Peru Entry Requirements: Passport, Visa, Vaccines and Customs

To visit Peru as a tourist, in most cases all you need is a passport valid for at least six months. Citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, the European Union, the United Kingdom and almost all of South America don’t need a visa, and citizens of the Andean Community and Mercosur can even enter with their national ID card. Peru doesn’t require any vaccines for entry: the yellow fever vaccine is only recommended if you’re heading to jungle areas. Rules change, so check your case on the official Peruvian Foreign Ministry website before you book your flight.

From Cusco we see travelers every season who don’t know how many days they were granted, or who pack coca leaves in their bag for the trip home. This guide brings together what Peru’s immigration agency (Migraciones), the Foreign Ministry (Cancillería), the Ministry of Health (MINSA), the customs agency (SUNAT), the Ministry of Culture and the U.S. CDC say, as checked on October 26, 2026.

Do I need a visa for Peru?

It depends on your nationality. The Foreign Ministry publishes an official table, “Visa requirements and exemptions for foreign citizens holding ordinary passports,” organized by region. The version in force when we wrote this guide is from July 2026. For each country it shows whether it’s exempt from the tourist visa, how many days of stay apply and which regulation backs it up.

• No tourist visa needed: all of South America except Venezuela; the United States, Canada and Mexico; every country in the European Union and the Schengen Area; the United Kingdom and Ireland; Australia and New Zealand; Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa; and most of Central America and the Caribbean.
• Visa needed: among others, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua; most countries in Africa; and many in the Middle East and Asia, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan or Vietnam.
• China and India: a visa is needed unless the traveler holds a visa valid for at least six months, or permanent residence, from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia or a Schengen country.
• Venezuela: the table marks it as “Yes/No.” A 2016 regulation exempts citizens of visa-required countries from the tourist visa if they can prove permanent residence in Colombia, Chile or Mexico.

Peru visa for Mexican citizens

Mexicans don’t need a tourist visa for Peru. According to the Foreign Ministry table, they can stay up to 183 calendar days, with no extension, within a 365-day period counted from their first entry. It’s one of the longest stays in the table, along with those for El Salvador and Qatar.

How to check it on the official website

1. Go to the Peruvian government platform (gob.pe) and search for the Foreign Ministry table “Requerimientos y exoneración de visas.” Check the document date: it should be the most recent one.
2. Find your country within its region and read the “Turista” column: “Sí” means you’re exempt; “No” means you need a visa.
3. Look at the length of stay and its footnote: “90 days, extendable” is not the same as “90 days in any 180.”
4. If you need a visa, apply at a Peruvian consular office in the country where you are, well ahead of time and before buying flights you can’t change.

What you need, based on where you’re from

A summary of the Foreign Ministry table for the countries we see most often. What counts is the official table on the day you travel.

If you travel on a passport from…	Document to enter	Tourist visa?	Stay listed by the Foreign Ministry	Where to check
Bolivia, Colombia or Ecuador (Andean Community)	Passport or valid national ID	No	90 days, extendable once	Foreign Ministry table and Migraciones (gob.pe)
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay or Uruguay	Passport or valid national ID	No	90 days, extendable once	Foreign Ministry table and Migraciones (gob.pe)
Mexico	Passport	No	183 days in 365, no extension	Foreign Ministry table (gob.pe)
United States or Canada	Passport	No	90 days, extendable once	Foreign Ministry table (gob.pe)
Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and the rest of the Schengen Area	Passport	No	90 days in any 180	Foreign Ministry table (gob.pe)
United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or South Korea	Passport	No	90 days, extendable once	Foreign Ministry table (gob.pe)
China or India	Passport	Yes, unless holding a U.S., Canadian, UK, Australian or Schengen visa or residence	180 days, no extension	Foreign Ministry table and Peruvian consulate
Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and most of Africa	Passport	Yes	As set by the visa and Migraciones	Peruvian consulate

In every case, your passport must be valid for at least six months. Source: Foreign Ministry table of July 2026 and Migraciones, checked on October 26, 2026.

How long can I stay in Peru as a tourist?

Peru’s immigration law (Legislative Decree 1350) sets a maximum of 183 days for tourist status, cumulative within a 365-day period. But the days you actually get depend on your nationality, and they’re set by the Migraciones officer at the entry checkpoint. The Foreign Ministry table distinguishes several cases:

• 90 days, extendable once for the same period, within 365 days: most of South America, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.
• 90 days in any 180: the European Union and the rest of the Schengen Area, under the short-stay visa waiver agreement between Peru and the EU.
• 183 days, no extension: Mexico, El Salvador and Qatar.
• Other fixed stays, no extension: for example, 60 days for the Dominican Republic, 90 days for Costa Rica, Honduras or Panama, and 180 days for China and India.

Citizens of the Andean Community can apply online, through the Migraciones Digital Agency, for an extension up to a maximum of 180 days in one year, always before their stay runs out.

