June 14, 2014
By: Bobby Casey, Managing Director GWP
Is getting a second passport in Paraguay too good to be true? This week we found out all the details on the ground in Asuncion.
This past week, I was meeting with our partners in Paraguay investigating their residency and citizenship program. We met with government officials in various offices talking about these opportunities and how to best navigate the process.
One of our meetings at the migration office in Asuncion was rather hectic. The office was full of people, officials scrambling around in a panic, and police officers everywhere. On top of that, it seemed no work was taking place, only chaos. We asked the secretary what was going on. That morning, less than an hour before we arrived, Bettina Mueller and her business partner were arrested.
If you don’t recognize that name, don’t worry. It is only recognized in certain circles – like the second passport and immigration circles. You see, Bettina has been promoting second passports in Paraguay and making claims she could provide a passport in less than 1 year. And she delivered.
She was the “fixer” for many of the more well-known promoters of second passports in Paraguay who make that claim. At this point, it is unclear exactly how it was being done, but it appears it was a combination of backdating residency applications with a little “brown bag” money and outright falsification and document forgery.
What is known is Bettina was arrested and when her house was searched, they found many very highly specialized printing machines in her home with boxes of blank passports and numbered government forms. What is also known is that she was falsifying US seals and US authorities’ signatures. Which is why the US Feds appeared with the shiny bracelets you get to wear behind your back.
Now, of course, I was not in the house to know exactly what happened, but I can only speculate that in addition to the blank passports and printing equipment, they also took her files and computers to identify her partners and clients. Up until this point, it was just a nice story about another criminal in a 3rd world country. But now, if you happen to be one of those partners or clients, I would be wiping the sweat from my brow. If you live in the US, you may want to consider booking a one-way flight to a friendlier locale.
This was a very serious arrest. And this will be treated in a very serious manner. Of course Paraguay will prosecute to the full extent of the law, but Paraguay is not the 800 pound gorilla with really nasty teeth and the NSA on their side. There will be examples made. Bettina will be very uncomfortable for a very long time. But it won’t stop with her. Rest assured.
Let me share with you the real process for acquiring Paraguayan citizenship and that elusive second passport.
Step 1. You need to acquire a certified copy of your birth certificate with an apostille from your home country.
Step 2. You need to acquire a police report (or FBI report if American) from every country you have lived in for the past 3 years. You will also need to have that provided with an apostille from the country that issued the police report or FBI report.
Step 3. You will need to appear at the nearest Paraguayan embassy to have the documents from step 1 and 2 legalized for Paraguay.
Step 4. You will need to acquire a Paraguayan visa (if required, based on your citizenship).
Step 5. You will need to open a bank account at a government approved bank with a minimum of $5,000USD deposit. This money cannot be touched until your residency application is approved.
Step 6. You will need to appear in Asuncion for a litany of meetings, notary stamps, health certificates, signatures, etc. (No need to go into detail because you will need to hire someone to facilitate this process since it is virtually impossible to figure out on your own).
Step 7. You wait. This can be anywhere from 3-6 months depending on the government officials’ mood, weather, planetary alignment, or religious festivals. Once approved, you will receive your residence permit.
Step 8. With residence permit in hand, you apply for your id card (cedula). This can take another 1-2 months to produce. You may also get your Paraguayan driver license good for 5 years once you have the cedula.
Step 9. Now you wait again. Three years from the date of issue of your residence permit, you can apply for citizenship. Again, this is a process that necessitates a professional as there are many steps to take in Asuncion.
Step 10. After 6-12 months your citizenship will be approved (barring any issues) making you a Paraguayan citizen. All-in this process takes 4-4.5 years. You do not need to live in Paraguay. You will need to visit Paraguay 2-4 times, depending on a few variables.
If you find someone like Bettina Mueller who bypasses any of these required steps, be wary. This means you are most likely acquiring a second passport in an illegal way putting you and your family at great risk.
While we frequently talk about the benefits of offshore business, bank accounts, investments and getting a second passport, you don’t want to risk your personal liberty by getting tossed behind bars because you were impatient. Trust me, I was personally in the Asuncion migration office when this transpired, and this will not end well for Bettina Mueller, her second passport promoters, or any of her clients. I am certain if they have not already be flagged by the US and the Mercosur countries, they soon will be.
