Peru operates visa policies under two frameworks established by Legislative Decree 1350 of 2017 and Supreme Decree 007-2016-IN. Citizens of 94 countries enter visa-free for tourism or business stays up to 183 days within a 365-day period. Citizens of 47 countries require visas obtained before travel. The complete list appears on the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website at www.rree.gob.pe under Servicios Consulares. Citizens of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union member states, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Uruguay enter without visas. Citizens of China, India, Russia, South Africa, and most African and Asian nations require visas obtained at Peruvian consulates abroad before departure. South African citizens gained visa exemption in March 2017 under reciprocal agreement. Chinese citizens holding valid United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or Schengen visas with at least six months validity may enter Peru visa-free for up to 180 days under Supreme Decree 001-2016-IN enacted January 2016.
Entry stamps issued at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima or land borders specify authorized stay duration from 30 to 183 days at immigration officer discretion. Officers typically grant 183 days to citizens of visa-exempt countries unless shorter duration requested. The stamp displays entry date and authorized stay period in handwritten or stamped format. Travelers must count days from entry date and depart before midnight of the final authorized day. Overstaying carries fines of approximately 4.30 Peruvian soles per day calculated at departure. The Ministry of Interior Migraciones office processes overstay fines at airports before boarding or at Migraciones offices in cities before land border departure. Fines cannot be paid online and must be settled in person with cash or card.
Extensions of stay are processed at Migraciones offices in Lima at Avenida España 734 in Breña or at regional offices in Cusco, Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Iquitos, Puno, Tacna, Cajamarca, Huaraz, and Pucallpa. Extensions grant up to 183 total days in any 365-day period. The application requires passport with minimum six months validity, proof of economic solvency such as bank statements showing approximately $1000 USD equivalent or credit card, paid application fee of 47.50 soles as of 2024, and completed form available at offices or online at www.migraciones.gob.pe. Processing takes one to three business days. Extensions cannot exceed the 183-day maximum regardless of initial entry period. A traveler granted 90 days at entry may request 93 additional days. A traveler granted 183 days at entry cannot extend. Migraciones offices open Monday through Friday from 08:00 to 16:00 with lunch closure from 13:00 to 14:00. Lima Breña office processes approximately 200 extension applications daily. Arriving before 09:00 reduces wait time.
Land border crossings from Ecuador operate at Tumbes-Huaquillas, La Tina-Macará, and Aguas Verdes-Huaquillas. The Tumbes crossing at the Pan-American Highway processes the highest volume. Immigration offices operate 24 hours at Tumbes but only 08:00 to 20:00 at La Tina. Travelers must stop at both Ecuadorian exit immigration and Peruvian entry immigration located in separate buildings approximately 3 kilometers apart at Tumbes. Shared taxis and buses wait between posts. Entry stamps are mandatory regardless of same-day return intent. Officers enforce stamp requirement and travelers without exit stamps face overstay fines upon Peru departure. Land crossings from Bolivia operate at Desaguadero near Puno and Kasani-Yunguyo at Lake Titicaca. Desaguadero crossing opens 08:00 to 20:00 daily. Kasani operates 08:00 to 18:00. Both require exit stamp from Bolivian immigration and entry stamp from Peruvian immigration in separate buildings approximately 500 meters apart. Desaguadero processes approximately 1500 crossings daily with peak wait times of one to two hours between 09:00 and 11:00. Land crossings from Brazil operate at Iñapari-Assis Brasil in Madre de Dios department. Immigration operates 08:00 to 18:00 Monday through Saturday. Sunday crossings require advance coordination. The crossing serves primarily the Interoceanic Highway connecting Puerto Maldonado to Acre state in Brazil. Land crossings from Chile operate at Tacna-Arica and Santa Rosa-Chacalluta. Tacna-Arica processes the highest volume with 24-hour immigration services. The border lies 56 kilometers from Arica and 36 kilometers from Tacna city center. Shared buses called colectivos run continuously. Immigration buildings sit approximately 10 kilometers apart requiring separate stops.
Air entry through Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima processes approximately 60,000 international arrivals weekly as of 2024. Immigration counters open proportional to arriving flights. Peak arrival times between 22:00 and 02:00 correspond to North American and European flight schedules. Immigration queues during peak times average 30 to 90 minutes. Automated passport gates installed in 2023 serve Peruvian citizens and citizens of Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil holding biometric passports. International travelers use staffed counters. Officers ask arrival purpose, accommodation location, and departure plans. Questions are brief. Officers stamp passports and issue Tarjeta Andina de Migración, a carbon-copy form with traveler details. The traveler portion must be retained until departure. Lost cards require replacement at Migraciones offices with approximately 40 soles fee and one-day processing. Secondary airports accepting international flights include Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco with direct flights from La Paz, Bolivia operated by Boliviana de Aviación and Avianca, and Rodríguez Ballón International Airport in Arequipa with occasional international charters. Both airports process immigration identically to Lima.
Passport validity requirements mandate six months remaining validity from entry date under Legislative Decree 1350 Article 14. Officers enforce this requirement strictly. Passports with less than six months validity are denied boarding by airlines at origin airports or denied entry at Peruvian immigration. Travelers holding passports expiring within six months of entry must renew before travel. Blank passport pages requirement is two blank pages for entry and exit stamps. Officers occasionally request proof of onward travel, particularly for travelers entering with one-way tickets. Proof includes printed airline tickets, bus tickets from companies like Cruz del Sur or Oltursa showing departure from Peru, or entry tickets to neighboring countries. Officers request proof of onward travel in approximately 10 percent of entries based on traveler nationality, stated itinerary, and immigration officer discretion. Citizens of countries requiring visas face higher scrutiny. Proof of accommodation is occasionally requested. Hotel reservations, hostel confirmations, or invitation letters from Peruvian residents suffice. Officers rarely request proof of funds but retain authority to do so under Decreto Supremo 004-2012-IN. Requested amounts approximate $50 USD equivalent per day of intended stay.
Tourist visas for citizens of countries requiring visas are obtained at Peruvian consulates abroad. Applications require valid passport, completed application form, passport photograph meeting ICAO standards, round-trip flight reservation, proof of accommodation, proof of economic solvency showing bank statements or sponsorship letters, and consular fee ranging from $30 to $75 USD depending on nationality and processing time. Processing time is five to fifteen business days for standard applications and one to three business days for expedited requests with higher fees. Tourist visas grant stays up to 183 days at consular officer discretion. Multiple-entry tourist visas are issued for one-year validity allowing multiple entries within the year, each entry permitting stays up to 183 days cumulative. Consulates in major cities include Washington DC, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, New Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, and São Paulo. Appointment booking is required at most consulates through online systems. Visa denials provide written reasons. Common denial reasons include insufficient economic solvency documentation, incomplete applications, unclear travel purpose, or security concerns flagged in databases.