92 Comments
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.

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...

 

Attachments

  • File Description
    File Size
    File Type
    Downloads
  • Visas for Peru by country and allowed length of stay - October 2021
    Who needs a Visa for Peru or not – by country and the allowed length of stay
    181 KB
    920
Say something here...
characters left
or post as a guest
All comments MUST be in English and will be moderated before publishing.
They will appear below within 24 hours.
Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.
  • This commment is unpublished.
    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
      • 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 · 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
      • 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 · 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 · 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 · 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
      • 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 · 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
      • 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 · 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
      • 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
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Kasper · 21/11/2022
    Hi, we (family with 4 year old) entered Peru 4 days ago with the expectation of getting 90 days of visa. 8 months ago we exited Peru after a 3 months stay and we should be eligible for another 3 months, which we need to apply and get a family visa (my wife is half Peruvian and has the Peruvian passport). 
    But in the airport, the officer told us that we no right to any visa, but he gave us 15 days anyways. 
    Now, we found out that we were apparently right and that according to law he could have given us 90 days since it’s a new 180 days period. We have no idea why he didn’t. 
    Today we went to Imigraciones in Lima and they told us that they now can’t change it since the guy already put 15 days. The Peruvian embassy told us that we have the right to 90 days, but that the immigration officer can do his own “analysis” and decide. 

    Any idea of what we can do? They told us we could leave 1 day to Bolivia and get a new visa, but what if we’re not given anything? We’re MOVING here and don’t want to risk this.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 21/11/2022
      @Kasper Hello Kaspar,

      According to a publication of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs foreigners can stay as a tourist up to (!) 90 days in a 180-day period and according to the Foreigner Law a max of 183 days in a year.

      However, you have no right to get the full 90 days when you enter. It’s always at the discretion of the immigration officer you have to face when you come to Peru how many days he/she allows you to stay as a tourist. Why you only got 15 days, I don’t know. It’s ridiculous.

      But unfortunately, once you entered Peru, nothing can be done to change the number of days or to extend your stay as a tourist.

      Did your wife enter Peru with her Peruvian passport?

      If not, not good; she must be in Peru as a Peruvian, and she needs her DNI (Peruvian ID, hope she has it already with correct marital status and address in Peru) so you can claim your right and can get your family visa.

      If she did, then you as her husband have the right to a family union and a resident family visa. But on the day, you apply for it, your stay as a tourist must be valid.

      And your child doesn’t necessarily need to apply for a family visa. If he/she doesn’t already have the Peruvian nationality (incl. DNI and Peruvian passport) - was the birth registered at a Peruvian consulate, do you have a Peruvian birth certificate, DNI, passport? - he/she has the right to get it as the mother is Peruvian. This can be done at Reniec. In case your child wasn’t already registered as Peruvian abroad, be aware that you only have a certain time until you can register the birth of your foreign born child, I think it’s 90 days counted from the day the Peruvian mother entered the country).

      So, then it would be only you who have to apply for the resident family visa. In your situation, you now have two options. Which one you choose depends on how well-prepared you came to Peru.

      You have ten days left on your stay as a tourist. Do you have your Peruvian marriage certificate? Does your wife have her DNI with correct marital status and correct address in Peru? Do you have your criminal record check with Apostille? If so, you only need the Ficha de Canje issued by Interpol. So, try to get an appointment as soon as possible. In the meantime, pay the fee for your visa application, and, if necessary, get translations and/or a legalization of foreign documents. Then on the last day your stay as a tourist is still valid, apply on the Agencia Digital as described in our article "Family visa" where you as well find all the requirements, lots of useful other info and explanations about the whole process. But be aware, on the page where you have to upload required documents, most fields are mandatory. So, you must upload, for example, a PDF of the Ficha from Interpol. If you don’t have it by then (which I assume), you can, however, upload a letter saying sorry, I have my appointment only on this date and had to apply before my stay as a tourist runs out. After you completed the application process, check your Buzon every day. Migraciones will send you a notification (which might take anything between a few days to even a couple of months) requesting that you upload the document, which by then you should have. Or if you get the document earlier and Migraciones haven’t yet send you a notification, you can upload it as soon you have it.

