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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.

Peruvian Overstay Fine for tourists

Peruvian Overstay Fine for tourists

Legal Stuff
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...

 

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    Who needs a Visa for Peru or not – by country and the allowed length of stay
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  • This commment is unpublished.
    Nick
    Nick · 11/01/2022
    Hello, I'm trying to figure out how many days they gave me when I arrived. I've filled out the form on the Agencia digital about 30 times and it keeps doing the same thing. It says "welcome" and my name and then I click OK and nothing happens. I had the same experience when I tried to preregister before arriving and I just gave up. I'm in Mancora right now, do you know if I can go to the migraciones in Tumbes or Piura and ask them in person?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 11/01/2022
      @Nick
      Hello Nick,

      yes, checking your TAM virtual which should give you info on how long you can stay, on the Agencia Digital doesn't seem to work properly.

      And yes, you should be able to visit a Migraciones office and ask in person. However, be prepared that the "security" guy at the entrance might try getting rid of you and won't let you enter. So, you might have to be insistent and tell him that checking online doesn't work.

      Other option, before going there in vain, is entering the Agencia Digital, filling in the necessary data on the first page and, when I remember correctly, somewhere on the bottom or top - sorry, the Agencia website doesn't load at the moment -  there is an option to send a mail. Or just call and see, if you can get an answer.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Nick
      Nick · 11/01/2022
      @Sunflower Thank you for your swift reply, I had another question, if I have already overstayed do I pay the fine at the airport or do I need to go to a bank or something? The reason I am asking is I'm trying to figure out how early I should show up if I need to leave the airport find the bank and come back.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 11/01/2022
      @Nick
      If you overstayed and are flying out of Peru, just proceed to the immigration counters at the airport. There they will tell you how much you have to pay, usually give you a piece of paper and send you to the counter of the Banco de la Nacion at the airport where you pay your fine (just recently someone told me that he could pay at immigrations which sounds strange as all fees and fines in Peru must be paid at the Banco de la Nacion.

      If you are crossing a land border you first have to see immigrations, get the exact amount and then have to go to a nearby Banco de la Nacion which is only open during normal banking hours.

      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    daniel d.
    daniel d. · 02/01/2022
    greetins..hola..and a question if can answer as soon as possible.

    on a passport/US entered peru on July 7th, 2021 (with 90 day document). exited on January 1st, 2022 (177 days). migration officer stated to go "caja". 

    Paid 190 soles ($48). brought back to migration officer. the migration officer (I did ask/by a letter). I asked if I could exit and come back again. I said "next week". he said "tomorrow, if you want". (english was rather good). 

    do not want to waste a fight ticket...sounds appropriate/valid?

    daniel


    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 02/01/2022
      @daniel d.
      Hello Daniel,

      no, this doesn't sound valid, but we are in Peru ....

      The law clearly states that most nationalities, including US passport holders, can stay in Peru as tourists 90 days in a 180-day period; so, 3 months in Peru, 3 months out of Peru.

      When you entered in July Peru still had an exceptional regulation in place intended for tourists who were stuck in Peru during the lockdown and in times when there were no or only limited flights. This was lifted on August, 20.  So your 90 days started in August and you should have left by November 18. You however overstayed and paid the fee for staying 43 days longer than allowed. Your 180-day period, calculated from August 20 only ends on February 16; so by law that's the earliest you can re-enter Peru.

      However, if you return earlier, there are two options: the immigration officer you have to face doesn't bother and just gives you another 90 days; or he/she does his/her job by the book and either denies you to enter Peru (never heard of this happening) or only gives you a few days. From people getting in contact with me here and who are in the same situation as you, I heard that they were given between 7 and 30 days when re-entering Peru before their 180-days period was over.

      So, its a bit of a gamble.

