Foreigners in Peru who applied for a visa - to be precise who applied for a change of their immigration status (cambio de calidad migratoria) or a change of their visa type (cambio de clase de visa) - as well as those who applied for an extension of their residence visa can only leave the country during the processing time of their application with a special travel permit, the so called Permiso especial de viaje, officially as well known as Autorización de estadía fuera del país por 30 dias.
While for years those that had to or wanted to travel outside Peru during the processing time of their application had to pay the Migraciones office a visit to apply for the permit in person before their travel, in March 2018 the application process was simplified and now can be easily and quickly done online on the Migraciones Agencia Digital.
Requirements for the application of the Travel permit
Form PA - Autorizaciones y Permisos (automatically filled in during your application)
The approval of your visa application or extension of your resident visa is in process when you want to travel (you will need the numero de expediente, fecha de publicacion and verification code).
Since October 22, 2023 the application for the travel permit is free of charge!
Be aware that you must apply for the travel permit before (!!!) leaving the country, otherwise your application is null and void. Migraciones recommends applying 48 - 72h before you travel outside the Peru.
On the next page, select "Extranjero". Then choose in the drop-down menu the document with which you entered Peru (most probably passport), enter your passport number, your birthdate, nationality, the date you entered Peru and the captcha. Click on Verificar.
Now you are on the main page of the Agencia Digital. Here you can either use the search field or find in the menu on the left under "Permisos" the point "Especial de viaje". Click on it and you get this.
How to apply for the authorization to leave Peru while the approval of your visa application or extension is still in progress
Then just fill in required fields:
Tipo de tramite: Enter the type of your application, for example, cambio de calidad migratoria
Numero de expediente: Enter the file number of your application (consists of 2 letters and 9 numbers), which is on the "Registro de Solicitud de Cambio de Calidad Migratoria" document (the confirmation of your application), which was displayed on your screen at the end of your visa application and you hopefully saved. You find the Numero de expediente on the document at the top under the bar code.
Fecha de publicacion: Enter the application date (at the bottom of the confirmation).
Codigo de verificacion: Enter the verification code, which you can find at the bottom of the "Registro de Solicitud de Cambio de Calidad Migratoria" document.
Correo electronico: Enter your e-mail address
Ingrese codigo de imagen: Enter the displayed Captcha
Click on Siguiente. On the next page fill in your departure date.
How to apply for the authorization to leave Peru while the approval of your visa application or extension is still in progress
The system then automatically completes the period your permit is valid (departure date + 30 days).
How to apply for the authorization to leave Peru while the approval of your visa application or extension is still in progress
Click on Siguiente and you get a confirmation of your application displayed on your screen. Download and/or print the page and keep it safe.
The travel permit is usually sent to you within 48h. Best print two copies of it. One is given to the immigration officer when you leave the country, the other one when you return.
The Permiso especial de viaje / Autorización de estadía fuera del país is only good for one exit and one re-entry. It is valid for 30 days counted from the departure date you indicated and can’t be extended. If you stay outside the country longer, the application of your visa or visa extension is canceled.
Applying for the travel permit at the airport
If you have problems with the application or forgot to apply in time there is another option to get the travel permit. At least since the beginning of 2023, at Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport in Callao you can as well get the travel permit just before leaving the country.
After checking in and clearing the security check, proceed to the immigration control counters. Just before immigration there is a small glass office where foreigners who overstayed their stay as tourist can pay the fine. But there you can also get the travel permit. Printed instructions on how it's done are stuck on the wall.
You just have to pay the fee for the travel permit there (or pay online on pagalo.pe, you then must send them the receipt by e-mail) and you need the numero de expediente, fecha de publicacion and verification code. The staff then applies for you and you are handed two copies of the travel permit within 10 to 15 minutes.
As things change quickly in Peru and as systems aren't always reliable and available when you need them, we highly recommend to only use the airport option in case you have problems applying yourself on the Agencia Digital or if you forgot to apply in time.
I am applying for Cambio de Calidad Migratoria but cannot get an appointment and they haven't even released the appointments yet from December onwards. For this reason I don't have a code of verification yet. I have used to the link provided which shows my application but just the Numero Expediente.
