Can You Get Peruvian Citizenship and a Passport Just By Investing Money?

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Although some countries have investment options to getting citizenship, i.e. you can basically buy citizenship to that country, Peru is not one of them. You cannot simply invest money, never live in Peru, and get a passport. They don't have a quick and easy investment option for people who don't spend time in Peru. There are ways to invest money and after fulfilling certain requirements, then you can apply for citizenship. Once granted, you can get a passport.

How to Get Residency by Investing Money in Peru
You can, however, get residency via an investment. There are two options to do this. One is an investment / entrepreneur visa and the other is forming a company in which you are the main shareholder. You can find out more about both of this options in this post.

Getting residency is one thing, keeping it is another. Some people think that they can simply get residency, leave for three years, and then apply for citizenship. That's probably not going to work either. If you want to keep residency, you'll have to come to Peru every six months. If you spend more than 6 months outside of Peru and want to keep your residency, you will have to get permission from immigration. Here is what you will have to do if you want to leave for more than 183 days. You can read more info about this in Chris' blog. More first hand experience can be read in this thread.

Getting Peruvian Citizenship and a Passport 
After you've had your CE for three years and paid the yearly tax, then you can apply for Peruvian citizenship. You can find out how to do this in this post.

NB: I'll be taking a break from blogging at The Ultimate Peru List in January and February. While I'm gone you can take a look at my other blogs. New posts will be published starting in March.

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Can My Child, Sibling, Parent, or In-Laws Get Me a Visa to Live in Peru?

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***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.***

I've been asked a handful of times about the family visa option. 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. Below you can find out who can get this visa and who might be able to get this visa. If you think you qualify, you can find out what documents you need in this post or by contacting migraciones.

You can get this visa if you are . . .

• An under-aged 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

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. A child who is of age and had a job should also be able to sponsor their parents. When in doubt, contact a lawyer or migraciones.

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Getting Married in Peru After a Divorce

Some people have emailed me and asked how to get married in Peru after a divorce, whether it be a divorce in Peru or a foreign divorce. First things first, make sure your divorce is final.

• If you're getting divorced in Peru please look at how to get divorced in Peru and a timeline for getting divorced in Peru.
• If you're a foreigner and got divorced in Peru you might want to look at registering your Peruvian divorce back home. 
• Likewise if you're a Peruvian who got divorced abroad, please read registering a foreign divorce in Peru.  

While second marriages are becoming more common there are 3 reasons why Peruvians prefer not to get married. If you decide that marriage might be right for you, there are some things you should think carefully about before marrying a Peruvian.

Waiting Periods and Pregnancy Tests
With all that being said getting married in Peru after a divorce is fairly simple. Some people have asked about waiting periods and the answer is that it depends on the municipality that you get married in. Some have waiting periods and some don't, so ask around. If you're a woman, foreign or Peruvian, you will have to undergo a pregnancy test if you get re-married within a year of your divorce. If found to be pregnant a DNA test will probably be requested to find out who the father is.

Paperwork Needed
All the information about getting married in Peru can be found here. There is a section that talks specifically about how to get married if you're divorced. You'll find information about how long it takes, what documents you need, name changes, spousal visas, CEs, and more on that blog post. Paperwork can be daunting, but once you're done you can register your Peruvian marriage back home. Congrats! Be sure to enjoy your time together and tell each other how much you love and appreciate each other every day.

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Important Passport Information for Dual Citizen Americans

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If you're like most people, you go straight to filling out the forms and don't both reading the directions. If you're applying for an American passport (Form DS-11) and are a dual citizen, not reading the directions could cause you serious problems. When you sign, you declare that all the information is correct under penalty of perjury.

What many people may not know is that on the 4th page there is a section called Acts Or Conditions.  The second paragraph talks various topics and one of them is about people who have acquired another citizenship after becoming an American citizen. If you have become a naturalised Peruvian citizen, then this pertains to you.

Completing the form by hand
If you're filling out the form by hand all you need to do is print the Acts Or Conditions section and cross out the information that pertains to you. So if you have become a citizen you would have to cross out the section that says, "been naturalized as a citizen of a foreign state". If you also took an oath of allegiance, then you would also cross out the section that states, " taken an oath or made an affirmation or other formal declaration of allegiance to a foreign state".

After doing that, you will have to write an explanation. So if you acquired Peruvian citizenship, explain where and when you did it. You might also want to state that you have no intention of ever renouncing American citizenship.

If your name has changed, you will also have to write that information down as well. It doesn't matter why you changed your name: marriage, divorce, adoption, court orders, or naturalisation. They don't have much room for different names, so you might have to attach another piece of paper.