      If your wife didn’t enter Peru on her Peruvian passport or if you came more or less unprepared to Peru, don’t have your Peruvian marriage certificate, don’t have your criminal record with Apostille, your wife doesn’t have her DNI, then the only option is to leave Peru, re-enter and hope that this time you get the full 90 days. Nevertheless, you should use the remaining days of your stay as a tourist to prepare as much as possible. Depending how much bureaucrazy you have to conquer, 90 days isn't much.  So, if necessary, get your wife’s DNI up-to-date, get your Peruvian marriage certificate, get your Interpol appointment, or even start the process for your child to get the Peruvian nationality. Take all these documents with you when you leave and upon your return, in case the immigration officer at the border (best use a land border) doesn’t want to give you the full 90 days, show him that you are married to a Peruvian, have a Peruvian child, that you already have your Interpol appointment and pray that this person has a heart.

      If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me again. Without detailed information about your situation, it’s difficult to give the best answer for your case. 

      All the best
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Sincerely · 18/11/2022
    I married a Peruvian in July 2022. I have been flying in and out of the country every other month on a tourist visa. I have used my 183 days in a year, but was told by the last immigration officer that i just have to show my marriage certificate to enter. Is this true_ please help.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 18/11/2022
      @Sincerely Hello,

      No, I never heard of it. No matter if you are married to a Peruvian or not, the rules for staying in Peru as a tourist apply to everyone; up to 90 days in a 180-day period and a max of 183 days per year.

      However, as it's always at the discretion of the immigration officer you have to face when entering the country, he/ she can be extremely strict or extremely lax, so either giving you less days or turning a blind eye, bending the rules a bit and giving you more days, especially if you are married to a Peruvian.

      Nevertheless, I wouldn't count on it that you just have to show your marriage certificate and can stay as long as you please. In case you are planning to be in Peru for more than 183 days per year you should apply for a resident visa, in your case a family visa. Then as long as you stay a combined 183 days per year in Peru, you can come, stay and go as you wish.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    izzy · 17/11/2022
    Hi. I entered peru on the 19th October, and the lady at immigration only gave me 45 days. It says '45' on my passport. I'd like to stay the full 90 days. Will I have to pay a fine for overstaying? And how can I extend my visa if I need to?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 17/11/2022
      @izzy
      Hello Izzy,

      As a foreigner wanting to stay in Peru as a tourist, you do not have the right to get 90 days when you enter. As everywhere around the globe, it's always at the discretion of the immigration officer you have to face if he/she allows you to enter and then how many days he/she allows you to stay.

      Unfortunately, when you came to Peru, the immigration officer, for whatever reasons, only gave you 45 days. Did you stay in Peru before? Have you already used the days you are allowed to stay as a tourist? Did you overstay before? Do you have a return ticket indicating when you leave? Did you ask why you only got 45 days and explained that you would like to stay longer?

      Anyway, no, since August 2021, you cannot extend your stay as a tourist anymore. You either have to leave by December 3, 2022 or overstay and pay a fine of S/ 4.60 per overstayed day. The amount of the fine is for overstayed days in 2022; in 2023, the fine might go up a bit.

      Not sure what you mean by "And how can I extend my visa if I need to?" If you plan to stay longer in Peru, the only option is to apply for a temporary (except tourist and business) or a resident visa. You can find more info about the most common visa types in our Visa Guide.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Michelle · 08/11/2022
    @sunflower
    I have a question if you can help please. I first entered Peru July 6, 2022. I was given 90 days, stayed for 98 but payed the fine when I left. I am hoping to return on November 20, 2022. Is this possible? 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 08/11/2022
      @Michelle Hello Michelle,

      According to the regulations you can stay up to 90 days in a 180- day period (so, three months in Peru, three months out of Peru) and a max of 183 days in a year (so roughly two times 90 days in two consecutive 180-day periods) as a tourist in Peru.

