All foreigners must present the "Ficha de Canje Internacional" to Migraciones when changing their immigration status, for example, from a temporary visa or temporary authorization (for example, tourist) to another temporary or residence visa or from one resident permit type to another. So, before you can even start any temporary or resident visa application process in Peru, you first have to get the Interpol clearance done.
The Ficha de Canje Internacional is a document issued by Interpol (The International Criminal Police Organization) certifying that a person isn’t an internationally wanted fugitive, so hasn’t an international wanted persons notice (Red Notice).
Getting the Ficha de Canje Internacional is contrary to popular opinion an easy process, at least if you know how it’s done, can reach the website for the online appointments and are lucky enough that there are free appointments.
Please note: The Ficha de Canje issued by Interpol in Peru and the criminal background check (Antecedentes policiales, penales and judiciales in Peru) issued in your home country and proving the lack of any police, criminal or judicial record are two different documents. Both documents are required by Migraciones, for example, to apply for a residence visa in Peru. You find more information on how to fullfil the Antecedentes requirement in our article "International document corresponding to the Antecedentes policiales, penales and judiciales in Peru".
One of the requirements to apply for a resident visa in Peru or to change your visa type, for example from a work visa to a permanent resident visa...
Interpol offices in Peru
While for years Interpol was only located in Lima, now there are also offices in the provinces making it easier for those living far from Lima and giving those that can’t get an appointment in the capital in a timely manner the option to try it elsewhere.
Interpol office in Lima: Av. Manuel Olguin block 6, Monterrico, Surco
Interpol office in Arequipa: Seguridad de Estado, Calle San Francisco 214, Arequipa
Interpol office in Chiclayo: Segunda Macro región Policial, Calle Manco Capac 205, Chiclayo
Interpol office in Cusco: Complejo Policial 6 de Diciembre, Av. 28 de Julio, Wanchaq, Cusco
Interpol office in Piura: Division de Investigación Criminal, Complejo Policial Carretera Panamericana Piura-Sullana km 2.5
Interpol office in Trujillo: Com. Policial Cap, Calle Toribio Mogrovejo 370, Urb. San Andres, Trujillo
How to pay the fee for the Interpol clearance
As with all administrative procedures in Peru, before you can make an appointment and apply, you first have to pay the corresponding fee either in person at a Banco de la Nacion branch or on the pagalo.pe website from a computer or with the pagalo.pe app from a smartphone or tablet.
You can find detailed explanations on how to pay, what you have to do and be aware of, how to register on the online payment platform and how to find the correct fee you have to pay, in our article "Paying administration charges and processing fees in Peru".
All administration charges, processing fees and fines government agencies, public authorities and entities levy in Peru have to be paid at the Banc...
For paying the Ficha de Canje Internacional (Interpol) you need the code 08141 (on págalo.pe you can find it under Policia Nacional del Peru); costs are S/ 31.50 (2025).
Once the payment is done, keep the receipt safe. You will need it when making the appointment.
How to make an appointment at Interpol
Appointments can only be booked on the Interpol website not in person anymore. Be aware that the website quite regularly only seems to load and work properly on workdays (Mo-Sa) and before 09.00 pm.
If you have problems that the page won't load or "hangs", reload the page and try again. Helpful also using another browser and/or clearing your cache. Be aware that the Interpol appointment page only seems to work if you are in Peru. So, if you are in Peru, but use a VPN set in another country switch it off. If you are outside Peru and want to book your appointment before coming to the country, use a VPN and select Peru. And to avoid further system errors, we highly recommend to not using a translation program, which automatically translates the page from Spanish to your preferred language, and switching off any ad blockers or an incognito mode you might use.
Be aware that especially in Lima, it can be difficult to get an appointment. At the moment (March 2025) Interpol releases new appointments every Saturday between 08.00 am and 12.00 pm.
So, to make an appointment enter the Interpol website and you will get to this page.
How to make an appointment for the Ficha de Canje on the Interpol website
Just click on Registre su cita and you are directed to this page.
How to make an appointment for the Ficha de Canje on the Interpol website
Now just fill in required fields:
Nacionalidad (Nationality): In the drop-down list search for your home country. Be aware that the names are in Spanish, so you won't find US or United States, look for Estados Unidos (EEUU). Additionally, the countries aren't sorted alphabetically, so you might have to search a while until you find your home country.
Tipo de documento (Type of document): Select the document with which you entered the country (most probably passport, so pasaporte).
Numero de documento (Document number): Enter your passport number.
Apellido paterno (Last name): Enter your last name.
Then click on Ingresar and you get to the Datos Personales page.
How to make an appointment for the Ficha de Canje on the Interpol website.