Please advise what I can do in this situation? Without the verification code it's not letting me apply for the temporary permission of travel. Could I just request this at the airport, even without the code?
not having done the biometric data appointment has nothing to do that you don't have the verification code. Are you sure, you don't have it? Probably just missed it.
The verification code is on the document "Registro de Solicitud de Cambio de Calidad Migratoria" (the confirmation of your successful application), which was displayed on your screen after you uploaded all necessary documents on the Agencia Digital.
At the top right of the document under the bar code you find your Numero de expediente (file number). It consists of 2 letters (usually some abbreviation of the Migraciones office where you applied; LM for Lima, for example; or CY for Chiclayo, etc.) and 9 numbers.
At the bottom of the first page, under the signature / fingerprint field, the Fecha de publicacion (application date) and a Codigo de verificacion (verification code) are shown.
If you didn't get that document, which sometimes happens, you can contact Migraciones using the video conference call option. Within minutes they can get you the correct verification code.
And yes, another option could be to get the travel permit directly at the airport.
the regulation quite clearly states that you can only apply for the extension of your residence visa while being in Peru.
Once you applied for the extension, you can only leave the country during the evaluation and approval process, if you apply for the Autorización de Estadía fuera del País as described above.
This travel permit is only valid for 30 days, meaning you must return latest 30 days after you left.
Officially, during your absence your application isn't processed, so it's unlikely that you get the approval while being abroad.
Anyway, if you don't return to Peru within the 30 days your travel permit allows, your application for the extension of your residence visa could be dismissed and you then have to apply again for the extension (and pay the fine for not extending your residency on time).
You only need to apply for a travel permit if your want to leave Peru during the processing time of your visa application or during the processing time of your visa extension.
So, if you have a valid residence visa and a valid carné you can leave whenever you please. Just be aware that you can only be outside Peru for half a year and depending on your visa type you might need to get a confirmation that you paid your taxes / statement that you didn't have any taxable income.
@Sunflower Thank you! Could you please light it up a bit for me-if I have residency as a worker "trabajador", I need to have a confirmation I'm paying taxes? What kind of doc/from where?
I wrote about it in our Work visa article, chapter "Things you should know living in Peru on a work visa". So, here the relevant passage pasted and copied:
"Whenever you, as a resident worker, want to leave the country for short or extended periods of time, for example, to go on holidays or for a business trip abroad, you must present the so-called "Certificado de Rentas y Retenciones" at immigrations before you are allowed to leave. This form is issued by your employer or, if you work independently, by your client(s), who confirm(s) that the income tax corresponding to your earnings was retained according to the Peruvian tax legislation. The physical form, Formulario 1492, is rarely used anymore. Instead, your employer or client has to enter his/her Sunat Virtual and fill in the Formulario Virtual 1692°, then print and sign it and give it to you. The form expires 30 days after it was filed with Sunat; so, you must leave Peru within these 30 days. If you, as a dependent or independent resident worker didn't have any earnings, you must present the so-called “Declaración jurada de haber realizado actividades que no impliquen la generación de rentas de fuente peruana” at immigrations before you are allowed to leave. So, just download Formulario 1495, fill it in, sign it and show it to the immigration officer when leaving Peru."
If I'm only going to be out of the country for two weeks, do I still need to be exact with my departure date? If I'm planning to leave Peru on Monday the 27th, can I specify Sunday the 26th?
I don't know, but I assume (!!!) you shouldn't have a problem as the permit allows you to be out of the country for the period from the departure date you entered to +30 days and there could always be changes (flight canceled and re-booked, etc.).
Nevertheless, if there aren't any unforeseen changes at short notice why would you do that? I assume about three days before you leave the country, when you should apply the latest, you know your exact departure date. So, to avoid any problems, discussion or inconveniences with a fussy immigration officer I personally would enter the correct departure date.
Edit: if you are worried about getting the approval over the weekend, you could as well apply a week before your travel or on the Tuesday or Wednesday before your Monday travel.
