Thursday, December 11, 2008

Finding Teaching Jobs in Peru

Updated 1 May 2014

I've put together a basic guide for those who would like to teach English in Peru. For more comprehensive information on teaching, try looking in The Ultimate Guide to Teaching in Peru, which was featured in Transitions Abroad. If you're going to be going to Peru make sure you take advantage of all the things you can see and do here. There are a number of great Peru guide books out there that will help you pick and choose what to do. 

Finding a Job Before You Arrive
In general it’s difficult to secure a teaching job before you arrive here, but not impossible. You might try contacting schools before you arrive, and can find a list of schools in The Little Black Book of English Institutes in Peru. Keep in mind that only institutes are mentioned in the link above. If you're a qualified teacher and interested in primary or secondary schools, try IBO or TES.


Side Jobs and Working Online
Nowadays there are many places that need online teachers. Usually you will be a conversation teacher, but there are other positions available, such as assisting with writing. Pay varies, but is around $10 an hour. You can find more info at Teaching Online.

If you'd like to do something other than teaching, there are lots of possibilities, such as selling art, being a doula, or even a tour guide. For more ideas read, Supplementing Your Teaching Salary. There are more things you can do besides teaching, selling photos online, editing, or creating database are just the tip of the iceberg. Check out more ways in the article, Making Money Online.

Getting Teaching Work
Although it might take a lot of work at the beginning, you{ll soon build up a solid schedule. Try looking at the advice in What to do Upon Arrival to find out how to get a good job quickly. If you're a single parent or have children, you'll have more things to take into consideration. Be sure to read TEFLing as a Single Parent and Teaching with Kids in Tow.

In most places, employers will want to meet you before having you sign a contract, they might also have you take English tests, psychological tests, and do a demo lesson. Don’t worry too much about TEFL certs. Having a degree and being a native speaker are usually enough to get a job. Experience and is also a big help. And if you have a teaching license, you can get a job just about anywhere. Watch out for chain schools, although some are good, they may not treat their teachers as well as other places. And remember don't just accept the first job offer just because you need a job. Look at the article, Things to Consider Before Accepting a Job before you sign a contract.

Working Legally
Getting permission to work legally is difficult, however, this is Latin America, so laws tend to be shades of grey rather than black and white. Some options are getting a permission to sign a contract visa, see Permission to Sign a Contract Visa for more info. Have your work get you a work visa: schools and universities are more likely to get you a work visa than institutes. Or if you’re married to a Peruvian and get a llamado de familia / marriage visa, you can work legally.

There might be other visa options for you that let you work legally, such as student, independent worker, artist, immigrant visa, and religious. Here's the general foreigner information from Migraciones. You could also work under the table and border hop. Keep in mind that this is illegal.

Job Placement 
If you’ve done a TEFL certificate programme or are planning on doing one, often they have a lifetime job placement service that you can use. If this isn’t an option for you, there are places that specialize in job placement for teachers. There’s usually a fee involved, but they tend to have good contacts with schools. Some good places are Innovative English and TEFL Job Placement, they have placements in Cusco. Lastly, although it may be a long shot, try your local college or university. If they have a career service centre, they might be able to provide you with some places that are looking for teachers.

School Year
The school year goes from March/April until November/December. International schools may start looking for teachers as early as May to start in February. Recruiting usually starts in May and runs until the first week of February when schools are desperate to fill vacancies. Universities may wait until the beginning of the year (January or February) to start hiring. Many institutes hire year-round.

Where to Go 
Some people are certain what city they want to live in while others aren’t. Many people want to go to Cusco. Keep in mind that there are lots of tourists and it is similar to Europe, so if you want the real Peru experience, I would advise against Cusco. Smaller towns are an option. Piura and Chiclayo are close to the famous beaches. Trujillo is a uni town. Lima is the centre of everything. Arequipa is famous for its volcano. Puno has snow. Iquitos is in the jungle. Do some research; what appeals to some many not appeal to others. Go to your local library and get a Peru guide book or two. You can also read more about Peruvian cities in this article.

Interviewing
Sending your CV works, but going in person is better. You will probably have to have an interview and might be asked to do a demo lesson. For tips on how to make a good impression, see The Interview and Demo Lesson. Also, with lots of places, you will need Recibos de Honorarios, and unless you are legally here, you can't get them. You’ll have to find someone who does have these. They're like receipts. Many people won't want to give you theirs since there's a limit on how much money you make a month without paying taxes. If your recibos de honorario total more than 2550 soles a month, you have to pay taxes. So if you don't have these, start looking for someone who does.