Fill in required fields:
Nacionalidad (Nationality): already filled in
Tipo de documento (Type of Document): already filled in
Numero de documento (Document number): already filled in
Calidad Migratoria (Immigration status): In the drop-down list select the immigration status you are applying for. So, if you want to apply for a family visa (cambio de calidad migratoria a familiar residente), choose Cambio a inmigrante por familiar residente or if you want to apply for a retirement visa select Cambio a rentista.
Apellido paterno (Last name): already filled in
Apellido materno (Second last name): This field is not obligatory. If you only have one last name, leave it blank. If you have a second last name enter it here.
Nombre(s) (First name(s): Enter your first name(s) as in your passport.
Sexo (Sex): Choose your sex; masculino (male) or feminino (female).
Fecha de nacimiento (Birth date): Enter your birth date.
Estado civil (Marital status): Choose your marital status; soltero (single), casado (married), divorciado (divorced) or viudo (widowed).
Estatura (Height): Enter your height in meter.
Peso (Weight): Enter your weight in full kg.
Nombre de padre (Father's first name): Enter the first name of your father.
Nombre de madre (Mother's first name): Enter the first name of your mother.
Nombre de conyuge (Name of your spouse): This field is not obligatory, so you can leave it blank. If you want you can enter the name of your spouse.
Nombre de empresa (Name of your company):This field is not obligatory, so you can leave it blank. If you want you can enter the company you are working for.
As soon as you have filled in all the required fields, check that your personal data is 100% correct. Then click on Siguiente and you get to this page.
How to make an appointment for the Ficha de Canje on the Interpol website.
Now enter your current address in Peru, best exactly as on the "recibo" (water or electricity bill) you should bring with you (see requirements below).
Departmento (Department): Enter the department (region, state); for example: Lima, Cusco, La Libertad, Madre de Dios, ...)
Provincia (Province): Enter the province; for example, Lima, Cusco, Trujillo, Tambopata, .....)
Distrito (District): Enter the district; for example: Miraflores, Cusco, El Porvenir, Las Piedras, ...)
Urbanizacion (Urbanization): This field isn't obligatory. You can enter here the area or housing development where you live.
Direccion (address): Enter the street and house number where you live.
Below enter the last address in your home country.
Estado o ciudad (State or city): Enter the state or city where you last lived in your home country.
Direccion (address): Enter the street and house number where you last lived in your home country.
Once you are finished click on Siguiente and you get to the Programar Cita page.
How to make an appointment for the Ficha de Canje on the Interpol website.
Here first select where you paid the fee and then enter the required numbers
Numero de secuencia
Fecha de comprobante
Numero de Cajero
from you pagalo.pe or Banco de la Nacion receipt.
Then choose where and when you want your appointment:
Sede (Branch): Select the Interpol office; Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, Chiclayo, Trujillo or Piura.
Fecha (Date): Choose a date.
Horas (Time): Choose a time.
Then click on Generar cita. If you are lucky, everything goes smoothly, and you have your appointment. Download the appointment confirmation, print it (!) and keep it safe.
When choosing the Interpol office in Lima, it’s unfortunately not unheard of that no appointments are available at the moment. The only thing you can do is to try later, the next day, the day after that, … Interpol releases new appointments regularly, however with a changing schedule.
At the moment (March 2025) Interpol releases new appointments once a week on Saturdays between 08.00 am and 12.00 pm. So, try on Saturday morning. You might have to reload the page a few times (and clear your cache) until you are successful.
When time is an issue and you can't get an appointment in Lima, another option is to get your ficha at one of the Interpol offices in the provinces, where usually appointments are readily available.
Required documents for your Interpol clearance
Application form (you get it at the office)
Appointment confirmation (printed copy)
Passport (1)
Photocopy of the passport page with the personal information and photo (2)
Passport photos (they are taken at the Interpol office for free)
Payment receipt for the Interpol clearance (code 08141; fee S/ 31.50 as of 2024) and printed photocopy
Even though not on the official requirement list some Interpol offices ask for a recibo, so a water or electricity bill, and printed photocopy proving your address (doesn't have to be in your name)
Even though not on the official requirement list, a few of our readers reported that the Interpol office in Arequipa asks for a second identity document and copy (can be an ID card, driver's licence or similar from your home country)
Black pen (a remnant from Covid times, most offices now provide pens, but in Peru it's always good to have your own on you)
If you are applying for a family visa: official document that proves the family tie. For example:
If you are married to a Peruvian: photocopy of your Peruvian marriage certificate and photocopy of the spouse’s DNI (best have the originals with you as well)
If you are married to a foreigner with Peruvian residency: photocopy of your marriage certificate (with Apostille and translated into Spanish by a certified translator) and copy of the spouse’s carné (best have the originals with you as well)
If you apply for other temporary or resident visas: even though not on the official requirements list, sometimes Interpol, especially in the provinces, seemingly randomly asks to see the document proving the basis for your visa application. For example: if you apply for a work visa, Interpol may ask for a photocopy of the work contract; or if you apply for a retirement visa, they may ask for a photocopy of the letter from your pension fund; or if you apply for a student visa, they may ask for a photocopy of the enrollment certificate or the official letter from the Peruvian host university, etc.
