Peru – New Visa Categories Introduced
Beginning March 1, 2017, new implementation of the temporary worker and resident visa categories will change. Two new categories will be introduced, Temporary Workers and Residence.
Temporary Workers will include the following:
- Business Visa
- Foreign nationals performing business, legal, or similar arrangements
- Multiple-entry visa for a duration of stay up to 183 days
- Not renewable
- Temporary Appointed Worker
- Multiple-entry visa for a duration of stay up to 183 days
- Renewable
- International Agreements
- Duration of stay based on international agreement
- Temporary Training/Research
- Single entry visa
The Residence category will include the following that will carry out work services for at least one year:
- Appointed Worker
- Foreign national must have a service agreement or similar agreement executed between the foreign company and a Peruvian company
- Valid up to one year
- Worker
- Foreign national must have an employment contract
- Multiple entry visa valid up to one year
- Worker Family
- Spouses of permanent residents granted automatic work rights under main applicants visa – currently not allowed
- Multiple entry visa valid up to two years
- Research
- Allows foreign national with recognized knowledge and experience in the fields of science, technology, or innovation to work on highly specialized education projects
- Valid up to one year
Peru also plans to implement a new immigration registry that will be used to store and access foreign nationals’ identification information. The Immigration Information Registry, or RIM, is expected to be used by the Immigration Office and Peruvian authorities in the near future.
The new law also changes the deportation ban and introduces new fees. The deportation ban will now decrease to 15 years, rather than the current lifetime bar. However, there will be new fines subjected towards a foreign national who is departed.
New fees will be introduced for the below:
- Overstaying on a visa fee will increase, in which it is currently it is $1USD per day of overstay;
- Foreign nationals of more than one nationality that use a different passport or document to identify themselves while entering Peru;
- Failing to update identification card information;
- Failing to pay government visa fees;
- Not extending visa within its validity period;
- And performing activities not allowed on current immigration status, visa, or permit.