I thought it would be useful for people to know that (failing getting your travel permit online) it is possible to do this at the airport. There is a small glass office just before you go through immigration for international departures. The people working in the office process anyone who needs to pay for overstaying their visa, and also anyone needing a travel permit. It was a completely standard, fast and free procedure (they even had printed instructions stuck to the wall). You had to email them proof of payment (which I had done online) and they then made the application, 5 mins later gave me two printed copies, one for the immigration officer when you leave the country, the second to give the immigration officer on return.
That's great info! Thank you so much for sharing! That's the first time I hear that you can get the travel permit at the counter where you pay the overstay fine.
For all those who have problems to apply on the Agencia Digital for the authorization that's a real game changer and one thing less to worry about. I will add this option above in the article.
Hello, first of all thank you for all of your super detailed answers on here!
Second, about the 30 day travel. I am starting the process of applying for my residency (through marriage), i have two trips planned outside of Peru. One in April for 18 days, and one in June for 20 days. If my visa isn't approved and ready by June, will i still be able to make the second trip? Can one apply for two separate travel permisos while in the visa process? Or can I only be out of Peru for a TOTAL of 30 days during the entire process?
Yes, if they don't change anything until June, you can apply for two separate travel permits.
When you apply on the Agencia Digital for your family visa, which is explained in detail in our Family Visa article, make sure to not miss the No. de expediente, the Fecha de publicacion and especially the Codigo de verificacion (it's explained in the article under Step-by-step guide to apply for a family visa in Peru, 3rd page of the application) .
So, in case your visa isn't approved until April (over the last few weeks I heard of 4 applications that went through in 5 or 6 weeks) apply for the travel permit. No big deal. Then if your visa still isn't approved by June you can apply for another permit.
But, be aware that there is always a chance, even though slight, that an application for a permit is denied.
I've been trying to apply for my travel permit but when I click on the tab under permisos for especial de viaje it only comes up with a 404 error de servidor. I've tried on different computers, incognito window, etc. But I also can't get a hold of migraciones by phone or chat or by appointments as none are available. My trip is in 72 hours and I'm on a time crunch. So I'm going to go to the office tomorrow and try to talk to someone. But can I print out the form that we found and do it physically? Or what else can I do to apply for the permit. I've been trying to access the platform for a week and I always get the server error.
I was updating this article yesterday and had no problem when I clicked on the permiso de viaje point. However, today, when I wanted to double check something, I got the same 404 error message you describe. As sometimes official websites have their flaws and seemingly only work properly during business hours and today is Sunday, I didn't think much about it, but still checked if Migraciones probably changed the application process for the travel authorization. But no, that's the way you must apply and since August 2021, the only way you can apply.
Not sure where you are, but be aware that you will have a hard time to speak to someone at Migraciones in Lima if you don't have an appointment (which are booked for weeks at the moment). Best try to apply again tomorrow morning after 09.00 am. Switch of any translation program and/or VPN and/or ad blockers you may be using. If you still get the same error message, you could try to call Migraciones under 200-1000. If you go to Migraciones make a screenshot of the error message on the Agenica to have some proof when the security guard at the entrance wants to send you away. Additionally, take your passport, flight ticket, payment receipt and no. de expediente with you. Migraciones offices in the provinces are usually more welcoming.
Hi, great advice on this page. I am applying for cambio de calidad migratoria for the first time. I have submitted all my documents and attended the biometrics appointment. I think that the next step is waiting for the notification that my application is in process and them providing me with a numero expediente. (Do I expect this on the Buzon de notificationes page?) I can't apply for the travel permit until I receive the numero expediente but I am due to fly out of Peru in a week. What if I receive the numero expediente after I have left the country but before I return?
1) Will they cancel my application because by the time I return I will have a pending application but won't have a travel permit?
2) If the application does get cancelled, at which point would I have to restart the process? Presumably just uploading all the documents to migraciones website again, and maybe attending another biometrics appointment?
