Winter break in Paraguay begins on July 13, and many families planning international trips with children and adolescents need to be aware of the required documentation to avoid issues at the border. The main requirement is judicial authorization for the minor's travel abroad, which is necessary when the child is not accompanied by both parents.
The process is free, can be completed on the same day, and must be done in person at the justice of the peace office in the locality where the child resides. The attending parent must bring the child's original birth certificate, their own identity cards and those of the other parent, along with their respective photocopies. If the minor will be traveling with a third party who is an adult, a copy of that companion's ID card must also be presented.
In cases where one of the parents cannot appear in person, authorization can be granted through a notarized public instrument or via telematics, as permitted by Supreme Court of Justice Ruling No. 1,654/2022.
After obtaining the authorization signed by the judge, the document needs to be legalized. In the capital, judicial legalization is done by the General Secretariat of the Supreme Court of Justice, located in the Palace of Justice. In some localities of the Central Department, the justice of the peace offices already issue the document with a QR code that replaces the digital signature, eliminating this step at the Court.
The final step is legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Asunción, which costs G. 58,550. Depending on the destination country, an apostille of the document may also be necessary, at a cost of G. 215,500. Public service hours at the ministry are Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.