE that the Department of Identifications and other units of the National Police, in charge of issuing personal documents, such as Civil Identity Card, Passport, Certificate of Life and Residence, Certificate of Background for Foreigners, Weapons Carrying Card, and others, request from the General Directorate of Police Intelligence a report on the personal data of foreigners.

2. AUTHORISE the General Directorate of Police Intelligence to provide reports on the personal data of foreigners, requested by the Department of Identifications and other agencies of the National Police, for the issuance of documents issued by the National Police, establishing an effective mechanism for compliance with this provision.

3. TO ADOPT Resolution CPN No. 763 dated October 08, 2020.

4. COMMUNICATE and insert in the National Police resolutions.

*COMMAND*
Rubén Núñez González
Commissioner General, Commander of the National Police