      Greetings
      Eva



  • This commment is unpublished.
    daniel
    daniel · 27/12/2021
    good afternoon,

    on nov.11th i arrived peru (german passport) 
    at the immigration i was asked how many days iam appr.planning to stay in peru!
    i told them that my return flight will be 81days after! so i was sure they ll gonna give me the 90days (since that is the rule)

    some minutes later i found out,that there is no stamp and even later i found out that its all digitial (TAM VIRTUAL) 
    iam actually qu
    but just recently i found out about the migraciones/tam virtual webpage via your webpage

    iam just about to fill it out,but iam wondering what i need to insert here:

    "ultimo movimiento migratorio" 
    do i need to insert the date of my arrival in peru?

    or is it maybe the wrong link?

    i just wanna find out if i got the 90days,thats all!


    so its a 100% thing that iam not able to extend my 90days here in peru?
    i dont wanna do the overstay,thats for sure!


    greetings,
    Daniel 


    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 27/12/2021
      @daniel
      Hello Daniel,

      Yes, for over a year now passports aren't stamped anymore and unfortunately you won't get anything in writing on how long you can stay. And yes, you are right that you have to check your TAM virtual to find out if you really got the 90 days. This is done on the Agencia Digital. The "ultimo movimiento migratorio" on the first page there is - as you assumed correctly - the date of your arrival in Peru. You can find more info on the TAM and the TAM virtual and how to check it in our Glossary.

      And yes, right now there seems to be no way to extend your stay in Peru.

      Have a nice stay in Peru.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      daniel
      daniel · 27/12/2021
      @Sunflower thx for the infos!
      i just inserted everything correctly and iam not able to see anything regarding my 90days...when i click on "finalizar" nothing happens!

      seems a bit complicated ! ;)
      or maybe iam just in the wrong category
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 28/12/2021
      @daniel
      If you entered the Agencia Digital, clicked on "Consultas en linea" and then chose "TAM virtual" and "personal" you are exactly where the system should show you a page with your personal data, the date you entered Peru and the time you are allowed to stay. Nothing you can do wrong. So, probably the system once again doesn't work correctly.

      Personally I wouldn't worry to much if I got the 90 days. If you haven't stayed excessive periods of time in Peru before, haven't overstayed your welcome before and didn't re-enter before a previous 180-day period was over, then you should have gotten your 90 days. However, be aware that when you come to Peru you have no right to the full 90 days (there is no rule that you are entitled to 90 days; the law actually says the max is 90 days in a 180-day period). It's always up to the immigration officer how many days he or she allows you to stay.

      If you want to make sure you got your 90 days, you can try and call Migraciones or send them a mail which is possible somewhere through the Agencia Digital (the page doesn't load at the moment, so I can't tell you where the button is, but when I remember correctly it should be somewhere on the bottom right corner of the page or at the top.

      Have a nice day
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      daniel
      daniel · 28/12/2021
      @Sunflower hi eva,
      thx again for the detailed infos! i will try it one more time!
      actually i sent them an email before,but i dont think i will ever get any respond ;)


    • This commment is unpublished.
      daniel
      daniel · 28/12/2021
      @Sunflower seems to not work for me...once i ll push
      "finalizar"button nothings gonna show up ;)
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Jul
    Jul · 19/12/2021
    Hi everyone,
    I wanted to share my experience. I arrived early August, left last week of November, paid a fee and came back early December. Clearly they told me I already did 110 days and gave me 1 month more. I really don't know what to do, but I can't leave that's for sure. I don't mind paying the fee at all I just fear other consequences. Anyone in my case? Thank you all, have a beautiful sunday :-)
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 20/12/2021
      @Jul
      Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do. Most nationalities can stay in Peru for up to 90 days in a 180-day period as tourists. So, you are allowed to stay for 3 months within half a year, which you already did. In my opinion you can be happy that they let you enter and gave you another month.

      There is no tourist visa extension at the moment and even if the extension was possible, you already used your days. So, now your only option is to overstay your welcome; something I can't and won't recommend for numerous reasons.

      As things stand today (that might change any time) you don't have to fear any consequences, just pay the overstay fee when you finally leave. However, Migraciones is now able to see all your entry, exits and overstays and might give you trouble when trying to re-enter again before your 180-day period is completely over (honestly I don't know how they calculate this now, as you entered during your first one).