Completing the form online
If you're filling out the form online, you will have to do the same as if you were completing it by hand: print and cross out the information that doesn't pertain to you and then write an explanation.

If your name has changed, you will also have to write that information down as well. It doesn't matter why you changed your name: marriage, divorce, adoption, court orders, or naturalisation. There is only room for two different name changes on the online application. Although you can enter more than two, when you go to print, only two will show up. If you have more than two simply attach another piece of paper.

NB: I'll be taking a break from blogging at The Ultimate Peru List in July and August. While I'm gone you can take a look at my other blogs. New posts will be published starting in September. 

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How to Give Up / Renounce Peruvian Citizenship

Some foreigners decide to become naturalised Peruvian citizens. They move to Peru and Peru becomes their home. Sometimes Peruvians decide to leave Peru and sever all ties. One way to do that is by renouncing (or giving up) Peruvian citizenship. If you do this you will no longer be a Peruvian citizen and will have to hand your DNI and passport over to the embassy.

Usually to do this you will need to have another citizenship since being stateless is not something you should become unless there are dire circumstances. If that's the case, then what you usually need to do is go to another country and declare yourself as a refugee. Rules vary country to country.

Assuming that you already have another citizenship the process to renounce Peruvian citizenship is pretty straightforward. You have two choices: you can either do it at a Peruvian embassy/consulate abroad or in Lima at the Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones aka migraciones. The information below was taken from the Chicago consulate's website:

• Bring your DNI (or Libreta Militar) and passport.
• Bring the solicitud to renounce Peruvian citizenship.
• Pay the fee.
• You'll be registered as wishing to renounce citizenship.

The time varies depending on whether you do it in Lima or abroad. If you're doing it abroad it varies on the embassy/consulate due to holidays and such, so be sure to ask. Keep in mind that just to get a DNI abroad it takes 2-3 months. So don't expect this to be instantanous. In addition, if you're giving up Peruvian citizenship in order to try to avoid being prosecuted for breaking the law, don't expect your request to be granted.

The information above it only for those over the age of 18. You're not allowed to renounce citizenship on behalf of a minor. If you aren't sure if you want to renounce Peruvian citizenship or if you're hoping your minor children will do it in the future, here are somethings you can do.

• First,change your DNI to show an address abroad so you won't be fined for not voting. 
• Secondly, cut ties with Peru: close bank accounts, sell property, don't visit, etc.
• Third, even though it might be tempting to destroy documents such as birth, marriage, or death certificates, or your DNI or passport: don't do it. Just keep them since destroying them could cause you legal problems. 
• Lastly, don't renew your DNI or passport. Simply let them expire. For all intents and purposes Peru won't be able to keep tabs on you and you can just disappear.

That's about it. It's a bit step to take, so make sure you're ready before you sign any papers.

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New Tourist Visa Regulations for Peru and Border Hopping

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Updated 5 April 2017

People love Peru so much that they don't want to leave! Unfortunately, some of them overstay their visa.

The Rumours
There were rumors that the $1 a day fine was going to increase to $5 a day. Here's info about the proposal.

"If passed, the new law will allow you up to 183 days in a 365 day period and the fine for overstaying is $5 a day. You can read all 18 pages of the law at El Peruano."

What Happened
The good news is that the law did NOT go into effect, but it did increase a bit. On Expatriates in Peru, Craig Ess asked about the fine on 16 September 2016.  It's $1.25 (yes, that's US dollars that they use since the sol historically isn't stable). Not only that, but there are no other penalties for overstaying, and you can pay, leave, and then come back 10 minutes later.

Visa changes happened in 2008. As a tourist, you are allowed up to 183 days at a time and then you can either border hop or pay the $1.25 a day fine once you leave. Some people have been known to bargain especially those who overstay their visa by years. Yes, years. I've known people to overstay by 1, 2 and even 7 years. While it's not ideal, it's still done.

If you're going to stay in Peru for years and year, make sure you see all the sites worth seeing!

NB: I'll be taking a break from blogging at The Ultimate Peru List in March. While I'm gone you can take a look at my other blogs. New posts will be published starting in April.

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Ley de Retorno: How the Peruvian Government is Trying to Get Peruvians to Come Back to Peru

One of my most popular posts of all time is how to get Peruvian citizenship. I thought this post might benefits Peruvians like me who have left. (I got citizenship in early 2009 and left in early 2010. I haven't been back since.) I saw a poster about the Ley de Retorno when I went to the embassy a bit ago here in Seoul. Since so many Peruvians have gone abroad and not come back, their human capital is diminishing. They're trying to do something to entice people to come back.