If you are a US American national: an international money order, a so called “Giro sobre el exterior” or at BCP branches known as "Giro Miami" for the amount of US$ 18.00, made out to "The Treasury of the USA" (you are supposed to get it at any BCP branch) and photocopy of it (4)
If you are a Canadian national: an international money order, a so called "Giro sobre el exterior" for the amount of CAD$ 26,75, made out to "The Receiver General for Canada" (you are supposed to get it at any BCP branch) and photocopy of it (4)
If you are an Australian national: an international money order, a so called "Giro sobre el exterior" for the amount of AU$ 99.00, made out to "The Australian Federal Police" (you are supposed to get it at any BCP branch) and photocopy of it (4)
Explanatory notes
(1)
Please be aware that in case you apply for the Ficha de Canje at the Interpol office in Arequipa, you are asked to present a second ID. Even though nowhere on the requirement list, the officers there require that next to your passport you additionally present another photo ID such as an ID card or a driver's licence or something similar from your home country.
(2)
Usually Interpol asks you to write your address and phone number on the photocopy of your passport and sign it.
(3)
Since May 2023, you don't get an entry stamp anymore when entering Peru. As a copy of the page with your entry stamp was and officially still is a requirement Interpol sometimes asks for a proof that you are legally in the country and when you entered. So, just download your TAM virtual on the Migraciones website to fullfil the requirement. For more information about the TAM (virtual) check out our article How many days did I get when entering Peru?. Under subpoint "Option 1: Migraciones website" you find a detailed explanation on how to download the TAM virtual.
(4)
Please note: Starting July 2024, we got comments from a few of our US American and Canadian readers, who applied for the Ficha de Canje at the Interpol office in Lima and Arequipa, informing us that they didn't need the money order anymore. They just presented the original and a copy of their "FBI Criminal Record Check" / "RCPM Certified Criminal Record Check” with Apostille and official translation (needed for the visa application) and were fine. As the money order is still on the requirement list for US Americans, Canadians and Australians, we are not sure if this requirement hopefully is finally a thing of the past or if the experiences of the readers, who contacted us, were just isolated cases where an Interpol official forgot to ask for it.
Getting the money order is and always has been a mission. In Peru it is officially called "Giro sobre el exterior”, but at BCP branches commenly known as "Giro Miami". Here an example on how it looks.
Example of the Giro sobre el exterior / Money Order US nationals need for Interpol; the photo was taken at Interpol in Arequipa; payment was done at a BCP branch in Arequipa
According to official sources you should be able to get the money order at any (!) BCP branch; unfortunately that isn't true, some BCP branches doesn't even seem to not know about it or are only willing to issue it to BCP clients. However, according to reader reports the BCP branch on Av. Larco 611 in Miraflores, the one on Av. Pardo y Aliaga 1203-1207 in Lima and the one next to the La Rambla Mall in San Borja are familiar with issuing the money order and you shouldn't have any problem getting it done there, while at the BCP branch in La Molina it's a hit and miss.
In Cusco, one reader was able to get the money order at the BCP office on Avenida del Sol.
As regulations may change quickly without prior notice and depend on your nationality, procedures in your home country and the visa type you are applying for in Peru, we highly recommend confirming the above requirements and amounts with the Interpol office or online shortly before your visit.
Interpol Visit
On the day of your Interpol appointment, arrive at the office 15 to 30 minutes early with all required documents and without accompanying persons (only handicapped persons are allowed to enter the office with one adult for support).
Especially in Lima, the situation in front of the office sometimes seems chaotic. However, the staff is usually friendly and helpful; some English is spoken; the process is quite organized.
So, when you arrive at the Interpol office just proceed to the gate, where a guard checks your appointment confirmation and hands you the form you have to fill in. You are then directed to the waiting area. In Lima (the process in the provinces may be different) just sit down on the first free seat and move one seat forward each time the first person gets up to proceed to an officer. Once it's your turn, hand in your documents.
The officer quickly checks your documents and then sends you to get a photo taken. After that, you are sent to have your teeth visually examined. And then your fingerprints are taken. That's it.
While for many months the check Interpol does before issuing the Ficha de Canje Internacional took an hour or so and you could pick up the document later on the same day, the Ficha is now issued immediately. So no waiting and returning later anymore.
US, Canadian and Austrialian passport holders be aware that especially in some Interpol offices in the provinces you might be sent to the postal office nearby during the appointment to send the documentation for an additional check to the US, Canada, Australia and then return with the receipt before getting their Ficha.
With the Ficha in hand, you now can start your temporary or resident visa application process.