      Anyway if you plan to stay longer in Peru you should consider applying for a residency.

      Happy holidays
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Jul
      Jul · 20/12/2021
      @Sunflower Thanks Eva, as you say i better stay in peru and not leave until i am sure :-)

      Happy holidays to you too!!!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Jul
      Jul · 15/02/2022
      @Sunflower Hi Eva, Hope you are well! I tried TAM virtual but once i reached step 2 'resumen' and click on 'finalizar' nothing happen - does it work ?  also what are the prerequisites to apply for a residency - where can i find easily this info ? Thanks :-)
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 15/02/2022
      @Jul
      Hi Jul,

      As with so many other things in Peru, for some people checking the TAM on the Migraciones website works, for others on the Agencia Digital and for others nothing works. Check out our article "How" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.limaeasy.com/peru-guide/legal-stuff/how-many-days-did-i-get-when-entering-peru">How many days did I get when entering Peru?" and work through Option 1 to 4. Hopefully, one will work.

      Then the requirements for a residency depend on which resident visa you want to apply for. So, if you apply for a family visa you will need other documents than if you apply for a work, investment or retirement visa. So, you might want to check out our Visa" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.limaeasy.com/peru-guide/peruvian-visa-types">Visa Guide where we described the 5 most common resident visas in Peru including exact requirements and how to apply.

      Be however aware that you can only apply for a resident visa - correctly change your immigration status (cambio de calidad migratoria) - when you are in Peru on a valid visa (for example a tourist visa / authorization to enter as tourist). Be aware as well that no matter which resident visa you apply for since mid last year, you always need a criminal background check from your country of origin.

      Greetings
      Eva

  • This commment is unpublished.
    Suzy
    Suzy · 15/12/2021
    Hello, 
    I arrived to Peru 30/07/2021. As it was impossible to extent my tourist visa I left 19/11/2021.I had to pay 8 soles when leaving Peru. They calculated my stay from 20/08/2021.I am in Argentina now. I would like to return to Peru 30/12/2021. My immigration lawyer says it is possible. But I am not sure, because of the 90/180-day regulation. what do you think?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 15/12/2021
      @Suzy
      Hello Suzy,

      I can't answer your question. Not sure how your immigration lawyer comes to the conclusion that you can return to Peru. The law clearly states that most foreigners are allowed to stay 90 days in a 180 day period. As immigrations in Peru calculated from August 20 your 180 day period would end on February 16 or if you calculate from your actual entry in July, it would end on January 26.

      However, most probably you won't have any problems returning to Peru at the end of December; but no-one can guarantee that. You might face an immigration official you works strictly by the law and who might give you a hard time.

      Personally I think that the chances are high that you are allowed entry, but, just be be prepared, expect to explain yourself or to do same soft-soaping.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Suzy
      Suzy · 21/12/2021
      @Sunflower Thanks Eva. Happy Holidays!:-)
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 22/12/2021
      @Suzy
      Hi Suzy,

      just check out the comment from Jul above this one. She tried to enter before her 180-day-period was over. And she was allowed to enter but only got 1 month.

      Happy holidays and all the best

      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Richard
    Richard · 09/12/2021
    Hello

    I arrived in Peru from the UK in mid October, meaning my tourist allowance will expire in the middle of January. However, I'm also married to a Peruvian national and my wife is expecting to give birth here in the next few weeks, so I would ideally like to stay until March. As I understand it to apply for a family visa I would need a police clearance certificate but wasn't aware of that before I travelled out here. Is there still no way of extending the tourist visa or is it possible the authorities would show any flexibility given the circumstances? 

    My other question is what might be the consequences the next time I return to Peru if I stay beyond the 90 day period and simply pay the fine when I leave? Am I likely to encounter any problems the next time I come to Peru?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 09/12/2021
      @Richard
      Hello Richard,

      As far as I'm aware the extension of tourist visas is not possible at the moment. And there seems to be no way to get Migraciones to extend tourist visas no matter the circumstances. The online extension form on the website and on the Agencia Digital doesn't work, however you can always try visiting the Migraciones office, but I fear they just send you away and suggest to apply for a family visa.