Short-term Work
If you want to come here for a short time it's difficult to get a job and a visa before you get here. It's not impossible though. Look at Working Holiday Visas and Short-term Teaching for more info. However, if you want to stay for six months, you could sign a year-long contract with a school and simply leave after six months. It’s not that honest, but it is an option. Chances are that they would get you a visa. But, if you have a work visa, the school has to give you papers in order to leave the country to prove that you have paid taxes. See Leaving Peru and taxes for more information.

Many people simply come here and hand out their CVs. You will probably make about $5-$10 an hour. Keep in mind working without a visa is illegal. However, many people do it though and chances are slim that you will run into problems. You get up to 183 days upon entry. There are no visa extensions, you'll have to border hope. Some places hire people on tourists visas. Expect to get around $6-$10 an hour. For lists of schools try Breaking into the TEFL Market in Peru, and The Little Black Book of English Institutes.


Answer Adverts
Advertised jobs in Peru are few and far between. If you’re in Peru try buying El Comercio on Sunday. The good jobs can be found in the Empleos section. Here are some more websites for finding jobs.

Cold Calling
This comes in many forms. Applying to schools can be discouraging. Many places won't reply. This may be because they usually hire in Jan or simply because they would rather have you come in person before they hire you. Don't give up. Being persistent pays off. You can try emailing places.

Another option is calling or going in person. If you’d prefer to work in a school or university than an institute, check out the Education section for links to Peruvian schools and universities. Top Institutes in Lima might also help you if you want to work in an institute. The Little Black Book of English Institutes has info about the pay for the best institutes in Peru. The Ultimate Guide to Teaching in Peru has info about schools, institutes, and universities around Peru. Try also contacting top hotels as they often need to train their staff English.

Networking
Many jobs aren’t even advertised and are filled by word of mouth. Learning how to network is key here in Peru, look at Using Connections to Get a Great Job to find out more about networking. People often find jobs through friends of friends and that it especially true here in Peru. Be sure to tell everyone that you’re looking for a job. Who knows, your cousin’s girlfriend might know of a perfect job for you. You can also make contacts through forums as people tend to help each other out.


Private Lessons
Another option is coming and teaching private lessons. Try posting at private schools and universities. You can also try posting your advert at Expat Peru and Living in Peru. You can also post in the local paper. Privates outside of Lima pay around $5-10 an hour. In Lima they can pay up to $20 an hour. Have them pay in advance. You might also charge more if you go to their house.

Word of mouth, the yellow pages, and business cards work well. Sending out fliers, business cards to your target area. If you want to teach Business English, go to businesses; if you want kids English, stand outside schools. Try posting in El Comercio. Read the classifieds as well.  Read more about private students in this article.

Volunteering
Volunteering can be expensive and some places charge very high fees. The places below don't charge a fee or have a small fee. AYNI, Awaiting Angels, Cross Cultural Solutions, The Colour of Hope, and Habitat for Humanity. See Section 5 and Volunteer South America for more volunteer opportunities. More can be found at the Business Directory at Living in Peru and Trabajo Voluntario.

Other Jobs
If you can get hired in your own country and get transferred to Peru, all the better. You'll have a better salary and benefits. If you want to try to get a job while in Peru, checking El Comercio is good. Contacts and connections help as well. Try going to Living in Peru and Expat Peru and seeing what kind of jobs are there. Jobs which cater to foreigners and rich Peruvians pay better. You could also work online, read Supplement Your Income Online. The type of jobs you can get here are endless: secretary, tour guide, (see Amazing South America or Peru for Less) financial advisor, and many more. You can even start your own business.



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Monday, December 8, 2008

Hours of Operation and What to Wear in Peru

Updated 1 July 2013

Living in Peru can take some getting used to. Learning about Peruvian culture can help you understand more about daily life and customs.

Time is different. Many institutes and universities will have you work split shifts, four hours in the morning, a break between two and four hours and then four more hours in the evening. Sometimes classes finish at 9pm, or even as late as 10pm. Although at first it seems difficult, you will get used to it and can use the time in the afternoon to take a nap or run errands.

Smart casual is usually the rule here. Some places require you to wear a uniform, other say that men have to wear ties and women appropriate clothing. For men, you should wear dress pants and a dress shirt and for women, nice pants or a skirt with a blouse. Jeans are usually not accepted and piercings and tattoos should be hidden. Depending on where you are, you may be allowed to wear sandals, especially in the north.




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Sunday, December 7, 2008

Teaching Tips for Peru

Updated 1 July 2013


You can find out more about the TEFL market in different cities across Peru by reading, Breaking into the TEFL Market in Peru. If you're new to teaching or TEFLing, you can find good tips at Learning about TEFLing and Teaching. Be sure to look at Know Before You Go as well so you know what to expect before you arrive in Peru. Even if you can’t arrange a job before you arrive, you should be able to secure one within a few weeks.