Additional record check for US, Canadian and Australian citizens
Please note: Starting July 2024, we got comments from a few of our US American and Canadian readers, who applied for the Ficha de Canje at the Interpol office in Lima and Arequipa, informing us that they didn't need the money order anymore. They just presented the original and a copy of their "FBI Criminal Record Check" / "RCPM Certified Criminal Record Check” with Apostille and official translation (needed for the visa application anyway) and were fine. As the money order is still on the requirement list for US Americans, Canadians and Australians, we are not sure if this requirement hopefully is finally a thing of the past or if the experiences of the readers, who contacted us, were just isolated cases where an Interpol official forgot to ask for it. So, until we get official information if the requirements really change, we leave the explanation for the additional criminal record check below:
If you are a citizen of the US, Canada or Australia, an additional criminal record check from the federal police body of your home country (for example, the FBI) is required. For this, the above-mentioned international money order is needed. This check has nothing to do with issuing the ficha de canje necessary for your visa application at Migraciones and the approval of your visa; if something serious comes up, your record is tagged, and you might be detained as soon as you leave the country.
Be aware, that Interpol asks you to send an envelope with your documents to the FBI (for US citizens), the RCMP (for Canadian citizens) or the AFP (for Australian citizens). A few of our readers, who applied for the Ficha at an Interpol office in the provinces, were sent to the postal office nearby during the appointment and had to return with the receipt before getting their Ficha.
Additionally, getting the results back may take many weeks or even months and the criminal record check you get does not meet the criminal record check requirements from Migraciones and does not have an Apostille on it. So, waiting to get this check back and use it for the "Antecedentes" requirement to apply for a residence visa is not recommended and additionally counterproductive as you most probably will run out of time on your stay as a tourist before you get the document and have it sent abroad and returned with Apostille.
So, better come prepared to Peru bringing your criminal record check already with you (you still will need the money order and the additional check for Interpol) or, if you are already in Peru, apply for it on your own. You can find more information about the necessary criminal record check and how to get it in our article "International document corresponding to the Antecedentes policiales, penales and judiciales in Peru".
One of the requirements to apply for a resident visa in Peru or to change your visa type, for example from a work visa to a permanent resident visa...
And one of our readers, who is Australian, shared his experience, which might be useful for other Australians (and probably US Americans and Canadians as well):
"Hi again Eva.
Australian citizens.
Interpol clearance - Ficha de canje internacional additional finger print check by Australian Federal Police.
(Not to be confused with the Antecedentes policiales, penales y judiciales Police clearance certificate issued by the Australian Federal Police.)
When conducting the 'Ficha de canje internacional' interview, Interpol Peru will finger print Australians twice. Once for Peru and once for the Australian Federal Police. Interpol will ask Australians to fill out the second finger print form in English.
Interpol will instruct you to send this form with the AUD$99.00 international money order to the Australian Federal Police.
As Eva from Lima Easy kindly points out, this specific step is unrelated and not necessary for your residence application. Peru Migracciones only requires the Peruvian 'Ficha de canje internacional' and the criminal record check, not this additional check.
If you do as Interpol requests and send the additional finger print form and AUD$99.00 money order to the Australian Federal Police you will receive an email from the Australian Federal Police stating:
> To be able to process your application we require you to complete the attached application form and email back to us along with additional identification to make a minimum of 100 points. We also require credit card details as the fee is $99.00 Australian dollars and we cannot accept the cheque you have supplied. We also require an official English translation of the fingerprints you have supplied (attached) as all the labels must be in English. (Some of the labels are in Spanish and some labels are in misspelt English.) You can email these documents back to us together so we can process your application. AFP
So in conclusion, this specific step is not necessary for the Peru residence application and the data provided by Interpol Peru and the Peruvian bank check in it's raw state, is not satisfactory for the Australian Federal Police.
So I guess use your own discretion if you bother proceeding with this step. One assumes Peru Interpol and Australian Federal Police need to coordinate on their requirements if this step is it be successful.
Good luck."
Please note: We from LimaEasy are not a Peruvian government agency, a public authority or (immigration) lawyers. All information is published to our best knowledge and should be seen as general guidance introducing you to Peruvian regulations and procedures. All information is subject to change, as regulations, requirements, and processes can change quickly without prior notice!
And if you find something wrong on this page, please help us to keep this guide as up to date as possible and contact us either below with a comment or use our contact form. Thank you!
Hey! Many thanks for the helpful summary! I was at the Arequipa branch today (no appointments in Lima, even though there are apparently people that can facilitate appointments - but it's also a nice excuse to visit Arequipa, very nice city!) and everything worked out as planned. As previously mentioned, they required both a copy of my national ID and the declaration from which the Renta (for the Rentista Visa) derived, and even asked questions about it. An utility bill was not required, but it states at the entrance that this can be requested in case of doubt about the address.
thank you so much for sharing your experience at the Interpol office in Arequipa. It's great to get this feedback so this page is as up-to-date as possible.