The complete name of the law is Ley de Reinsercion Economica y Social para el Migrante Retornado and is number 30001 and there are monetary and social benefits. For the monetary benefits there are no taxes on cars up to $30k, household goods up to $30k, instruments, machines, equipment, and capital assets up to $150k when you repatriate to Peru. For the social benefits, they will help you find loans, jobs, with certification, and assistance with psychological and social integration.

In order to qualify for the monetary benefits you must be a Peruvian who has lived abroad for at least 4 years. If you have to leave the foreign country due to immigration issues then they lower it to 2 years. For the social benefits you must be a Peruvian who has lived abroad for at least 3 years. If you have to leave the foreign country due to immigration issues then they lower it to 2 years.

You can find out more about this law on RREE, Ley de Retorno, Facebook, or leyderetorno@rree.gob.pe

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Reader Request: Registering a Foreign Marriage in Peru

Congrats on your marriage! I get a lot of emails asking me how to register a foreign marriage in Peru when one of the spouses is Peruvian. This information was originally posted here and I've re-posted it below.

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You will have to register your marriage in the country where you got married (probably at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and then go to the Peruvian consulate or embassy and register it with them. Do this as 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.
After you register it at the consulate or embassy, they will then give you a Peruvian marriage certificate.

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 depending 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 it's not already 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.

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Reader Request: Proxy Marriage in Peru

From Weare

Updated 12 September 2015

I've had people ask me if they can do a proxy marriage in while living in Peru. To start with, a proxy marriage is when one person gives someone POA* to get married on their behalf. A double proxy marriage is when both people give other people POA* to get married on their behalf. Here's another article I wrote with more information about proxy marriages and common questions about them, such as whether they're legal.

The short answer is yes, you can do a proxy marriage while living in Peru. I know the US does them and does not require people to be US citizens. Here are some companies which perform proxy marriages in the US. One of you (unless one of you is active duty US military) will have to actually go to Montana and the other person can sign over power of attorney. You'll have to pay the company about $600-$800, which seems like a lot, but it's cheaper than an actual wedding. If you plan on using the American marriage certificate in Peru then you will have to register your foreign marriage in Peru. Here are steps telling you what to do. You can check with your home country to see if they allow them and what you would have to do.


Proxy marriages at Peruvian municipalities
Contact the nearest muncipality and ask if they allow proxy marriages. In addition to all the regular documents you need to get married, you would need to give someone POA*. You might need to hire a lawyer and get the correct POA* drafted up. It will be in Spanish so if you don't understand Spanish make sure you give the POA* to someone you trust. You could give the power to a friend in Peru or to a lawyer. You would then have to sign it at the Peruvian embassy or consulate nearest you and send it to Peru where it would be registered. Then you can do everything that is required in order to get married.

Non-proxy marriages in Peru
If you just want to get married in Peru and not live there, you might want to look at having a destination wedding in Peru.

If you want to get married in Peru and live there, then should look at the following articles:

• Getting documents notarised and translated
• Getting a marriage visa for Peru
• Getting your CE (resident visa)
• Registering your Peruvian marriage back home

* power of attorney

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Reader Request: Can you Buy Property in Peru without a CE?

From Rederij

People are looking to invest in Peru and one way to do so is to buy property. The housing market in Peru is taking off and many people want to get in on it. For those of you who don't have a CE or Peruvian citizenship, you have to go through an extra step to buy property in Peru. It is illegal to buy property as a tourist, since contracts you sign aren't legally bounding. Make sure you read the fine print and know what you're getting into when you buy property abroad.

The good news is that you just need to get a visa that gives you permission to sign contracts. Once you have that you're good to go and can sign on the dotted line. 

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Reader Request: Getting Married in Peru if You Don't Live There aka Destination Wedding

Peru is becoming a popular place to have a destination wedding. Many people are emailing me and asking me how they can get married in Peru when they don't live there.

If you want to get married in Peru and live there, then you're going to have to jump through more hoops. Read the following articles:

• How to get married in Peru
• Getting a marriage visa for Peru 
• Getting documents notarised and translated
• Registering your Peruvian marriage back home

If you simply want to have a wedding in Peru and not live there, then it's pretty easy to do. Here's the thing, getting married in Peru requires getting documents notarised and translated and then register your Peruvian marriage back home. All of this adds time, money, and stress to an already stressful event. So here's what you should do.

1. Get married back home. Have a simple, legal ceremony. Create a wedding registry!
2. Have the wedding in Peru. You won't have to worry about legalisations or translations or any of that stuff. If you want to get married in a church in Peru, you will probably have to show a copy of your marriage license, but that's just for the church. You won't have to deal with any Peruvian government offices. 

