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Tourist Visa extension in Peru

Tourist Visa extension in Peru

How to extend your tourist visa in Peru

For the past two decades, every few years the regulations in Peru would change, determining if foreigners can extend their stay as a tourist in the country or not. Since August 2021, foreign tourists couldn't extend their time in Peru anymore. However, this general “no” for tourist visa extensions was softened with the implementation of new Migraciones administrative regulations on October 22, 2023, which allow foreign nationals from member countries of the Andean Community, and only these (!), to extend their stay as a tourist again and abolished with the new Foreigner Law, Decreto Legislativo 1582 on November 14, 2023.

The new Foreigner Law, Decreto Legislativo 1582, published on November 14, 2023, states that foreign tourists can stay in Peru for 183 accumulated days in a 365-day period; so, half a year within one year. It further describes that in case foreign tourists don't get the full 183 days, an extension can be granted until the 183 days are reached, unless international agreements or conventions determine a shorter period or don't allow extensions.

As till today (end of January 2024) the administrative regulations, called TUPA, necessary for the implementation of the new Foreigner Law still haven't been published, we don't know, which foreign nationals can extend or for which nationalities there might be restrictions or when foreigners might be able to extend or how it works. The only foreign nationals, who already now can extend their stay as a tourist, are Bolivians, Ecuadorians and Colombians, which is stated in the TUPA from October 2023.

Anyway, right now we have to wait for more official news.

Overview

To understand what's going on with tourist visa extensions in Peru, first some important background information about the situation from May 2018 to March 2020 and from March 2020 to August 2021, and then the unpleasant situation since August 2021 and the new development that gives hope for the future since October 2023.

Tourist visa extension in Peru, May 2018 to March 2020

From May 15, 2018 to March 2020, when Covid hit Peru, tourists who got less than the from the 2017 foreigner law allowed 183 days in a 365-day period when entering the country could extend their tourist visa, for those you can enter Peru visa-free the "temporary authorization to enter and stay as a tourist" (which is nothing more than an entry in the Migraciones database while in Peru quick and easy online. The procedure was and still is called "Prórroga de Permanencia - PRPL". However, it seemed that the online extension process was only supposed to work for South American nationals according to bi- and multilateral agreements and Migraciones was a bit surprised to find that all nationalities, some with problems, could suddenly extend online.

Back then, the platform to extend a “tourist visa” was embedded in the Migraciones website - where you still, however unfunctional, can find it - and didn’t work properly. While some foreigners could extend without any problems, others got seemingly never-ending error messages from “no data record found”, to “information of the bank receipt not found”, to “requested extension days invalid”. If the problems were just the result of bad programming or that the system supposedly only was intended to work for some nationalities - which makes sense to me and seems plausible as the Banco de la Nacion payment code with which you paid for the extension under "prorroga permanencia" explicitly stated that this option is only for South Americans - we will never know.

Anyway, in June 2019, it got a bit more complicated - welcome to Peru. The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs quietly published an updated list showing which nationals need a "real" tourist visa issued by a Peruvian consulate before coming to Peru and which nationals can travel visa-free to Peru and for how long. With this new publication, the general rule to be allowed to stay 183 days in a 365-day period became outdated for most nationalities.

So suddenly and mostly unnoticed, next to Schengen State nationals, many other nationalities including, for example, US and Canadian nationals were only allowed to stay for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Immigration officers increasingly applied the new regulations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, giving many nationalities only the for their nationality allowed 90 days upon entry, which resulted in an increasing number of visitors in need of an extension and challenging the system.

Please see our PDF " Visas for Peru by country and allowed length of stay" at the end of this article to find out how long you can stay visa-free in Peru - this PDF is an English translation of the original from the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs which can be found here.

Tourist visa extension in Peru, March 2020 to August 2021

Then, in March 2020, Covid hit Peru, borders and airports were closed from one day to the other and thousands of tourists were stuck in the country for months. The Peruvian government assured all visitors that they can stay in the country, even with an expired "tourist visa" without having to fear any reprisals. As long as Peru is under the State of Emergency “tourist visa” extensions wouldn't be necessary and all overstaying fees would be waved. Additionally, visitors would get a 45-day grace period to leave the country after the State of Emergency is lifted.

Then in mid-2020, Migraciones - back then all offices were still closed - introduced a completely new online platform for Peruvians and foreigners, the Agencia Digital. Since then foreigners can for example change their immigration status (so apply for or change their residence visa), extend their residence visa, apply for different permits (such as the permit to sign contracts), check the status of several procedures, etc. online. One menu point of the Agencia Digital is named “Prórroga de Permanencia”, so the extension of your temporary stay which technically includes the tourist visa / authorization to enter as a tourist.

However, in March 2021 the Supreme Decree 002-2021-IN, which updated and partly changed the Peruvian foreigner law (Decreto Legislativo 1350) from 2017, and in July 2021 a new TUPA, which establishes new administrative regulations and procedures under the jurisdiction of the National Superintendency of Migration, was published. Both new texts lack any information regarding tourist visa extensions and only establish the rules and regulations for extending "real" temporary visas, such as a temporary student visa or the temporary work visa.

Tourist visa extension in Peru, August 2021 to October 2023

Despite still being in a State of Emergency, in mid-August 2021 Migraciones announced that - with air travel being possible for months now - the grace period for foreigners being in the country on an expired tourist visa /authorization to enter as a tourist is over. Starting August 20, 2021 foreigners who are in the country on an expired tourist visa / authorization to enter as a tourist have to pay the overstay fee of S/ 4.40 (0.1% of an UIT) per day they overstayed when leaving.

Furthermore, it was communicated that at the moment, the "tourist visas" of those that are already in the country are not extended anymore. Those visitors only have the option of leaving Peru or applying for a temporary or permanent residency.

Visitors who entered Peru in or after August 2021 might have noticed that they only got 90 days, which - except for a few nationalities - is now the number of days most foreigners are allowed to stay in Peru on a "tourist visa". See below pdf document "Visas for Peru by country and allowed length of stay - October 2021" in the attachments.

And even today nothing changed. Tourists still can NOT extend their tourist visa / authorization to enter as a tourist anymore.

Tourist visa extension in Peru from October 22 to November 13, 2023

As already explained above, since August 2021, foreign nationals, those who can travel to Peru visa-free and those who have a real tourist visa in their passport, cannot extend their stay as a tourist in Peru anymore.

Upon entry all foreign tourists get up to (!) 90 days, which - except for a few nationalities - is the number of days most foreigners are allowed to stay in Peru as a tourist in a 180-day period. But even those few nationalities, who are allowed to stay longer or who have a real tourist visa allowing them to stay longer, still only get up to 90 days upon entry.

However, while the number of days foreign tourist get when they enter the country for now seems to remain at up to 90 days, on October 22, 2023, a new TUPA, a document establishing the Migraciones administrative regulations and procedures, was published.

There you find that now foreign tourists in Peru, whose home country is a member of the Andean Community, which includes Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, can extend their stay as a tourist for up to 90 days if they don’t exceed the maximum allowed stay as a tourist of 180 days per year.