      So, the only option is to overstay, something I never recommend. As things stand today you just have to pay the overstay fee when leaving, don't have to fear any other consequences and don't have problems when returning. If this practice will change in the next months I don't know.

      Greetings
      Eva


  • This commment is unpublished.
    Luca
    Luca · 17/11/2021
    Hello again,

    I'm back for a new hopefully simple question:
    my 3 months will expire mid December and I have already decided to spend the Christmas here and leave Peru in January and pay the fine.
    However, I would like to visit Arequipa for a few days before leaving the country (but after my 3 months are expired). Do you know if I could face issues with taking a domestic flight with an "expired visa"?
    Thanks in advance
    Luca
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 17/11/2021
      @Luca
      Good morning,

      Your question might sound simple, but as so often in Peru, the answer to that isn't.

      Anyway, before Covid airlines and officials at the airport only manually checked the passports or IDs (and then only the page with the photo) of passengers on national flights and in rare cases the TAM. I don't know if this changed and if they now scan the passports of foreigners as the TAM is no longer a piece of paper but an entry in a database.

      If they scan the passport, then the system would immediately show that your "tourist visa" is already expired. Then either nothing happens, and they just let you board or you might be in trouble, which you might or not be able to solve by soft-soaping and showing a return flight / flight out of the country. So, in my opinion, it's a gamble. 

      Personally, I wouldn't take the risk and either take a bus (be aware that since November 15 everyone over the age of 45 has to be vaccinated) or fly before your "tourist visa" expires. On the way back from Arequipa to Lima, you shouldn't have a problem, as you can always tell the immigration officers that you are on your way out of the country.

      Greetings
      Eva

  • This commment is unpublished.
    Olimpia Argueta
    Olimpia Argueta · 04/11/2021
    Hello ! Thank you for posting this information. 

    Im an American. I entered Peru July 2021 and I was told there was no time limit on how long I could stay because Peru was in a state of Emergency . I asked for a specific time to clarify he said “I guess 180 days ?” 

    So now, I’m wanting to stay here permanently but I’m not sure what will happen if I leave the country. Will I be denied entry or will my time start again and will I get another 90 days ? 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 05/11/2021
      @Olimpia Argueta
      Hello,

      Yes, in July, Peru was still in a state of emergency and back then the time you could stay on a tourist visa was literally on hold. However, despite still being in a state of emergency, this changed a month later. On August 20, the clock for tourists (and residents with an expired residency) started ticking again.

      So, the first thing you have to check is how many days you got when entering Peru (as US citizen it should be 90 days, but probably you are lucky and they gave you 180 days). You can find this info in your TAM virtual.

      If your tourist visa is still valid and you want to stay permanently in Peru, you should immediately start with the application process for a resident visa.

      If your tourist visa is already expired, you have two options:

      - Apply for a residence visa; usually you have to be in Peru on a valid visa to do so, but at the moment there is a special program in place that foreigners on expired visas can “regulate” their immigration status (Procedimiento para regularizar la situacion migratoria de extranjeros)

      - Leave Peru; if your tourist visa is already expired, you have to pay S/ 4.40 for each day you overstayed before leaving.

      According to the Peruvian law, you are allowed to stay as tourist 90 days (3 months) in a 180-day (6-month) period. So, this means 3 months in Peru, 3 months out of Peru. So, right now, you already stayed at least 3 months and, according to the law, you have to stay 3 months out of Peru before you can re-enter.

