2015 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 you want to buy a unique non-alcoholic drink for someone, try Inca Kola. It's what Coca Cola is to the USA and what Irn Bru is to Scotland. Chicha morada is a drink made from purple corn. Although it sounds weird, it's really good and unique to Peru.

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.

Blankets and Throws
When people think of warm winter blankets, they often think of wool. Alpaca is superior than wool since it is softer, warmer, and has no lanolin which means it's hypoallergenic. It makes great blankets and throws with rich colours. It's great for cozying up on the couch and drinking hot cocoa, from a Peruvian mug, of course.

Pima Cotton 
Peru has quality material such as alpaca and pima cotton. When buying cloth, don't skimp on the price since you will get what you pay for. Although something might be more expensive, it will probably last much longer than the cheaper item and therefore save you money in the long-run.

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.

Shoes and Accessories
Inkkas is a great company that uses local resources and gives back to the community. Their shoes are handmade by artisans in Peru using ethically sourced material from South America. The result is sustainable footwear with rich colours and unique designs.

Peruvian jewelry ranges from fine jewelry to woven handicrafts. Bracelets featuring the Nazca Lines and a Tumi pendant make pretty, unique gifts.

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

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Renewing a Peruvian Passport vs Having a Peruvian Passport Issued

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One of my most popular posts of all time is how to get Peruvian citizenship. Getting a Peruvian passport (once you get citizenship) is a fairly straightforward process and they are valid for 5 years. If you're in Peru, you can get it within a day. Once you get your first passport, there are two options for the next passport you get: you can renew your current passport or having a passport issued. I personally always make sure my passports are valid. You never know when you will travel to Peru! And being a Peruvian will get you discounts at Machu Picchu.


There are different steps and outcomes for renewing a Peruvian passport whether you're in Peru or abroad.

• If you're in Peru, they will simply turn your passport over and open it up. On the last page they will add a new front page with your photo and data. 
• If you're abroad they will find the first blank page and put an ink stamp it in, wrote down the necessary information, and then put some postal stamps in it that represent the fee you paid. 
• The pros of this are that if you're abroad you don't have to wait 3 months for a new passport or get a new photo taken. This option is also a little bit cheaper than getting another passport. 
• The cons are that when you travel, immigration officers open up your passport and think it's expired. 

Having a Peruvian passport issued is the same as when you get your first passport. You will get a whole new passport.

• The pros are that you can update your photo and don't have to deal with confused immigration officers.
• The cons are that it's more expensive (by just a little bit) and that if you're abroad be prepared for it to take 3 months (more if there are holidays). 

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Registering Your Peruvian Divorce Back Home

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Updated 21 December 2016

Once you finish getting divorced in Peru, you're going to want to register your divorce back home. More likely than not you're going to have to do the same thing you did when you registered your Peruvian marriage back home.

If you get divorced in Peru it will not automatically show up on your records back home. What you do depends on where you're from.

When your divorce is finalised you will some official documents. I got a a "registro personal" and an "acta de concilacion extrajudicial". The first translates to a personal registration which basically says you're divorced. The second breaks down the division of property, custody, alimony, and child support.

You may think that with this you will be considered divorced and you might be, depending on your nationality. Some countries will accept an apostillised copy of these documents and you can register your Peruvian divorce back home.

Others won't. If you're Peruvian, these documents are NOT enough to show that you are divorced. You need to complete one more step in order to register your divorce in Peru. You need to take these documents to RENIEC and have them register your divorce. You can then get a copy of your divorce certificate. If you got married in Peru, then they will print out your marriage certificate and in the margins there will be a note stating that you got divorced. If you didn't get married in Peru, they will print out a document stating the details of your marriage and also include the divorce in the margins. This document is what you need if your country doesn't accept the other divorce documents you got from the courts. 


If you're from the US, they usually don't ask for official translations or apostillisations. Personally, I would still get my Peruvian documents notarised, apostillised, and translated. If your country is in the Hague Agreement, like the US and the UK, there's less paperwork for you to do. If your country isn't in the Hague Agreement, like Canada, then there are some extra steps you will have to do. Here's a guide on how to use Peruvian documents abroad. Double check and ask the embassy of that country if there are any other steps you need to take.

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