I hope that your visa application works out smoothly and wish you all the best.
Hi there! Im an Australian and got married in Brazil to someone who holds a "carnet de extranjeria". I am applying for the "cambio de calidad migratoria por la de familiar residente". I need to obtain the ficha canje internacional from interpol.. however i noticed that you have to make a money order for citizens of US, Canada and Australia.. I am wondering what I should do in my situation. I wasnt sure about the appointment, I was going to go to Interpol 8am in person on Saturday. Or, do i book an appointment online from 8am on saturday. Just want to confirm what I need to take to the appointment. Someone help pls.
As explained in the article above, appointments can only be booked on the Interpol website not in person anymore. So, it wouldn't make any sense to go there. How you can make the appointment is explained in detail in the article above. Here the direct link to the chapter.
You can make an appointment on the Interpol website any time. However, unfortunately appointments at the Lima office are often booked, therefore I mentioned that new appointments are usually released on Saturdays. So, if you try to make an appointment today and see that there are no appointments available, try tomorrow morning, when new appointments for the following weeks should be released.
Or is your problem the money order? This is a point you should check with Interpol as the feedback we got from our readers is varied. Some say they still needed it others they didn't when they showed their criminal record check.
On the day of your appointment you need the following documents (all explained above in the article):
-Appointment confirmation (printed copy) -Passport -Photocopy of the passport page with the personal information and photo - (Entry stamp) / Printout of the TAM virtual -Payment receipt for the Interpol clearance (code 08141; fee S/ 31.50 as of 2024) and printed photocopy -Even though not on the official requirement list some Interpol offices ask for a recibo, so a water or electricity bill, and printed photocopy proving your address (doesn't have to be in your name) -Even though not on the official requirement list, a few of our readers reported that the Interpol office in Arequipa asks for a second identity document and copy (can be an ID card, driver's licence or similar from your home country) -Black pen (a remnant from Covid times, most offices now provide pens, but in Peru it's always good to have your own on you) -As you are applying for a family visa based on being married to a foreigner with Peruvian residency: photocopy of your marriage certificate (with Apostille and translated into Spanish by a certified translator) and copy of the spouse’s carné (best have the originals with you as well)
- as Australian: money order (you could try and bring your clean Australian criminal record check with Apostille and a copy instead and hope you can avoid the money order; may or may not work)
Hello, thank you for your article, it is really helping me. I am Peruvian. I have a question. In a comment I saw that the person who wants residency needs to be here legally. In my husband’s case, we got married and he stayed in the country for almost 6 months. When I returned to the US, he just found out that he had stayed too long and paid his fine. When he returned, we began to look for the requirements needed for residency. We went to immigration for advice but we didn’t find an answer. The only thing they told us was that they had only given him 20 days from his entry and we don’t know why because it was 90 days. Now we want to do the paperwork at Interpol and immigration but the 20 days have passed, so what do you recommend I start the process or would he have to leave the country again? How do I know how many days they will give him again?
assuming that your husband wants to apply for a Visa residente familiar para el caso de casado con peruana first I recommend that you check out our Family visa article. There you find lots of information including the requirements, needed preparation work and a step by step application guide. That already might answer a few questions that you have. If you have further doubts, just send me a short comment and I try to answer it to the best of my knowledge.
Then just for your info: according to the Foreigner Law foreign tourists can stay a maximum of 183 accumulated days in a 365-day period in Peru. However, this doesn’t mean a foreigner is entitled to the full 183 days or to get them when he/she enters the country. A publication issued by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (RREE) limits or divides this general allowed time. Most foreign nationals, including US passport holders, are allowed 90 days in a 180-day period.
But, as in many countries around the globe it’s always at the discretion of the immigration officer how he/she evaluates the foreigners situation/travel history and how many days he/she is willing to let the foreigner stay as a tourist in Peru. Foreigners are not entitled to get the full 90 days in half a year or the full 183 days per year. It's completely up to the immigration officer if he/she lets a foreigner enter and how long he/she allows him/her to stay.
As your husband already stayed nearly 180 days in Peru, he officially already used all his time as a tourist for a 365-day period. So, he can be happy that he was allowed to re-enter and got 20 days.
Just for the future, he can always check his so-called TAM virtual on the Migraciones website to find out how many days the immigration gave him.
And yes, officially a foreigner must be in Peru on a valid stay, for example, as a tourist to apply for a residence visa, so to apply for the cambio de calidad migratoria. The same applies to getting the Ficha de canje from Interpol. Usually Interpol requests a printout of the TAM virtual showing that the foreigner is legally in the country.