Tourist status covers tourism, leisure, health or similar activities. It doesn’t allow you to work or carry out paid activities. If you overstay, Migraciones charges a daily fine equal to 0.1% of Peru’s Tax Unit (UIT) for each extra day.

Important: the stay that counts is the one shown on your virtual Andean Migration Card, not the one you read online. Download it for free from the Migraciones website the day you arrive and write down your deadline.

Passport or national ID: what you need to enter

Migraciones requires a passport valid for at least six months. If your passport doesn’t meet that requirement, you won’t be allowed into the country. Also make sure it’s in good condition and, if your nationality requires it, that you have your visa.

Citizens of the Andean Community and Mercosur can enter with their valid national ID card. In practice, that includes Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador through the Andean Community, plus Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. If you’re continuing to a country outside the region, bring your passport anyway.

• Always carry the document you entered with: it’s the one you’ll be asked for at a police or Migraciones check.
• If your passport is lost or stolen, go to your consulate as soon as possible. They’ll help you get a new passport or an emergency travel document to return home.
• If you travel on an Andean Community ID, keep it handy for tickets too: Machu Picchu has its own fare for CAN citizens, as we explain in our guide to Machu Picchu ticket types.

Virtual Andean Migration Card: your entry record

At airports with international flights, Migraciones no longer stamps passports. Your entry is recorded on the virtual Andean Migration Card (TAM), which is created automatically at the immigration booth. There’s no paper form to fill out.

• What it contains: your personal details, the date, time and checkpoint, and, for foreigners, the authorized length of stay.
• How to get it: on the Migraciones website, in the “Tarjeta Andina de Migración Virtual” section, using your document details. The download is free and works on your phone.
• What it’s for: it proves you entered legally, tells you how many days you have left, and you can show it with your document at a check.

If you arrive overland, for example from Bolivia around Lake Titicaca, always go through the Migraciones checkpoint. According to Migraciones, anyone who skips immigration control breaks the rules and may be unable to re-enter Peru or board a flight out of the country.

At Lima airport you’ll see signs for MigraCheck, the pre-registration for the electronic gates: according to Migraciones, it’s aimed at Peruvian citizens aged 18 and over. For the next leg, see how to get from Lima to Cusco.

Minors traveling to Peru

Foreign children traveling as tourists need their own passport, or their national ID if they’re from the Andean Community or Mercosur, and a visa if applicable. Peru’s immigration law says no travel authorization is required for foreign minors with temporary immigration status, such as tourist status, to leave the country, as long as they leave under the same conditions in which they entered.

• The child entered with both parents: normally, they leave with both. If one parent is going home earlier, ask Migraciones or the Peruvian consulate which document to carry.
• The child entered with only one parent or with another adult: they can leave with that same person without a Peruvian authorization. Even so, carry a consent letter from the absent parent following your own country’s rules, because your home country or the airline may ask for it.
• Minors with Peruvian nationality who live abroad: they don’t need an authorization if their stay in Peru doesn’t exceed 183 days. If they stay longer, the rules for Peruvian minors apply, with a notarial, consular or court authorization depending on the case.

If you’re traveling as a family, you’ll find tips on altitude, pace and tickets in Machu Picchu with kids.

Vaccines for Peru: yellow fever and the jungle

Peru doesn’t require any vaccines for entry: according to the CDC, the yellow fever vaccine is not an entry requirement. What changes is the recommendation depending on the area. This is general information, not medical advice: talk to your doctor or a travel clinic well ahead of time.

What MINSA says

Peru’s Ministry of Health considers as yellow fever endemic basins the forested jungle areas of Loreto, Madre de Dios, San Martín, Ucayali and Amazonas, and the jungle areas of Junín, Ayacucho, Cusco (except Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail), Huánuco, Pasco and Puno. It recommends that travelers going to jungle areas get vaccinated at least 10 days before the trip. According to MINSA, a single dose gives lifelong protection, and the vaccine is free at its health facilities for travelers aged 15 to 59 heading to risk areas.

What the CDC says

The CDC recommends it from 9 months of age for areas below 2,300 m in the eastern regions, including Cusco, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Puno and Ucayali. It doesn’t recommend it above 2,300 m or for Lima and the highland tourist areas: the city of Cusco, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.

Area	Yellow fever (CDC)	Malaria (CDC)
Lima	Not recommended	No transmission in Lima Province
Cusco city, Inca Trail and Machu Picchu	Not recommended	No transmission in Cusco city and Machu Picchu
Jungle east of the Andes below 2,300 m (for example Madre de Dios or Loreto)	Recommended from 9 months	Transmission below 2,500 m, including Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos
Tumbes and parts of Cajamarca, Lambayeque and Piura	Generally not recommended	Rare cases in Tumbes and Piura

If you add the Amazon or a route that drops into the cloud forest, such as the Inca Jungle, ask your doctor whether you should get it. Also think about your next destination: MINSA warns that several countries require a yellow fever certificate from passengers arriving from Peru.

