Peru Travel Guide
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247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Peru.
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Guide
There is no passport stamp waiting for you in Lima, at least not on paper. Travelers who fly into Jorge Chávez International Airport or arrive at an authorized seaport now get their Tarjeta Andina de Migración issued electronically, with no paper card and no stamp, and it can be downloaded or verified online through Migraciones. Peru wants passports valid at least six months, and the stay it grants is at the officer's discretion, usually up to 90 days, with a ceiling of 183 days in any 365 day period. It cannot be extended from inside Peru, so ask for the full amount when you arrive.
Land crossings are more old school, and here a stamp still matters. An entry record is required even at remote crossings, and travelers are told to avoid unofficial crossings with no Peruvian immigration officer, since without an entry stamp leaving the country can become difficult.
Then there is Machu Picchu, which is really an entry system of its own. Tickets are sold only through the official Ministry of Culture portal and never at the site.
Border crossings
- Chile, at Tacna and Arica
This is one of the three land crossings where Peru registers arrivals, and the one that links the Peruvian south with northern Chile.
- Ecuador, at Tumbes and Huaquillas
The northern crossing, on the coast, between the Peruvian region of Tumbes and Huaquillas in Ecuador.
- Bolivia, at Desaguadero and Yunguyo
Guides list Desaguadero and the Yunguyo crossing toward Copacabana. Hours are roughly 07:30 to 19:30 at Desaguadero and 07:30 to 18:00 at Yunguyo on the Peruvian side, and waits of 30 minutes to two hours are typical. The opening times can change because of security, weather, or bilateral agreements.
Transit routes
- Machu Picchu tickets are timed and personal
Entries are split into hourly slots, generally from 06:00 to 15:00, and the slot you choose cannot be changed once issued. There is a 30 minute grace period after the printed time, after which entry is normally denied, and visitors have been turned away for arriving 30 minutes late in 2026. Three circuit groups with ten defined routes have been in use since June 2024.
- Daily caps and when to book
Guides cite 5,600 visitors a day on peak dates and 4,500 on other days for 2026, with the June 19 to November 2 high season needing tickets two to three months ahead, and longer if you want Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain.
Entry point notes
- Ask the officer for what you need
Because the stay is granted at the officer's discretion, a traveler with a long trip in mind should state it at the desk, since it cannot be extended once inside the country.
- Six months of passport validity are required
Peru's entry rules ask for a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and land arrivals without a proper stamp cause problems on exit.