Puente de la Integración opens private vehicle transit for border residents

The Puente de la Integración, connecting Presidente Franco in Paraguay to Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, has implemented new traffic regulations for private vehicles starting Monday, September 14. Under the new schedule, light vehicles and private cars are permitted to cross between 07:00 and 13:00, exclusively for residents of four border cities: Foz do Iguaçu, Ciudad del Este, Presidente Franco, and Hernandarias.

To utilize this passage, all occupants of the vehicle—including children and adolescents—must present a valid Documento de Tránsito Vecinal Fronterizo (DTVF), as mandated by Mercosur agreements. The document is intended to facilitate daily mobility for work, study, and essential services rather than commercial shopping or tourism.

Discrepancies in the cost of the DTVF have emerged between the two nations. Brazilian residents must apply through the Paraguayan Migration office at a cost of approximately 234,154 guaranis (roughly R$ 205), while Paraguayan residents obtain it via the Brazilian Federal Police for a significantly lower fee of approximately 75,000 guaranis. Brazilian authorities have expressed a need to review these costs to better support regional integration.