3) My trip out of Peru is meant to be for 35 days. I'm wondering if I need to book a flight back to Peru to split the journey into 2 parts. So that both are <30days. (Can you apply for 2 travel permits. But if I have left the country before receiving my application approval/numero expediente, and therefore cannot apply for the travel permit, does the 30 day still apply. Probably they would cancel my visa application when I returned (because of not having a travel permit) and therefore would be a waste to have booked a return flight in the middle of the trip.
Sorry for the lengthy question, any advice much appreciated.
Until mid-last year or so Migraciones sent a confirmation letter of your application with your no. de expediente and your log-in data for the buzon electronico. Then things changed and the number and login data were just displayed on your screen at the end of the application process. So, as you made an appointment for the biometrical data, you most probably already have your no. de expediente.
Check out the picture I attached. After you uploaded your documents, you had the Registro de Solicitud de Cambio de Calidad Migratoria displayed. The no. de expediente has two letters (some sort of abbreviation of the Migraciones office where you applied; LM for Lima, for example; or CY for Chiclayo, etc.) and 9 numbers. For reasons of data protection of the person who thankfully sent me the screenshot, I had to hide the number under the red line.
If you didn’t print or download this document, you can try and verify your application under this link https://sel.migraciones.gob.pe/servmig-inmtra/VerEstadoTramiteIMRev (for whatever reasons, the page won’t load at the moment, but, when I remember correctly, you can enter the page without your no. de expediente).
Answer to 1) Yes, if you leave Peru without the travel permit while your application is still in process, your application will be canceled.
Answer to 2) After your return, check if they canceled your application. If not, good for you. If they did, you just have to start from scratch. New payment, new application. Make sure your documents are still valid as documents in Peru have an “expiration date”. So, in general (there are a few exceptions, for example, work contract), documents issued in Peru are only accepted if they were issued not more than 3 months before the application is submitted; documents issued outside Peru are only accepted if they are not older than 6 months.
Answer to 3) The travel permit is valid for a maximum of 30 days. And no, you can only apply for one travel permit at a time. If you return within the 30 days and immediately apply for another travel permit, it might be denied.
@Alice Osmaston Thanks, luckily I saved that final page so I do have the no. de expediente starting with 2 letters. When I use the page to try to search for my verification code but get this error (photo attached). Any idea what's going wrong? Thanks
sorry for getting back to you so late. But I tried to find out where and how you get the codigo. Unfortunately, in vain.
The usual way is, as explained on our visa pages, that during your application process you should download or print the PA form - Cambio de calidad migratoria. There on the bottom (under the signature and fingerprint field) you find the codigo and the login data for your buzon.
If you haven't done this, I was told that you can use above link, enter with just your no. de expediente and can find the code there. I don't know what the error message means and how you can overcome this obstacle as you checked the field that you want to enter using your no. de expediente. Sorry.
I'm still waiting for a reply from a friend of mine who may or not have an idea how you can retrieve the number. If he gets back to me with something new, I'll let you know.
Other option, get in contact with Migraciones and ask how to proceed.
Hi, it was a little unclear in the article above, but do you need to buy your plane tickets and then apply for the travel permit? For example say I want to leave on Jan 25 but want to buy my tickets today, can I do that? How early can we apply for the travel permit before our departure date?
you can buy your plane ticket whenever you please. And I don't know of any cases where the travel permit wasn't approved.
Migraciones recommends applying for the travel permit at least 2 to 3 days before you are planning to leave the country. They don't say what's the earliest you can apply.
I think a week or so before you leave is fine, because much earlier doesn't make sense as your application process could be approved by then and you then won't need the permit anymore.
Update: I received the notification letter from Migraciones that my change of migratory status (rentista visa) has been approved. Since this is my first time having a CE, I need to go to have my biometrics taken for the card (photo, etc.), however, I am unable to schedule an appointment for this procedure until end of January.
I need to leave Peru in a few weeks for Christmas (will be gone <30 days). Do I still need to request the special travel permission or since my resident visa applicaiton is no longer in review and has been approved, can I just show the immigration officer at the airport a copy of said letter?
Alternatively, is it possibly to simply show up at the biometrical office w/out an appointment as so long as I bring this approval letter? Of course, the Agencia Digital portal won't let you modify your cita fecha online (not to mention there are zero available appointments in December to begin with). What do you think?