      You entered Peru for the first time on July 6, 2022, should have left on October 4 but stayed until October 12. You paid your fine for the few overstayed days, so not a big deal. However, officially your 180-day period only ends on January 2, 2023, meaning you should not re-enter Peru before that date.

      If you try to come back already on November 20 (only 39 days after you left) things can go in different directions. Be aware that it’s always at the discretion of the immigration officer if he/she allows you to enter and how many days he/she gives you. You don’t have the right to get 90 days or stay 183 days in Peru.

      Most probably you won’t be denied entry as you haven’t spent the 183 days in a year that tourists are allowed to be in Peru according to the foreigner law. But depending on the officer, you might be lectured and given a hard time, and as you overstayed during your first trip, the officer might give you only 30 days or 45 or whatever. Nonetheless, you might be lucky and get another full 90 days.

      In case you get another 90 days when entering on November 20, you can stay until February 18, 2023. I highly recommend not overstaying beyond that date. And be aware that then you have used all your days in a year and, if you plan to return to Peru, can’t do so until July 6, 2023 (365 days after your first entry).

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Katie · 30/10/2022
    I entered Peru Jan 4, 2022 on a 90 day tourist visa and stayed until August 4, 2022. I overstayed my tourist visa by 4 months and paid the fee.  When I tried to come back in, mid September, they denied me & sent me back to the US that night. My question is when I will be able to re-enter Peru? 

    The situation is a big more complicated … I’ve had my CE since 2017 and lost status during / after covid. This was the first year I entered as a tourist, had to start paperwork from 0, got delayed w/ new paperwork“legal” again but didn’t get the opportunity because I got denied. Hired a lawyer and haven’t heard much from him. Any insight to when you think I’ll be able to re-enter the country?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 31/10/2022
      @Katie Hello Katie,

      I know only a few people who were denied re-entering Peru and that only after having overstayed excessively (meaning many, many months or even a year or more) or after getting into some sort of trouble with the Peruvian law. So, I’m really surprised to read that they wouldn’t let you come back into Peru after you “just” overstayed 4 months,. Usually, you can always talk to the immigration officers explaining your situation and they would bend the rules a bit, giving you at least a few days or a month so you can apply for the visa.

      Did I correctly understand that during your time in Peru this year, you already applied for your new resident visa but were denied? Why? Is this the reason you hired a lawyer? I fear with you being outside the country not much can be achieved.

      Anyway, the rules for being in Peru as a tourist are quite clear. According to a publication of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs most nationalities (including US nationals) can stay in Peru as a tourist for up to 90 days in a 180-day period and, according to the foreigner law, a maximum of 183 days in a 365-day period (so, more or less two times 90 days in two consecutive 180-day periods). You not only overstayed the 90 days you were allowed to be in the country as a tourist, but as well the max of 183 days tourists are allowed to be in the country in a year. And then you tried to re-enter just a few weeks after you left.

      Unfortunately, Migraciones hasn’t made public when overstayers can re-enter and how long they have to be out of the country for being allowed to come back. So, the following is only partly based on the Peruvian regulations. You first entered on January 4, 2022. Let’s assume you only stayed the maximum time allowed by the Peruvian foreigner law, which is 183 days in a year. Then the earliest you could re-enter would be 365 days after your first entry, so on January 4, 2023. As we don’t know how immigration officers take the one month you stayed longer than the max per year into consideration, it’s impossible to give you an exact date. Personally, I wouldn’t try to re-enter before January, better in February of next year. Then you shouldn’t have any problem to come back.

      However, I’m not sure about the whole “complicated” situation and therefore I’m not sure if you were denied re-entering Peru solely based on overstaying and trying to come back before staying outside the country for at least a few months. I’m as well not sure which implications your being denied to re-enter has. But there are many people in similar situations who report that they just stayed outside Peru for two or three months and then returned; some had a bit of a discussion with the immigration officer, but in the end got at least the time needed to apply for their resident visa; it seems to be easier at land borders.

