New immigration requirements for Venezuelans who wish to enter Peru

Peru’s National Immigration Superintendency announced the application of new regulatory measures that reverse the migratory flexibility implemented in June 2019, seeking to regulate the migratory flow and address the security challenges associated with the mass arrival of Venezuelans in recent years.

The initial easing of immigration restrictions facilitated the entry of Venezuelans, many of them in vulnerable situations, seeking to escape the socioeconomic and political crisis in Venezuela.

Since then, Peru has become the second most popular destination for Venezuelan migrants, hosting more than 1.5 million of them, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

New regulatory measure for Venezuelans in Peru

With the new measure applied by the Superintendency, the requirements for all Venezuelans who wish to enter Peru following July 2 would be as follows:

Entry requirements:

• Valid passport: All Venezuelans wishing to enter Peru must present a valid ordinary Venezuelan passport.
• Visa: A visa issued by a Peruvian consular office will be required, both for those seeking temporary or resident immigration status.
• Unique exception: Venezuelans who are already in Peru with expired passports will be able to request, for one time only, a change of immigration status, provided they entered the country before July 2 and meet other immigration requirements.

Visa Application Process:

• Place of application: the visa application must be made at a Peruvian consular office abroad.
• Requirements: Visa application requirements vary depending on the desired immigration status (temporary or resident). Detailed information can be found on the website of the National Immigration Superintendence of Peru.
• Processing time: Visa application processing time may vary depending on the consular office.

However, this measure also raised concerns regarding public safety with the emergence of criminal groups linked to irregular migration.

More regulatory measures; fewer protection mechanisms

Rosario Grados, project manager for AI Peru, recalled on June 20 that “protection mechanisms” have been dismantled in Peruvian territory. She also mentioned that, just a year ago, contingency measures were still being discussed.

With more than 6 million Venezuelans seeking refuge and opportunities in other countries, Venezuela is one of the countries with the most migrants on the planet, according to Amnesty International (AI).

The second week of June, the National Immigration Superintendency announced that, so far in 2024, 462 foreigners were expelled from the national territory for entering irregularly, following the application of the Administrative Sanctioning Procedure for Foreign Expulsion (PASEE), which allows the expulsion of offenders, according to what was reported by Infobae.

The political scientist also lamented that the number of victims of trafficking has increased by 100%, according to figures from the Ministry of Women of Peru. Many of them, Grados details, are Venezuelan.

Criminalization of migration

That same week it was announced that the Peruvian National Police had arrested 61 people in a bunker where drugs, firearms and vehicles allegedly used in criminal acts were seized. 56 people were foreigners, of which 47 are Venezuelans.

However, Grados believes that these are isolated cases. The expert points out that regulatory measures have been increasing as a result of the criminalization of irregular migration in Peruvian territory.

“Decree 13.50, which penalizes people who enter the country illegally, has hindered access to refugee protection,” he explained.

So far this year, Peru has only allowed 16 Venezuelans to enter the country because they are in a vulnerable situation, the Superintendency said.

Caracas / Runrunes