If you prefer to read the administrative procedure for the so-called "Prorroga de Permanencia de Turista por Estatuto Migratorio Andino" yourself check out the new TUPA. You find the information on page 235, which is page 238 of the PDF document.

At the moment it’s not clear how the extension works. It's as well unknown if there could be already plans allowing other foreign nationals to extend their stay as a tourist as well (or if there is a glitch in the system as we had from 2018 to 2020 making it possible that everyone, some with problems, could extend).

So, as of today, officially tourist visa extensions are only possible for foreigners from Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador. According to the current regulations, other foreign tourists still cannot extend their stay.

Tourist visa extension in Peru since November 14, 2023

On November 14, 2023, a new Foreigner Law, Decreto Legislativo 1582, was published, stating that foreign tourists can stay in Peru for 183 accumulated days in a 365-day period; so, half a year within one year. It further describes that in case foreign tourists don't get the full 183 days, an extension can be granted, unless international agreements or conventions determine a shorter period or don't allow extensions.

At the moment (end of January 2024) the administrative regulations, called TUPA, necessary for the implementation of the new Foreigner Law still haven't been published. So, we don't know, which foreign nationals can extend (exception: Bolivians, Ecuadorians and Colombians, who at the moment are the only ones, who can extend, as explained in the chapter above) or for which nationalities there might be restrictions or when foreigners might be able to extend or how it works.

Anyway, right now we have to wait for more official news. Or if you have any current information on the topic, please let us know.

Overstaying as a tourist in Peru

If your allowed time as a tourist in Peru is up, you either have to apply for a temporary or resident visa or leave the country. If you, however, decide to overstay, since January 1, 2024, a fine of S/ 5.15 (0.1% of an UIT) per overstayed day in 2024 (S/ 4.95 per overstayed day in 2023) has to be paid when leaving the country.

Our article "Peruvian Overstay Fine for tourists" explains in detail the legal backgrounds of overstaying, consequences of overstaying, and how and where you can pay the overstay fine.

Peruvian Overstay Fine for tourists

Peruvian Overstay Fine for tourists

Legal Stuff
Tourists who stayed longer than the number of days they were given when they entered Peru must pay a fine when leaving the country. While this usua...

 

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  • This commment is unpublished.
    Jirawat
    Jirawat · 17/04/2023
    Hello! I’m Thai citizen and I can stay up to 90 days in Peru without a tourist visa. My question is very simple… how many times can I enter Peru within this 90 days window? I will arrive in Lima, then travel to Quito, then fly back from Lima. Not very sure if they will allow me to get in Peru again or not, I tried to find this piece of information from the official site too but doesn’t seem to get it.

    Thank you so much, much appreciated!
    Jape
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 17/04/2023
      @Jirawat
      Hello Jape,

      yes, as Thai passport holder you can travel to Peru visa-free for up to 90 days. But be aware that it's always up to the immigration officer how many days he/she allows you to stay.

      Anyway, upon entry you get an "authorization to enter and stay as a tourist" which is nothing more than an entry in the Migraciones database and a stamp in your passport. This "authorization" is a single entry permission.

      So, let's assume you get 90 days when you enter Peru. When you leave after, for example, 20 days, the remaining 70 days automatically expire. When you return to Peru a week later or so, you get a new "authorization to enter and stay as a tourist". And as before it's up to the immigration officer how many days you are given.

      Honestly, if you don't exceed your 90 days and have your flight ticket out of Peru I don't think that you have to worry being denied re-entry.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Robert
    Robert · 16/04/2023
    Hi, so i have a Dutch and South African passport. I travelled here to Peru on 17 october to travel and i was supposed to work in China in January but due to difficulties in getting my work visa i can only get my visa on 11 may or so. I have already made an appointment to get my chinese work visa from here in Peru. I think it is also required to present my valid peru visa at the chinese embassy while applying from here in Peru, because i am worried the chinese embassy here rejects me for not having a current valid visa in Peru. So now i am thinking of going to Chile and exiting on my Dutch passport, pay the penalty, and then re-entering Peru on my South African passport to go to my Chinese visa appointment here in lima on may 4 and then leave the country to China about on the 15th. I imagine i face some serious risks if i do this. What would you advise? 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 16/04/2023
      @Robert
      Hello Robert,

      the first thing I would do is check what the Chinese consulate requires. So, do they really want to see that you are legal in Peru? Is a valid stay as a tourist enough? Or do they want to see a resident visa (which some consulates do)?

      In case you only need to be in Peru legally, your only option is to take the risk, leave the country and return to Peru. If they want to see residency you have a real problem.

      Anyway, when you entered Peru on October 17, you most probably got 90 days and by now  additionally overstayed 90 days. So, you already have been in Peru the max allowed time per year and you most probably won't be allowed to re-enter (at least not on your Dutch passport).

      So, I think your best option is to pay the overstay fine, leave on your Dutch passport and then come back to Peru using your South African passport. Usually no-one will connect the two different passports. Nevertheless, in case they start to ask strange questions remain friendly, explain your situation, have your Chinese work contract and appointment with you and you should be fine.

      All the best
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Brandon
    Brandon · 07/04/2023
    Hi there,
    My wife and I (USA & Belarus)would like to stay in Peru for upwards of 6 months as tourists. From my understanding, both of us can stay in Peru visa-free up to 90 days.

    If I am reading correctly from other comments here and the article, it is not possible to stay up to 6 months with an extension currently? I've done the extension route in other South American countries, so I am wondering if Peru is allowing that for both our nationalities.

    Thanks for helping!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 07/04/2023
      @Brandon
      Hello Brandon,

      no, sorry, since August 2021, you can't extend your stay as a tourist in Peru anymore.

      So, if you want to stay longer than the number of days you were given when you entered, you only have to options: either overstay and pay a fine of S/ 4.95 per day you overstayed or leave Peru and try to return. Be aware that it's always up to the immigration officer if he/she lets you re-enter and how many days you are given.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Christopher
    Christopher · 28/03/2023
    Hi Eva,
    My tourist visa is set to expire on April 9th and I have every document ready to go for work residency but am waiting on the ministry of labor to validate the work contract, the company’s accountant is doing everything she can to quicken the process, but I expect it will go through the week after my visa expires. What do you suggest? I almost wondered if it’s worth applying for the residency anyway and see if there is a way to update that document when it goes through. What do you suggest? I understand if the only solution is leave for 3 months then come back and apply but we are really trying to avoid that, but I want to get another opinion.
    Thanks!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 28/03/2023
      @Christopher Hello Christopher,

      I’m not sure how long it takes the Ministry of Labor to approve work contracts at the moment, but you still have nearly two weeks. So, for now I would wait, pray and hope for the best.

      If the approval of your work contract doesn’t go through in time, you have two options.

      You could leave the country and return (already a few days) later. I usually don’t recommend this option as there is always a (in your case slight) risk of being denied re-entry. However, even if you end up at the counter of a grumpy immigration officer who’s trying to give you trouble, explaining calmly and friendly your situation and showing all your documents already prepared for your work visa application (Ficha de Canje from Interpol, criminal record check with Apostille and translation, work contract, …) should do the trick and you should get at least enough days allowing you to apply for your work visa. A week or so ago another foreigner, who as well had trouble with his work contract and left and returned a few days later, informed me that upon his return the immigration officer was super friendly and told him, as he has a valid work contract, he has the right to enter Peru. I don't know if this is true. Anyway, he got another 90 days.