      However, in Peru, sometimes the reality may differ from the law. So, if you leave and return to Peru before the 6-month period is over, you might have to face an immigration officer doing his job according to the law, denying you entry or just giving you a few days to arrange matters; or you are lucky and the immigration officer doesn’t bother and just allows you another 90 days. It’s a gamble.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Olimpia Argueta
      Olimpia Argueta · 06/11/2021
      @Sunflower Thank you!  This is very helpful! Just to clarify does the “clock start ticking” from the date I entered or starting August 20th to today ? 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 06/11/2021
      @Olimpia Argueta
      Just for clarification, the exceptional regulation was intended for tourists who were stuck in Peru during the lockdown and in times when there were no or only limited flights. The days they got when entering Peru counted down normally, however, in case their tourist visa expired during this time and they couldn't leave Peru, they wouldn't have to fear any consequences and wouldn't have to pay any overstay fees when being able to leave. For them the clock started ticking again in August, as they either had to leave latest the 20th of August, or pay overstay fees for every day they stayed longer than the 20th of August , or apply for a residence visa.

      Having read the announcements from Migraciones, the exceptional regulation doesn't apply to you. You entered in July and when the exceptional regulation was withdrawn your tourist visa was still valid. The days you got are counted from your date of entry.

      Greetings
      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    vane
    vane · 20/10/2021
    What else are the consequences to over stay in Peru besides of paying the 1.50$ fine per day. I over stay already for 2months. How long can I stay back home on my country to come back again here in Peru? 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 20/10/2021
      @vane
      At the moment, the fee for overstaying your welcome in Peru is S/ 4.40 per day you overstayed. Having paid the fee in full, you usually can leave Peru with no further consequences. However, there have been some rare cases where foreigners having overstayed excessively or having been involved in criminal activity were deported and sanctioned with a re-entry ban. As you never know what happens, if some laws change or if Migraciones adopts a hard line against illegals, we can only recommend to be in Peru on a valid visa.  

      How long you have to stay outside Peru before you can re-enter depends on your nationality. Most foreign nationals can stay 90 days in a 180-day period; meaning 3 months in Peru and 3 months out of Peru.
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Grace
    Grace · 17/10/2021
    I’m a Filipino national with Filipino passport holder and can stay here for 183days my stay here in Peru is almost over in a few days. They don’t give me any extensions anymore, I have a Peruvian fiancé and planning to get married because we also have a child which is not yet register here as Peruvian citizen they needed that all the documents need is to be apostille. The problem is there was no Philippine embassy here in Lima, Peru to help me out to authenticate the documents. And if I’m going to pay the fine per day for over staying here in Peru they will blacklisted me upon exit the country and not allowing to come back anymore here for a couple of years. I supposed to go back home in my country but my airline cancelled my flight and I can’t rebooked it for now because all the flights going to Philippines is 4x high the price. Is there any other way or options for me to extend my stay here for a month being legal? 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 17/10/2021
      @Grace Hello Grace,

      What a mess you are in. First of all the good news: when you overstay and pay the S/ 4.40 per day overstay fee upon leaving, you are not (!) blacklisted and you surely aren’t banned to re-enter Peru for a couple of years (at least if you haven’t abused the Peruvian system and lived in Peru for a long time on a tourist visa). As the list of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs which shows how long the different nationalities are allowed to stay in Peru, has a blank space next to Philippines I can’t exactly tell you how long you have to stay outside Peru, but it’s either 90 or 180 days. So, after leaving you can come back to Peru without any problems in 3 or latest 6 months.

      When you plan to overstay, you should be aware that as soon as your “tourist visa” or correctly your "temporary authorization to enter and stay as a tourist" expires, you are illegally in Peru and you can’t do any official business. To get married or to apply for a residence visa, you have to be in the country legally, so in your case, your “tourist visa” has to be valid.

      And I’m sorry, at the moment I don’t see any option to extend your stay in Peru. If you are planning to sort out your visa issues and your son’s nationality properly, in my opinion your only chance is to leave Peru for a few months (this would give you enough time to get both of your birth certificates and perhaps other necessary documents apostilled, which is only possible in the country of origin, so even if there was an Embassy of the Philippines in Lima, they couldn’t have helped you with that), then re-enter Peru and as soon as possible sort out your son and get married and immediately apply for a family visa. However, a good immigration lawyer might have an ace up his sleeve and probably might be able to help you somehow.

      Sorry, I couldn’t be of more help.