There are faster second passport programs out there, but they cost a lot more money. Paraguay offers visa-free travel to 130 countries as well as being one of the Mercosur nations giving you access to most of South America. It is an excellent passport and the ease and cost of acquiring it is very low. You just need to be patient.
We have an excellent partner in Asuncion who works with clients from around the world providing this service. This person does business the right way. I watched it with my own eyes. I watched how they are connected with the right government officials, how they are efficient and professional and how they go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience.
This information is offered for all of our GWP Insiders subscribers as well as our paid consulting clients. We will be accepting new members for GWP Insiders in the couple of weeks so keep an eye out. In the meantime, if you want to schedule a consultation for this, or our asset protection and offshore service, click here.
Until next time, live well.
It is good to know in deep.
Can I get answers to following?
1. After application to card person needed to be in with family or without?
2. What does happens with that 5000$?
3. Do PR gives any befits for getting a visa?
Estaba buscando esa informacion hace años, te lo agradezco, estoy de pacto con tu punto de
vista y heno igual. Despues de buscar mucho por Internet encontre lo que buscaba.
Genial!!! muchas gracias
It’s difficult to find experienced people for this topic, however, you sound like
you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Great article.
Hi, I am British male and been married to a Paraguayan for 10 years. She has indefinite leave to remain in UK. Can I apply for Paraguayan residency? We also have 2 children
I don’t known about you but your children are eligible for Paraguayan citizenship
Everything is very open with a very clear clarification of the issues.
It was definitely informative. Your site is extremely helpful.
Thank you for sharing!
Amazing! Its genuinely awesome post, I have got much clear idea about from this post.
Hi there
please see attached mail sent to me by a company. is it real?
Thank you for your mail and interest in the Paraguay Passport and Citizenship
Program
which is available at the price of $3,900 and fast track processing within 30
days.
We want to confirm that physical presence of the applicant in Paraguay is not
a requirement.
Citizens of Paraguay have the right to live and work in any of the
Mercosur
South American countries
including Brazil,Argentina,Uruguay,Paraguay,Colombia and Venezuela.The visa
free opportunities for traveling with the Paraguay passport are excellent as
listed below and includes all European countries,all of Central and South
America
along with most of Asia & Africa:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Paraguayan_citizens
When a visa is required ( USA or Canada) it is easily obtain. We can arrange
a US 10 yr multiple entry visa or a Canadian one for an additional fee of
$2,000 and have it delivered with the documents (optional)
The processing time required to
complete the residency and naturalization process (rush procedure by court
order from an immigration judge) is 30 days.
Total order cost is $3,900 and a $1,900
advance is required with the remaining balance due upon order completion(30
days).We are the only company in the world
who physically delivers the documents before the remaining $2,000 balance is
paid and the client can inspect,verify the documents for 3 business days
before making the final payment. The spouse and children are processed for a
discounted fee of $500 each as part of the
family package.
Payment is only accepted via bank wire transfer.
All orders include:
– naturalization certificate ( proof of citizenship)
– cedula (national ID card)
– passport
Processing can be arranged from the current location of the client and
delivery arranged upon completion through the nearest Embassy/Consulate of
Paraguay.
Delivery can also be arranged via courier (DHL) if requested by the client.
The following documents are required from all applicants by the Government of
Paraguay for the naturalization process:
– copy of valid passport or government issued picture ID
– copy of birth certificate
– police certificate showing no criminal convictions.If unavailable
the police certificate can be arranged by our company for an additional fee
( $100)
100% Money Back Guarantee- If the application is rejected for any reason or
documents not issued within 30 days there is a 100% refund of the minimum
initial deposit.
Over the years we have had a 99.9% success rate with new applicants.
Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance
and will proceed
accordingly.
Sincerely
Roberto Carvalho
Filho & Carvalho Immigration Consultants
Calle D. Norte, Ave. 4da. Este II
David, Chiriqui – Panama
fax 507.775.2011
http://www.diplomaticsecondpassport.com
[email protected]
This is a scam and a fraudulent passport.