So there you go, a short and sweet way to have a destination wedding in Peru.

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Sorry Peruvians, You're Not Americans

I first had this argument over 10 years ago and I was flabbergasted. I wasn't trying to be mean or rude or look down on Peruvians, I just simply couldn't understand what they were getting at. Let's do a quick exercise.

• Britons are from. . . . Britain
• Chinese are from . . . . China
• Danes are from . . . . Denmark
• Latvians are from . . . . Latvia
• Russians are from . . . Russia

What would you say if I told you:

• Peruvians are from . . . America

If this were on a test, I'd mark it as wrong. Peruvians aren't from America. Peruvians are from Peru.
The issue that some Peruvians have with this is that they say that there are only five continents: the Americas, Antarctica, Asia, Australasia, and Europe. Due to this anyone from the Americas is American. Now depending on who you talk to you'll find out that there are 4-7 continents in the world.

Most Peruvians are proud to call themselves Peruvians, but some of them may claim to be Americans. Blame it on their culture. The issue I have with this is that people don't refer to the continent they're from. For example, a Kenyan isn't going to say, "I'm African". They're going to say, "I'm Kenyan". Or they might take it a step further and refer to the city they're from, stating that they're from London or New York.

Peruvians also have another issue with this and that's due to language.in Spanish, Americans are called "norteamericanos/as" if you want to translate it directly it would be North American. However, there are three countries in North America: Canada, the USA, and Mexico. In Spanish, Canadians are called "canadienses" and Mexicans are called "mexicanos/as".Peruvians are called "peruanos". If you don't speak Spanish, you should start learning. It'll help you assimilate to the culture and you'll be able to communicate easier.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, but to the Peruvians who insist that they're "American" I tell them to go to the USA with no visa or no green card and to tell the immigration officer to let them in, because after all, "they're American".

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Custody vs. Parental Rights and International Child Abduction

From wilentz.com

Updated 17 October 2017

I've gotten two emails in the last month about this topic so I thought I'd write a blog post about it. I am not a lawyer and this is not meant to be construed as legal advice. Always remember to get everything in writing whether dealing with your lawyer or the other parent.

International Parental Child Abduction
This is a form of kidnapping is becoming more common and getting your child back, especially across international borders, can take a long time and cost a lot of money. See Expat Stuck Parent for stories about parents who are locked from taking their children back to their home countries. You can also read what the Hague Convention says about International Child Abduction.

Parental Child Abduction Information for Americans
If you're American, the State Department can help and they have a website where you can file your case. They have a program called the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program which will alert the parent(s) for children under 18 if someone tries to apply for a passport for that child. The FBI and the Department of Justice also have information.You can also call 1-888-407-4747from the US or Canada or 1-202-502-4444 if you're overseas.

Travelling With Your Child
If only one parent travels with their child, they will need proof of permission from the other parent if they have shared custody. If they have sole custody, they will need copies of the divorce decree. If the other parent has passed away, they will need a death certificate. If only one parent is on the birth certificate, bring the birth certificate. If you fear that your ex may try to take your child without your permission, here are somethings you can do.

Getting an American Passport without the Other Parent's Permission
If you share legal custody, then in the case of schooling, travel, medical decisions, etc, both parents usually must sign off. There are exceptions to this rule. For example, to get an American passport, you need both parents' signatures if they share legal custody. If you can't get the other parent's signature you can fill out form DS 5525. Explain the situation in as much detail as possible and get documentation, such as phone records, emails sent, Skype, certified mail, etc.

If there is a step-parent involved and they can prove that they're in loco parentis, then they can sign. So if you have physical custody and have re-married, your spouse may be able to sign by showing they have supported your child. This can be proven through rent or mortgages, school records, insurance records, etc. I know people in the military have showed their step-child was their dependent in DEERS and were able to successfully get a passport that way.

If you're in this situation where you can't get the other parent's signature, prepare as many documents as you can. Do BOTH form DS 5525 and see if your spouse can sign. The more documentation you have the better the chance you have of getting a passport. I've found that people issuing American passports are very sympathetic. If you can show that you've made effort to contact the other parent then you can usually sign the passport application without the other parent's permission. Likewise, if you can show your spouse is in loco parentis, they'll be able to co-sign with you.

Allowing Both Parents to Raise Their Kids 
It's usually in the child's best interest to have access to both parents. This is done through:

• Physical custody
• Legal custody
• Visitation rights
• Parental rights

Custody
Child custody battles are common. Here are some tips to help you get through it. What every woman should know about custody is very informative. Remember to record everything and/or get it in writing. Ecamm, for example will allow you to record Skype conversations since sound recordings are submittable as evidence in court proceedings. Make sure you honor the custody agreement. Interference with the parental rights of the non-custodial parent, Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is a serious crime and may cause you to lose custody and/or parental rights.