      If you leave, take your wife and son with you, so they get a new stamp in their passport as well hoping they give them another 90 days which hopefully is enough for your work visa to go through.

      Another option is to apply for your work visa without the work contract which is only possible with playing the system a bit. Make sure that you apply for your work visa when your stay as a tourist is still valid!

      To understand the following, check out our Work Visa article under Step-by-step guide to apply for a work visa in Peru.

      Follow the steps as described until you are on the “2nd page of the work visa application”. Here you must fill in some data and/or upload all for the work visa application necessary documents as PDF.

      The problem is that under one subpoint you must (!) upload your approved work contract. It’s an obligatory field. You can’t leave it blank as the system won’t allow you to continue with the application. So, you could upload your work contract without the approval of the Ministry of Labor. Then continue to upload all other required documents and finish the application process as described above.

      At the end of the process, you get the Solicitud de Cambio de Calidad Migratoria with the “numero de expediente” (your file number), the "fecha de publicacion" (application date) and a "codigo de verificacion" (verification code) and your access to your Buzon. As soon as you get this your time as a tourist stops and you are safe.

      Now, depending how quickly Migraciones reviews your application there are two scenarios:

      As you haven’t uploaded your work contract with the approval of the Ministry of Labor as required, Migraciones will send you a notification (can be as quick as a few days after your application or a month, two or three later) using the Buzon electronico requesting to upload, in your case, the work contract correctly approved. Be aware that these notifications are considered officially delivered. Usually, Migraciones only gives you a short deadline of 5 to 10 days to upload the requested document. So, check your Buzon regularly. You must react to the notification, otherwise your application could be canceled.

      As by then you will have the contract with the approval just upload it as described in the notification (you do it on the main page of the Agencia Digital in the left menu under Subsanacion).

      As you will have your approved contract shortly after your application and most probably before you hear from Migraciones and as Migraciones only accepts approved work contracts that are not older than 30 days when uploaded, you should try and upload it immediately after you get it.

      As far as I know, after your application you should find on the main page of the Agencia Digital in the menu on the left the point “Subsanacion” where you should be able to upload the contract even though Migraciones haven’t requested to do so yet. Another option is to upload it under Mesa de Partes, but I was told by other foreigners that this didn’t work for them or that Migraciones didn’t get the document and a few weeks later asked to upload the document again, this time under Subsanacion.

      So, both options have their pros and cons. Which way you go is up to you.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Christopher
      Christopher · 29/03/2023
      @Sunflower Thank you so much Eva, that is very reassuring that the other gentlemen was able to get a new 90 days when reentering the country. I think we have decided to go that route which leads me to another couple of questions. Our passports expire in September, so we decided to leave the country by going back to the US in order to renew our passports and be back in peru after about 3 weeks to a month. 
      My questions are:
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 29/03/2023
      @Christopher
      And your questions are???

      Somehow your comment is cut off ....

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Christopher
      Christopher · 30/03/2023
      @Sunflower I'm so sorry, not sure how that happened. 
      1. If I receive a new passport, will I need to get a new Interpol Clearance and work contract that reflects the new passport number or is there a way to let them know that my passport number is replaced by the new passport number?
      2. If the work contract is approved while I'm gone, but I am not here to sign it, do you know what the steps are? as far as I can tell, I'm not sure there is a way I can actually sign and get the approved contract while outside of the country.
      Thanks again!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 30/03/2023
      @Christopher Hello Christopher,

      When I read that you are leaving for the US to get new passports, at first I thought, good idea. Returning on another passport number should guarantee you another 90 days. But then I remembered that your old passport number is on the Ficha de Canje and probably as well on your work contract or perhaps even on your FBI record check. Additionally, you as well might be (pre-) registered with your old passport number at your place of work or wherever work-related necessary. I wondered if you really want to make things even more difficult for you by opening another can of worms.

      The problem I see is when you leave Peru on your old passport number, the person Christopher with old passport number leaves the country. When you return to Peru with a new passport number, the person Christopher with new passport number is registered in the Migraciones datatbase as being in Peru. So, as Christopher with old passport number isn’t in Peru anymore, he can’t apply for a residence visa, and Christopher with new passport number must enter the Agencia Digital, where you apply for your residence visa. And your application will, of course, be registered under your new passport number.

      All important documents you must upload, however, have your old passport number on it. As Christopher with old passport number isn’t in the country, not good. While you can apply and finalize the application, most probably when someone at Migraciones reviews your application he/she will stumble upon the discrepancy. Things then can go two ways, either Migraciones gives you the option to “explain” and accepts a copy of your old passport (unlikely) or you are asked to upload all documents, which have your old passport number on it, again with the correct new passport number (more likely). That not only means that all the work you have done over the past weeks was a waste of time, effort and money and you have to start from scratch, but the processing time of your visa application is slowed down which could have consequences for your wife’s and son’s family visa application.

      When you told me that you are considering leaving the country to “renew your tourist visa”, I didn’t know that your old passport expires in September. And here we have the next problem. If you leave the country and decide to return on your old passport, the immigration officer you have to face might not let you enter. Not because you already stayed 90 days in Peru as a tourist, but because upon arrival as a tourist the passport must be valid at least 6 months.

      So, no matter what you do you have some serious obstacles to overcome. Personally I would move heaven and earth to get your application into the system.

      And I can’t answer your second question. Since I can remember you first had to get the permit to sign contracts, then sign the work contract and after that get it approved by the Ministry of Labor. So, not sure if the process changed or why you worry about signing your work contract once it’s approved.  It should be signed to get approved.

      And signing the work contract when you are outside Peru at this stage of your preparation is absolutely counterproductive and will make things unnecessarily even more complicated.

      I can only recommend to not playing the system including its options / loopholes too much. It will result in more problems and a longer waiting time until you finally get your residence visa and carné.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Pauline Hindley
    Pauline Hindley · 02/02/2023
    We are a British couple .We have been to Peru many times over the past 20yrs for periods of 6 months without any problems. The last time we were in Peru was Oct 2019 and we were repatriated by the British government in April 2020, due to the pandemic. We have not returned since then until Dec 2022. We have always been given 183 days on entry, without problem. When we entered on 24th Dec 2022 we were only given
    90days and the immigration officer would not budge on this. Our return flight to Uk is for 15th June 2023. We were given information from our airline KLM that stated we satisfied the conditions for "no visa required. Maximum stay 183 days"only to be shocked to find this was not the case when we arrived. My partner is originally from Peru and has family here, children and grandchildren. Please would you point us in the right direction to solve this problem. Is it possible to pay a fee and legitimately extend our stay. I understand that from November 2022 Peruvian citizens are allowed to enter UK as tourists without a visa for up to 6 months. Surely there must be a reciprocal agreement in place that allows British citizens the same privileges when they visit Peru
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 02/02/2023
      @Pauline Hindley
      Hello Pauline,

      as explained above, already since 2019, but strictly enforced only since August 2021, most nationalities can stay in Peru as a tourist for up to 90 days in a 180-day period and a max of 183 days per year. And no, there is no exemption from this rule for British citizens. Sorry.

