Renewing a Peruvian Passport vs Having a Peruvian Passport Issued

Image source

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). 

Disclaimer:

• Please join my Patreon page
• I use affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on links. Read more at my FTC Disclosure and Privacy Policy Statement

Registering Your Peruvian Divorce Back Home

Image source

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.

Disclaimer:

• Please join my Patreon page
• I use affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on links. Read more at my FTC Disclosure and Privacy Policy Statement