As the process for getting your residence visa and carné isn’t completed and you still don’t have your carné, yes you have to get the travel permit to leave the country which is only valid for a max of 30 days. And no, I doubt that the immigration officer is happy with just the approval letter as you must show your carné together with your passport when leaving Peru.
So, you haven’t made the biometric appointment right after your application? Hmm … at least in Lima you can’t just show up at Migraciones to get your biometrical data taken. They won’t let you enter without an appointment. If you are in the provinces, you might have a chance, but there you can get an appointment at some Migraciones offices in a few days anyway.
@Sunflower I made the biometric appointment before my visa application was approved (and even then only appointments towards the very end of January were available in Lima on the digital platform).
However, now that my visa has been approved do I have any sort of privileges or priority to "fast track" or expedite my biometric appointment any sooner?
It seems you should be allowed to get your biometics done earlier once you have been approved by the government.
Also, my legal status as a 90 day tourist is frozen in time until I actually pick up the physical carne card and close out the entire process, correct?
Sorry John, no privileges. You have your appointment and that's it.
And yes, your tourist status is as you said "frozen", even though now you aren't a tourist anymore as your residence visa is approved. But you still need your carné to finish the process.
Hello, I am trying to request the special permit to travel in the Migraciones Agencia virtual portal and it is asking for these three specific pieces of information in order to proceed:
-numero expediente
-fecha de publicacion
-codigo de verificacion
I was under the impression that you can pay the fee on pagalo.pe and then simply enter the corresponding info from the "constancia de pago de tasas" (banc de la nacion receipt that has all the payment confirmation data) but the information Migraciones Agencia is asking for seems different. Did something change? I don't see the verbiage "numero expediente" "fecha de publicacion" or "codigo de verificacion" anywhere on the standard pagalo payment receipt. Are we talking about the same thing?
the travel permit is needed when you have or want to leave Peru while your visa application or extension is still in process.
The numero de expediente etc. don't have anything to do with your pagalo / bank receipt. That's the file number and date of your visa application. So, you should check on the confirmation of your application to find the necessary information.
@Sunflower I have the file (tramite/expediente) number and date of visa application but was never provided a "codigo de verificacion." How, where, and from whom can I request this key information?
I never heard that you have to fill in a "codigo de verificación". Unfortunately, I don't have access to this part of the Agencia, so never have seen the fields you have to fill in and can't check myself.
Is this codigo part of the information you have to enter from bank receipt? Or is somewhere on your application confirmation another code that might belong there? Or have to tried to leave it blank (this works, for example, when you have to fill in the questionnaire and are asked for a codigo preregistro?
So I've been told that my tourist visa time is paused while waiting for the processing of a visa. Is there an official certificate or declaration that I can carry with me to show any authorities that might ask why I'm here past the date stamped in my passport?
Does the time pause the date of submission of the visa application, or at 0? For example, if I have 5 days left on the tourist visa, does it just freeze at 5 until there is a result for the visa? Or does it count down to 0 then I am in some kind of "waiting" status until the result is given?
Great info again regarding the verification code. Thanks for sharing.
At least until a few months ago, you got a confirmation letter of your application and that was sufficient if you had to prove that you are legal in the country. Now, in case you need it, you can just open the link that you provided showing that you applied for your visa and are still waiting for the approval.
And on the day you apply for your visa, time stops and, as far as I know, your status as tourist is on hold and the remaining days are canceled. If your visa is approved you are in Peru on your temporary or residence visa, if it denied you usually get 15 days to leave the country.
As most people apply for a residence visa, it's not important for them if the remaining days on their tourist visa are carried forward. And assuming that you get at least 90 days when you apply for a temporary student visa plus the days you already stayed as a tourist plus the processing time, you end up in a new 180-day period anyway.
yes, no problem to apply a week before your travel, so you have peace of mind.
The reason why Migraciones gives this recommendation is that people apply a day or even an hour before they leave and then wonder why their application isn't processed in time.