      With all this being said, before coming back to Peru make sure you have all required documents for your visa application, so when you are in Peru you just have to do the Interpol check, get your foreign documents translated and can immediately apply for your visa. Our Visa Guide (just click on the visa you want to apply for) lists all the current requirements for each visa type and gives step-by-step instructions.

      All the best
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Sierra · 27/10/2022
    Hello! If I only stayed in Peru for 2 weeks, when can I re-enter? I received the 90 day entry stamp on Aug 16 and the exit stamp on Aug 30. Am I able to re-enter Nov 20 and finish the 90 days or do I have to wait until Feb 16? Thank you! 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 28/10/2022
      @Sierra Hello Sierra,

      If you only have used two weeks of your allowed 90 days in a 180-day period, you can re-enter immediately. So, you won’t have a problem returning in November and most probably even getting another 90 days.

      Have a nice trip to Peru

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Dakis · 10/10/2022
    Hello Eva,
    I come from Greece and I arrived in Peru on the 5th of October. I just noticed that my passport was issued only for 90 days of staying. My first question is: could I maybe go to migrations and ask them for an extension of 183 days in total? I read you say that extensions are not allowed anymore, but I read also in peruhop.com this: "A normal tourist visa will last for anywhere between 30 and 183 days, and depends a lot on the person who issues it. This can be extended with a visit to migrations, with a limit of 183 days in total from when you first entered the country."
    Also I would like to mention that a have house rent contract from 23rd of November to 23rd of April.
    So my second question is: would this maybe help to get my extension?
    And my last (but never least) question is: in case I won't get an extension, how possible it is to get a re-entry ban as eu citizen if I overstay 5 months?
    Thank you in advance, I really appreciate your work here :-)
    Dakis
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 10/10/2022
      @Dakis Hello Dakis,

      No, sorry, since August 2021, there are no tourist visa extensions anymore. And even though Peruhop claims to have updated their article in 2022, it seems they have missed this important change. Showing a rental contract won’t work either. The fact is that unfortunately Migraciones doen't extend tourist visas at the moment and as many other nationalities, you, as a Greek national, can only stay in Peru as a tourist up to (!) 90 days in a 180-day period (which you got when you entered) and a maximum (!) of 183 days in a 365-day period; so, more or less two times 90 days in two consecutive 180-day periods.

      And you want to overstay for 5 months? If you entered Peru on October 5 and got 90 days, you should leave on January 3. If you, however, fulfill your rental contract until April 23 you would be in Peru a total of 200 days, minus the 90 you were given, so you overstay 110 days, roughly 3.5 months.

      Anyway, no matter how long you overstay, you have to pay a fine of 0.1% of an UIT per day for doing so. In 2022, one UIT is S/ 4600, so the overstay fine is S/ 4.60 per day you overstay; in 2023, the overstay fine will most likely be a bit more.

      At the moment (the procedure can change any time), if you overstay a few months, not exceeding the max of183 days in a 365-day period, you just pay your fine and can leave. If you overstay longer, it’s completely up to the immigration officer, you have to face, what he/she is doing. Usually, the re-entry ban is only imposed on foreigners excessively overstaying, so many, many months, or a year or even more. Even though under normal circumstances it’s unlikely that you are punished with a re-entry ban when overstaying 5 months, it’s always a possibility.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Dakis · 12/10/2022
      @Sunflower Thank you Eva 
      Greetings
      Dakis
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Joe · 01/10/2022
    Hello, I've read the page and all the below comments to figure out my question but I'm still a little unsure.

    I understand

    1. As an Irish citizensI was given 90 days for a180 day period.
    tourist visa under the current rules.

    I first entered Peru this year, January 30 2022. I left after 2 months and came back for my final month mid May to mid June. I've since returned to Peru on august 17th as my 183 days after January 30th expired on 1 August 2022. For that reason I was given my 90 days upon entry.

    I'm not sure if the rules are any different this time because its my 2nd 90 day period in a calendar year.

    My questions to you is 

    1. When can I re-enter Peru for another 90 days after this 90 day period? is it 183 days after August 17th 2022 which is February 16, 2023? 

