Immigration Rules — Peru

Peru Immigration Rules and Regulations

*Note: Peruvian immigration law changes periodically. The primary governing framework is Legislative Decree No. 1350 (Migration Law) and its regulations (Decreto Supremo No. 007-2017-IN), administered by Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones (Migraciones) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for visa issuance abroad). Always verify current details at migraciones.gob.pe or with a Peruvian consulate.*

Visa Categories and Work Restrictions

Main Visa Types

• Tourist visa (Turista): Up to 183 days per calendar year; no work authorization whatsoever
• Business visa (Negocios): Allows business meetings, negotiations; does NOT permit paid employment or receiving Peruvian-sourced income
• Worker visa (Calidad Migratoria Trabajador): Required for any paid employment; tied to a specific employer and role
• Rentista visa: For those with passive foreign income; work in Peru is prohibited
• Student visa (Estudiante): Permits enrollment but generally restricts full-time employment; limited part-time work may be allowed depending on program agreements
• Investor visa: Requires minimum investment (historically around $30,000 USD or equivalent, but thresholds change) - allows business activity tied to the investment
• Family/Resident visas: Work rights depend on category (spouse of Peruvian citizen typically gains fuller work rights)

Key Work Restriction Rules

• Working on a tourist or business visa is illegal and grounds for deportation
• Work visas are employer-specific; changing employers typically requires a new visa process
• The 30/70 rule historically limited foreign workers to no more than 20-30% of a company's workforce (and salary mass) in certain contexts — verify current thresholds, as these have been adjusted
• Foreigners must obtain a Carné de Extranjería (foreign resident ID) after visa approval to legally work and be registered with tax authorities (SUNAT) and social security (EsSalud)

Deportation Grounds (Expulsión/Salida Obligatoria)

Common grounds include:

• Overstaying authorized period without regularization
• Working without authorization (tourist/business visa violations)
• Criminal convictions, particularly for:
• Drug trafficking
• Terrorism
• Human trafficking
• Serious violent crimes
• Providing false information on visa applications or during entry
• National security threats
• Repeated immigration violations
• Entering with a different visa purpose than declared (e.g., entering as tourist to conduct undeclared work)

Deportation can include an entry ban (impedimento de ingreso) ranging from several years to permanent, depending on severity.

Overstay Penalties

• Grace/tolerance period: Historically, overstays could sometimes be resolved with a fine upon departure, but enforcement has tightened
• Fine structure: Calculated per day of overstay; rates are set in Peruvian Soles and adjusted periodically — verify current daily rate with Migraciones, as it has historically been in the range of a fraction of a "Unidad Impositiva Tributaria" (UIT, the Peruvian tax unit) per day
• Overstay fines are typically paid at the airport/border upon exit or at Migraciones offices before departure
• Extended or repeated overstays can trigger:
• Entry bans (commonly cited historically as up to several years)
• Formal deportation proceedings rather than a simple fine
• Regularization is possible in some cases by applying for a change of migratory status before the overstay becomes excessive — consult Migraciones directly for current allowances

Criminal Background Requirements

• Most residency visa applications require a criminal background certificate from:
• The applicant's home country
• Any country where they've resided for a significant period (commonly 1+ years) in recent years
• Certificates typically must be:
• Issued within 90 days (sometimes 6 months) of application
• Apostilled or legalized through the Peruvian consulate if issued abroad
• Officially translated into Spanish by a certified translator if not already in Spanish
• Peru also checks INTERPOL and Peruvian police (PNP) records during the process, especially for long-term residency

Health and Biometric Requirements

Health Requirements

• Some visa categories require a health certificate or medical exam, particularly for long-term residency
• No universal vaccination mandate currently, but check for specific requirements (historically yellow fever certificates were relevant for travelers arriving from/transiting certain countries, especially for jungle region travel)
• COVID-19 related entry requirements have been lifted as of recent policy but verify current status

Biometric Requirements

• Biometric data (fingerprints and photograph) collected upon:
• Entry at border control (increasingly standard)
• Application for Carné de Extranjería
• Renewal of residency permits
• Biometric enrollment is mandatory for anyone obtaining Peruvian residency status

Required Documentation

For Entry (Tourists)

• Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity recommended)
• Proof of onward/return travel (sometimes requested)
• Proof of sufficient funds (rarely enforced strictly but can be requested)
• Visa-exempt nationals can enter for tourism without a prior visa (most Americas, EU, and many other nationalities); check bilateral visa requirements as they vary by nationality

For Work/Residency Visas

• Valid passport
• Employment contract or letter (for worker visa) — must often be registered with the Ministry of Labor
• Criminal background certificate (see above)
• Proof of academic/professional qualifications (sometimes requiring degree validation)
• Health certificate (varies by category)
• Passport-size photographs (biometric standard)
• Proof of financial means (rentista, retiree visas)
• Marriage/birth certificates for family-based visas (apostilled/legalized)
• Application forms (F-007 or current equivalent) filed through Migraciones or consulate

Maintaining Legal Status

Key Compliance Steps

• Register/renew Carné de Extranjería — typically required annually or per visa validity period; failing to renew risks falling out of status
• Report address changes to Migraciones within required timeframe (historically 30 days)
• Renew visas before expiration — applications for renewal should be submitted before the current visa lapses (commonly 30 days prior, though this varies)
• Maintain underlying visa conditions — e.g., worker visa holders must remain employed by the sponsoring company; job loss can jeopardize status and typically requires prompt regularization or change of status
• Exit and re-entry: Some visa categories (temporary residents) have restrictions on how long you can be absent from Peru without risking status cancellation — verify specific rules for your visa type
• Pay all applicable fees on time, including Carné de Extranjería renewal fees (historically around 34-36 Soles range, but confirm current amount)
• Avoid unauthorized work activity even minor or informal, as this is a common cause of status violations
• Tax compliance: Foreign residents working in Peru must register with SUNAT (tax authority) — non-compliance can affect immigration standing indirectly

Practical Recommendations

• Engage a Peruvian immigration attorney for residency, investor, or work visa applications given regulatory complexity and frequent procedural updates
• Verify current fee schedules directly via migraciones.gob.pe, as fees for visas, Carné de Extranjería, and fines change periodically
• Confirm visa-exemption status for your nationality via the nearest Peruvian consulate before travel
• Keep copies of all documentation (physical and digital) throughout your stay
• Start renewal processes early — Peruvian bureaucratic processing times can be lengthy, particularly during high-demand periods

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Disclaimer: This overview reflects general principles of Peruvian immigration law as historically structured. Specific fees, day-count thresholds, fine amounts, and procedural details are subject to change through executive decrees and Migraciones policy updates. For any visa application or compliance matter, verify current requirements directly with Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones (migraciones.gob.pe) or a Peruvian consulate, and consider consulting a licensed Peruvian immigration attorney for case-specific guidance.

More about immigrating to Peru