Our Legal Services

Business or Working Visa in Peru

"Business visa" and "work visa" get used interchangeably online, but they authorize very different things. Getting this wrong is one of the most common and most costly mistakes we see: a foreign employee starts working in Peru on the wrong visa category and exposes both themselves and the Peruvian company to fines.

We help you identify which one you actually need, then handle the process end to end, whether you apply from abroad or you are already in Peru.

Book a Free Consultation Which Visa Do I Need?
Business or working visa in Peru
183 days
Maximum stay on a Business Visa
~5 days
MTPE labor contract approval
20%
Maximum foreign headcount per company under the general rule
1 yr
Work visa validity, renewable while the contract is active

Visa Type

Which One Do You Need?

If you are coming to sign documents, attend meetings, or explore an investment, the Business Visa is enough. If you or your employee will be on a Peruvian company's payroll, you need the Work Visa, even if the trip is described internally as "a business trip."

Business Visa Work Visa
Allows paid work in Peru No Yes
Typical use Attending meetings, negotiating contracts, due diligence, exploring opportunities Being employed and paid by a Peruvian company
Where you apply Peruvian Consulate abroad, before traveling Consulate abroad, or inside Peru after entering as a tourist
Maximum stay Up to 183 calendar days, non-extendable 1 year, renewable while the labor contract is active

Business Visa

What the Business Visa Actually Allows

The Business Visa lets you sign contracts and carry out legal or administrative business in Peru, but it does not authorize paid or profit-generating activity and it does not let you receive Peru-sourced income.

Requirements: a completed application form, a valid passport, proof of a round-trip ticket, and a company letter explaining the purpose and expected length of the visit and confirming financial backing for the stay.

Where and when: only at a Peruvian Consulate in your country of residence, ideally at least 15 calendar days before travel. Some nationalities, including several EU countries, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, among others, do not need this visa at all for short business stays. We can confirm your specific case.

The 183-day Business Visa is not extendable.

If your stay runs long, you need to plan the Work Visa process ahead of time rather than trying to stretch a Business Visa beyond its limit.

What the business visa in Peru allows

Work Visa

How the Work Visa Works, Step by Step

A Peruvian company hiring a foreign employee needs to clear two separate approvals from two separate authorities. We manage both from start to finish.

  • 1

    Draft and sign the employment contract

    The contract must be in writing, for a fixed term of up to 3 years (renewable), and must include a clause committing the company to train Peruvian staff in the specialized functions performed by the foreign employee.

  • 2

    Get the contract approved by the Ministry of Labor (MTPE)

    Filed online through the SIVICE system. This step typically resolves within about 5 business days and is a prerequisite for the immigration process.

  • 3

    Choose your immigration route

    Apply for the resident worker visa at a Peruvian Consulate abroad before traveling, or, if you are already in Peru on a tourist visa, file a change of migratory quality directly with Migraciones without leaving the country.

  • 4

    Submit documents to Migraciones

    The migratory quality approval can take from roughly 6 weeks up to 45 to 65 business days depending on current caseload. We flag the realistic timeline upfront.

  • 5

    Receive your Carné de Extranjería

    Once the migratory quality is granted, Migraciones issues the Carné de Extranjería, your ID for most purposes inside Peru: banking, contracts, RUC registration, and more.

How the work visa in Peru works

Immigration Route

Two Ways to Get the Work Visa

Which one is better depends on whether the employee is already in Peru, how firm the start date needs to be, and how much runway there is before a tourist stay expires. We walk through this with every client before choosing a route.

✈️

Option 1: Apply From Abroad

Apply for the resident worker visa directly at the Peruvian Consulate in your country, before traveling to Peru. The right route if you have not yet entered Peru and want your immigration status settled before you arrive.

Trade-off: you cannot enter Peru until the visa is approved, and Migraciones' current processing backlog means this step alone can take from roughly 6 weeks up to 45 to 65 business days. We flag this upfront so you can plan a realistic start date.

🏙️

Option 2: Change Migratory Status in Peru

Enter Peru on a tourist visa or visa waiver, and once your employer has the MTPE-approved contract, file a change of migratory quality (cambio de calidad migratoria) with Migraciones online, without leaving the country.

Important: you cannot legally be paid or begin working while still on tourist status. If the change is not approved before your tourist period runs out, you fall into irregular immigration status. We track this deadline for every client on this route.

Foreign employee limits under Peruvian labor law.

No more than 20% of a company's total headcount and no more than 30% of its total payroll can be foreign nationals under the general rule. Common exceptions, including highly specialized roles, spouses of Peruvian citizens, nationals of Andean Community and Mercosur countries, and investors, do not count against these limits, provided the exception is properly documented.

What You'll Need

Documents Required

Required documents apply to both routes. We send a detailed checklist at the start of the engagement so nothing has to be redone.