    2. Is there a limit of how long I need to be out of the country before that date? 
    (for example. if I leave in October after 2 months again and return in 1 January 2023 my final 30 days, can I leave Peru on enter February 16th with my new 90 days?

    I hope this makes sense!

    Hope to hear from you soon!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 01/10/2022
      @Joe Hello Joe,

      As many other nationalities, you, as an Irish national, can stay in Peru as a tourist up to (!)  90 days in a 180-day period and a maximum (!) of 183 days in a 365-day period.

      Two things you must understand:

      1. It’s always at the discretion of the immigration officer how many days he/she allows you to stay in Peru. You have no right to get the full 90 days in half a year; or the 183 days in a year. If you continue to enter, leave, re-enter, leave, re-enter, … in short periods of time, at one point Migraciones might get suspicious questioning if you really are a tourist and what’s going on.

      2. When you get 90 days when entering Peru and leave after 60 the remaining 30 days expire. So, when you re-enter, it depends when you re-enter (before or after your 180-day period is over) and on how the immigration officer interprets the regulations. Either he/she gives you only 30 days, so you get the remaining number of days from your first 180-day period; or (if you haven’t reached the max of 183 days in a year) another 90 days, probably in a new 180-day period. If you got 90 days when you re-entered but left after 30, the remaining 60 expire again and so on.

      So, in your case, I think you are now in a new 180-day period which started with your last entry on August 17; plus 180 days ending on February 13, 2023. If you stay 90 days (leave latest by November 15, 2022) the earliest you could re-enter would be February 14, 2023.

      If you, however, leave already after 2 months and want to re-enter at the beginning of January, I can’t tell you what happens as it’s completely up to the immigration officer. Calculating from your first entry on January 30, 2022 you only can stay a max of 183 days in a 365-day period, so until January 30, 2023. If you are lucky, you get the remaining 30 days you can stay in Peru in a year; or they are generous and even give you 90 days starting a new 180-day period. Or if your luck runs out, they may only give you a few days. Nobody can tell you for sure how the immigration officer you have to face interprets the regulations and evaluates your multiple entries and exits.

      I wish you all the best.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Michelle · 10/09/2022
    Am I able to pay my fee BEFORE my international flights out of Lima? 
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Johanka · 06/09/2022
    Hello Eva,
    I have a question. So I got visa for only 90 days but not only that I will exceed my 90 days, but I will definitely exceed even the 180 days. Is it still okay? Will I still pay the fine of only 4.40 soles per day?

    And I will be transferring planes-I will be taking some domestic flights during my visa-extended period already. Will it make any problems at the airports, do you know about it?
    Thank you very much for your response in advance.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 07/09/2022
      @Johanka Hello Johanka,

      Not sure what you mean by “I got a visa for only 90 days”. Since August of last year, most nationalities are only allowed to stay in Peru as a tourist for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. So, the 90 days you were given are the max possible at the moment.

      Anyway, for each day you overstay you have to pay 0.1% of one UIT. As one UIT in 2022 equals S/ 4,600 you have to pay S/ 4,60 per overstayed day.

      And there is no “visa-extended period”. With the payment of the S/ 4.60 you are not (!) extending your tourist visa / authorization to stay as a tourist in Peru. It’s a penalty fee or fine for overstaying your welcome, which has to be paid before leaving the country. If you are overstaying excessively and / or repeatedly, additionally, a re-entry ban for a certain time can be imposed.