Money Matters
Money's always an issue. Learning how to budget is the first step to having enough money. Next you should look at getting a good paying job.         You can find ways to supplement your salary in Supplement Your Teaching Salary. But if you don't find a job with your dream salary, don't despair, there are plenty of ways to earn extra money.  Just take a look at Money Matters for a complete list.          Below you can find some ideas for teachers to earn extra money.
  • Look at this article about supplementing your teaching salary
  • Teach online. For a list of good schools to teach at see Teaching Online
  • Teach night classes at a university or institute (About $5-$10 an hour)
  • Teach private classes (About $15-$25 an hour). Here's info on Getting Private Students.
  • Sub at primary or secondary schools.
  • Give teacher training sessions. Check with local publishers.

Learning How to Teach
There are plenty of one month training courses out there, though not every institute will require one. Look at Is a TEFL Cert Necessary? for more info. Make sure the course has at least 100 teaching hours and 6 hours of teaching students. Your library is a good place to start researching about TEFLing. In addition, you can find plenty of resources online. Take a look at my list of Top Resources as well as the links below.




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Saturday, December 6, 2008

Pay, Benefits, and Retirement Plans in Peru

Updated 1 July 2017

Pay
The average pay in Peru is $6-8 an hour, so you'll probably earn about $600-800 a month. If you don't have a budget the first thing I recommend doing is learning how to budget. You can live on $600-800 a month as long as you don't live like an expat meaning don’t expect to take taxis everywhere and eat out all the time. Look more at the following articles for info on money and budgeting.

The average Peruvian salary is around $250 a month. However, you have to remember most of them live with their family, so they are not paying rent or food. Also, they will take public transport rather than taxis, so this allows them to save money.

International Schools
International schools pay around $25,000 plus benefits, but you usually need a teaching license (qualified teaching status) from your country plus two years experience teaching in a school and you may have to sign a two-year contract. Also, if you have a legal working visa, you will be more likely to be paid more, because the school knows that you will stay for a while rather than only teach in order to get money to travel.

Earning More Money
A good place to start is buy buttons which has everything you need to know and shows you how you can do what you love while being your own boss. There's also 501 free websites you can use to make extra money in your spare time. Making extra money isn't easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it. Just look at it for what it is: extra money. If it turns into a steady income, great! If not, that's ok.

Perks and Benefits
Benefits may include transport, insurance, lunch, a housing stipend, and paid vacations. Make sure you clarify everything with your employer and sign a contract. You will usually have one month of vacation unless you work at a school, in that case you will probably get more than a month of vacations.

Some schools may put you on planilla. That means that you get an extra month salary in July and December. You also get another bonus in June, called CTS. This is an unemployment fund. You're allowed to take half of the money out every six months. If you quit or get fired, you’re allowed access to the funds after completing the necessary paperwork.

Retirement Plans
Retirement plans in Peru are called AFP. (If you're considering a retirement visa, look at this article about Retirement Visas in Peru.) Your employer should set up the fund for you. When you leave Peru or retire you can get AFP contributions back on a simple checking account. Use CPP as a reference and after 6 weeks you should get a wire on your personal checking account. Check your AFP for more details, here’s information about Integra as an example. Some of the most common ones are below.
Reference Letters
If you leave your job because you finished your contract or quit, you should get both recommendation letters and a constancia de trabajo. Recommendation letters speak well of you and your work. The constancia de trabajo should be given by the head of the company and should state whether you were full-time or part-time, the dates when you started and finished working, your title, and duties. If possible, have this put in your recommendation letter as well. Have the constancia de trabajo signed and stamped with the company seal. If you’re in planilla, when you leave your job, you’ll get liquidacion, which is basically your last salary plus a month and a half. You can also take out all the money in your CTS. Be sure to ask about this.



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Friday, December 5, 2008

Training and Professional Affiliations for Teachers in Peru

Updated 13 March 2014

If you are in Lima, there are many congresses and conferences for you to attend. If you are in the provinces, there are opportunities to go to conferences, just not as many as in Lima. Peruvians stress training sessions, so your school may offer these free to their employees. If not, try to attend a conference, as it allows you to do some networking.

Try to have a section on your CV that lists a few of the recent conferences that you have attended. There are lots of sample CVs and resumes out there to help you create a great one.

You can read more about training sessions in the article Conferences and Training in Peru. In addition, there are quite a number of professional affiliations that you can join. Some offer discounts for conferences and others publish newsletters.


