Peru: visa and entry rules

Peru's borders: every crossing point

Peru's land border crossings, listed by neighbour:

With Chile: Santa Rosa — Chacalluta on the Tacna — Arica road. The busiest crossing in the country.

With Bolivia: Desaguadero and Kasani by Lake Titicaca — this is the way from Puno to Copacabana and La Paz.

With Ecuador: Aguas Verdes — Huaquillas on the coast and La Tina — Macara in the mountains.

With Brazil: Inapari — Assis Brasil, the only road crossing in the Amazon.

With Colombia there is no land crossing: the border runs along the Amazon, and people get there by river transport via Leticia and Tabatinga.

Titicaca is the hub most used by tourists: the Cusco — Puno — Copacabana — La Paz route goes through Kasani.

Driving to Peru

Land routes work with all of its neighbours except Colombia, where there is no road.

How long a car may stay in the country, and whether a carnet is required to bring it into Peru, is decided by local customs. You cannot go by the rules of the neighbouring countries.

An International Driving Permit is required.

Insurance is bought locally.

High altitude is a factor in its own right. The passes on the Bolivian route lie above four thousand metres, and that affects both the car and how you feel.

Travelling to Peru with a pet

An international veterinary certificate is required, endorsed by the state veterinary service of the country you are leaving.

The rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.

On arrival the animal is inspected by the SENASA service.

Treatment against internal and external parasites is required, recorded in the documents.

Check the vaccination deadlines and whether a microchip is required for entry into Peru with your country's veterinary service before you buy tickets.

Overstaying your visa in Peru

The fine is charged for every day of the overstay and is paid on departure.

You will have to pay at the border, and that is where they will tell you the amount. There is no way to find out the sum in Peru in advance, so do not book a tight connection and keep cash on you.

You cannot extend your stay on the spot, so the only lawful way out is to leave on time.

You have to count the annual limit. 183 days are given per calendar year, and several trips add up.