That is easily said, any proof.
Just saying its fraud does not make it one.
That is right. It is easy to just say it a fraud.
So many people seem not to think about how to see what a fraud is.
Not all people can get a diplomatic passport. You need to be check first.
And the people which can not get the diplomatic passport will be happy?
I think not.
I have obtained my Paraguay passport through Filho Carvalho http://www.diplomaticsecondpassport.com and their service was excellent.They arranged delivery through the Paraguay Embassy and documents were authentic.So far I traveled to seven countries with the new passport and I am happy with it
Normally I would not let this type of message get published, but for the sake of our readers I will publish it with comments. This site is a scam. No doubt the poster is a scammer promoting their scam site. Proceed at your own risk.
Hi folks,
This is just a courtesy comment to all who are interested in obtaining permanent residency in Paraguay. I followed up on Mr. Casey’s advice in the summer of 2015 by going to Paraguay and personally meeting the recommended attorney. I went with all necessary documentation and USD cash in hand sufficient to pay attorney’s fees and the opening of a local bank account. I was impressed with the attorney and decided on the spot to move forward. My process was immediately put into motion. The attorney has a team of folks who handle various aspects of the process, the most demanding of which seems to be the presentation of the applicant in person along with all his documents to the necessary government offices located at various locations around the city. I cannot remember exactly how many offices we had to visit but it could have been more than twelve – it was a lot, and the process took several days to complete. One office is Interpol. If you have advanced degrees and/or professional designations get the certs apostilled because this may elevate your standing in the approval process. Everything went according to plan and I received my residency along with cedula about twelve months later. Pls do not ask any follow up questions in this thread as I will not be monitoring it nor will I respond. The point of this post is to verify that legitimate candidates with clean records and professional credentials can indeed achieve PR through this process and Mr. Casey’s recommended attorney is completely honest and legitimate.
Glad to hear it all worked for you. Congrats.
Hello everybody, here every one is sharing these experience, thus
it’s good to read this web site, and I used to go
to see this website every day.
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a co-worker who was doing a little research on this.
And he actually ordered me breakfast simply because I found it for him…
lol. So let me reword this…. Thanks for the meal!!
But yeah, thanx for spending some time to discuss this matter here on your blog.
I am from Palestine can I get PR in Paraguay.
How much it we’ll cost for family.
This is the perfect blog for anyone who wishes to find out about this topic.
You understand a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa).
You definitely put a fresh spin on a topic that has been written about
for a long time. Wonderful stuff, just excellent!
Thanks for finally writing about >Second Passport in Paraguay – Too
Good to be True? | Global Wealth Protection <Liked it!
Do you have to live in PY during the 3 years you are waiting to apply for citizenship?
If you want to get approved for citizenship you need to show a connection to the country. You will definitely need to spend significant time there, but there is no hard rule on number of days in the country.
I believe everything posted made a great deal of sense.
However, consider this, what if you were to create a killer headline?
I ain’t saying your content isn’t solid, however what
if you added something that grabbed a person’s attention? I mean Second Passport in Paraguay –
Too Good to be True? | Global Wealth Protection is kinda boring.
You should glance at Yahoo’s home page and note how they create article titles to
grab viewers interested. You might add a video or a related picture or two to get
readers excited about everything’ve got to say.
In my opinion, it might bring your posts a little bit more interesting.
Immigration in Paraguay
Hello, everyone, i am Bilal from Algeria I live in Malaysia I am interested in applying for Paraguay’s citizenship.
since there is no Paraguay embassy in Malaysia ,neither Algeria ,what step I should do ?how I start ?
[email protected] contact me via email, please
Kindly share details via email and process to proceed pls.
Tx
Know of any good fixers left that can do this fast track?
emailbox110 AT gmail dot com
We do not “fast track”. We do it the legal method approved and written into the constitution. You can contact us thru the site contact us page.
Bob I didnt mean to sound shady there but really will be looking for a fixer that can get the residency in about a year and a half. I wont need it before than and im trying to finish a degree in electrical engineering first. The part i need help with is getting it done in spite of a felony…so yes shady in that regard.