Month-long intensive certification courses

Cusco

Lima
  • Britanico offers a part-time CELTA course for its teachers.
Trujillo

Zorritos

Distance / Online Programmes in TEFL
There are many programmes out there. Click on the links below to find out more information.

Conferences and Training
Varies

June

July

August

October

November:

Professional Affiliations links




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Thursday, December 4, 2008

CVs and Cover Letters for Peru

Updated 1 July 2013

Here are somethings that are usually included on a CV in Peru. There are lots of sample CVs and resumes out there to help you create a great CV or resume.
  • Photo
  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • Sex, nationality
  • Phone number
  • Email
  • Carne de extranjeria number
  • Work / Teaching Experience
  • Education
  • Conferences / Workshops given
  • Conferences / Workshops attended
  • Professional Affiliations
  • Other Skills (languages / computer)
Here are a few websites that has information for teachers on how to write a CV and cover letter.





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Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Paying Income Tax in Peru

Updated 1 November 2017

Take a look at following for basic information about paying taxes in Peru.




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Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Work and Study Abroad for Peruvians

Updated 1 November 2017

If you're a Peruvian and looking to teach abroad, try Fulbright or VIF or Amity. More programmes can be found in this article about Teaching Exchanges

.If you're not a teacher, there are still plenty of opportunities available. Internships are always great opportunities. Here's some info on how to land your dream internship.

There's more info in Visas for Peruvians.

Argentina
  • There is an agreement with the MERCOSUR countries and Argentina allows Peruvians to work in Argentina for two years.

Australia
Canada
  • GNA Peru will find you work in Canada.

New Zealand

USA

World
  • Crucero Stms has work on cruise ships.
  • Hispano Tours have au pair, internship, work and travel, and trainee programmes for the USA, Holland, France, Brazil, Austria, Australia, Germany, Norway, Belgium, and the UK.
  • INTEJ has work and study, work and travel, and au pair programmes for the USA, Australia, the UK, Canada, and Brazil. They also have language and higher education programmes for Italy, the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, China, Spain, and Brazil.
  • Intered has work programmes in the USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia.
  • Student Partners have work programmes for the USA. And language and higher education programmes for Germany, Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Ecuador, Spain, the USA, France, the UK, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, and Switzerland.
  • Universal Student Exchange have work and study, work and travel programmes for the USA. They have language programmes for the UK, the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France, Germany, Malta, Spain, Italy, Ecuador, Costa Rica and China.




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Monday, December 1, 2008

Immigrant Visas for Peru

Updated 28 July 2017

***Be sure you ask at immigrations about your visa as rules and fees seem to change often.You now need an appointment in order to go to immigration. Make the "derecho de tramite" payment in order to schedule your appointment right away.***

Ok, so Peru may not be on the list of the top 20 countries to immigrate to, but it's pretty easy to get an immigrant visa! After three full years with your Carne de Extranjeria you can do one of three things.
  1. Keep your current visa.
  2. Apply for "inmigrante"' status (which is a permanent visa with no expiry date. You still have to pay the yearly foreigner's tax though. I'm not sure if you can get an inmigrante visa if you have a retirement visa.). Some people have asked if there's a minimum time that you have to be married (if you're switching from a marriage to a inmigrante visa). There's not. You just have to have held the CE for a full three years.
  3. Become a Peruvian citizen.  

You can find the forms and more information at Migraciones, they also have general foreigner information.
  • Form F004. Check "Cambio de calidad migratoria a inmigrante"
  • Pay the fee for F004 and to change your calidad migratoria. If you're married to a Peruvian, you're excepted from paying the latter.
  • Make sure your Tasa Anual and Prorroga have been paid
  • Copy of your Passport
  • Copy of your CE
  • Letter to immigrations.
  • Not have left Peru for more than 3 consecutive months in one year. Or no more than 6 non-consecutive months in a year.
  • Present your first and most recent paystubs. They should show that you earn at least 10 UIT of the GDP (renta neta anual). You have to prove net worth and solvency. You might also be able to take bank documents that the bank will give you.
  • INTERPOL background check

Additional requirements for marriage / family visas
If you have a marriage / family visa (This visa is for underage children of Peruvians, parents of Peruvian children, parents of special ed Peruvian children, or people who are married to a Peruvian / immigrant.) you have a couple more requirements to fulfill.
  • Original marriage certificate (if married). If you got married outside of Peru, it has to be apostillised and translated. The marriage certificate has to show three years of marriage. (There might be exceptions to this rule. For example, if you had residency for at least three years but you had two different residency statuses, then it might be ok to have been married for less than three years.)
  • Copy spouse's DNI (if married)
  • Original birth cert of Peruvian children (if your visa is through your children). If they were born outside of Peru, it has to be apostillised and translated.
  • Copy of children's / parent's DNI / passport. (if your visa is through your children / parents).
  • Make copies of everything so that they can stamp your copies. Leave the originals at the Mesa de Partes at Immigrations come back when they tell you to. It supposedly takes one month to proceed. You must make sure that your passport and CE are still valid during the processing time. Then they will give you a new CE that says "inmigrante" .




