Peru's investor residence runs on S/ 500,000 in a company you manage
About $146,000 wired into a Peruvian company's capital gets you a one-year residence you renew each year, and three years of it opens the door to permanent status.
This route is for Americans who want to own and run a business in Peru. It isn't built for a condo purchase or a hands-off portfolio: to renew, you have to be the company's manager or director.
At a glance
What S/ 500,000 gets you, and for how long
$146,000
Minimum investment, set at S/ 500,000
At 3.42 soles per dollar, September 2026
365 days
Each residence period
Renewed a year at a time
30 business days
Official decision window
About six weeks, in-country
3 years
Until you can ask for permanent status
Plus S/ 55,000 a year in income
How the money has to move
Capital in a company, sent by bank transfer
Migraciones counts two kinds of investment: capital in a new company, or a capital increase in one that's already set up. Either way, the S/ 500,000 has to arrive by bank transfer, appear in the company's public deed, and the company has to be registered with SUNARP, Peru's public registry.
What doesn't count
A home purchase, bank deposit or stock portfolio. Peru has no general minimum capital for companies, so the S/ 500,000 is purely the immigration bar.
One condition to ask about
Lima law firm RGB Avocats lists a commitment to create five jobs for Peruvians within two years. Migraciones' own procedure pages don't mention it, so confirm it for your file.
Investor Visa
For those making a significant investment in Peru. Specific investment thresholds apply.
- Processing time
- ~30 days
- Timeline
- Indefinite (renewable)
- Difficulty
- Hard
Key requirements
- Valid US passport
- Proof of investment in Peru
- Clean criminal record
- Completed application form
About that data card
One line needs correcting. Our card lists the timeline as "Indefinite (renewable)." Investor residence is granted for 365 days at a time and renewed each year. The indefinite status is permanent residence, which you can request after three consecutive years. Also, the 30-day processing figure refers to 30 business days, making this closer to six weeks.
The process
Two ways to file, and one ID card at the end
From outside Peru
The standard request is filed while you're abroad. You upload the form, your passport, criminal record certificates from every country you've lived in, and the company deed as PDFs, then pay S/ 57.60 (about $17) at Banco de la Nación.
From inside Peru
As a tourist, you can stay up to 183 days in any 365. You can switch to investor status online while that stay is still valid. The fee is S/ 161.40 (about $47), and Migraciones answers by email within 30 business days. Its page says you must file personally, not through a representative.
After approval
Pay S/ 24 (about $7) for the carné de extranjería, your resident ID, then book an appointment to collect it in person. Report any change of address within 15 business days.
Every year after
Renew from inside Peru before your residence expires. You'll need the company's latest annual tax return, and you must be its manager or director. The fee is S/ 20.20 (about $6).
Start with where your money comes from
Is this the right Peru route for you?
You'll run a Peruvian business
This is your route. Put S/ 500,000 into company capital and stay on as manager or director.
You live on a pension or steady income
Look at Rentista instead. Peru asks for US$1,000 a month in permanent income, with no company to run.
You mainly want to buy a home
A property purchase on its own won't qualify. The money has to become a company's capital.
You're moving with family
Spouses, minor children and parents of a legal resident can apply for Familiar de Residente status.
The long game
Permanent residence, citizenship and the IRS
Permanent residence
After three consecutive years as a resident, you can apply for permanent status for S/ 162.50 (about $48). Investors show at least S/ 55,000 (about $16,000) in gross annual income, and you can't have spent more than 183 consecutive days outside Peru in any 365 without authorization.
Citizenship
Ley 32421, published in August 2025, sets five continuous years of residence and yearly income of 10 UIT (S/ 55,000 in 2026). Applications filed before it takes effect follow the old rules, which RGB Avocats puts at two years. Check which rule applies before you plan around it.
U.S. taxes
The U.S. has no income tax treaty with Peru. Americans who are officers, directors or shareholders in certain foreign companies file IRS Form 5471, so raise it with your tax preparer before you incorporate.
People who handle this for a living
RGB Avocats
Peru Relocation and Visas
A Lima law firm that handles investor, work, retirement and family residence cases, and advises foreigners setting up companies in Peru.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Tax preparation for Americans abroad, covering the federal returns you still file every year while living outside the U.S.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps you work out how you'll get care in a new country before you need it.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
International health insurance for people living outside their home country.
Questions Americans ask about Peru's investor residence
Can my spouse and children move to Peru with me on investor residence?
They can apply for their own status, called Familiar de Residente, which covers spouses, minor children and parents of legal residents in Peru.
How much do you have to invest for Peru's investor visa?
The minimum is S/ 500,000, about $146,000 at September 2026 exchange rates. It has to go into a Peruvian company's capital by bank transfer, either when the company is formed or as a capital increase in a company registered with SUNARP.
When can a Peru investor resident get permanent residency?
After three consecutive years as a resident. Investors need at least S/ 55,000 (about $16,000) in gross annual income and can't have spent more than 183 consecutive days outside Peru in a 365-day period without authorization. The fee is S/ 162.50 (about $48).
How long does Peru's investor residence last?
It's granted for 365 days and can be extended by another 365 days each time. You file the renewal from inside Peru before your residence expires, and you must be the company's manager or director.
Do I have to hire Peruvian employees to keep investor residence in Peru?
Possibly. Lima law firm RGB Avocats lists a commitment to create five jobs for Peruvians within two years, but Migraciones' own procedure pages don't mention it. For renewals, Migraciones requires you to be the company's manager or director and to comply with labor and tax rules. Confirm the hiring point with a Peruvian lawyer before you invest.
Does buying a house or condo in Peru qualify for investor residency?
No. Migraciones' investor procedure counts money invested as capital in a new company or as a capital increase in an existing one. Buying a home on its own doesn't meet that test.
What U.S. tax filings apply if I own a Peruvian company?
U.S. citizens who are officers, directors or shareholders in certain foreign corporations file IRS Form 5471. The U.S. and Peru also have no income tax treaty, so talk to a U.S. expat tax preparer before you set up the company.
Can I apply for Peru's investor residence after entering as a tourist?
Yes. You can change to investor status online from inside Peru, as long as your tourist stay stays valid while the application is pending. The fee is S/ 161.40 (about $47), and the official decision window is 30 business days.
Talk through the Peru investor route with an advisor
We'll help you check whether a Peruvian company is the right way in, and what to line up before you wire the money.
Why not you?