The CDC also recommends being up to date on routine vaccines, plus hepatitis A for unvaccinated travelers aged one year and older. In Cusco, what affects travelers most is usually the altitude, not an infection: read our guide to altitude sickness in Cusco.

Is travel insurance required for Peru?

No. Neither Migraciones nor the Foreign Ministry lists it among the entry requirements for tourists. Even so, we recommend it, especially if you’re going trekking.

• Make sure it covers medical care and evacuation. The CDC mentions medical evacuation insurance to cover emergency transport, and notes that many private hospitals in Lima accept international insurance.
• Make sure it includes adventure and high-altitude activities if you plan to hike the Inca Trail, Salkantay or another high-altitude trek.

To estimate this and other costs, see our budget for a trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Customs on arrival: what to declare and what’s duty-free

SUNAT, which runs customs, asks you to file the Baggage Declaration only if you’re carrying any of the following:

• Baggage or goods subject to taxes.
• Goods excluded from the baggage regime.
• Restricted or prohibited goods.
• Goods entering temporarily.
• Cash or negotiable financial instruments worth more than US$10,000, or the equivalent in another currency.

The declaration is digital, through SUNAT’s “Bienvenido al Perú” app. If you have something to declare, go to the red channel with your passport or ID. If not, exit through the green channel. If you’re carrying fresh food, plants, seeds or animals, they may be restricted goods: declare them and don’t take chances.

What you can bring in duty-free

• Clothing, toiletries, medicines, books and documents for your personal use.
• One laptop, one tablet and up to two cameras. Travelers over 18 can bring two cell phones; those over 7, one.
• For travelers over 18: 20 packs of cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 250 g of tobacco, and 3 liters of liquor.
• One portable musical instrument and one sports item or set.
• Other goods and gifts not intended for sale, up to a combined value of US$500.
• Cash up to US$10,000 or its equivalent.

SUNAT warns that undeclared goods are seized, and to get them back you must pay the taxes plus a fine of 50% of their value. Cash rules are stricter: you can’t bring in or take out more than US$30,000 in cash or negotiable instruments, and failing to declare or declaring falsely leads to the temporary retention of the amount and a penalty of 30% of the undeclared value. For the clothes and gear you do need, see what to pack for Cusco.

What you can’t take out of Peru: cultural goods and coca leaf

Cultural goods

Items that are part of Peru’s national cultural heritage can’t leave the country. They’re protected by Law 28296, the General Law of the Nation’s Cultural Heritage, and by the 1970 UNESCO Convention against illicit trafficking. This applies to any authentic archaeological or historical piece, even if someone offers it to you at a market.

If you buy a pre-Hispanic-style replica, the Ministry of Culture issues a certificate stating that the item is not part of the cultural heritage. Without it, the replica can be seized. The procedure is done at the ministry’s headquarters in Lima or at the regional culture offices authorized to handle it. It costs S/ 50.60 for 1 to 4 items and S/ 4 for each additional item from the fifth on, and the certificate arrives in about 7 business days. If the evaluation finds the item is heritage, it can’t leave the country and there’s no appeal.

Important: don’t pick up stones, pottery or fragments at any archaeological site, not even small ones. Don’t buy “antiques” without paperwork. A receipt from the seller is no substitute for the Ministry of Culture certificate.

Coca leaf

In Peru, coca tea and coca leaves are sold and consumed openly. Taking them out of the country is another story: in many countries coca leaves, coca tea bags, candies and coca flour are prohibited. Before you pack anything, check with the customs agency of the country you’re returning to. We explain it in our guide to coca leaf in Cusco.

Leaving Peru: what to check before you fly home

• Always go through Migraciones control, including when you leave overland for a neighboring country. Your exit is recorded on the virtual TAM.
• Check your days. If you’ve overstayed, you’ll have to pay the daily fine of 0.1% of the UIT for each extra day.
• Minors: they should leave under the same conditions in which they entered.
• Cash and purchases: the declaration for more than US$10,000 also applies on departure, as does the certificate for replicas.
• Next destination: if you’re continuing to another country, check whether it requires a yellow fever certificate from travelers coming from Peru.

Tip: before leaving home, save a photo of your passport’s data page on your phone and, once in Peru, the PDF of your virtual TAM. If you lose your document, you’ll have the details your consulate will ask for.

Summary: Peru entry requirements

• Passport valid for at least six months. Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay can enter with their national ID.
• Visa: not needed for the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the European Union, the United Kingdom or almost all of South America. Check your country in the Foreign Ministry table on gob.pe.
• Days: the legal cap is 183 days in 365, but 90 days is common; check your actual stay on the virtual TAM.
• Vaccines: none required. The yellow fever vaccine is recommended for the jungle, not for Cusco city, the Inca Trail or Machu Picchu.
• Travel insurance: not required, but highly recommended.
• Customs: declare in the SUNAT app if you carry more than US$10,000 or taxable goods. Don’t take out cultural goods, replicas without a certificate or coca leaf.
• Rules change: check the Foreign Ministry and Migraciones before you travel. Information checked on October 26, 2026.