      Usually, on national flights, passports and immigrations statuses aren’t checked, so you shouldn’t have a problem flying with an expired tourist visa / authorization to enter/stay as a tourist. But, it’s always possible that someone, especially at an airport, asks to see your passport. And you should be aware that as soon as your tourist visa / authorization to enter/stay as a tourist expires, you are illegally in the country.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Luca · 12/09/2022
      @Sunflower Hello,

      about this I can say that I wanted to fly on national flights while I was overstaying, and I contacted a couple of domestic airlines in advance to avoid problems, and they both told me "NO, your visa must not be expired". So I didn't even try to book. Perhaps nobody will check, but who knows...
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 12/09/2022
      @Luca Thank you so much for sharing, Luca. Overstaying your allowed time as a tourist isn't optimal and officially you are illegally in the country. So, domestic airlines, of course, prefer not to transport you. However, as you said, usually no-one will check, but there is always the chance that someone will.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Authie · 17/09/2022
      @Sunflower “But, it’s always possible that someone, especially at an airport, asks to see your passport. And you should be aware that as soon as your tourist visa / authorization to enter/stay as a tourist expires, you are illegally in the country.”

      What you said is exactly right, my bf was initially planning to take me to Arequipa on flight but we changed destination due to the possibility of the airport checking my passport and then we will have a problem 😅
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Nick · 31/08/2022
    Hello Eva, have you ever heard of anyone using the CPP (Carnet de permiso temporal de permanencia) as a work around for staying longer in Peru?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 01/09/2022
      @Nick Hello Nick,

      Not sure what you mean by using a CPP as a workaround to stay longer in Peru.

      The objective of the CPP was and thanks to a few deadline extensions (the current one ends, when I remember correctly, at the beginning of October) still is to give foreigners who are in Peru on an irregular immigration status (so who have overstayed their temporary stay, for example, as tourist) the possibility to become legal, get access to Peru’s health and education system, and work or study.

      Even though it seems easy to get a CPP, you still have to fulfill certain requirements. One of them is (if nothing changed in the last couple of months) that you must have entered Peru before October 22, 2020 and must have paid the fine for overstaying.

      In case you can fulfill the requirements and get a CPP, you should be aware that you can only leave Peru with a special permit which is granted only 3 times per year for a maximum of 30 days each. If you leave without the permit or are outside Peru for longer, you will lose the CPP. Additionally, when the CPP is about to expire (at the beginning of the program, the CPP was only valid for one year, since January 2022 it’s two years) you can’t extend it. Either you then apply for a one of the Peruvian resident visas (you must, of course, be able then to fulfill the requirements) or you must leave the country.

      So, depending on your situation, the CPP might be a great option to stay longer in Peru or not.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Nick · 05/09/2022
      @Sunflower Thanks for the info I was talking to a representative from IOM and they recommended that I try getting a CPP.. I was unclear about the irregular immigration status. So, am I right in assuming that it's for foreigners who have been in Peru continuously since October of 2020? In my case I have come and gone from Peru twice since 10/2020 so I probably won't qualify?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
      · 05/09/2022
      @Nick No, I think you won't qualify. Already with other similar programs before the CPP people had to have entered Peru a year or earlier and be in the country illegally.

      So, if the requirements haven't changed over the past few months, to qualify for the CPP you must have entered before October 22, 2020 and must have an irregular immigration status.

      But, you could check with Migraciones, if anything changed.

      Greetings
      Eva

Peru Newsflash

Peru Event Calendar

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Latest Content...

Latest Video

Maria Reiche - Memories

Maria Reiche - Memories

Submitted by: Tintin
05 December 2021

Long Reads...

  • Peruvian Archaeology

    The Mystery of the Nazca Lines in Peru

    In the 1920s, when people first flew across southern Peru, they made an astonishing discovery. Stretching below them,…
  • Peruvian Personalities & Founders

    Francisco Pizarro González (1474-1541)

    Francisco Pizarro, a peasant from Spain, was one of the least well-equipped conquerors in history. However, in the name…
  • Peruvian Archaeology

    The colorful Fabrics and Textiles of Peru

    Europe’s first knowledge of Peruvian textiles was acquired following the Spanish invasion of Peru in 1532, when the…
  • Peruvian Legends, Myths & Tales

    The Jeweled Frog and the Condor

    By a quiet pond, at the side of a cloud-topped mountain in Peru, lived a small green frog and his large green family.…
  • Peru Info

    Peruvian Economy

    The Peruvian economy is an emerging, social market economy highly dependent on foreign trade and classified as an upper…