Tourist / Expired Visa / TAM / Onward Tickets

Updated 6 February 2011

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

The following information can be found below
● Information about tourist visas
● Renewing and extending tourist visas
● Onward tickets
● Getting a tourist visa before arriving
● Expired Visas
● Replacement TAM

Visa changes happened in July 2008 and 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. To find contact information about Immigrations/DIGEMIN, check here.

Renewing and Extending Tourist Visas
Supposedly since the visa changes in July 2008 you can’t renew a tourist visa anymore. (However, there have been rumours that if you're given less than 183 days, you can go to immigrations and extend your visa up until 183 days. Still, it's better to simply ask for 183 days when you enter Peru than take the risk.) In order to renew your tourist visa simply border hop and you will be given up to 183 days upon re-entry.

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 (which I've never heard happen), 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.

For those who need a visa before entering Peru
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

Expired Visa
Although this info isn't stated on the Peruvian immigrations website. You'll have to pay a dollar a day if you overstay your visa. The fee is payable at the airport or border crossing. Some people have negotiated the fee if they overstayed their visa by a long time. You can find more info here.

Replacement TAM
You can find information in Spanish on the DIGEMIN 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. The whole process should only take between one and three days depending on what city you do it from.

You need
● Form F002 (Either click on the link and print it off the website. Ignore the description, just find F002, open the document and print it. Or get it for free at immigrations.)
● Pay 8.28 soles at the Banco de la Nacion (Don't pay at the immigration bank in Lima, the line is at least one hour long)
● Your original passport and copy of the Peruvian stamp/visa.

Resources: Check out the Ultimate Peru List's recommended ebooks and The LA Jobs List's free list of schools in Peru.