Peru Will Enforce 6-Month Passport Rule

Peru Will Enforce 6-Month Passport Rule

Before coming to visit Peru, verify that your passport will be valid for at least six months from your planned date of arrival.

The U.S. Consulate in Lima issued an alert that effective January 1, 2019, immigration officials will begin enforcing the existing law that requires all foreign travelers to have a passport valid for a minimum of six months past time of entry into Peru.

“Peruvian authorities will deny entry into Peru for travelers not meeting this requirement.” So, if your passport is due to expire in five months, you should get it renewed before coming.

This rule has always been on the books, but rarely was it strictly enforced.

Peru does not require a tourist visa for entry for citizens of most American and Western European countries who arrive with a valid passport. The maximum period of stay granted is 183 days.

Citizens of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Chile may enter with their valid national identification document.

Check here if you need a visa.

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Authored by: PeruTravelTrends

A Peru Tour Operator and Travel Agency: Since 1994 creating wonderful vacation experiences for adventure travelers and holidaymakers in Cusco, Lima, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, and all around the Andean region.

There are 20 comments for this article
  1. Kelvin cheeranjie at 1:17 pm

    I am due to travel to Peru with for three weeks with a confirmed return ticket. Passport expires in four months. Will I be permitted?

  2. Rick Vecchio at 11:08 am

    Hi Kelvin,

    Chances are when you pass through immigration at Jorge Chavez International Airport they won’t look twice, but there is no guarantee, especially since they announced that they were going to be enforcing the regulation more strictly. It is luck of the draw. You are at the mercy of the immigration official seated behind the kiosk. If you want to play it safe, you have your tickets already purchased, so you can get a new expedited passport in the U.S. for an additional fee of — hold on, I’m looking it up — USD60:
    https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/hurry.html
    https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/where-to-apply/passport-agencies/miami.html

    Hope this info helps.

    You’re going to love Peru!

    Best regards,

    Rick

  3. John at 1:39 am

    Hi, I am due to travel to Peru in a month but my passport is expiring in 5 months but passport is already under process, so our embassy extended the validity of my passport instead. Can I travel with an extended validity of my passport?

  4. Rick Vecchio at 10:13 am

    Hi John,

    I’ve never heard of an embassy doing that. Pretty cool. The short answer to your question is, I don’t know. Have you contacted the Peruvian Consul?

    Peruvian Embassy in Doha, Qatar
    Street 835, Building 42, Lejbailat Zone 64
    P. O. Box 24062
    Doha
    TELEPHONE(+974) 4491 5944
    FAX(+974) 4491 5940
    EMAIL in**@pe*********.qa

    Saludos!

  5. Sarah Doyle at 4:02 pm

    Hey Kevin.

    Can I ask what happened?
    Did you get let I. To Peru with 4 months left on passport?

  6. Enrique at 3:47 pm

    I traveled to Peru in July 2019 with a confirmed two weeks return ticket. My USA passport still had 4 months before expiration date. I was not allowed to enter the country. Was harassed by immigrations officials for trying to enter their country without knowing their laws and was deported. Not a good experience, will never try to go back. Yet a friend traveled to Japan at the same time with USA passport with 3 months before expiration; had no problem. Should have gone to Japan.

  7. Presilla at 2:30 am

    Hello! I am a US citizen leaving for Peru on October 18 and coming back to the US on October 30. My passport expires April 26, 2020. Will I be let into Peru even though my passport will be expiring in less than 6 months by the time I return back to the states?

  8. Rick Vecchio at 5:05 pm

    Hi Presilla,
    I can’t imagine you would have a problem under the circumstances you describe. Everyone is basically at the mercy of the immigration officer they encounter when they arrive, but the folks at Jorge Chavez International Airport are super professional and for the most part really, really nice. They are not looking to keep bona fide tourists out of the country if they have six months left on their passport upon arrival and are only going to be here for a couple of weeks. That’s my opinion.
    You’re going to love Peru!
    Saludos,
    Rick

  9. Ciara at 5:05 pm

    Hi there. I have just discovered that my passport will be 5 months and 29 days before expiry when i just past through Lima for one night on my way home from Santiago. Do we think they will let me through seeing as its just 1 night and I have a booked ticket back to the UK the next day?? I leave in 8 days on my month long trip so fast tracking a new passport is going to be so expensive and stressful. Advice needed please x

  10. Rick Vecchio at 12:37 pm

    Hello Ciara,

    I can’t imagine that you have anything to worry about under the circumstances you describe. Have a wonderful time on your South American adventure!

    Best regards,
    Rick @ fertur-travel.com

  11. Mike at 2:15 am

    Hello, I am a US citizen leaving for Peru in just under a week (for a ten day trip) and just realized that I needed six months of validity on my passport. My passport is set to expire in May of 2020. Do you think I will get turned away?

  12. Garrett at 9:48 am

    I am supposed to travel to Peru on Feb. 9. I had no idea about the 6 month rule, but my passport expires on Feb. 25th. Is there any possibility I would be able to get in the country? I am supposed to leave Peru on Feb 14.

  13. Rick Vecchio at 11:10 am

    Hello Garrett,

    I can’t say for certain whether you would definitely have trouble getting past the airline check-in counter when you depart or with Peruvian immigration upon arrival, but I personally would go for the expedited passport renewal if I were in your situation.

    Best regards,

    Rick

  14. Caroline Jiga- Herrera at 6:40 pm

    Hello,

    I’m traveling to Peru on 2/6/2020 with my family. My daughter passport expires on 8/4/2020. I was not aware of this 6 month rule. Do you think peru will give me problems because it’s off by 2 days?

  15. Chad at 8:33 pm

    Hello. All comments here discuss a passport that has less than 6 months before expiration. I’m wondering if the rule applies also from date of issue on a renewed password. My new passport has a date of March 15, and I plan to arrive in Peru on September 12 … 3 days shy of 6 months. Do you think I’ll have a problem? Right now I plan on taking both new and old passports and hoping I get in!

    Thanks for your answers, it is helpful.

  16. Silvana at 10:29 am

    Hello . I apply for a new passport by February. I am planning to travel at the end of august . Would I have any trouble to enter to Peru ? I am a USA citizen . I am just going for 8 days with a return flight ticket ? I will appreciate your answer

  17. Richard Jack at 2:36 am

    Yes, they will deny you entry. I had tickets to Peru. I got stuck in Los Angeles on my layover. They would not let me board the plane because my passport expires in 5 months, even though I had return flights booked.

  18. Shawn at 12:44 am

    Hi there, my mother in law lives in Peru. She has been staying with us in Canada for a while. Her passport expires in 4 months. Can she still travel to her country?

  19. HC at 6:37 pm

    Hi, it’s July 2023
    My daughter has a passport expiring January 8, 2024.
    Cannot get an appointment to get an expedited passport.
    Has anyone ever walked in and gotten the passport that day?
    And is it still super strict?
    Supposed to go July 24 2023

  20. Chane' at 3:00 pm

    Hi There,
    I have a layover in Peru from Chile. my passport will expire in 5 months and want to know if the regulations are the same for just layover if i am not going to leave the airport? Thanks

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