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Saturday, November 15, 2008

2008 Peru Inspired Gift Guide

If you're looking for Peru inspired gifts, you've come to the right place! Here are a few ideas to get you started.


Food and Drinks
Paneton and hot chocolate is a staple during the Christmas season. Don't forget a Peruvian mug. While some might snub their nose at fruitcake (paneton), Peruvians love it. Drinking hot chocolate during summer might seem odd, but hey, it's Christmas, so why not?

If someone you know loves trying different alcoholic drinks from around the would, they should definitely try Pisco Sour. If they like taking shots, there are a number of Peruvian shot glasses to choose from. And despite what the Chileans may say, Pisco is Peruvian.

Peruvian grains are becoming famous around the world. A good healthy gift to give is quinoa. It's much better than rice and packed with nutrition.

For the cook in your life, Peruvian cookbooks are the way to go. They'll find great recipes like ceviche, lomo saltado, aji de gallina, papa rellena, and much more.

Clothing
Peru has some great materials. Famous throughout the world, pima cotton is used to make many things such as sheets, clothing for kids and babies, as well as shirts for adults. Alpaca is superior than wool since it is softer, warmer, and has no lanolin which means it's hypoallergenic. Traditional Peruvian hats, such as the chullo, will keep your loved ones warm through the cold winter months. Don't forget a warm shawl that they can wrap around themselves to protect them from windy days.

For the Home
Pima cotton and alpaca can be used for more than clothing. Alpaca also makes great blankets and throws. It's great for cozying up on the couch and drinking hot chocolate, from a Peruvian mug, of course. Pima cotton is famous throughout the world for many items, it is perhaps the most well-known for sheets.

Accessories
Tumi is a Peru inspired company that makes gorgeous bags and luggage. The quality can't be beat either. Whether you're looking to give someone a bag for business, travel, or casual, they've got you covered.

More Gifts
If you're looking for more ideas, here are other Peru inspired gift guides I've written.


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Friday, November 14, 2008

Peru Inspired Gift Guides


Looking for gift ideas? 
Check out the gift guides I've made over the years for Peru inspired gifts.
  • 2008
  • 2009
  • 2010
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • 2014
  • 2015
  • 2016
  • 2017



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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Immigration Tips for Peru

Updated 11 January 2017

 ***Be sure you ask at Immigrations about your visa as rules and fees seem to change often.***

About Immigration
So you love Peru so much that you've decided to stay longer? Remember that when you're dealing with immigrations. Peru is lovely. Immigrations, meh, not so much!

Migraciones is in charge of all the visas, resident permits and naturalisation done in Peru. Here's a list of offices in Lima. The main immigration office is located in Brena in Lima. However, there are other smaller immigration offices around Peru. Some of them are very small and can only do little things, such as help you get a replacement TAM. Others are bigger and will even allow you to get your CE there, outside of Lima. If you live outside of Lima, check with your closest immigration office and see what they can do.

The main office in Brena isn't one of the very nice districts in Lima. However, the area around Immigrations is safe. The worst thing that you'll have to deal with is people shouting "copies 20 cents". The address is Av. España 730. Maps can be found at Guia Calles. They open at 8am and close at 1pm. You now need an appointment in order to go to immigration. Make the "derecho de tramite" payment in order to schedule your appointment right away.Their phone number is 4176900. Here are some useful links.
Forms
They are available online at Migraciones or at the immigration offices. The forms are free. You'll have to pay the fee to file the form (or a fee to be exempt from the fee. . . yes, it's idiotics, I know. Go figure: nothing is free in Peru.) at the Banco de la Nacion.