Divorce is common nowadays and with it comes child custody issues. There's two types of custody: legal and physical. Physical custody is whose home the child lives in and legal custody is who makes decisions about the child's well-being. Is your ex a  horrible person? Joint custody with a jerk has some good tips. Some type of joint or shared custody is often preferred in the USA instead of sole custody, except for cases where it would endanger the child. A mother may get sole (or primary) physical custody over her child, but both parents would share legal custody.

In the case of schooling, travel, medical decisions, etc, both parents usually must sign off. There are exceptions to this rule. For example, when the other parent can't be located or when there is someone acting as in loco parentis. Let's say you re-marry and your spouse has been caring for your child. They'd be in loco parentis. This can be proven through rent or mortgages, school records, insurance records, etc. If they're in the military and have registered their step-child in DEERS, it's even easier to prove in loco parentis.

Here is some recommended reading about custody:

• Co-parenting with a toxic ex
• Divorce poison: how to protect your family from bad-mouthing and brainwashing
• Joint custody with a jerk
• The high conflict custody battle
• What every woman should know about custody 

Visitation Rights
Just because one parent has sole physical custody does not mean that they other parent doesn't get visitation rights. There are three types of visitation rights: no visitation, supervised visitation, and visitation.

Narcissistic or Borderline Personality Disorder
If you're dealing with someone with these issues, remember to remain calm. Losing control is what they want you to do. Get everything in writing or record it. These types of people are good at manipulation (they can turn anyone against you, even your own lawyer) and projecting (seeing others as they are seen). For example, if they cheated, they believe that you'll cheat on them or even worse, they'll accuse you of narcissism. Here is some information about narcissism.

• 9 signs he is a narcissist
• 10 signs you're in a relationship with a narcissist 
• 15 signs you're dating a narcissist
• 16 clear signs you're in a narcissistic relationship
• 30 red flags you might be dating a narcissist
• 50 ways to tell if your partner is a narcissist
• Becoming the narcissist's nightmare
• Divorce poison: how to protect your family from bad-mouthing and brainwashing
• How to know if you're in a relationship with a narcissist
• Identifying a narcissistic sociopath 
• Narcissistic women
• Rethinking narcissism
• The wizard of Oz and other narcissistics
• What is it always about you? 
• What makes narcissists tick (a 500 page PDF)

My advice to you would be to educate yourself and distance yourself both physically (if possible) and emotionally from this person.

Parental Rights: General Information
Once a mother's and father's name is written on the child's birth cert, they get parental rights. Once parental rights are taken away from someone, a new birth certificate will be issued without that parent's name on it.

Terminating parental rights is a major affair and can take years. It is not something to be taken lightly and is considered to be a last resort. There has to be a solid reason for terminating parental rights. Below you can find some reasons for terminating parental rights. There are two ways to terminate parental rights: voluntarily or involuntarily. While some parents may willingly give up parental rights temporarily or permanently, many parents refuse to do so and courts have to get involved. If a parent is not involved, but refuses to give up parental rights, some parents will agree to sign over rights if you waive back child support, back medical expenses, future counseling costs, cost of supervised visitation, and letters from medical professionals saying that not terminating parental rights would cause permanent emotion and mental damage to the child. This is not a complete list. Please contact the court that has jurisdiction over your area.

One (or both) of the parents . . .

• is in prison due to committing a serious crime
• is a sex offender
• is mentally unstable
• has abandoned the child
• has not had contact for a minimum amount of time (usually 6-24 months)
• is a drug abuser or alcoholic
• is a threat to the child's well-being
• hasn't paid child support
• has signed over their rights

Parental Rights in Peru
Here's information about parental rights (patria potestad) for Peru. That link has since been taken down, but here's a new one for patria potestad. It is not legal to sign over your rights in Peru. They can only be taken away during exceptional circumstances, such as being convicted of a crime. FYI: not paying child support is considered a crime in Peru. Parental rights can be temporarily taken away until the parent pays. Their salary or wages can also be garnished if they refuse to pay. Parental rights are taken away once the child becomes 18 or the parent dies. Contact a lawyer for more information.

Parental Rights in the USA
Unlike Peru, in the USA you can sign over your rights or they can be involuntarily terminated. The courts also might step in and adjudicate the termination of parental rights and assert jurisdiction over custody cases. Each state has different requirements so be sure to read the information thoroughly. Here's the information for termination of parental rights in Texas and adoption in Texas, for example.

