PassportSouth Africa

Trip checklist: Paraguay

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

Visa requirement

South Africans don't need a visa for Paraguay.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 90 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Before you go

  • Purpose of visit

    Tourism (and short visits under the agreement).

  • Passport validity

    FCDO: valid for the duration of stay.

  • How to apply

    No visa needed. Make sure you get an entry stamp, especially at land borders such as Ciudad del Este (Iguazú), or you will be fined on exit.

  • Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

    Paraguay REQUIRES a yellow fever certificate from travellers over 1 year arriving from risk countries (WHO; FCDO). WHO recommends vaccination except for Asunción. South Africa's own rule on return: South Africa requires a valid yellow fever certificate from all travellers over 1 year of age, South African citizens included, arriving from a yellow-fever-risk country or after more than 12 hours' airport transit in one; Paraguay is on South Africa's risk list. Without it you can be refused entry or quarantined for up to 6 days. The certificate is valid for life and only counts 10 days after vaccination.

  • Arrival forms

    Cash of US$10,000 or more must be declared.

  • Extending your stay and overstaying

    Extension of 90 days through Migraciones. A missing entry stamp means a fine on departure.

  • Travelling with children

    FCDO: 'Permiso del Menor' rules apply to children resident in Paraguay.

  • Confirm with the embassy

    Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

  • UK FCDO https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/paraguay/entry-requirements

Research sources

  1. 1. UK FCDO (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/paraguay/entry-requirements
  2. 2. DIRCO (South African High Commission, Canberra) (Other government, dirco.gov.za) https://dirco.gov.za/canberra/yellow-fever/
  3. 3. South African National Department of Health (Other government, health.gov.za) https://www.health.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DOH-Yellow-Fever-Pamphlet-1.pdf
  4. 4. World Health Organization, International Travel and Health country list (Other government, cdn.who.int) https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/emergencies/travel-advice/yellow-fever-country-list-ith-travel.pdf
  5. 5. Wikipedia: Visa policy of Paraguay (cites the South Africa-Paraguay visa abolition agreement for ordinary passports, in force 19 Jul 2004) (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Paraguay
  6. 6. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_South_African_citizens
  7. 7. The GSA (SA visa service), Paraguay guide (Commercial, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2760-venezuela-country-guide

From doineedavisa.co.za/paraguay. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.