The Identification Department of the National Police of Paraguay established the ten mandatory requirements for resident foreigners to apply for the Paraguayan identity card. Resolution 717/2026, issued amid a 64% increase in residency applications by foreigners in 2025, details documents such as permanent or temporary residency certificate, authenticated copy of the identity document from the country of origin, original legalized birth certificate, certificate of life and residence, and criminal records from the country of origin and Paraguay. All documents in non-Spanish languages, except Portuguese, must be translated by a public translator registered with the Supreme Court of Justice.
However, the system faces scrutiny after the detection of an attempt at irregular issuance for a Brazilian citizen with a criminal record and an active arrest warrant in Brazil. Commissioner Hugo Díaz, director of the Scientific and Technical Directorate of the police, confirmed that an agent from the Identification Department improperly authorized the production of the document, but the delivery was blocked thanks to system alerts. The employee was removed and referred to the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation, with a request to open an administrative summary.
The investigation expanded to an alleged scheme involving ten foreigners, mostly Brazilians, who would have paid up to $10,000 for irregular identity cards. The General Directorate of Internal Affairs of the police requested detailed information from the head of the Identification Department, Commissioner Alcides Duarte Arzamendia, about the processing and delivery of the documents. In an official statement, the institution stated that eight of the ten applications were blocked by security filters that detected criminal records through international alerts, while two were considered valid after legal processing.
The Public Ministry opened a parallel investigation into the case, appointing prosecutors Pamela Pérez, Luis Said, and Alejandro Cardozo to investigate the existence of an irregular scheme within the department. Several high-ranking police commanders were summoned to give statements, while the institution reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and public safety.