Peru Guide /Peruvian Visa Type/Business Visa for Peru
Business Visa for Peru
A Guide to Peruvian Visas
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.
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.
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.
Following nationals do not need a tourist visa for Peru
- South America: Citizens of all South American countries except Venezuela
- Central America: Citizens of most Central American countries (exception Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti and Nicaragua)
- North America: Citizens of the United States, Canada and Mexico
- Europe: Citizens of all countries within the European Union and of Switzerland and the UK
- Africa: Citizens of South Africa
- Asia: Citizens of Brunei, Indonesia, Israel, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand as well as some citizens of China and India (according to a supreme decree from September 2016 Chinese citizens and according to a supreme decree from March 2017 Indian citizens with a permanent (!) residence visa 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; other Chinese and Indian nationals still have to apply for a tourist visa at a Peruvian embassy or consulate!)
- Oceania: Citizens of Australia and New Zealand
Requirements for the tourist visa application at a Peruvian Consulate
Required documents to apply for a tourist visa include, but may not be restricted to:
- Application form
- Valid passport
- Round-trip ticket
- Hotel reservation, tourist package reservation or invitation letter
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Passport photos
- Proof of legal residency in the area or country under the consulates jurisdiction
- Receipt for paid application fee
Please be aware that the consulate, where you apply, will invite you to a personal interview.
On the website of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (RREE) you find a world map showing all Peruvian consulates abroad. Just click on a marker and the address, phone number, e-mail and – if available – website of the consulate appears.
With the introduction of the new Immigration Law in 2017 and progressive digitalization, especially during Covid times, entering Peru today is a quite easy, seemingly organized and at least for now usually a quick process.
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