What does the investment actually get you in Paraguay…anything you can make a living on or is that money set aside “to be invested”?
With a felony you will never get residency in Paraguay.
never is a long time…lol…we will see…just began my search so who knows..
Well appears you have no alternate solutions then or suggestions.
People in my field are in demand so if not there I can always try a place or two otherwise.
Paraguay and Panama are the 2 easiest and least stringent residency options in the world. And neither will accept anyone from any country with a felony on their record no matter what profession. You must provide an FBI report (if American) or a police report (if non American) with notary and apostille. If there is any felony (and sometimes even misdemeanor) they won’t even accept the application.
Thanks for the feedback. Im not looking for financial reasons and I already work in my field. I’ll figure it out.
please help me with the process and fees.
regards
salman
Hi ….it’s zeeshan from Pakistan….can I you please tell me the whole process of getting Paraguay PR
Filho Carvalho
5:23 PM (17 hours ago)
to me
Dear Customer
We have received the expected confirmation from Asuncion and are ready to
proceed with the Paraguay Passport and Citizenship program for a single
applicant at your earliest convenience.Most of the supporting documentation
required for order processing is arranged locally including the police
certificate and official
Spanish translations.From the client we require a copy of their valid passport
or government issued picture ID along with a copy of their birth
certificate.Also
required is the $1,500 minimum advance deposit,payable via bank wire transfer
in the account listed below provided by our local government contact.
—-
Beneficiary name: Johnatan Rodriguez
Beneficiary account number: 201000048859
Beneficiary bank: Banesco Panama
Beneficiary bank address: Marbella Calle Aquilino de la Guardia y calle 47
city: Bella Vista
country: Panamá
Beneficiary bank SWIFT: BANSPAPAXXX
Beneficiary address: 160 Avenida Bolivar Centro
city: Porlamar country: Panama
—-
There is a 10% discount for orders paid fully in advance (optional).When using
this option the total order cost will be $3,500.
Once payment has been completed,please confirm the name of the sender,sending
bank and country of origin for immediate processing.
The remaining $2,400 balance is due once the order has been completed
and delivered to the client (30 days).Delivery can be arranged through
official channels ( locally in Asuncion /Paraguay Embassy or Consulate closest
to the client)
which should leave no doubts regarding their authenticity.Alternatively
it can be arranged via courier (DHL) if requested.
The clients also have the opportunity to verify the documents for 3 business
days
after completion before paying the $2,400 remaining balance.
The photos will be required once the naturalization process has been completed
in Asuncion and documents are ready to be issued.
—
Size
Minimum: 35mm x 45mm
Maximum: 38mm x 50mm
Photos must be in sharp focus and correctly exposed
Shadows from the head must NOT appear in the background
‘Red eye’ in photographs is not acceptable
A clear contrast is needed between facial features and background
Digital enhancements or changes are not acceptable
thank you for your business
Roberto Carvalho
Filho & Carvalho Immigration Consultants
Gompertstraat 121/5
Paramaribo, Suriname
Phone/Fax (597) 42-4811
http://www.diplomaticsecondpassport.com
[email protected]
THIS IS WHAT I THINK ITS FRAUD OR RIGHT.????? Please HELP ME
this is without a doubt, fraud. Stay away. Let us know if you are interested in obtaining legal residency and citizenship. There are options, but no shortcuts.
Hi,
I’m interested in obtaining legal citizenship,
please contact me at your convenience: [email protected]
Thank you for advice , I’m interested in obtaining legal residency and citizenship in Paraguayan
kindly contact me at [email protected] if you can help or guide me to True and legal Consultants
Thank you in Advance
hi sir, please I’m interested in obtaining legal residency and citizenship in Paraguayan
please contact me at [email protected]
Please contact us thru the site contact us page.
Please provide me with details about Paraguay PR , and subsequent citizenship
I was wondering about the Dominican Republic are their any programs out their , please drop an email to [email protected] if any one knows of anything.
I’m in the process of using your contact to go through the process in the legal manner. However there are some conflicting/unusual requirements/information just to get ready to go to “Asuncion for a litany of meetings, notary stamps, health certificates, signatures, etc.” Appreciate any help/direction you can offer.
