The cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, Cusco

Peru · Country guide

Moving to Peru from the US

Visas, residency routes, citizenship and tax for Americans moving to Peru, with the law behind each rule.

Source-checked19 sources, 15 officialHow we check

Today's rate: $1 = 3.40 solesUpdated 14 Nov 2026

CapitalLima

Visa-free (US)90 days; extension not confirmed

Residency income from$1,000 a month of pension

CitizenshipAfter 2 years of residence (5 once a new law starts)

Tax on foreign incomeNot in your first calendar year; work done in Peru is taxed from day one

Dual citizenshipNo renouncing rule found

Peru in brief

Visit visa-free: US tourists get 90 days; whether you can extend isn't clear.
Retirees: a pension of at least $1,000 a month, after tax, gives you an indefinite stay.
No remote-work visa yet: the digital nomad status is in the law, but you can't apply for it.
Citizenship: 2 years in a row of residence today; a 2025 law will raise it to 5.
Work done in Peru is taxed from day one: 30% of your gross pay as a newcomer.
First year, pension untaxed: you stay a non-resident until January 1 after you arrive.

About Peru

Peru runs from a dry Pacific coast over the high Andes to the Amazon rainforest. Lima holds the coast, Inca ruins like Machu Picchu fill the mountains, and its food, led by ceviche, draws people on its own.

The Inca terraces and stone buildings of Machu Picchu below the peak of Huayna Picchu, with cloud-topped Andes behind. — Machu Picchu in evening light

Apartment towers and green clifftop parks of Miraflores, Lima, above a long Pacific beach and breaking surf. — Miraflores clifftops above the Pacific

A plate of Peruvian ceviche topped with red onion, served with corn, sweet potato and chili peppers. — Ceviche with corn, sweet potato

People strolling in Arequipa's palm-lined Plaza de Armas, with the white cathedral and a snowy volcano behind. — Arequipa's plaza and cathedral

By the numbers

34.2 millionPeople, 2025 census

Nearly 2× TexasLand area

86%Live in cities

29 yearsHalf are younger

13World Heritage sitesNeeds review

$9,700GDP per person

Needs reviewThe count is from news reports; confirming it on the official list.

Regions

Central coast: Lima and its crowded metro area on the Pacific.
North coast: Beaches, surfing, ancient ruins and hot springs.
Southern highlands: High mountains, deep valleys and dramatic scenery.
Altiplano: The Andes above about 11,500 ft, around Lake Titicaca.
Amazon: Vast jungle, hot and very wet.

Culture and daily life

Language: Spanish, with Quechua and Aymara in the highlands; English is less common than you might expect.
Food: Ceviche, fish marinated in lime juice, leads a cuisine that also includes lomo saltado and anticuchos.
Religion and holidays: Christian and Indigenous beliefs mix; Holy Week, Corpus Christi and Christmas are the big festivals.

Economy and politics, briefly

Prices: inflation in Lima reached 5.3% in October, the highest since 2023, pushed by fuel. The sol has stayed at about 3.4–3.8 per dollar since 2022.
Politics: Keiko Fujimori became president on July 28, 2026, after winning a very close runoff in June.

Sources (13)

Cities in Peru

Where our city guides are planned. Hover a city to find it on the map.

All Peru guides

Every rule with its legal source.

Entry and visas90 days visa-free; extension not confirmed Residency3 routes: retiree income, digital nomad (not open) and work Citizenship2 years of residence today, 5 under a new law TaxesWhat retirees and remote workers pay

Free tools

Count your days in PeruTourist days used and left, the tax-residency test, and the US 330-day count.Social Security and Medicare in PeruPayments, direct deposit, agreements and what Medicare covers.

Still being checked

Pension letters: whether a US Social Security or pension letter is accepted, and whether the $1,000 is before or after tax.
Switching in Peru: whether a tourist can change to retiree residence without leaving.
Retiree rights: whether retirees may work, and how their residence card is renewed.
Digital nomad status: not open yet; no rules, income level, fee or application exist.
New decrees: a 2026 implementing decree for the digital nomad status, before launch.
Worker residence: needs a Peruvian employer or client, so it doesn't suit remote employees of US companies.

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