Usually the courts will not involuntarily terminate a law-abiding parent's rights unless someone else agrees to adopt the child (if they're under 18), such as a step-parent (here are step-parent adoption forms for each state). You usually have to notify the other parent if you want to terminate their rights. You can do this by having someone from the court or police serve them the petition, publish an ad in the paper, or send the summons via certified mail. However, there are many exceptions so you may want to contact a lawyer.

It can be very expense, but many employers, such as the US military, UPS, ServiceMaster, ARAG, Hyatt Legal, and MetLife will offer adoption assistance. The IRS also has information about qualified adoption expenses and the top 10 facts about adoption tax benefits.

If the person wanting to be adopted is over 18 then it's simply a matter of signing papers at the court house. For example, if a child wishes to take away their father's parental rights and the child is 18, then the father doesn't even have to be contacted.

In conclusion
When getting a divorce or separating the court will make a decision based on what's best for the child. Being spiteful and getting revenge can only do harm and not good. If you're living in Peru and have registered your marriage in Peru, you should also register your divorce there or get divorced again. You may have to notarise, legalise, or apostillise documents. Contacting lawyers in Peru can help.

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3 Reasons Why Peruvians Prefer Not to Get Married

Many people ask me about whether they should marry their Peruvian boyfriend or girlfriend and what documents are required to get married in Peru. Marriage seems to be getting less popular these days. Not only in Peru, but worldwide. Here are three reasons why I believe Peruvians would rather have parejas (partners) than get married. There are a lot of hoops you'll have to jump through if you want to get a divorce in Peru.

Peruvians aren't as Catholic as they think they are

From www.chattycatholics.blogspot.com

Despite the fact that most Peruvians perceive themselves as being Catholic, I just don't see this as being true. I, personally, would refer to them as lapsed Catholics, meaning that they'd probably only attend church for weddings, funerals, Easter, and Christmas. While I don't think that you have to go to church to be religious, I also don't see them practice what they're preaching.

Catholicism does not allow living together before marriage (ie living in sin) or having children out of wedlock (ie illegitimate children) and many Peruvians do both of these things.

Despite the number of times I see it I'll always find it a bit disturbing to see people shouting or arguing on the bus, pass a church, and frantically cross themselves many times over, and then go back to shouting or arguing. It's almost a superstition rather than a religion in my opinion.

Divorce is painful
People get divorced for different reasons, some people fall out of love, others realise they are more different than they thought, others were taken advantage of by bricheros or bricheras.  Going to marry a Peruvian? Make an effort to learn about the culture and the language.

Despite being common, divorce isn't easy; few divorces are truly amicable. Divorce tends to bring out the worst in people even with spouses who get along, but just don't love each other anymore. People fight about money, children, material goods, retirement portfolios, and even friends. Skeletons come out of the closet and the people become very bitter as divorce drags on.

From millennialinflux.com

Peru's becoming more liberal
Along with many countries around the world, things that were once taboo, such as living together before marriage, having sex before marriage, having kids outside of marriage, gay rights, abortion, and so on, are not only accepted, but people who disagree with these topics are often perceived as being old-fashioned or backwards.

Look at the picture on the right. Well 38% of people surveyed think it's a bad thing to live together, 50% don't think it matters at all and 10% actually think it's good. The people who think it's bad are in the minority and that number's just going to decrease in the future as people become more forward minded.

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TEFL in China vs TEFL in Peru

From blog.simplek12.com

One of the most common questions I get asked about Peru (in addition to marriage, divorce, and visa info) is what it's like to teach English there. Many people know what it's like to teach English in China, so I thought I'd compare TEFLing (not international schools) in Peru and China.

Here is a basic summary of what it's like to TEFL in both countries. 

	China	Peru
Salary	About $1000-$1600 a month. Jobs in the south and big cities pay more but may not include accommodation.	About $700-$1500 a month. Hourly pay is usually about $10 an hour. Institutes usually pay hourly.
Flights	Included. You usually get half of your flight paid for after six months and the other half at the end of your contract.	Usually not included.
Accommodation	Usually included or a stipend is given.	Usually not included.
Visa	Legally you should get a Z (work) visa, though some places will have you work on an f (business) visa or an L (tourist visa).	Most places will not get you a visa and will either hire people who already have visas or people on tourist visas.
Types of jobs	Kindergarten, institute, and university jobs are the most common.	Most jobs are at institutes. Universities do hire native English speakers, but few will go through the trouble to get work visas.
Contracts	12 months for kindergartens and institutes. 10 months for universities with some universities paying you during the two month vacation if you renew your contract with them.	12 month contracts are the norm, though if you're on a tourist visa you might not sign a contract at all.
Extra work	The British Council often looks for IELTS examiners. You can also find private students.	Many teachers work at a couple different places as well as teach private students.