So, your husband is now in a situation where he officially can't do anything as he is "irregular". He must leave Peru and return to become legal again. But as he already stayed the max allowed time in a 365-day period re-entering Peru before his 365-day period is over (counted from the day of his first entry) might be a challenge. If he is lucky, he gets a relaxed immigration officer, who might just give him another 30, 60 or 90 days. Or he has to face a strict one, who could deny him entry. So, before leaving Peru he should prepare as much as possible: for example, he should have a recent copy of your Peruvian marriage certificate on him to prove that he is married to a Peruvian and wants to apply for a family visa; he could book an appointment at Interpol for a date after his return proving he is serious about the family visa application; he as well should have his criminal record check from the US with Apostille on him, again something that proves that he really wants to apply for the family visa. And then he might have to plead a bit with the immigration officer that he/she gives him at least 30 days giving him enough time to get the Ficha de canje and the translation of his criminal record check so he can apply before his stay as a tourist expires again.
Any chance anyone know an email address for Interpol. I have paid on Pagalo but when trying to make the appointment on Interpol website I get this error message. I tried to call but they do not answer. COMPROBANTE DE PAGO NO VALIDO O EXTORNADO
usually, it only takes a few minutes up to an hour or so until a pagalo.pe payment is processed. However, if you paid on a Sunday or after business hours the processing of the payment might take until the next business day. So, before trying to enter the details of the payment receipt give it a bit of time.
If already some time has passed and you are sure you have entered the correct and requested numbers, then Interpol isn't the right authority to contact. The problem lies with pagalo.pe, so, the Banco de la Nacion. Best pay a larger Banco de la Nacion a visit and hope they can figure out what went wrong. It might be necessary that you pay again, but can request a refund of your first payment.
I have my Interpol interview scheduled for Thursday, but I sent off my American wedding certificate to be translated (it has already been apostilled). Do you think Interpol will accept a non-translated photocopy of my American wedding certificate or should I reschedule my appointment?
I assume you need the Ficha de Canje from Interpol to apply for a family visa.
As explained in our Family visa article, if you apply for a family visa based on being married to a Peruvian, you will need your Peruvian marriage certificate. Your US one won't be accepted neither when applying for the Ficha de Canje nor for the visa. So, if you haven't registered your marriage with Reniec or at a Peruvian consulate yet, you must do so first. As this will take some time, I would reschedule the Interpol appointment.
If you already registered your marriage with Reniec in Peru your wife should get a certified copy of your Peruvian marriage certificate (done in no time online or at one of the PVM (Plataforma Virtual Multiservicios) "ATMs") - so no need to reschedule.
If your marriage was registered at a Peruvian consulate, you can get a certified copy of your Peruvian marriage certificate at the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As this takes around 2 weeks I would reschedule.
If you, however, want to apply for a family visa based on being married to a foreigner with resident status in Peru, your US marriage certificate is accepted, but only with Apostille, which you already have, and translated. So, showing up at Interpol with the document in English is a gamble. If the official you have to face is in a good mood he/she might accept the untranslated document; if he/she has a bad day, you might be asked to come back another day. So, in this case it's up to you if you want to take the risk or prefer to reschedule.
actually I waited another 10 minutes and downloaded the receipt again, and it was the different this time and it was the correct document. it all worked out.
I was attempting to get an cita today for Interpol, and I paid via pagalo.pe rather than banco de nacion. however the interpol website did not want to accept my pagalo receipt info. The form is expecting info about the banco de nacion receipt and the pagalo does not have the right values for "Número de Cajero" field. I just thought I'd let you all know. I'll probably just show up in person in Cusco and tell them about this error and hopefully get an appointment that day. otherwise, I'll just pay twice and get it.
pagalo.pe is the online platform of the Banco de la Nacion for paying all sort of administrations charges and fees.
And you find all necessary "numbers & codes" on the receipt sent to you.
The "numero de recibo" (number of the receipt) is the "secuencia de pago" on the pagalo receipt. The "codigo de verficación" (verification code) is the "codigo control" on the pagalo receipt. The "fecha de recibo" (date) is the "fecha de operación" on the pagalo receipt.
I never ever had to enter the "numero de cajero", which is the "codigo de cajero" on the pagalo receipt, anywhere. Not sure if that's something new, but if it's asked and the number doesn't work, then there must be a problem with the pagalo receipt.
I wanted to share some information on my process and ask a question about next steps.
Following the steps on the migration portal, I uploaded the necessary documents for the Rentisa visa. Once I got my Interpol report and shared it on the portal, I could proceed to the next step which was biometrics at the Peruvian migración office (Av. España 734, Lima).
the process is explained in detail in our Retirement visa article.
So, I highly recommend to read through the article. Skip the first view chapters as you already applied and start with the points "Biometric data appointment", if you hadn't your appointment yet", or with Buzon electronico. You surely find the answers to all of your questions.
In short, after you had your biometric data appointment, all you can do is wait until you get a notification in your Migraciones electronic mailbox that your visa was approved. You then have to apply for your carné de extranjería.