      Additionally, as well since August 2021, you can't extend your stay as a tourist anymore.

      So, as soon as your stay as a tourist expires you are, as the immigration law states. "irregular" in Peru and have to pay a fine for overstaying. For each day you overstay in 2023, you must pay S/ 4.95 before you are allowed to leave.

      So, if you entered on December 24, 2022 and got 90 days, you should leave the country latest on March 24, 2023. As your flight back home is only on June 15, you will overstay for 83 days, which means you have to pay 83 x S/ 4.95, so about S/ 410 before you leave.

      You find more information about Overstaying in Peru and how to pay the fine in our article Peruvian overstay fine for tourists.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Pauline Hindley
      Pauline Hindley · 03/02/2023
      @Sunflower Could you explain to me why there is no reciprocal agreement for British citizens to have the same privileges as Peruvian in Britain. Peruvians are now allowed to enter UK without a visa for up to 6 months but Uk citizens don’t have the same privileges in Peru. This hardly seems fair.Is it possible to apply for temporary residence?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 03/02/2023
      @Pauline Hindley
      Hello Pauline,

      I hear the argumentation that Peruvians now can stay 6 months in the UK without a visa and it should be the same for British nationals in Peru a lot. But you, as a British passport holder, can stay 6 months per year in Peru as a tourist without a visa, however, not 6 consecutive months, only 2 times 3 months.

      Anyway, I don't know why your government agreed to these terms when they negotiated the agreement between the UK and Peru for visa-free stays of their nationals; you may want to ask your Foreign Office.

      And yes, you could apply for a temporary or residence visa if you can fulfill the requirements.

      There are temporary visas (usually issued for 3 to 6, in some cases 12 months) for athletes, artists, workers and students. So, not sure if you fall in any category here.

      Another option could be to apply for a residence visa. You said before that your husband is "originally from Peru". Does he still have the Peruvian nationality? If so, you could apply for a family visa. Or if you are retired, you could apply for the retirement visa.

      But be aware that if you have a residence visa, you must be in Peru for at least 183 days per year, otherwise you lose your residency.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Shel
      Shel · 04/02/2023
      @Pauline Hindley Unfortunately I posit that perhaps @Sunflower has misinterpreted the law, given you incomplete, unsavory guidance and you should probably be able to do a visa-run out of the country and return immediately for another 90 days as long as you don't exceed 183 in 365 days. If I am mistaken then I apologize to her and you. I think she needs to be more comprehensive in her legal understanding of how a default (unspecified) condition would of course default to the 2017 law as stated. Of course whether you can explain this and get the migration officer to understand and agree is separate issue.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 04/02/2023
      @Shel Hello Shel,

      As already said in my response to your first comment below, it seems to me that you aren’t aware of the complete(!) legal situation, the changes over the past years, the implementation of the regulations and the reality when you are standing in front of an immigration officer asking to spend time in Peru as a tourist.

      Your interpretation of the law unfortunately isn’t accurate. The advice you are giving based on your misinterpretation can not only be dangerous for people seeking help and guidance but as well shows a lack of understanding of the overall situation in Peru.

      So, here again:

      According to the Decreto Legislativo 1350, Titulo IV, Capitulo I, Articulo 29.1 h foreigners can stay in Peru 183 days in a 365-day period as a tourist.

      The publication issued by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (which is linked in our article above and below can be found translated into English) states which foreign nationals must apply for a tourist / business visa at a Peruvian consulate before traveling to Peru and which can travel to Peru visa-free for tourism and business purposes and for how long.

      Pauline is a British passport holder. Since the UK left the EU, the list doesn’t show anymore how long British nationals can stay in Peru as a tourist, just that they don’t need a “real” tourist visa to enter the country.

      But the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that they can stay 90 days in a 180-day period and a max of 183 days (and that's what immigration officer mostly enforce); the same as most other nationalities. And British travelers furthermore reported that they as well got 90 days when they entered and as other foreign nationals as well had either trouble to re-enter before their 180-day period were over and where only given a few days up to a month or just got another 90 days without a problem.

      Anyway, I wonder on what legal basis your interpretation is based that Pauline is “able to do a visa-run out of the country and return immediately for another 90 days as long as you don't exceed 183 in 365 days.”.

      Do you have an official source for that? How can you advise people doing that? That’s not only “unsavory” but outright dangerous.

      Are you there when she, trusting your words, tries to re-enter and is surprised by suddenly encountering problems? Are you there and “explain [to the immigration officer his own laws, regulations and internal instructions] and get the migration officer to understand”. You must be kidding me. And to speak in your words: you really need to be more comprehensive in your understanding of Peruvian laws, regulations, and especially their execution and the Peruvian mentality.

      For nearly 20 years we from LimaEasy explain the Peruvian laws and regulations to our readers and share experiences and feedback from other travelers. Fact is, you don’t have the right to enter Peru or to get x amount of days when coming to the country as a tourist. It’s always at the discretion of the immigration officer if he/she lets you enter and for how long he/she allows you to stay.

      At the moment, the general rule is 90 days in a 180-day period and a max of 183 days per year. In case you already stayed 90 days, leave Peru and try to re-enter immediately or before your 180-day period is over, things can go three ways depending on the immigration officer, his/her mood, the weather, your attitude, your eye color or whatever: you either get another 90 days or you get 10 days, or 30, or whatever number of days he/she thinks appropriate or he/she denies you to enter at all.

      So, if things turn for the worst and Pauline spends a not inconsiderable sum of money on border hopping as advised by you only to get just a few days or a month or is even denied to re-enter are you there taking responsibility for your guidance?

      Anyway, I'm always more than happy when thorough and critical readers point out mistakes or contradictions, which gives me the opportunity to improve LimaEasy and have our articles here as accurate and up-to-date as possible. I'm as well always happy when readers share their knowledge or experience with other readers looking for advice. Furthermore, I respect other perspectives and opinions. However, in this context, I would like to remind everyone to please comply with our Discussion and Submission Guidelines.

