Trip checklist: Peru

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

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Visa requirement

South Africans don't need a visa for Peru.

Permitted stay

The ministry table gives 90 days for tourism. Under the migration law as amended by DL 1582, the immigration officer can grant tourist stays totalling up to 183 days in a 365-day period counted from first entry. If you are given less, you can extend up to that limit. Ask for the days you need on arrival and check your virtual TAM.

Before you go

• Purpose of visit

  Tourism visa-free. Business visits: the ministry table marks South Africa 'SI' (visa required). Confirm with the Embassy of Peru in Pretoria before a business trip.

• Passport validity

  FCDO advises at least 6 months from arrival. Not confirmed on a Peruvian official page.

• How to apply

  No visa for tourism. Present your passport at immigration; a virtual Andean Migration Card (TAM Virtual) is issued free at Lima airport and seaports. For a business visa, apply to the Peruvian consulate.

• Where South Africans apply

  Business or other visas: Embassy of Peru in Pretoria. Details not verified here.

• Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

  Peru: no yellow fever certificate required on entry (WHO). WHO recommends vaccination for travel to Amazon and jungle regions below 2,300 m. Not needed for Lima, Cusco or Machu Picchu alone. South Africa's own rule on return: South Africa requires a valid yellow fever certificate from all travellers over 1 year of age, South African citizens included, arriving from a yellow-fever-risk country or after more than 12 hours' airport transit in one; Peru is on South Africa's risk list. Without it you can be refused entry or quarantined for up to 6 days. The certificate is valid for life and only counts 10 days after vaccination.

• Arrival forms

  No paper card at Lima airport. The TAM Virtual is issued electronically; you can download or check it on the Migraciones site.

• Extending your stay and overstaying

  Since DL 1582, if granted fewer than 183 days you may extend up to 183 days (Migraciones procedure). Overstay fine: 0.1% of the UIT per day, about S/5.35 a day in 2025. FCDO warns overstayers may be detained.

• Travelling with children

  FCDO: notarised permission rules apply to Peruvian-resident minors leaving Peru. For visitors, carry birth certificates and consent letters as South African rules require.

• Confirm with the embassy

  Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

• Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Perú (consulado.pe): Requerimientos y exoneración de visas para ciudadanos extranjeros (undated) https://www.consulado.pe/Documents/visas/Requerimientos_de_visa_para_ciudadanos_extranjeros.pdf
• UK FCDO https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/peru/entry-requirements

Research sources

1. 1. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Perú (consulado.pe): Requerimientos y exoneración de visas para ciudadanos extranjeros (undated) (Official, consulado.pe) https://www.consulado.pe/Documents/visas/Requerimientos_de_visa_para_ciudadanos_extranjeros.pdf
2. 2. UK FCDO (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/peru/entry-requirements
3. 3. DIRCO (South African High Commission, Canberra) (Other government, dirco.gov.za) https://dirco.gov.za/canberra/yellow-fever/
4. 4. South African National Department of Health (Other government, health.gov.za) https://www.health.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DOH-Yellow-Fever-Pamphlet-1.pdf
5. 5. World Health Organization, International Travel and Health country list (Other government, cdn.who.int) https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/emergencies/travel-advice/yellow-fever-country-list-ith-travel.pdf
6. 6. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_South_African_citizens
7. 7. KPMG Peru: summary of Decreto Legislativo 1582 amending DL 1350 (Commercial, assets.kpmg.com) https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pe/pdf/Alerta_Laboral_-_DL_1582_Migraciones_.pdf
8. 8. The GSA (SA visa service), Peru guide (confirms business visa needed) (Commercial, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2759-venezuela-country-guide
9. 9. Infobae (citing Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones) (News and guides, infobae.com) https://www.infobae.com/peru/2025/12/10/turistas-extranjeros-deben-verificar-su-tiempo-de-permanencia-migraciones-recuerda-multa-diaria-por-exceso/

From doineedavisa.co.za/peru. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.