Business Visa for Peru

Foreigners who travel temporary to Peru for business related reasons that do not include actual labor or gainful employment have to apply for a business visa at a Peruvian consulate before entering the country or, if they can travel visa-free, must make sure to enter the country as a business traveler (negocio) and not as a tourist.

So, if you plan to visit Peru for business such as any sort of business activity of commercial or professional nature, establishing business contacts, exploring business opportunities, taking part in meetings, signing contracts or agreements, making business related financial transactions, etc. you have to enter Peru as a business traveler.

Please check below attached PDF "Visas for Peru by country and allowed length of stay" to find out if you can enter visa-free as a business traveler or if you have to apply for a business visa at a Peruvian consulate before coming to Peru for business purposes.

One of the advantages of being in Peru as a business traveler is that the visa / authorization to enter and stay as a business traveler "includes" a permit to sign contracts. So, while foreign tourists in Peru must apply for a special permit, the so-called “Permiso especial para firmar contratos” or also known as "Permiso especial para suscribir documentos”, before they can sign legally binding documents (such as a work contract, a sworn statement, a rental contract, a car purchase, a marriage license, an apartment purchase, etc.), this authorization is part of your business status.

If you can travel visa-free to Peru for business purposes

If you are a national of a country that doesn’t have to apply for a business visa at a Peruvian consulate before coming to Peru, you just have to inform the immigration officer when entering the country that you are visiting for business. He/she might ask you a few questions and then registers you in the Migraciones database as "negocio" (business).

While during the height of the Corona pandemic Peru eliminated the stamping of passports when entering the country, in May 2022 the entry stamp was re-introduced just to be eliminate it again at the end of May 2023 for those entering Peru on international flights. And, unfortunately, this time it seems for good as at land borders stamping of passports is eliminated successively as well.

So, be aware that you won't get an entry stamp anymore, which before clearly showed your "negocio" status and the number of days you can stay,  when entering the country.

So, your entry, your business status and the number of days you can stay in Peru today is just automatically registered and nothing more than an entry in the Migraciones database. Therefore, you don't have anything in writing easily confirming your status and how long you are allowed to stay in the country.

To find out if the immigration officer really registered you as a business traveler and how many days you are allowed to stay (business travelers are usually granted 30, 60 or 90 days), you must ask the immigration officer and, if you want to have a confirmation "in writing" or need proof when you entered or left the country, you have to check online. Our article "How many days did I get when entering Peru?" explains how it's done (even though the article is aimed at tourists, it works for business travelers as well).

How many days did I get when entering Peru?

Legal Stuff

While during the height of the Corona pandemic Peru eliminated the stamping of passports when entering the country, in May 2022 the entry stamp was...

Once in Peru, your business stay cannot be extended. So, when entering, make sure you get the number of days you need.

If you have to apply for a business visa before coming to Peru

Nationals who need a visa to travel to Peru for business purposes must apply for a business visa at a Peruvian consulate before entering the country.

Visa requirements for a Peruvian business visa include, but may not be restricted to:

• Application form
• Receipt for paid application fee
• Passport photos
• Passport valid with at least 2 free pages in the visa section that is valid for at least another 6 months upon arrival
• Round-trip ticket
• Letter from the company sponsoring the business trip, showing the purpose of the visit to Peru, the length of the stay, and assurance that the business person is travelling with sufficient funds to last the duration of the trip
• If the business trip is about visiting a certain company in Peru, a letter from this Peruvian company indicating the reason for and the length of the visit as well as a guarantee that enough financial means are available to sponsor the trip
• Proof of legal residency in the area or country under the consulates jurisdiction

Best get in contact with a Peruvian consulate for detailed information on the application process and exact requirements.

The Peruvian business visa issued at a consulate is usually a multiple entry visa and entitles its holder to enter Peru within a time period of usually 6 or 12 months from the date of issue. The maximum stay on a business visa is 180 days in a 365-day period, but the consulates abroad reserve the right to grant visas for shorter stays.

Be aware that even if the consulate granted you 180 days, the immigration officer you have to face when you enter Peru may only give you 30, 60 or in most cases 90 days. As Peruvian business visas cannot be extended once you are in Peru, you might have to leave the country and return if you need to stay longer.

Please note: We from LimaEasy are not the Peruvian immigration authority Migraciones or a Peruvian consulate. All information is published to our best knowledge and should be seen as general guidance introducing you to Peruvian regulations procedures. All information is subject to change, as regulations, requirements, and processes can change quickly without prior notice! Therefore, we recommend checking the current regulations with the nearest Peruvian consulate or, if you are already in Peru, with Migraciones!