All travellers

Normally, you don’t need a visa to travel if the purpose of the visit is tourism/visit. If you’re travelling for any other purpose, check entry clearance requirements with the Peruvian Consulate-General in London. For information see the Visas section.

Please note that previous requirements relating to Covid-19 vaccinations for entry in Peru were removed on 26 October 2022.

Some airlines and bus companies are not allowing foreign visitors, whose passports have been lost/stolen, to travel internally carrying a Police report only. They require a new passport or more documents. If your passport has been lost/stolen and you plan to travel internally, please contact your travel agency/airline/bus company first to check on requirements.

Immigration

Clashes between the police and migrants were reported on the border between Peru and Chile in April and early May 2023. This led to delays in processing at this border crossing. As a result, on 27 June 2023 a state of emergency was extended for 60 days on all border areas of Peru, covering different districts and provinces in the regions of Tumbes, Piura, Cajamarca, Amazonas, Loreto, Madre de Dios and Tacna. States of Emergency, amongst other things, allow the military to assist the local police and authorities in maintaining law and order. For full details, please visit El Peruano newspaper.

Entry stamps

Passports do not get an immigration entry or exit stamp in any international airport in Peru. The entry into and exit from the country is registered digitally only. You can find the registration of your immigration control and the number of days granted to stay legally in Peru in this link.

If you enter Peru overland from Bolivia, either by walking, by bus or taxi, you must make sure your passport is stamped with a Peruvian entry stamp at the immigration office. You need to go to the immigration checkpoint proactively, as they may not reach out to you.

If you enter Peru overland from Ecuador, you must make sure your passport is stamped with a Peruvian entry stamp at the local immigration office. Most people crossing the border with Ecuador enter Peru through Aguas Verdes (Tumbes region) - you may need to ask for directions to the immigration office. If your passport is not stamped at the border with Ecuador, you can have it stamped at the Immigration Office in the city of Tumbes.

If you enter Peru without an immigration entry stamp through any land border, you may still be able to enter Peru with no problems, but once in, you will not be able to leave Peru until you have obtained a new entry stamp. That is required by law.

In order to obtain a new entry stamp the immigration authorities will need you to complete a form (fully in Spanish) and provide your passport and evidence of your entry to Peru, e.g. air/bus ticket in your name, exit stamp from the last country you visited, and any other documentation they deem necessary. This process is fully online and has very specific guidelines to follow.

If you’re unable to provide any such evidence you must apply for an exit or expulsion order at the Immigration Office in Lima. You won’t be allowed to leave Peru without this, and these orders may prevent you from re-entering Peru for the next five to ten years. The British Embassy cannot intervene in immigration decisions.

If your passport was not stamped on entry into Peru through a land border, we can assist you in requesting a new entry stamp or the exit order. The sooner you start that process, the better.

Check your passport and travel documents before you travel

Check with your travel provider to make sure your passport and other travel documents meet their requirements.

Passport validity

If you are visiting Peru, your passport should be valid for six months from the date you arrive. This is not applicable to foreign residents in Peru holding a valid Peruvian residence card (‘carné de extranjería’), as their passports will not require a minimum validity.

Some airlines have been allowing non-resident passengers to travel to Peru without the six-month passport validity requirement. These passengers have not been allowed to enter Peru upon arrival.

Visas

Normally, you don’t need a visa to travel if the purpose of the visit is tourism/visit. If you’re travelling for any other purpose, check entry clearance requirements with the Peruvian Consulate-General in London.

If you have tourism status in Peru, you’ll need to apply online for a special permit in order to sign any type of contract, eg, purchase of a home, business contracts, at a notary public. For more information, please contact the Peruvian Immigration Office or the Peruvian Consulate-General in London.

On arrival, you’re normally given permission to stay for up to 90 days.

Double check the period of time you’ve been granted. If you overstay, you’ll need to pay a fine. In the worst case scenario you could be held in detention.

While it is not required by the immigration authorities, some airlines require passengers to show proof of onward travel (e.g. an airline ticket) in order to travel to Peru.

Travelling with children

Children under the age of 18 years travelling on a British passport who have resident status in Peru need written permission (Autorización de Viaje Notarial) from the non accompanying parent(s) to leave the country.

This permission is obtained by a notary public in Peru. The letter must mention the proposed destination, the purpose of the trip, the date of departure and the return date.

If unable to obtain a notarial permission, the child will need a judicial written permission (Autorización de Viaje Judicial) issued by a judge. If one of the parents has committed certain crimes, the other parent can request a judicial written permission from the judge. If one of the parents is deceased, the other parent would need to submit the death certificate to a notary public, so that an indefinite notarial permit to travel with the child is issued.

Children who have tourist status do not need these permissions, but immigration officers are free to request them in circumstances considered suspicious by the immigration authorities or if the child has stayed in Peru for over 90 days.

For further information, contact the Peruvian Consulate in London or the Peruvian Immigration Department.

Customs

You can enter Peru with one laptop and two mobiles phones maximum per passenger without paying taxes. You should familiarise yourself with Peruvian immigration or customs procedures before you enter the country. For further details contact the Peruvian Consulate in London.

If you are returning to the UK via Europe, be aware that the customs authorities in European airports frequently confiscate duty free alcohol and other liquids purchased at the duty free shops in Lima airport from passengers in transit.