Immigration Tips
  1. Make an appointment online. You'll have to use the Migraciones website. 
  2. Don’t go to the Banco de la Nacion in Immigrations. There's usually a long line. Instead go to another one near your house. Also, don’t go to the Banco de la Nacion on days near the 15th or the 30th, these are pay days and the lines are super long.
  3. Have everything ready. Make sure you have all the documents that you need and if necessary have them translated, notarised or legalised. Here's the general foreigner information and the information for immigrant visas and naturalisation.
  4. Make copies. Make sure you have photocopies of all your documents, front and back. They will stamp your copies and keep the orginals. You'll have to show a passport or CE to get in.
  5. Go early. Go to Immigrations early in the morning when it first opens (8am) and there are less people in line.
  6. Bring something to do. A book (like War and Peace), music, anything to keep you occupied as you might be there for a few hours.
  7. Be nice to the people who work there. Happy government workers are more likely to help you than unhappy or angry ones.
  8. Go to the Mesa de Partes first. When you're walking towards Immigrations, you'll see that the Peruvians go to the right, you go to the side door on the left. You'll have to show either a passport or CE to get in. If you have bags, they'll make you open them so they can check them. Simple things, like renewing your CE, take about 2 working days. More complicated things, like when you get your visa for the first time, can take a couple weeks to a couple months. When you come back, go to the third floor. All foreigners do their paperwork on the third floor.
  9. Get a tramidator. If you don’t want to go through all of this paperwork, get a tramitador to do the work for you. Numbers starting with 9 are mobiles and have 9 digits (including the starting with 9). Dial as is from inside Peru or use 0051 if you're calling from outside Peru. 7 digit numbers are Lima and would need 01 in front of them from inside Peru or 00511 if you're calling from outside Peru. Within Lima should work with 7 digits as shown. The following have been recommended by expats.
    • Adelfio Alcalde Auerzola 2249739 or 2262412
    • Jorge Huaranga 4718617
    • Marcelino Ibarra 3360572
    • Edgar Ramos 948901404
  10. Smile. Remember it’s not too bad; if you think that it’s difficult for you, look at the line to get Peruvian passports.




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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Tourist Visa, Expired Visa, TAM, Onward Tickets for Peru

Updated 5 October 2017

***Be sure you ask at immigrations about your visa as rules and fees seem to change often. You now need an appointment in order to go to immigration. Make the "derecho de tramite" payment in order to schedule your appointment right away. ***

Tourist Visas
Visa changes happened in July 2008. Now you can get up to 183 days on a tourist visa. But be sure to ask for all 183 days or else they might just give you 90. More tourist visa changes happened in September 2016 and increased the expired visa fee.

Overstaying Your Visa / Expired Visa
So you overstayed your visa because Peru has so many cool things that you just had to see? No worries! You'll have to pay $1.25 (yes, they use US dollars since the sol historically isn't stable) a day if you overstay your visa. The fee is payable at the airport or border crossing. Some people have bargained. You can find more info here.

Extending Tourist Visas
You can't extend a tourist visa anymore. You have to go visit another country for a bit and come back.

Onward Ticket
You will not be asked to show an onward ticket or sufficient funds in order to get into Peru. However, depending on the country you leave from or the airlines you fly on, you might be asked to buy an onward ticket if you don't have one.

As more and more airports are using self check-in kiosks, you will not be allowed to check-in if you have a one way ticket. You will be sent to talk directly someone. If you don't have residency in Peru, a Peruvian passport, or an onward ticket, chances are you will be made to buy one. The reason for this is that, if on the off chance Peru won't let you in because you don't have a way out of the country, then the airline is responsibly for getting you out of Peru, meaning that they have to fly you back for free.

It's always better to have a plane or bus ticket that you can show at the check-in counter just in case this happens. If you want to play it safe, then buy a refundable ticket out of Peru. Flying to Chile or Ecuador is pretty cheap, then just refund it when you arrive. If you are forced to buy a return ticket by the airlines, then simply refund it when you arrive in Peru.

Getting a Tourist Visa Before Arriving

To see if you need to apply for a tourist visa beforehand, check with the Peruvian embassy or consulate in your country. Here are some recent discussions about the new visa changes as well as border hopping. Border Hopping, 6 month visa, proof of border hopping for a couple of years.

If you need a visa in order to enter Peru, you may be asked to show an onward ticket. Any ticket, whether it be bus or air will do. You could also buy an MCO (Miscellaneous Charge Order) from the IATA (International Air Transport Association) which will allow you to fly on any IATA airline with seats available or give you a refund. See Customer Services for more details.

There's been some discussion about entering on a one-way ticket. In theory, you need a round trip if you enter on a tourist visa. Sometimes they require you to buy a return ticket at the airport, then you simply refund it. Or you might be asked to show proof of funds. Here are some recent discussions about onward tickets: Discussion 1, Discussion 2, Discussion 3

Replacement TAM
You can find information in Spanish on the Migraciones site. It's called "duplicado de la Tarjeta de Migracion Andina". If you lose your TAM (Tarjeta de Migracion Andina), the little white paper that they give you when you enter Peru, you will have to get a new one before you leave. The process is relatively easy. You can go to the nearest immigration office with the following three items. Here's a list of offices in Lima. The main immigration office is located in Brena in Lima. However, there are other smaller immigration offices around Peru.The whole process should only take between one and three days depending on what city you do it from. Here's what you'll need.
  • Form F002.
  • Pay the fee at the Banco de la Nacion
  • Your original passport and copy of the Peruvian stamp / visa.




