Summary
- Criminal Record and Entry to Peru
- Government Measures Against Criminals
- Visa Applications and Criminal Records
Criminal Record and Entry to Peru
If you have been convicted of a serious crime such as drug trafficking, rape, or murder, you can reasonably expect to be denied entry into Peru. The same applies if you possess a criminal record associated with the activities mentioned earlier: organized crime, smuggling, illegal mining, or contract killings.
Government Measures Against Criminals
Back in February 2013, the Government of Peru announced new measures to keep foreigners with criminal records from entering the country. According to a report in La Republica, then Prime Minister Juan Jiménez Mayor stated that the new laws were aimed at preventing “undesirable” foreigners from entering Peru.
Elaborating further, Jiménez expressed:
“In this way, foreign hitmen, as well as smugglers of various nationalities, illegal miners, and other foreign citizens involved in activities typical of organized crime, may not enter the country.”
The new immigration laws regarding criminal records, therefore, primarily targeted foreigners with links to organized crime and/or related activities such as smuggling and illegal mining. Moreover, Jiménez stated very clearly that “Today, Peru may prevent the entry of a foreign person who has any kind of question about his conduct, either abroad or in the country.”
Visa Applications and Criminal Records
As often seen with Peruvian laws, a degree of uncertainty remained. Were the new measures specifically aimed at addressing serious organized crime, or would Peru also begin denying entry to individuals with lesser criminal records?
However, Peru is certainly not denying entry to every foreign visitor with a criminal record. In most cases, especially for foreigners entering Peru on a simple Tarjeta Andina entry/exit card, border officials often do not run a background check on new arrivals. Consequently, it becomes nearly impossible to enforce a total ban on foreigners with criminal records.
If you need to apply for an actual visa before traveling to Peru, then you will probably have to declare your criminal record if one exists. Even so, there’s a good chance that slight misdemeanors will be overlooked, and your visa will still be granted. In general, it does not appear that Peru is actively trying to deny (nor does it want to deny) access to all foreigners with criminal records.
If you have a criminal record due to a summary offense, it’s unlikely that you’ll be denied entry into Peru. Whenever possible, however, it is advisable to seek guidance from your embassy in Peru, particularly if you have any serious concerns or a more serious criminal record.