      Wishing you Shel all the best.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Miss Love
    Miss Love · 27/01/2023
    I am a usa citizen. I entered Peru on November 30th. It was to my understanding that by law I can stay in Peru for a maximum of 90 days. Over the past 58 days that I’ve been in Peru I’ve decided that I would actually like to stay in Peru and apply for a temporary visa. I know many people who have done this and so they put me in contact with someone to help me with that process. The now temporary residents were sure to tell me to handle this process before my 90 days are up or else I would run in issues. And so, that number 90 has been engraved in my brain- i get to handle this process well before that time so that i don’t run into any issues. When I contacted the person to help me with my residency today, they checked and told me that the Peruvian immigration only approved me to stay for 40 days and that I am now past my allotted time. Of course, I am shocked to hear this information as I just assumed that by law I can stay for 90 days without penalty. None the less, this man informed me that I have an irregular status and can’t start the residency process now. That actually ain’t the biggest issue. The biggest issue is that I have a flight out of Peru on February 4th. I was planning to come back Feb 14th and then STAY in Peru to obtain my residency at that point. I am extremely nervous that they will site me with an overstay fee and even more so, I am nervous that I won’t be able to get back into Peru on my return. I had no idea that immigration can give you less time. Also, NO ONE COMMUNICATED this to me at immigration. They just stamped my passport and let me go. What are my options? Can I get it extended to 90 days? Will I have to pay an overstay fee? Am I now screwed on my return to Peru on Feb 14? Any and all information is helpful. I also would live to go to the immigration office in Cusco and speak to someone myself- I am unsure if I need an appointment to do that. Can I just show up? If I do need to make an appointment, can someone provide a link? Thank you so much. 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 28/01/2023
      @Miss Love Hello Miss Love,

      US citizens can stay in Peru as a tourist for up to 90 days in a 180-day period and a max of 183 days in a year. But as everywhere around the globe, it’s always at the discretion of the immigration officer if he/she lets a non-resident foreigner enter the country and for how long he/she allows the person to stay. So, if an immigration officer pleases, he can give you the full 90 days or just a week or whatever he/she thinks appropriate.

      When entering the country, it’s your responsibility to confirm the number of days you can stay with the immigration officer or at least check the entry stamp in your passport. Haven’t you done that? You won’t need anyone for that. So, to make sure the information “the person” who is supposed to help you with your residence visa gave you is correct, just flick through the pages of your passport and see if you find the entry stamp. It should look like the one in the picture I attached. In the middle, you see the date you entered Peru; above the number of days you were given and below the immigration control post where you entered. If you can't find your entry stamp or want more or official info, check on the Migraciones website.

      If you really only got 40 days, you should have left by January 9. So, if you only leave on February 4, you will have to pay the overstay fine for 26 days. In 2023, the fine is S/ 4.95, so for the time you overstayed a bit less than S/ 130. Our article Overstay fine for tourists explains how it’s done.

      A visit to Migraciones won’t change anything. Tourist visa extensions aren’t possible anymore and you are stuck with the number of days the immigration officer gave you when you entered. So, no way around paying the overstay fine when you leave the country. If you want to confirm that yourself at Migraciones, you can make an appointment on the Agencia Digital. Just enter the main page by filling in required fields and select in the menu on the left under Citas en linea the point Informes (make sure to choose Cusco under dependencia on the next page). Or on the bottom right of the main page you can start a chat with Migraciones.

      To your last concern, re-entering Peru. Even if you got 90 days when you entered in November and then stayed until Feb (so around 66 days), it wouldn’t be ideal to leave Peru for just 10 days and then return as you only should be in Peru as a tourist for a max of 90 days in a 180-day period. So, even then, the immigration officer could only give you the remaining 3 weeks or so. But as you most probably only got 40 days and then overstayed, there will be some red flags and things can go two ways. Either the immigration officer does his/her job by the book, gives you trouble and after a long discussion allows you only a few weeks or he/she just gives you another 90 days as you (hopefully) haven’t exceeded the max of 183 days per year. If you have already stayed in Peru in 2022 before you entered in November and used your 183 days for a year things are different and you might have a hard time being allowed to re-enter.

      My recommendation if you haven’t already stayed in Peru for the max of 183 days per year: now that you are still in Peru, prepare as much as possible for your temporary visa application. So, for example, get the Ficha de Canje from Interpol or at least an appointment, and, depending on the visa type, necessary documents for the visa application. In case the immigration officer gives you trouble when you re-enter the country, explain your situation and show your proof that you are in the process of applying for a temporary visa. You then should at least get 30 days, if not longer so you can apply for your visa.

      If you already have been in Peru as a tourist for 183 days over the past 12 months, I can only recommend to stay outside Peru for at least half a year and only then return.

      All the best

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Miss Love
      Miss Love · 30/01/2023
      @Sunflower Thank you so much, I took your advice and I set up an appointment at Interpol for the Ficha de Canje. I have the appointment for tomorrow morning as I figured it would be wise for me to do this ASAP before I leave the country. I researched the necessary documents for my appointment and one of them was a copy of the entry stamp in my passport. I’m not sure if this was in reference to the appointment itself or referring to something regarding the visa application. This makes me nervous as I am overstayed in the country. Do you think this will pose a problem?  In general, now that I am overstayed in the country, it seems that I can’t interact with anything regarding a visa application until my return because of my current immigration status. Correct? My immigration status doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the Ficha de Canje though right? I didn’t plan to have to rush and figure this all out so I’m kind of scrambaling to do and understand everything now. It also says to bring copies of the passport etc. considering all the strikes happening in the country, I don’t think this will be possible before I get to Interpol. Do you think it would be a terrible mistake to show up with only my passport, electronic payment and electronic proof of appointment. 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Luca
      Luca · 30/01/2023
      @Miss Love you cannot extend. you have to pay a small fine at the airport before you leave. they may allow you back in on Feb 14th but I doubt they will give you enough days to apply and process a temporary visa (by the way, which temporary visa)? I would come back in a few months, as you are usually allow to stay 90 days every 180.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 30/01/2023
      @Miss Love
      It doesn't make any sense to go to the Interpol appointment if you don't have required documents! You are just wasting your time. So, best cancel your appointment for tomorrow (I don't know how it's done) and make a new one. If you are worried about the copy of the entry stamp, schedule one for after you plan to return.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 30/01/2023
      @Luca
      Yes, you are absolutely right Luca; no extension and no way around paying the fine before leaving.

      And I agree that it's not a wise move to return so quickly, but if she is lucky, she may get another 30 days (she has 24 "left" to the max of 90 days in a 180-day period at least if she hadn't stayed before in Peru which I don't know), which leaves her enough time to apply for the visa. Once the application is submitted on the Migraciones Agencia Digital, time stops and it's no problem when her stay as a tourist expires during the processing time.

      The whole setup surely isn't ideal, but if she gets organized and has all the required documents when returning to Peru, things could work out.

      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Joke
    Joke · 19/01/2023
    Hello, 
    I’m staying in Lima for a sabbatical with my daughter of 10 years old. We entered the first time for prospection in April 2022, and started our sabbatical in July 2022. I already went out the country 2 times as a borderhopping, however last time wasn’t really to get in again. 
    2 days ago I got the news my stepmother is going to die … so I need to go back to my original country. Do you think it will be Ok to get back in Peru if I stay only short time (to visit my stephmother) in my original country? 
    Thank you for any support! 
    Joke


    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 19/01/2023
      @Joke
      Hello Joke,

      not knowing how many days you already stayed in Peru since you entered the first time in April, I can't answer your question.

      But you could do the math yourself. As a tourist, you are allowed a max of 183 days per year in Peru (no matter how many times you left and returned. The year starts on the day of your first entry. So, let's assume you entered Peru for the first time on April 12, 2022; until April 11, 2023, you can be in Peru as a tourist for not more than 183 days.