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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Visa/Permission to Sign Contracts in Peru

Updated 1 July 2017

***Be sure you ask at immigrations about your visa as rules and fees seem to change often.***

This visa is ONLY for those on a tourist or student visa.
Peru is a wonderful country with so many sites to see! Living here is quite the experience. If you've decided to sign a contract, you need to make sure that you can legally do so.

A permission to sign a contract visa is useful if you want to sign contracts, whether they be for work or to purchase things, such as vehicles or property. This visa is not a work visa! It just lets you legally sign contracts. You can find information at Migraciones. It's called "permiso para firmar contratos". Here's what you'll need.
  • Form F007.
  • Pay the fee for the form and do change your visa status at the Banco de la Nacion
  • Your passport
  • Your TAM / Andean Card (embarkment card). If lost it, you will have to replace it.
Make copies of everything so that they can stamp your copies. Leave the originals at the Mesa de Partes at Immigrations and come back when they tell you to. It usually takes a couple days. Here's a person's story on how easy it is to get the permission to sign a contract visa.





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Monday, November 10, 2008

Work Visas for Peru

Updated 5 September 2017

 ***Be sure you ask at immigrations about your visa as rules and fees seem to change often. You now need an appointment in order to go to immigration. Make the "derecho de tramite" payment in order to schedule your appointment right away.***

Peru is a wonderful country with so many sites to see! Living here is quite the experience. In order to get this visa your employer will have to request a work visa for you. You can find information at Migraciones. It's called "visa de trabajador". Some places are not willing to do this simply because of the high cost and time involved. It usually takes around three months and can cost up to $500. They are good for one year and you will get both a work visa in your passport and a carne de extranjeria. (foreign resident card / CE). For letters and documents to immigrations, go to Letters for Immigrations.
  • Form F007.
  • Pay the fee at the Banco de la Nacion
  • Legalised copy of your passport. NB: 30 September 2010, Peru joined the Hague Agreement. Legalisation rules have changed. Please see Peru and the Hague Agreement for more info.
  • After your contract has been approved by the Ministerio del Trabajo. Get your contract notarised by a notary or legalised by Migraciones. In order to get your contract approved by the Ministero del Trabajo, you may need your university degree apostillised, see Peru and the Hague Agreement for more info.
  1. Make copies of everything so that they can stamp your copies. Leave the originals at the Mesa de Partes at Immigrations come back when they tell you to.
  2. While you're waiting, go to INTERPOL. Steps can be found here.
  3. In theory, you no longer have to leave the country to pick up a residence visa. All the paperwork can now be done in Lima. However, some people have been asked to leave to get their visas. I'm not sure why. (Peru seems to change rules all the time). I think it's on a case by case basis.
  4. Pick up your visa, bring copies of your passport and 2 passport photos. Call ahead and ask how much the visa will be. They might want you to go to a bank first and deposit the fee for the visa. You'll also need a carne sized photo when you pick up the visa.
  5. Then, follow the steps to get your carne de extranjeria.




Disclaimer:

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Family and Marriage Visas for Peru

Updated 10 August 2016

***Be sure you ask at immigrations about your visa as rules and fees seem to change often. You now need an appointment in order to go to immigration. Make the "derecho de tramite" payment in order to schedule your appointment right away.***

According to Peruvian law, you CAN earn money while on this visa. You can find information about this visa at Migraciones. It's called "llamado de familia". Peru is a wonderful country with so many sites to see! Living here is quite the experience. Being married to someone from a different culture can be challenging, but all marriages are hard work!

You can get this visa if you are . . .

  • An underaged child of a Peruvian citizen (if the child isn't Peruvian) or immigrant
  • Married to a Peruvian or immigrant
You might also be able to get the visa if you are . . . 
  • A parent of a Peruvian child (whether they are a minor or of age) or immigrant
  • A parent of a Peruvian child and the child has special needs
  • A sibling of a Peruvian citizen or immigrant
  • In-laws of a Peruvian citizen or immigrant
  • An adult child of a Peruvian citizen or immigrant
Sponsors
Since this is a family visa, someone in your family can sponsor you. Who they consider family might vary from immigration officer to immigration officer and you might need to get a lawyer to help you with complicated cases.