If you're looking for more info about TEFLing, you can find a lot of articles about teaching in China and teaching in Peru at TEFL Tips. If you decide to go to Peru, you should start learning the language. Knowing Spanish will help you assimilate to the culture and you'll be able to communicate easier.

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Reader Request: Beware of Bricheros and Bricheras

Last year I wrote a post, Think Carefully Before Marrying a Peruvian,which quickly became one of the most popular posts of this blog (as are the posts about getting married and getting divorced).  I got a number of comments as well as emails from people asking for advice or just telling me their story.

For the record, I did meet a guy in Peru who I ended up marrying. I also struggled with being accepted by his friends and families due to some of the stereotypes surrounding foreigners who date Peruvians. He, in turn, fought against my friends thinking he was a brichero. However, we overcame that and after a while I got the paperwork together and we tied the knot in Piura. We both had stereotypes to work against. People thought I was with him because he was a "Latin lover" and people thought he was with me because I was his ticket out of Peru. Unfortunately, my marriage ended after nearly 8 years. Here's what I had to do to get a divorce in Peru.

From scenicreflections.com

How Stereotyping Works
It is my belief that stereotypes come about due to actual events that people hear about. For example, let's say that there's a country called Overthere. This country has a population of 1 million people and of these 1 million, 100,000 leave Overthere and travel around the world. While travelling around the world these Overthere-ians meet other people and they're always happy and smiling and telling people how wonderful Overthere is. So now let's generalise, or make a stereotype about Overthere. We're going to say that all Overthere-ians are happy because the Overthere-ians we had contact with were happy.

Got it? We had contact with a minority (10%) but we made a generalisation, or stereotype, about them as a whole. However, this works to their advantage, since they have a positive stereotype about them. Let's look at another example.

Our next example has to do with another made up country called Faraway. It's a small country with only about 100,000 people. Of these, 100 leave Faraway and travel around the world. While travelling, these Faraway-ians meet other people and are absolutely horrible. They bitch and moan about everything, are rude to people, as well as being loud, obnoxious and boisterious. Once again, we're going to create a stereotype about Faraway-ians and say that all Faraway-ians are downright rude, horrible people to be around. We created this stereotype based on a very small minority of the population, only 1%.

What does this mean? This means that even if the other 90% of Overthere-ians are horrible people, when people talk about Overthere-ians we will assume that they are nice people since the 10% of the Overthere-ians who left Overthere were nice. However, since 1% of the population of Faraway came across as rude, horrible people, we will assume that the other 99% of the population of Faraway is the same. As you can see, a small percentage of the population can make it or break it for everyone else.

What exactly IS a brichero or a brichera?
The word "brichero" is used for a man and "brichera" is used for a woman. Like the word "cholo / chola", it's slang that usually has a negative connotation. Some people say it's a Spanglish word that comes from the English word, "bridge". It refers to a person who targets foreigners and tries to make them fall in love so that they (the foreigners) serve as a bridge out of Peru. Other people say it's more sexual and comes from the word britches and insinuates that they're trying to get into your pants. Either way, foreign tourists are being targeted by these "busca gringos/as". They are out to cazar (hunt) and/or casar (marry). They might try to take you to bed, steal your money, plant drugs on you, use you for a visa, or get you to buy them things.

Bricheros usually go for English speaking foreigners (such as those from the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand) and Europeans, usually British, French, Italian, or Spanish. They're trying to step up and move away from Peru. They don't often go for Asians or Africans for a couple of reasons. First, there are not that many tourists from these places as there are from places like the US or the UK. Second, these tourists tend to travel together in packs (ever seen a group of Japanese tourists?). Thrid, Peruvians aren't as familiar with these countries as they are with others. Lastly, Peruvians (like other people who immigrate) want to go to a place where they can find other Peruvians.

People think of bricheros and bricheras as people who don't have that much money and want a chance to make it in another country. They come across as Latin lovers or casanovas. In Peru, they often stick to touristy areas such as La Plaza de Armas in Cusco, the ombligo (bellybutton) of the world. They also have a decent grasp on English or another foreign language. Not sure how to find out? They stick out. Have a blond woman stand in the middle of the plaza and watch to see who approaches her. They're good-looking and suave. They come across very well, but they have hidden motives.