      If you already used all your days and leave the country, chances are high that you won't be allowed to re-enter the country when you try to return.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Magdalena
    Magdalena · 12/01/2023
    Hello,
    thanks for your report! 
    I am from Germany and since the beginning of November in Peru because my boyfriend supports there a voluntary project for a year, I work there also but have probably no chance of a visa for the time.... I was not aware that you can no longer extend the 3 months and my 3 months expire at the beginning of February. We therefore fly to Lima before and I wanted to extend the visa there in the Migracion Office, because I travel shortly after to Cusco and fly back by plane. If I can not extend my stay, is it a problem to fly and go by bus when my tourist visa is expired? I will not be leaving until March for Ecuador and will be 30 days over... then I wanted to stay there until May and travel back to Peru for 1-2 months to visit my boyfriend before flying back to Germany. Will this cause any difficulties?
    Thank you in advance!
    Magdalena
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 12/01/2023
      @Magdalena Hello Magdalena,

      Since August 21, 2021 you cannot extend your stay as a tourist anymore. Most foreigners, including Germans, are usually allowed 90 days in a 180-day period and a max. of 183 days per year as a tourist in Peru.

      And I really hope you don’t “work” (for that you would need a work visa) but volunteer.

      Anyway, I can’t and won’t recommend overstaying as an option to extend your stay as a tourist in Peru and always suggest respecting the laws of the country you are visiting, including the allowed time to stay as a tourist especially as you are trying to return later this year.

      The best would be to leave Peru when your stay as a tourist is still valid and return at a later date. Then your chances are the highest to get another 90 days when you return and / or you most probably have the least trouble with the immigration officer you have to face.

      But be aware that you don’t have the right to get the full 90 days and that it’s always at the discretion of the immigration officer if he/she lets you re-enter and how many days he/she allows you to stay. If you return before your first 180-day period is over, you might get another 90 days, if you are lucky or the immigration officer might give you trouble and, for example, only allows you 30 days or whatever he/she thinks appropriate. And once you overstayed and try to return your chances of getting another 90 days with no problem / discussions are slim.

      And yes, most airlines and bus companies in Peru have a policy not allowing tourists on an expired stay as a tourist to use their service. But usually no-one checks your immigration status on domestic flights or when boarding a bus. So, if you are lucky, you won’t have a problem.

      In conclusion, I recommend checking out our article “Peruvian Overstay Fine for tourists” which explains in detail the legal backgrounds of overstaying, consequences of overstaying, and how and where you can pay the overstay fine.

      All the best
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Anna
    Anna · 05/01/2023
    Hello, 

    Thanks for all this information! I have one question, I've been coming and going to Peru for a few years now and this time they only gave me 50 days on the tourist visa instead of the normal 90 days. I have just been offered a job opportunity in lima but since I was expecting 90 days instead of the 50 days for a tourist visa, I've overstayed the visa for a few days now. 

    Is it possible to apply for a change of migratory status while being overextended on your tourist visa? I realize I'll probably have to pay the fine before I can apply for the change but I'm worried they won't allow me to apply at all. 

    I appreciate any feedback and/or information!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 05/01/2023
      @Anna
      Hello Anna,

      if nothing changed recently, you must be on a valid visa / stay as a tourist in Peru to apply for a residence visa; so to make the so-called cambio de calidad migratoria in your case to trabajador dependiente.

      You can't extend your stay as a tourist when you are in Peru anymore. So your only option is to leave the country and return. Or you could try to ask Migraciones if they would accept your application if you paid the overstay fine (as far as I know, no; but you never know).

      I don't know how long you already stayed in Peru over the past year. If it's less than 183 days, you should get at least a few days, allowing you to make the application.

      Other option, prepare as much as possible now while still being in Peru (get your contract approved by the Ministry of Labor, get your Interpol ficha, ....), leave the country and hope for a nice immigration officer when you return. If necessary, show all the documents you already prepared, explain your situation and pray he/she gives you a few days to apply.

      And, in case you haven't already checked it out, read through our extensive Work Visa article, where you find lots of useful info, the exact requirements and a step-by-step guide for the application process.

      All the best
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Jo
    Jo · 04/01/2023
    Dear Eva,

    Thank you very much indeed for your prompt and incredibly helpful reply. 

    We really appreciate the service you provide with this site. 

    With very best wishes, 

    Jack and Jo
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 05/01/2023
      @Jo
      Thanks Jo. Always happy to help.

      All the best
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Jo
    Jo · 03/01/2023
    Hello,

    Thank you for this very helpful site. We are an American and Greek couple with a two-year old daughter. We are currently living in Peru. We arrived at the start of June and will stay for a year. Our (admittedly not very sophisticated) plan is to overstay our tourist visa by nine months and pay the corresponding fine on our way out of the country (flying out of Lima).   

    It would be really great if you could please help us out with a few questions: 

    1: Will this work?!

    2: Will the daily fine apply to our daughter as well as ourselves? (She will be 3 years old by the time we leave at the end of May). 

    3: Can we take internal flights in and out of Lima in the meantime?

    4: We understand that the daily fine for 2022 was 4.50 soles, and in 2023 it is 4.90. Does this mean we will be charged for the days that we overstayed in 2022 at 4.50 per day? 

    5: If we have a right to a total of 180 days in the country in any 365 day period, does this mean that we might only be charged for 6 months instead of 9 months?

    6: Can we pay by card on the way out or do we need to have cash?

    Thank you very much!!! Any other thoughts and tips would also be great!

    Jack and Jo 

        

    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 03/01/2023
      @Jo Hello Jack and Jo,

      Before I try to answer your questions, I suggest you check out our article Peruvian Overstay Fine for tourists. There you find lots of useful information about the whole topic, including possible consequences for overstaying.

      Answer to your 1st question

      I can’t and won’t recommend overstaying as an option to extend your stay as a tourist in Peru, especially if we are talking about 9 months (that’s an excessive overstay). I always suggest respecting the laws of the country you are visiting, including the allowed time to stay as a tourist. Nevertheless, yes, your plan can work, but you never know, and it could as well go terribly wrong or have consequences (see linked article above).

      Answer to your 2nd question

      No. According to current laws (these might change until you leave) minors don’t have to pay the overstay fine.

      Answer to your 3rd question

      No. Most airlines in Peru have a policy not allowing tourists on an expired stay as a tourist to use their service. But usually no-one checks your immigration status on domestic flights. So, if you are lucky, it can work.

      Answer to your 4th question

      The overstay fine is not a fixed Soles amount but equals 0.1% of an UIT. The UIT - Unidad Impositiva Tributaria - is a reference unit set annually by the Peruvian Ministry of Economy (MEF) to determine taxes, penalties, fines, processing fees, deductions, and others. In 2022, 1 UIT was equivalent to S/ 4,600, in 2023 it’s S/ 4,950.

      So, for the days you overstayed in 2022, you have to pay a fine of S/ 4.60 per overstayed day and for the days you overstay in 2023 you have to pay S/ 4.95 per overstayed day.