      Wish you all the best

      Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    irene
    irene · 15/10/2021
    hi. we're currently in peru since june. we've also noticed that we could not extend our tourist visa, so we're already overstaying for 1,5 months. we were thinking about leaving the country and come back (staying away for one night), beacause we wanted to stay for a longer period and get a work contract. But now we've stumbled across this article. Do you have an url with the information you based the article on from the offical peruvian government website?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 15/10/2021
      @irene Hello Irene,

      One reason we started LimaEasy 15 years ago was that in Peru there wasn’t and still usually isn’t one official, up-to-date, accurate and “all-inclusive” source giving foreigners all the necessary information they need to get through Peru’s bureaucratic jungle. So, this article, as many others on this website, is based on following and reading ever changing laws and regulations as well as websites, press releases and official social media postings from different governmental agencies, my personal experience and knowledge (in this case with Migraciones), statements and actual administrative procedures of Migraciones, explanations of immigration lawyers in Peru and countless messages of our readers who shared their experience for over a decade now. So, for which part of this very long article are you looking for the official source?

      In Peru nothing is black or white; the whole tourist visa extension process, for example, isn’t regulated by any published law and you can’t even trust the official Migraciones website. If you have a look at the Migraciones website, you still find the requirements and the application form for the tourist visa extension; and even on the new Agencia Digital one menu point is for the tourist visa extension. Nevertheless, as many of our readers stated and by now Migraciones confirmed on their FB page, no tourist visa extensions are granted at the moment. Migraciones argued that foreigners usually get the maximum number of days when entering, so there is no need for it; but nobody bothered to update the official Migraciones website.

      On the official website of the Peruvian government, the article about the tourist visa extension is gone. However, there you can find a listing published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, showing which nationals need a real tourist visa from a consulate before coming to Peru, and which nationals can enter Peru visa-free and can stay for how long. Except for Brazilians, Chileans and Mexicans, nearly all nationals are only allowed to stay 90 days, mostly in a 180-day period. I described the discrepancies of this list with the Foreigner Law Decreto Supremo 1350 from March 2017 (see article 77.2) above; and these weren’t eliminated in the actualization of the Foreigner Law Decreto Supremo No. 002-2021-IN from March 2021.

      So, which official government website do you prefer? The actual law or the list of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Migraciones website? Or isn’t it wiser to look at how Migraciones, who is in charge of issuing the extensions, handles them at the moment? They don’t do extensions at the moment and nobody knows if this is only temporary or permanent.

      And if you are planning to border-hop to “renew” your visa, be aware that you might be lucky and get another 90-day stamp in your passport or only get a few days or are denied entry as you already stayed your allowed 90 days in a 180-day period. And no, there aren’t any official regulations regarding border hopping, but here a little bit of Peru’s “border-hopping history”.

      The Peruvian foreigner law executed from 2008 to the beginning of 2017 stated that visitors can enter Peru for touristic, recreational, or health purposes for 183 days. It however didn't mention if the 183 days were per year or per visit. Back then, many foreigners used this little gap in the old Peruvian immigration law to live on a tourist visa in the country. As soon as their visa was about to expire, they just crossed the border, stayed 5 minutes, a day or two, in one of Peru’s neighboring countries and returned asking immigrations for another 183 days. For years, this worked absolutely fine. After the 2017 Foreigner Law went into effect, immigration officers at the border gave lots of people who already stayed in Peru 183 days and now wanted to return a hard time. After some soft-soaping and paying a bribe, a new entry stamp was in the passport. No problem.

      But after the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs eliminated the general 183 days in a 365-day period granted by the immigration law for most nationalities in June 2019, Peruvian border officials increasingly applied the new rules giving foreigners only the allowed 90 or 183 days when entering and wouldn’t let some border-hoppers re-enter (or only for a few days) when they already stayed the maximum allowed time as visitor in the country.

