Argentina to Paraguay border crossing
- Jon Berry
- Apr 7
- 4 min read
Updated: May 6
There are 9 road crossing points between Argentina and Paraguay: 6 in the region of Formosa, 1 in Salta and 2 in the Misiones region.
The 2 crossings in Misiones are Ituzaingo and Posadas.
We originally planned to cross at Ituzaingo, but at that time, it was closed to public transport and only allowed vehicles carrying more than 20 people. No worries, though!
It's a good idea to check the official Argentinian website for the latest updates on crossings, as it might affect your travel plans.
It wasn't a big deal for us since Posadas, a bigger crossing, was just 1.5 hours away from Ituzaingo. We ended up using Posadas and were glad we did because we got to experience the charming city of Encarnacion!
This blog will guide you through the Argentina to Paraguay border crossing from Posadas - Encarnacion.
Argentina to Paraguay border crossing:
Argentinian side (pre-river crossing)
All the Argentinian paperwork happens on their side of the river, before you cross over.
They've got a pretty smooth drive-through system on the Argentinian side.
We like to hit border crossings early in the morning, before the traffic gets crazy.
This time, we got in line for one of the booths just before 8am and were all set on the Paraguayan side by 08:45. It shows that crossing the border doesn’t have to be a hassle if you know what to do!
1 - Passport control
This step of the Argentina to Paraguay border crossing is super simple.
We only waited in line for about 10 minutes before we got to the passport officer. They scanned our passports (no stamps) and wished us a good trip.
2 - Vehicle inspection
The officer asked us to pull over so he could check out the inside of the van, including the cupboards and fridge. Just 5 minutes later, he was happy with everything he saw and let us go on our way.
3 - Vehicle TIP (temporary import permit) stamped out
During that same step, the officer took our TIP, stamped it, and didn’t give us any reason why we couldn’t snap a photo with our phones.
OUR TIP: Make sure you don't skip this step!
Always snap a photo of your stamped TIP on your phone since you could made liable for overstaying your TIP!
Paraguayan side (post-river crossing)
So, things got a bit wild on this side of the river.
There were people everywhere, it was noisy, and cars, bikes, and buses were all trying to find a parking spot. Meanwhile, we also ran into some friendly locals selling all sorts of stuff. It was pretty hectic!
We figured it was better to be cautious, even though nothing actually happened, so one of us always stayed in the van.
We parked the van by the road and headed to the offices to sort out our paperwork.
4 - Passport control
Passport control happens at the office on the right.
That's where we got our passports stamped after answering the usual questions, like where we're headed and where we plan to leave the country.
5- Dog registration into Paraguay
SENACSA (the National Department for Quality and Animal Health) is tucked away in a small office inside the building on the left. Just head straight through and look for the SENACSA sign on the left side.
The officer there checked our digital document and gave us a verbal thumbs up.
We couldn't help but wonder whether anything would have happened if we hadn't stopped by this out-of-the-way office since no one seemed too keen on checking our dog's papers.
6 - Vehicle TIP (temporary import permit)
So, it's time to drive your car through the huts where you might or might not have your vehicle inspected. We didn't get checked this time, but we saw others getting inspected next to us. It seemed pretty random to us.
Next, we needed to sort out our Paraguayan TIP, so we parked on the right side and headed to the DNIT (National Directorate of Tax Revenue) office, which is in a white shipping container on the left side of the road.
You'll need these documents for registration:
Vehicle registration
Vehicle owner's passport
The officer took about 15 minutes to fill out the form, and then we got a copy of the TIP. We were all set and super excited to start exploring this new country!
7 - Best place to stay overnight after the crossing
We like to get all our admin done after a border crossing, or as soon as possible.
This includes getting new SIM cards, withdrawing cash in the new currency, maybe doing some shopping, and then finding a spot to rest peacefully and safely, as the crossing process can be a bit exhausting.
This time, we headed straight to the city vibrant city of Encarnacion, literately the first place you find when entering Paraguay.
In Encarnacion, not only we sorted both cash and SIM cards without any issues, but we also allowed ourselves to be enticed by the charm of this city and chose one of the many buzzing cafes to enjoy a snack and a drink whilst people watching and soaking in the great vibe that this city had to offer. Fully recommended!
For the night, however, we were in need of a quiet spot where could properly rest, as we were exhausted after the anxiety of the border crossing. Going through the straight forward but nevertheless draining process at 35C doesn't help either.
So we drove for a little more than half an hour to the quiet and lovely town of Carmen del Parana, just by the river side which provided us with the most stunning and relaxing views of a stunning sunset by the river staying in the Municiapal campsite for just £2 per person.