      Answer to your 5th question

      No. While you can stay in Peru as a tourist for a max of 183 days in a year, immigration officers usually only give foreigners 90 days in a 180-day period when they enter for the first time. To hopefully get another 90 days, you must leave Peru and reenter. So, if you got 90 days when you came to Peru, you must pay for overstaying 9 months.

      Answer to your 6th question

      While for years only cash payments in Soles or US$ (the exchange rate is miserable) were accepted, at least since August 2022 additionally credit card payments are possible. Pray that the system works if you plan to pay with card. Or you can find other payment options in above linked article.

      Greetings
      Eva


  • This commment is unpublished.
    Wang
    Wang · 02/01/2023
    Some findings based on my recent experience: I'm a citizen of China holding a long-term US visa. In 2016, "Decreto Supremo Nº 069-2016-RE" lifted visa requirements for Chinese citizens with long-term visas from certain developed countries. The duration of stay, according to the decree, would be "180 días calendario, sea como visita continua o varias visitas consecutivas, durante el plazo de 6 meses." This sounds like one can live in Peru forever as long as doing visa runs for a few days once every half a year. That sounds too good to be true, and it indeed is. When I came to Peru to study Spanish in late September, I was surprised that the immigration officer gave me only 90 days instead of 180, but I did not question that since I planned to make short trips to other countries in late November anyway. In early December, I returned from a week-long trip to Panama. The immigration officer at Lima airport initially said that since I stayed for 66 days on my last trip, he could give me only 30 days this time. I showed him a printout of the Decreto Supremo (I prepared this mainly for airline staff who may not be familiar with the complicated immigration rules, and I didn't expect that it was at the immigration that I needed to present this) which says that the duration of stay is 180 days. The immigration officer called his supervisor, who read my printout, and then went to a vacant inspection spot to use the computer to check in their system, and finally confirmed that the decree does allow me to stay for a maximum of 180 days. But they can still give me another 90 days at most, and not 180-66=114 days. They said that 90 days for one time is the absolute maximum regardless of the cumulative limit. Afterwards, I searched online trying to understand the logic behind such practice, and learned from this website about the 2017 Decreto Legislativo de Migraciones, which set a universal limit of "183 días acumulables durante un período de 365 días." But it’s still unclear to me whether there is a legal provision that determined that 90 days is the maximum for any single trip. On the website of the foreign ministry, there is a list of visa-free countries and their respective lengths of stay which was updated in 2022 (https://www.gob.pe/institucion/rree/informes-publicaciones/2315744-requerimientos-de-visa-para-extranjeros), and it clearly marked the different lengths of stay for different countries, including “90”, “90/180”, “180”, “180/365”, and so on. But with the 2017 law limiting the cumulative stay to 183/365 for everyone, and the practice of giving no more than 90 days each time, some of these distinctions seem to be meaningless now. For the vast majority of nationalities, it’s either 90/180, or 90 each time and cumulatively 183/365.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 02/01/2023
      @Wang
      Hello Wang,

      yes, according to a supreme decree from September 2016 Chinese citizens with a permanent residency or a visa with a validity of at least 6 months for the USA, Canada, any country belonging to the Schengen area, UK or Australia can travel to Peru visa free for up to 180 days in a 365-day period for tourism. We explained this in detailed on our Tourist visa page.

      However, since August 2021, Peruvian immigration officers usually don't give any foreigner entering the country as a tourist 180 days anymore. Since then, the normal is a max of 90 days, even though the nationality would allow 180 days (as is the case for  Mexican, Brazilian, Chilean, Chinese and Indian passport holders).

      Be aware that, as in most other countries as well, you don't have the right to get the full number of days allowed by law. It's always at the discretion of the immigration officer how many days he/she allows you to stay. So, your only option is to leave the country after your first 90 days are over and return, hoping to get another 90 days.

      Greetings
      Eva


    • This commment is unpublished.
      Shel
      Shel · 04/02/2023
      @Sunflower @Sunflower, I think you haven't fully acknowledged a key point from Wang's research. I will quote you:

      https://www.limaeasy.com/peru-guide/peruvian-visa-types/peruvian-tourist-visa#border-hopping-peru

      "Since August 2021, travelers, who already stayed their allowed 90 days in a 180-day period, reported that when trying to re-enter the country at Lima’s airport before their 180-day period was over, that they were scolded and only given anything between 3 and 30 days. And according to reports from travelers who tried to re-enter Peru at a land border after already having stayed their 90 days, immigrations often only gave a few days up to a month. Others reported that they still got the full 90 days, however only if they haven't already stayed the max of 183 days in a year."

      https://www.limaeasy.com/index.php?option=com_jreviews&format=ajax&url=media/download&m=X766Y&1675555879171#page=5

      (pg 5)

      "90 day: Visitors can stay visa-free for up to 90 days. The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn't indicate if in a 180 days period or in a 365 days period."

      According to Wang's research every nationality in the above cited category, should be 90 days per stay, with a maximum of 183 days per 365 days.

      Do you disagree? If not, I suggest you update the quoted documents to make it more clear that above cited category for eligible nationalities (i.e. 90 days, not 90 in 180) assert their rights under the law to continue to do a visa run and return immediately.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 04/02/2023
      @Shel Hello Shel,

      I’m always happy to hear from thorough and critical readers who point out mistakes or contradictions, so I can review my articles and if and where necessary improve them to provide the best and most current information here on LimaEasy.

      But reading your comment it seems to me that you aren’t aware of the complete(!) legal situation, the changes over the past years, the execution of the regulations and the reality when you are standing in front of an immigration officer asking to spend time in Peru as a tourist.

      According to the Decreto Legislativo 1350, Titulo IV, Capitulo I, Articulo 29.1 h foreigners can stay in Peru for 183 days in a 365-day period as a tourist.

      The publication issued by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (which is linked in our article above and below can be found translated into English) states which foreign nationals must apply for a tourist / business visa at a Peruvian consulate before traveling to Peru and which can travel to Peru visa-free for tourism and business purposes and for how long.

      When this list was first published and later updated in 2019, it clearly stated, for example, 90 days in a 180-day period. Today, however, many updates later you find there 90 days in a 180-day period, 90 days in a 365-day period, 180 in a 365-day period and just 90 days, and these “only 90 days” mostly for nationalities who over the past years were added to the list of being allowed to travel visa-free to Peru or where there have been changes to the allowed time they can stay.

      And it’s absolutely correct that for the “only 90 days” foreign nationals “The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn't indicate if in a 180-day period or in a 365-day period." So, either the “only 90 days” is intentional as you think to know or the one who updated the list just chose an easy way to finish his boring job.

      Anyway, I wonder on what legal basis your interpretation is based that “every nationality in the above cited category, should be 90 days per stay”. Do you have an official source for that?

      And just for completion, Wang’s case as a Chinese national who has residency in one of the mentioned countries, is yet another layer of this Peruvian law and regulation muddle.

      But in the end this discussion is irrelevant as it’s always and anywhere around the globe at the discretion of the immigration officer you have to face when you ask to enter a foreign country if he/she lets you enter at all and for how long you are allowed to stay. You don’t have the right to being allowed to enter and to get x number of days. There are no rights under the law to assert, as you suggest.