Family might be your children, your siblings, your parents, or your in-laws. The issue is that they should be able to support you. Since children born in Peru can get citizenship via jus soli (meaning that anyone born on Peruvian soil can become Peruvians, children might be able to sponsor their parents. However, this doesn't mean that your infant can sponsor you. In most cases, the person must be financially stable (an example of an exception would be a child with special needs). If your child is a minor who earns money, for example, an actor than that would be a different story. Likewise if your child was of age and had a job. When in doubt, contact a lawyer or migraciones.

Getting Married in Peru
If you're not married yet, but are planning on getting married in Peru, you can find the steps here in the Marriage Section. The information below is for those who are married. For all other cases, you will have to do the same things, except instead of a marriage license, you'll have to show birth certificates to prove they you are related. Check with immigrations for a complete list of what you need. Either call them or go in person. Make sure to documents apostillised and translated if necessary.

Check here for personal stories about getting marriage visas. For those of you married to a Peruvian, you can get a resident visa that allows you to work in Peru. If you're not married yet, but are planning on getting married in Peru, you can find the steps here in the Marriage Section. It takes about two months to get.

You no longer have to leave the country to pick up a residence visa. All the paperwork can now be done in Lima. You will also get a carne de extranjeria (foreign resident card / CE) which is proof of residency. You have to renew it yearly and pay the yearly foreigner's tax. After three years of residency, you can become a Peruvian citizen. There are two ways to get the visa, depending on where you got married.

Name Change
If you change your name and get a new passport, you MUST transfer your visa from your old passport to your new passport.

For bank accounts, you just go to the bank with your bank card and DNI. Same goes for your pension plan. For property you'll have to go to SUNARP and bring a letter explaining the change as well as notarised copies of your documents.

You have to show your old name and new name. You could bring your old and new CE, or your old CE and your new DNI and Naturalisation paper. You'll also have to fill out a form. You'll also need your original partida de matrimonio (marriage license) and a notarised copy of your spouse's DNI.

Depending on Where You Got Married
If you got married outside of Peru, you've got a couple of steps to take. You will have to register it in the country where you got married (probably at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and then go to the Peruvian consulate / embassy and register it with them. They will then give you a Peruvian marriage certificate. Do this quickly as possible because there may be a time limit. If possible, get a couple marriage certificates. You will need a new marriage certificate every year in order to renew residency.

Ask them if your marriage will be registered with RENIEC. If it will not be registered with RENIEC, then you will also have to do that when you get here. When you come to Peru, you have between 30 and 90 days to register your marriage depening on the person you talk to. It will have to be apostillised; see Peru and the Hague Agreement for more info. It will also have to be translated by a certified translator, if not in Spanish (see Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (RREE) and do a search for traductores oficiales). Then go to RENIEC and register your marriage if it hasn't already been registered. Then you have to do everything above that people who got married in Peru have to do. For letters, go to Letters for Immigrations.

OR

1. If you got married in Peru, you need either your Partida de Matrimonio or your Acta de Matrimonio, which must be legalized by RENIEC. In order to legalise your document, first you need to go to the Banco de la Nacion and pay 17 soles.

Then You Must Have
These documents can be gotten from Migraciones or printed off their website.
  • Form F007. 
  • Form F004 (to change the status of your visa. If you have a tourist visa, mark the first box. If you have a different visa, you'll have to fill out the blanks at the top.
  • Pay the fees for the forms (the code for the F004 is 01814) and the annual foreigner’s tax at the Banco de la Nacion. 
  • Copy of your passport
  • Copy of your visa or entry stamp into Peru
  • Original TAM (Tarjeta Andina de Migraciones). This is the little white paper you get when you enter Peru.
  • Original passport
Your Spouse Needs to Give You
  • They will have to sign a document in the presence of a public notary saying that they will financially support you while you are in Peru. (see Letters for Immigrations.)
  • Photocopy of their DNI with casado/a status. They MUST change their civil status so that it says that they are married.
At Immigrations
  1. Make copies of everything so that they can stamp your copies. Leave the originals at the Mesa de Partes at Immigrations come back when they tell you to. They will probably tell you to call or email them in 15 days to check the status of your CE.
  2. While you're waiting, go to INTERPOL Steps can be found here.
  3. In theory, you no longer have to leave the country to pick up a residence visa. All the paperwork can now be done in Lima.
  4. Pick up your visa, bring copies of your passport and 2 passport photos. Call ahead and ask how much the visa will be. You'll also need a carne sized photo when you pick up the visa.
  5. Then, follow the steps to get your carne de extranjeria.




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