If you have more questions, I'm more than happy to help.
Did anyone else have trouble making an appointment online? I get to the final point where it asks me to pick a city for an appointment, I pick Lima, but it says there are no available dates.
as explained above in the article, it’s unfortunately not unheard of that no appointments are available, especially when you choose the Interpol office in Lima. The only thing you can do is to try later, the next day, the day after that, … Interpol releases new appointments regularly, however with a changing schedule.
When I'm informed correctly, at the moment Interpol releases new appointments once a week on Saturdays between 08.00 am and 12.00 pm. So, try on Saturday morning. You might have to reload the page a few times (and clear your cache) until you are successful.
When time is an issue and you can't get an appointment in Lima, another option is to get your ficha at one of the Interpol offices in the provinces, where appointments are usually readily available.
Interpol unfortunately doesn't offer the service of taking fingerprints. If you apply for the Ficha they will fingerprint you, but you won't get your fingerprint card.
However, you can get your fingerprints officially taken at some police stations in Peru that have a DIRINCRI division. In Lima you can have it done, for example, at the National Police Complex (Direccion de Criminalistica PNP) on Av. Aramburu 550; in Cusco, at the Policia Nacional del Peru, DIVINCRI PNP, Oficina de Criminalistica Cusco (a building behind the big police headquarters in Plaza Tupaq Amaru).
If you need your fingerprints in a special format / on a specific fingerprint card, it might be necessary to bring it with you.
Hey there, I just compelted this process in Arequipa on 19/11/2024.
Some things to note:
1) I went to several BCP agents to try to get the money order, and even showed them the requirement on the Peruvian Goverment's website to go to any BCP agent and get it. None of them understood, and persisted in calling it a transferencia, and insisted that they could only do them for clients. At the third one I went to I complained and showed them evidence that people had done it before (from this page). The gentleman there finalyl became helpful and told me my best best was to go to the principle agency for Arequipa, which is across the street from RENIEC in el centro. I walked in there and went to the tellers' line. I told them I needed a "giro miami", and their supervisor immediately piped up and said "for the US treasury, right?" well he said it in Spanish, but there at least they knew exactly what to do, and I had it done in about 10 minutes. I highly suggest going to the principle agency of BCP to get this done smoothly and efficiently without any hassles.
2) I am doing my papers on the basis of marriage so I needed to have my wife's DNI and a copy with me. I was worried because it hasn't been changed yet to show our address in Peru or her civil status as married. The officer (Ali) at Interpol let me know that it was no problem that it wasn't updated yet, as it is only Migraciones that needs it correctly. He was very helpful.
3) I don't have antecedentes from my home country (USA), but I was arrested in another country once and tried and given a suspended sentence. I wasn't a resident of that country, ever (I was on a temporary visa), so I had no plan to turn in a police clearance from them. However, this came up in Interpol's system, and I was cautioned that I needed to turn this in to Migraciones as well, or perhaps that Interpol already had entered it into the Peruvian system (he was talking very rapidly). He suggested it was unlikely migraciones would issue me the carnet, but that it was up to Migraciones ultimately.
4) Other than this, caution, I was issued with the Ficha De Canje without any problem.
thank you so much for sharing your experience in such detail.
Just a remark regarding your point 3: yes, to apply for any residence visa in Peru you must have a clean criminal record. If your criminal record check shows an entry, even a non-violent from 20 years ago, your visa application in most cases will be denied.
But, in your case it might be wise to read the law carefully, either the Decreto Supremo 002-2021-IN on page 44, in article 89-B “Procedimiento administrativo de cambio de calidad migratoria por la de familiar residente” on page 44 or the TUPA on page 187, which is page 190 of the PDF.
In both documents you find the following requirement (see attached screenshots):
"Presentar el documento emitido por autoridad competente que acredite carecer de antecedentes judiciales, penales y policiales en el país de origen o en los que hubiera residido el solicitante por el periodo de cinco años anteriores a su llegada al territorio nacional."
So, present a document issued by the competent authority that certifies that there are no judicial, criminal or police records in the country of origin or in the country where the applicant has resided for the period of five years prior to his/her arrival in the national territory.
Practice, however, has shown that Migraciones always requests the criminal record check from your home country. And, if they are made aware of the fact that you resided in another country during the 5 years prior to coming to Peru, sometimes additionally a check from this country.
As the requirement clearly states that you either must present your criminal record check from your home country (in your case the US, where you have a clean record) or from the country where you have "resided" in the 5 years prior to coming to Peru, you are not necessarily required to inform Migraciones. So, if you haven't been a resident of this other country and/or if this was more than 5 years ago, and if you have a clean US check, you might want to reconsider mentioning it to Migraciones.