      Anyway, it’s time to check what happens on the ground when you enter Peru for the first time or when you try to re-enter the country after already having spent 90 days in Peru. And the reality is exactly as Wang described. It seems to be a general rule that immigrations officers only allow foreign nationals to stay up to 90 days as a tourist in Peru. And according to many, many reports we got, it seems to be uncertain how many days you get when you already stayed in Peru 90 days and try to return immediately or before your 180-day period is over. As described, some had a hard time and only got anything between a few days to a month, others were given the full 90 days.

      Overall, I wish you all the best and good luck asserting your supposed rights when talking to a Peruvian immigration officer.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Shel
      Shel · 07/02/2023
      @Sunflower Eva I appreciate the nuance of the situation. I do appreciate that you're trying to provide the best information that you can and cautioning people appropriately. I did in one of my other replies on this page acknowledge that ultimately whether one can convince the migration officer of the legal situation is a separate matter. Yet knowing the law may help one explain their case to the said officer.

      Anyway, I wonder on what legal basis your interpretation is based that “every nationality in the above cited category, should be 90 days per stay”. Do you have an official source for that?

      If the law says by default 183 days out of 365 (and ostensibly that's not the calendar year, unlike in Colombia), and the most up-to-date posting from the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a category of 90 days with no statement about the period in which that 90 days resets, then ostensibly the legal situation is that the limit applied is 183 out of 365.

      So, either the “only 90 days” is intentional as you think to know or the one who updated the list just chose an easy way to finish his boring job.

      I do appreciate your point about carelessness as I noticed for the Philippines (which was recently added to said list and btw which applies to my fiancee and travel mate) the said category is entirely blank. I have also read (not just on your site) that the situation in Peru is fluid and one can receive different interpretations from different officials. There doesn't seem to be one canonical perspective, although I would tend to believe I could take the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at their word, especially more likely if I spoke respectfully to a migration officer and if I am dressed professionally and present a professional decorum.

      I will tend to side with your interpretation that if one is leaving and coming right back, then the migration officials are going to wonder if you're really a tourist. Also perhaps nationality may make a difference. I do not know the nationalities of those examples you cited of those who came immediately back and were given only 30 days or less. I tend to think it would be better to go traveling outside of Peru for a while, even if only a couple of weeks or so before coming back to show that one is genuinely touring.

      and these “only 90 days” mostly for nationalities who over the past years were added to the list of being allowed to travel visa-free to Peru or where there have been changes to the allowed time they can stay.

      Well I'm from the U.S.A. which is in that category. I'm also hold Mexican residency, although I realize that doesn't apply until I become a Mexican citizen, then I could stay up to 183 days in Peru visa-free (even on business!) without leaving.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Shel
      Shel · 07/02/2023
      @Sunflower I tried to reply but it says my comment is "unpublished" instead of "awaiting moderation". Any reason for that?
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Julia
    Julia · 21/12/2022
    Hi!
    I'm currently in Peru on a Visa de cooperante, and I finish my mandate on January 28th. I plan on staying in Peru as a tourist. I had a few questions:

    - Do I have to leave the country and re-enter to get the tourist visa? And if so, do I have a fixed amount of time to leave the country? Or do I automatically become a tourist when my cooperation visa expires?

    - Also, I plan on making 2 separate trips outside of Peru during my time as a tourist. Could I have trouble by exiting and re-entering Peru twice? 

    - Lastly, I would like to stay in Peru until June 1. It means i would spend 4 months (from February 1 to June 1) as a tourist. If the 2 trips i make outside of Peru are equivalent to a month, would the time I spend away from Peru be reduced from the 90 days allowance?

    Thanks a lot!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 21/12/2022
      @Julia Hello Julia,

      1. Yes, when your visa expires, you have to leave the country latest on the last day your visa is still valid. And no, you don't automatically become a tourist. So, once your visa expires you must leave and then return as a tourist.

      2. It depends on your length of stay. As a tourist, you are allowed to stay in Peru 90 days in a 180-day period and a max of 183 days per year. So let's assume you stay 30 days during your first time as a tourist, leave the country and re-enter 3 weeks or so later; you could get the remaining 60 days or perhaps even 90 days or whatever number the immigration officer is happy to give you not exceeding the max time.

      3. No, there is no reducing of time when you leave. The thing in Peru is that you get, for example, 90 days when you enter. If you only stay 30 days and then leave, the remaining 60 days are canceled. When you re-enter you get a new "permit" to stay as a tourist and it's always at the discretion of the immigration officer how many days he/she allows you to stay. So, even though it's not a reduction as you described it above, the time outside Peru, of course, does not count towards your 90 days allowed in Peru as a tourist. 

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Kasia
    Kasia · 21/12/2022
    Hello!
    Do you know perhaps if the current state of emergency (December - January) is lifting the visa in the same way it was back in the pandemic times ("As long as Peru is under the State of Emergency “tourist visa” extensions wouldn't be necessary and all overstaying fees would be waved.")? Thank you very much for your reply!
    Best regards, Kasia
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 21/12/2022
      @Kasia Hello Kasia,

      No, the current state of emergency doesn't affect the time tourists can stay in Peru. The days are counted down normally, no exception.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Hanna
    Hanna · 28/11/2022
    Hello!

    I have a question about your topic. I am in Perú since September. I have already overstayed my visa by 5 days now. I want to leave on 12.12 because I want to be home for Christmas. So I will have overstayed the visa by 19 days then.
    But I want to come back on 20.01.23.
    I am studying here locally and have also already started looking into getting a student visa and have already been to Interpol and have confirmation of that as well as an enrollment certificate for two semesters. I just haven't started the online process at the migration office yet, because I wanted to do that when I come back, since it is not so easy to leave the country when the migration process is going on without it being cancelled.

    Do you think I will have problems to enter the country again? I have in my passport once 90 and once 30 days, which is why the 183 days are not reached yet. But the fact that I have overstayed my visa worries me. 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 28/11/2022
      @Hanna Hello Hanna,

      As far as other frequent Peru travelers reported, immigration officers at the airport are extremely strict lately. So, there is the chance that they might give you trouble when you try to re-enter in January.

      You not only stayed already the allowed 90 days (plus another 30 days) in a 180-day period but additionally overstayed even if it’s only by a few days and then want to come back before your 180-day period is over. Not good.

      Anyway, if you are lucky, the immigration officer you have to face just gives you another 60 (183-90-30) with no hassle, as you can stay a total of 183 days in a year. If you are not so lucky, he/she could refuse you to enter or could give you only a few days. So, be prepared for some discussions and have your Interpol appointment, your enrollment certificate and whatever else on hand. And make sure you have enough days to get your Interpol clearance and apply as your stay as a tourist must be valid to submit your visa application.

      And no, if the approval of your visa application is in process and you must / want to leave the country, you just have to apply for a travel permit, the so-called Permiso Especial de Viaje. It’s super simple, applied for in a few minutes and you get the permit within two or three days. So, that’s surely not a good excuse if you have to make your case with the immigration officer when you re-enter.

      All the best

      Greetings
      Eva

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