This articles was updated in March, 2019.
A lot of expats stay in Peru for extended periods on tourist visas, and there are times when it becomes necessary to stay longer than the time given on your visa. So, what are your options?
According to the Legislative Decree N. 1350, when you enter Peru the immigration officer can grant you up to a maximum length of 183 days in the country per 365 day period. The amount of days you get depends, in part, on your travel plans. Some expats have found that by mentioning that they are planning their wedding, or are applying for their Carné de Extranjería (Peruvian residency), the agents might grant the full length of time permitted. If that is your case, it doesn’t hurt to ask!
However, if you get less than the 183 days allowed, and you want to extend your stay, you may request an extension of stay via internet in order to prevent getting a fine. The extension of stay can be requested by tourists who do not require a visa for entry into Peru and need to extend their stay for less than three months. Keep in mind that you can only do this when you have not been in the country for the full 183 days allowed per 365 days.
To perform this procedure, foreign tourists must first pay the processing fee (S / 11.70) at any Banco de la Nación or through the online application Pagalo.pe.
You must then enter the institutional portal at www.migraciones.gob.pe to fill out a form and obtain an extension of stay, which will be certified by a code and not with a passport stamp, as was done until recently.
But what if you stay beyond the full 183 days?
If you find yourself in a situation where you must stay in Peru longer than the 183 days allotted on your visa, you will be charged a fine of S/4.20 per day (approximately $1.25 US dollars). So, if you overstay your visa by a week, you’ll have to pay a fine of $8.75 US dollars. If you’re leaving through Lima’s airport, the border guard will simply direct you to the corresponding booth to pay the fine.
If you are leaving Peru by land at one of the major border crossings, the process is similar – you pay the fee to the immigration officer as you leave. They should give you a stamp and a receipt that you can keep in your passport. It is not recommended that you try to leave through one of the smaller border exits if you have overstayed.
If you don’t want to worry about a possible delay at the airport or at your border exit, you can go to the main immigration office and pay in advance for your overstay. You’ll need to take your passport, along with 2 copies each of your Andean migration card (in the case that you were given one, as this is being phased out), your passport picture page and the page of your passport with the most recent stamps. You’ll also want to take a copy of your plane ticket or itinerary, showing the day that you will be leaving the country.
For up to date information about tourist visa regulations, visit Peru’s immigration office website: https://www.migraciones.gob.pe/.
Have you had a recent experience leaving the Peru after having overstayed your visa? Please share your experience with others in our forum post: What happens if you overstay your visa