      Then Covid hit Peru, borders were closed and Migraciones worked hard on digitalizing certain processes and procedures. Now your arrival, for example, is registered in the Migraciones database available at all border posts and even the last immigration official is aware of the number of days foreigners are allowed to stay (when not, the system will tell them); however, it’s possible that the immigration officer you face at the border doesn’t care and just gives you another 90 days or is open to a little financial contribution for a new stamp in your passport. As there is no law regulating border-hopping and the land borders have been closed for non-residents for over a year, we just don’t have any feedback we could share. If you try to get over the border and back, please share your experience with us.

      As the extension of your stay isn't possible and the border-hopping option anything but certain, personally I fear your only safe option is to leave Peru for 3 months (then your 180-days period is over) and then return without any trouble for another 90 day stay.

      Greetings

      Eva

      P.S. And if you consider just overstaying your visa, be aware that you are illegally in the country. And in case you get employed, you only can apply for a residence visa if you are legally in Peru.
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Luca
    Luca · 14/10/2021
    yeah, I explicitly emailed Migraciones asking the consequences of overstaying, and they basically did not answer the question. Possibly the only thing is that if you stay for 4 months (like you got a 3 months visa and then you overstay 1), and then you want to enter peru again on month 5 (as an example), you may be denied because you have already used your  allowance (3 months out of 6). This appears to be the new rule for people from Schengen area, at least: the reason I cannot renew my 3 months visa seems to be that for Schengen the allowance is not 6 months every 12, it is 3 months every 6 - that would mean 3 months in, 3 months out. Not sure for people from countries that still have a "6 months every 12" allowance and nonetheless get only a 3 months visa on entry... they should be allowed to renew, but possibly they are not? Ah... Peru!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 14/10/2021
      @Luca
      When I remember correctly, only nationals from Brazil, Chile and Mexico are still allowed to stay 6 months, all the other nationals, who can enter Peru without having to apply for a visa at a consulate first, are now on 3 months mostly in a 6-month period (so 3 months in, 3 months out). As Migraciones usually gives 90 days, the visa extension might not be necessary anymore.

  • This commment is unpublished.
    Erin
    Erin · 08/10/2021
    Hello, thank you for this very informative post.
    I enter from Lima airport on August 8th, I have Taiwanese passport (official name is Republic of China), at first the immigration officer confused it with China passport  (People's Republic of China) so they said I needed a visa, but after discussed with the supervisor they confirmed Taiwanese don't need a visa and could stay up to 183 days, and I was told they gave me 90 days and could get extension.  But there is no any stamps on my passport, how can I check if they gave me 90 days or 183 days?  Thank you. 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 08/10/2021
      @Erin Hello Erin,

      Yes, Taiwanese passport holders don’t need to apply for a visa before coming to Peru. How good that you could sort that out when you entered. However, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs they are only allowed to stay up to 90 days; have a look at the pdf document “Visa requirements and waivers for foreign nationals” on page 6 under “otros territories”.

      And for quite some time now, the passport isn’t stamped anymore and the number of days you are allowed isn’t written anywhere. Your entry, how long you are allowed to stay in the country and, when you leave, your departure is automatically registered and the so-called "TAM virtual" created - a few years back this Tarjeta Andina de Migración was a physical white card that you had to fill in, was stamped at the point of entry and had to be given back when leaving the country; today it’s just an entry in the Migraciones database automatically registering your date of entry, how long you are allowed to stay and your departure.

      You can check your Tam virtual by opening the Migraciones Agencia Virtual. Choose "Extranjero" and enter the data requested (passport, passport number, date of birth, nationality, date of entry, captcha). Enter your personal data exactly as in your passport. On the next page you find on the left under “Consultas en linea” the point “Tam virtual”. Click on it. First choose “personal” and then once again enter your personal data, under Tipo Tam choose entry. The registry will appear, and you should see how long you can stay. You can as well download and / or print the page.

      Greetings
      Eva
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Erin
      Erin · 08/10/2021
      @Sunflower Hi Eva, thank you so much for this thorough instruction! I followed the steps however when I get to the final step, I chose ENTRADA, clicked on SIGUIENTE , it shows TIPO DOCUMENTO    (PAS) NÚMERO DOCUMENTO  (my passport no.)  NACIONALIDAD (TWN)  and I clicked on FINALIAR, it just sent me back to the previous page where to choose "personal"...What am I doing wrong??  Thank you so much!
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 08/10/2021
      @Erin
      This should work. Seems even after being online for a year now, the Agencia Digital still has its flaws.