Interpol does not have access to the Migraciones system, however, they could, of course inform Migraciones (something I never heard of; but I already find it strange that they made a complete check on you, not their job, if you apply for the Ficha, as they are only supposed to check if you are an internationally wanted fugitive). Anyway, sorry, but if Interpol informs Migraciones, your visa application most probably will be denied. If you inform Migraciones, your visa application most probably will be denied. If you don't inform Migraciones and apply submitting your clean Ficha and your clean FBI check, you still have a chance that your family visa will be approved. Even though it might be a bit of a loophole, you didn't do anything wrong doing so as nowhere in the regulation you find that you must inform Migraciones about a record you might have in a country you weren't a resident of or where you have lived more than 5 years ago.
this article is about the Ficha de Canje from Interpol. As long as you aren't an internationally wanted fugitive or are an internationally wanted person the Ficha comes back clean.
However, if you want to apply for a residence visa in Peru, you must submit a clean criminal record check from your home country. The official requirement is: "Presentar el documento emitido por autoridad competente que acredite carecer de antecedentes judiciales, penales y policiales en el país de origen" (translated: Submit the document issued by a competent authority that proves that you have no judicial, criminal, or police record in your country of origin.).
And as a felony remains on your FBI record check for life, you most probably will have a problem getting a residence visa in Peru.
With this being said, I know a few people, where Migraciones approved a residence visa even though they had a criminal record (misdemeanors but as well felonies (not drug related) committed more than 20 years ago), but on the other hand I know many, where Migraciones denied the application because of the criminal record.
There are a few tramitadores and immigration lawyers, who claim they can get you the visa even with your record. If you hire one of them, pay them and trust them, is up to you.
Officially, you need to present the FBI criminal record check (federal level). However, many US Americans applied submitting only a criminal record check issued by their state and got the Apostille on state level as well and this was accepted by Migraciones. Probably that could be an option for you, if you moved to another state in the past 25 years.
And the last option I can think of is filing for an expungement. Impossible or difficult in some US states, but in others non-violent felonies can be expunged.
I have my appointment this week and getting things organised but having trouble getting a copy of my TAM virtual.
When I log in I simply get a pop up saying "El tiempo de permanencia es hasta 26/11/2024" which seems to make sense but I don't get an actual official document for me to download. The best I could do is take a screenshot of this but it doesn't look like the file I see in your other article titled "How many days did I get when entering Peru?".
Have you come across this before and have any advice?
No, I haven't heard of this before. But Migraciones is known for changing their online forms and documents all the time and for overall problems with their online presence.
So, personally I would just take a screenshot of the pop-up and if asked for the TAM virtual at Interpol, show it. If they give you trouble, just enter the page while being there and show the result. You should be fine.
I just got my fecha de canje, I needed the giro miami for Interpol, which I was able to get at BCP in Miraflores (Av. José Pardo 425).
I was told it has 6 months of validity. I’m leaving Peru soon so I don’t think I’ll be able to begin the process for the family visa before I go. How long does the family visa process take?
the application itself might take you about half an hour or so. Not sure, which visa you want to apply for, but you find detailed info on how it's done in our Visa Guide. https://www.limaeasy.com/peru-guide/peruvian-visa-types
The evaluation and approval process can take anything between 3 and 4 weeks to 3 and 4 months. And then you still have to get your carné, which at least at the moment takes another month or two in Lima.
So, if you plan to leave before applying for your visa, make sure you return before your documents "expires". Usually documents issued in Peru are accepted when they were issued a maximum of 3 months prior to being submitted on the Agencia Digital. Documents issued outside Peru are usually only accepted when they were issued not more than 6 months prior to being submitted. There are exceptions, such as a work contract, this can't be older than 30 days.
Is the TAM printout absolutely necessary? When I put in my info and click verificar, the website crashes. Is the date is in MM/DD/YYYY format? When I switch it to DD/MM/YYYY it said it cannot find my info.
the official requirement is still a copy of the page with your entry stamp. As Peru abolished stamping of passports already last year, you can't fulfill this requirement. Instead the closest thing to the entry stamp is a printout of your TAM virtual. And yes, as far as I know, Interpol wants to see it. But if you are lucky, explain the situation or even show that the page doesn't work, you might get away with it.
Honestly, right now I don't know the format of the date, but you could just try both. And if you, for example, arrived in Peru late at night, let's say on the 25th, you may only have entered Peru/passed immigrations after midnight, so on the 26th.
Personally, I would contact Migraciones under consultastamvirtual @ migraciones.gob.pe and ask for your TAM virtual. Explain in short your situation, give them you full name as in your passport, passport number, nationality and date you entered. They usually respond to this sort of messages within 3 business days.
70 Comments
· 06/05/2025@LukeHello Luke,thank you so much for sharing your experience at the Interpol office in Arequipa. It's great to get this feedback so this page is as up-to-date as possible.I hope that your visa application works out smoothly and wish you all the best.GreetingsEva