Thank you for your nice words. Always great to hear that the info here on LimaEasy is helpful.
If you have a work contract with a duration of at least 12 months, you get a resident work visa (trabajador dependiente) which is valid for one year and then can be extended.
If you have a work contract with a duration of less than 12 months, you get a temporary work visa, which usually is valid only for the duration of the contract. So, in case you have a trial contract with a duration of three months, the temporary work visa usually is issued only for these three months. It can be extended or, if after the trial period you get a work contract with a duration of 12 months or more, you can apply for a resident work visa.
Not sure what your second question is (the rest of your message seems to be “compromised” and was automatically blocked by our system).
So, if you have more questions, please get back to me or check out our Work Visa article where you find lots of general information about the different work visas, requirements, and a step-by-step guide on how to apply.
I'm thinking about visiting home for Christmas. Having timed everything out, I believe my visa application will be processed around Christmas time; I don't think I'll have my visa before then. So, two questions:
1) In theory, as far as we know, is it possible to be given the "Autorizacion por estadia afuera" wanting to leave the country for almost any reason? Or does it need to be something like a sudden illness or family problem?
2) Again, in theory, is it possible to be denied the authorization / permission to leave the country, in which case it's risky to buy a ticket hoping that I'll indeed be allowed to leave the country?
Peru has different subtypes of the “Autorización de Estadía fuera del País” with slightly different requirements. If your resident visa application is still in process, and you need or want to leave the country, you have to apply for the travel permit that allows you to be outside Peru for a maximum of 30 days.
In this case, according to the current regulation Supreme Decree 002-2021-IN (page 21, article 67.2.1) and the current TUPA (page 25) you only have to apply for the authorization before (!) leaving the country, pay the fee, have a valid passport and travel ticket showing your travel dates. You usually do not have to give a reason for your travels.
2) In theory, yes, Migraciones could deny your authorization to leave the country (as they could deny your resident visa application; or could at any time ask for other documents). But in practice, I never heard that anyone who applied properly for the Autorización de estadía fuera del país because his resident visa application was still in process, was denied.
Hi, I have submitted my travel permit with the pagalo details, but it produced an 'error de servidor'. I then tried to repeat it again and it said that my payment voucher had already been used, so I am not sure if it accepted my payment.
Do you know if you are normally meant to get a confirmation email? Is there anyway to try and get support, or submit the application via a different route?
Things change constantly, but as far as I know, you should have gotten a confirmation with a tramite number. In my opinion, you now have three options:
If you aren’t under time pressure, wait a day or two and see if they send you the travel permit.
Or, which most probably is the better option, get in contact with Migraciones (phone 200-1000 or use the chat on the Agencia Digital) and ask if your application went through or not. If yes, great, just wait. If not, you have to pay and apply again. but can request a refund of your first payment later.
Or, if you don’t have enough time anymore before leaving or can’t reach Migraciones, pay the fee again, wait a few hours until the payment is processed and then apply for the permit again. As above, if the first application didn’t go through, you can request a refund of your first payment. If it went through, you might end up with two travel permits which you both have to pay.
And no, you have to apply for the travel permit on the Agencia Digital, no other way. Sorry.
18 Comments
· 15/11/2023@Lee TaylorHello Lee,not having done the biometric data appointment has nothing to do that you don't have the verification code. Are you sure, you don't have it? Probably just missed it.The verification code is on the document "Registro de Solicitud de Cambio de Calidad Migratoria" (the confirmation of your successful application), which was displayed on your screen after you uploaded all necessary documents on the Agencia Digital.At the top right of the document under the bar code you find your Numero de expediente (file number). It consists of 2 letters (usually some abbreviation of the Migraciones office where you applied; LM for Lima, for example; or CY for Chiclayo, etc.) and 9 numbers.At the bottom of the first page, under the signature / fingerprint field, the Fecha de publicacion (application date) and a Codigo de verificacion (verification code) are shown.If you didn't get that document, which sometimes happens, you can contact Migraciones using the video conference call option. Within minutes they can get you the correct verification code.And yes, another option could be to get the travel permit directly at the airport.GreetingsEva