      Other option could be to try the "old" Migraciones webpage, where you before the introduction of the Agencia Digital could check your TAM virtual.


      Hope this works.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Erin
      Erin · 08/10/2021
      @Sunflower Hi thanks for the other link, I tried it and also tried on different browser but both shows "NO SE HA ENCONTRADO INFORMACIÓN CON DATOS INGRESADOS", I also tried to search for my boyfriend's data but it's the same result, I guess I'll try again in a few days, hopefully they will fix the bug, or I'll try to contact the email they provide on the old page onsultastamvirtual@migraciones.gob.pe to see what they say.  Thank you for all your help. 
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 09/10/2021
      @Erin Sorry, I'm out of ideas. Best try to call or send an e-mail. Hope, you finally get an answer. Greetings Eva
  • This commment is unpublished.
    Tom
    Tom · 28/09/2021
    Are there an agencies or services that undertake the process on your behalf?
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 29/09/2021
      @Tom Yes, there are immigration lawyers (only an extremely limited number come recommended) and so-called tramidores, who offer their services. As we don't have personal experience with any of them and heard enough unpleasant stories from people who used "someone", we can't and won't recommend anyone. In most cases they are not necessary at all; the process for Migraciones application is personal anyway, filling in the online application is simple and if you have to visit a Migraciones office only you as applicant are allowed in (exception children or handicapped persons). And as you posted under the tourist visa extension article, I fear a lawyer or tramitador won't be able to do anything for you at the moment as (at lest for now) MIgraciones doesn't do extensions.
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Tom
      Tom · 29/09/2021
      @Sunflower Thank you :)
  • This commment is unpublished.
    J
    J · 27/09/2021
    I am from the US. My visa is about to expire 90 days. If I overstay is the fine the only thing to worry about? Will it affect my being able to come back again later? And also years ago I used to be able to go get the extension at the immigration office on Ave. España, is that not possible anymore? Tha ks
    • This commment is unpublished.
      Sunflower
      Sunflower
      • LimaEasy
       · 28/09/2021
      @J
      Good morning,

      For years the application for the tourist visa extension is done online; in pre-Corona times you did it on the Migraciones website and only when this didn’t work, you could do it in person at the Migraciones office. Now the tramite is supposed to be done using the Migraciones Agencia Digital which was introduced last year. However, as quite a number of our readers reported over the last couple of weeks, they either didn’t have the button “tourist visa extension” when they entered the Agencia Digital, or an error appeared when clicking on the “visa extension”, or they couldn’t fill in the application form, or they filled in the online application, and nothing happened. When they then visited Migraciones and asked for the extension, all got the same answer: no tourist visa extension anymore. If this is only temporary or will become permanent, we don’t know.

      The fine for overstaying your welcome is 0.1% of an UIT. So, in 2021 you have to pay S/ 4.40 for each day you overstayed. The fee is paid when leaving the country at the Banco de la Nación under code 00675 “Multa Extranjeros -Exceso permanencia (por día)”. Usually, you don’t have to fear any consequences when overstaying; however, you should be aware that you are illegally in the country, which could result in deportation.

      Additionally, at least before Corona the border-hopping times, so just crossing the border and returning the same or a few days later, to get a new tourist visa stamp in the passport were over. After the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs eliminated the general rule that tourists are allowed to stay 183 days in a 365-day period in June 2019 and implemented new regulations allowing most nationalities only to stay 90 days in a 180-day period (including US nationals), border officials increasingly applied these new rules giving foreigners only the allowed days when entering for the first time and wouldn’t let border-hoppers re-enter (or only for a few days) when they already stayed the maximum allowed time as visitor in the country. So, right now, we don’t know how immigrations will handle that in the future.

      Greetings
      Eva

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