  • Valid passport and passport-style photos.
  • The MTPE-approved employment contract.
  • A letter from the Peruvian company confirming the position, term, and salary.
  • An apostilled or consularized police and judicial background certificate from your country of residence.
  • Proof of payment of the applicable Migraciones processing fee.

After Approval

What Happens Once Approved

Once the migratory quality is granted, Migraciones issues the Carné de Extranjería, which functions as your ID for most purposes inside Peru: opening bank accounts, signing contracts, registering a RUC, and more.

The quality is generally valid for one year and is renewable while the underlying labor contract remains active. Renewals need to be filed before expiration; letting it lapse puts you back into irregular status.

Keep track of your renewal date.

Renewals must be filed before the Carné expires. Letting it lapse, even briefly, places you in irregular immigration status and complicates the renewal process.

Fees

What It Costs

💼

Business Visa

Starts at USD 400 in professional fees, plus approximately USD 200 in expenses.

18% IGV applies if paid locally in Peru. If paid by wire transfer from abroad, IGV does not apply.

Government fees are paid separately, at cost. Any portion of the expense advance not used and accounted for is refunded.

🏢

Work Visa

Starts at USD 700 in professional fees, plus approximately USD 200 in expenses.

18% IGV applies if paid locally in Peru. If paid by wire transfer from abroad, IGV does not apply.

Ministry of Labor and Migraciones fees are paid separately, at cost. Any portion of the expense advance not used and accounted for is refunded.

Avoid These

Common Mistakes We Help Clients Avoid

⚠️

Starting paid work before the change of migratory quality is approved

Even with an MTPE-approved contract in hand, being paid while still on tourist status is not authorized and exposes both employee and employer to Sunafil sanctions.

⚠️

Letting the tourist stay expire while the application is pending

If the change of quality is not approved before the authorized tourist period runs out, the applicant falls into irregular immigration status. We track this deadline for every client using Option 2.

⚠️

Overlooking the CPP-to-Carné de Extranjería gap for Venezuelan nationals

A Venezuelan holding only a PTP or CPP is exempt from the general 20%/30% hiring limits, but a CPP alone does not let that person appear as a company shareholder or partner; a Carné de Extranjería is needed first.

Complete Your Setup

Related Services

Many clients combine visa support with one or more of these services.

Shelf Company

Need to be operational immediately? Acquire a ready-made company with a clean history and begin operating the same week.

Learn more →

Set Up a Company in Peru

Incorporate your company in Peru from abroad. S.A.C., SUNARP registration, RUC, and power of attorney handled end to end.

Learn more →

Fiscal Domicile

Every company registered in Peru must have a real physical address. We provide a domicile address at our Lima office.

Learn more →

Legal & Tax Representation

Every non-resident foreign company needs a local representative before SUNAT. We act as your legal representative in Peru.

Learn more →

Data Privacy Policy

Peruvian law requires companies handling personal data to have a registered privacy policy. We draft and register it.

Learn more →

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

A business visa lets you carry out business-related activities such as signing contracts or attending meetings, but it does not authorize paid work in Peru. A work visa is required for any foreign national who will be employed and paid by a Peruvian company.
No. You can only begin paid work once the change of migratory quality or the work visa itself has been approved by Migraciones, even if your employment contract is already approved by the Ministry of Labor.
No. If you are already in Peru on a tourist visa, you can request a change of migratory status directly with Migraciones without leaving the country, as long as your tourist stay has not expired.
The labor contract approval from the Ministry of Labor typically takes about 5 business days. The migratory quality approval from Migraciones is the longer step and can range from around 6 weeks up to 45 to 65 business days depending on current caseload.
Yes. In general, foreign nationals cannot exceed 20% of a company's total headcount or 30% of its total payroll, though several categories of employees are exempt from this limit, including highly specialized roles, spouses of Peruvian citizens, and nationals of Andean Community and Mercosur countries.
Yes. The Peruvian employer is the one who files the labor contract for approval with the Ministry of Labor, which is a prerequisite for the work visa or change of migratory status.
Yes, but it is not a separate visa category. Many clients incorporate their own Peruvian company and then have that company employ them, following the same Work Visa route described above: an MTPE-approved employment contract followed by the standard Migraciones process. The employer is simply a company you control rather than a third party.
It is the ID card issued to foreign residents once their migratory quality is approved. It replaces the passport for most everyday purposes in Peru, including banking, contracts, and tax registration. It is valid for one year and must be renewed while the underlying labor contract remains active.
Yes. The Investor Visa is a separate migratory category for those who invest at least PEN 500,000 in a Peruvian company rather than being employed by one, and it follows a different process than the Business or Work Visa covered on this page. If an investment-based route fits your situation better, mention it during your consultation and we can advise on the best fit.

This page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice for any specific situation. Contact the Peru Legal Setup team directly for a consultation on your immigration status.

Get Started

Book a Free Consultation

45-minute call. No commitment. We'll tell you exactly which visa you need and what your process looks like.