Blend in for your safety and peace of mind
As a foreigner, you may or may stick out. Physically, there's little you can do. If you're tall and blond, you're going to stick out. However, you can modify the clothes you wear, how you act, what you do, and what you say. Blending in while travelling abroad will also help make you less of a target for pickpockets and thieves. One tip to remember is that speaking Spanish will help you greatly. You can  refuse to tell them where your from or get the police involved if necessary. If you don't know Spanish, now's the time to learn. It'll help you assimilate to the culture, and you'll be able to communicate easier. If you're looking to learn Spanish Rosetta Stone allows you to learn at your own pace.

More info on bricheros:

• Brichero en Cusco by Portal-Peru (youtube)
• Cazador de Gringas (in Spanish)
• Cuzco Eats: Bricheros, Backpackers, and Hippies 
• Gowanus Books: An Interview with Mario Guevara
• Key2Cusco: Bricheras & Bricheros

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Reader Request: I'm Going to Live in Peru Forever!

From dogwalkmusings.blogspot.com

Updated 20 October 2017

It's not uncommon for me to get emails from people who say that they want to live in Peru forever, but don't know how to do it. It's usually accompanied by statements saying that someone (their husband / wife / partner / boyfriend / girlfriend / fiance / fiancée) is living in Peru / going to move to Peru and they'll get married and live happily ever after. More often than not the person emailing me has never been to Peru or has spent less than two weeks there.

Keep in mind that marriage is no longer forever. Divorce rates are high enough between people from the same culture let alone those from different cultures. The good news is that there are alternatives to residency besides marriage.
Differences in culture can also wreck havoc on cross-cultural partnerships. There's a reason why I wrote think carefully before marrying a Peruvian and that's it's one of the top 5 posts on my blog.

Moving is hard but it can be even harder if you move to a different country, don't speak the language, or if you don't have a job waiting for you. More often that not people end up begrudgingly teaching English. While there are other options than teaching English in Peru, they do take time to set up. If you do decide to to move to Peru, definitely take time and read the advice that other long-term expats have written.

While there are plenty of people that do end up living in Peru forever, just remember to keep your options open. Don't limit yourself to one country. Take things in stride and realise that there are many things beyond your control.

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Reader Request: Alternative Ways to Get Residency in Peru Besides Marriage

From blog.smalltownkid.net

Updated 30 April 2017

About once a month I get an email from someone asking me how in the world they can get residency in Peru. Usually it's due to the fact that a significant other in Peru, but they don't want to or aren't able to get married.

One tip to remember is that speaking Spanish will help you greatly. You'll be treated differently than if you speak English all the time, it'll help you assimilate to the culture, and you'll be able to communicate easier.

The good news is that after three years of residency you can apply for inmigrante status (permanent residency) or become a Peruvian citizen.

Here are some other alternatives to residency besides getting married.

1. Get a work visa. If you can score an expat package, all the better.
2. Start your own business. It'll get you a visa. You'll need $30,000 and there's a lot of paperwork involved.
3. Get a student visa. You will be able to work part-time as well. married.
4. Get a retirement visa. You'll have to prove a steady source of income, not from a job. (ex, government retirement scheme, private retirement scheme, etc.)
5. Get a family visa. If you have children that were born in Peru, they can become Peruvian citizens. If your kids are Peruvian, you might be able to get a visa through them. Get a lawyer. I've heard it's possible, but don't know anyone who has done it.

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Poll Results 2012: How long are you staying in Peru?

The 2012 poll was "How long are you planning on staying in Peru?" Here are the results.

• less than a year: 22% with 29 votes
• 1-2 years: 21% with 28 votes
• 3-5 years: 20% with 20 votes
• 5-10 years: 6% with 8 votes
• more than 10 years: 29% with 39 votes

It appears that people are here for the long haul. If that's the case, look into getting Peruvian citizenship and read up on Peruvian culture. One tip to remember is that speaking Spanish will help you greatly. You'll be treated differently than if you speak English all the time, it'll help you assimilate to Peru, and it'll get you cheaper prices.

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Visa Fees for Latin America

If you're in Peru chances are you're going to want to travel to other countries nearby. Keep in mind that you'll probably end up paying visa / entry fees. Here's some info on what those are.

• Boots N All: they tell you how to legally get out of paying the fees. 
• The Last Day of the Incas: an epic story that can't be missed
• Matador Network: guide for Americans.
• Peruvian culture: culture, history, and more.
• Project Visa: (Their info for Peru is wrong: says you can only get 90 days when it was changed to up to 183 days quite a while ago. Be sure to double check their info.)
• Latin America Spanish phrasebook: lots of good travel info. 
• South American Living: info about Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay.  
• Turn Right at Machu Picchu: A New York Times best seller about rediscovering the lost city one step at a time
• Wikipedia World Wide Guide: has to be included in the list

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