1. I have spoken to personnel at the consulate with jurisdiction over my state and they were ok with me sending documents with the apostille to be legalized using UPS with a money order and not being there in person (documents arrived at the consulate today). Hope this works, as your summary above seems to indicate that I need to physically be there.
2. “You must apply for a tourist visa in person (or by secure messenger) at the Paraguayan Embassy in Washington, DC, or the nearest Paraguayan consulate, and you must pay a fee.” Seems odd, I’ve been to several countries including China and Vietnam and neither required this? Are you familiar with any company or person who qualifies for the “Secure messenger” title and fee?
3. I found the information below about how to lose your nationality if you “Have an unjustified absence from the Republic of more than three years (as determined by a court).” Is it possible that all the time and money spent to do it the correct, legal way will still be lost “someday” when “someone” decides your absence is unjustified?
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/paraguay.html
Paraguay does not recognize dual nationality for its citizens. According to Article 150 of the Paraguayan Constitution, naturalized Paraguayans may lose their nationality if they have an unjustified absence from the Republic of more than three years (as determined by a court), or by voluntary adoption of another nationality.
Bobby Casey’s comment:
“Which is why the US Feds appeared with the shiny bracelets you get to wear behind your back”.
So, I can understand why Paraguayan law enforcement is involved, but why are “U.S. Feds” making the arrest?
Forged US docs
According to other reports Mueller and her business partner were German citizens with permanent Paraguayan residency. The charge seems to be fabricating Paraguayan passports and citizenship application forms. Even if U.S. documents were among those being forged, what would give American FBI agents the legal authority to arrest German citizens residing in a sovereign country other than the U.S?
In my opinion the agents have no legal authority to do this, but it still happens every day. I have countless stories of Americans being arrested by US agents on foreign soil.
Yeah, I agree. My question was rather simple-minded in retrospect. Of course the American ZOG does whatever it wants wherever it wants in order to advance its hegemonic agenda…for now.
Regards.
I knew your pathetic self would delete my comment, lying con man bastard.
Hi ‘screw you’,
I don’t see another comment from you. But we publish all comments, good or bad. Nice try though.
Thank you for an honest retelling of an incident that is sure to send shockwaves. People who take shortcuts lose far more time than they saved if they go to prison.
Jeff Berwick’s TDV passport agent in Paraguay (Claudia Bettina Muller) was recently arrested for fraud and selling fake documents and selling paths to citizenship that did not legally exist.
Basically there is this guy named Nicholas Peter Rubini who was told by Berwick’s TDV passports that he could get an expedited Paraguayan passport in just 6 months (an option that legally does not exist) in exchange for $30,000. To this end TDV Passports arranged a meeting with their local agent in Paraguay Claudia Bettina Muller. After Muller flaked out on Rubini, Rubini contacted the police who subsequently raided Muller’s residence and seized a load of fake documents. Needless to say now the police probably have a list of anyone who was idiotic enough to pay TDV $30k for their Paraguay passport option and will soon find themselves in trouble too.
Here are the links to the stories, they are from Paraguayan and German (Muller is a German) news services. If you can’t read them, use Google translate.
http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/judiciales-y-policiales/cae-alemana-que-conseguia-documentos-en-forma-ilegal-1253781.html
http://wochenblatt.cc/nachrichten/paraguayischer-pass-in-sechs-monaten/24585
Conveniently the Paraguay option has disappeared from the TDV passports page, whereas just a few days ago it used to feature prominently.
You know this is bs, no one you could ever find has acquired citizenship in Paraguay as a foreigner. All foreigners can get is residency, and even that can be taken away if you stay away for over 2 years. You are charging money for your “connection”, when neither you nor your connection knows even one person who has acquired a legit Paraguayan passport.
Not true Hobo. I personally know more than a dozen people who have acquired citizenship in PY as a foreigner. Your information about having your residency taken away is also false. You should google search the PY constitution and read about citizenship. The law is very clear it cannot be taken away except under extreme cases of criminal activity. Once you are PY resident you have it for life.