Peru

Calidad Migratoria Rentista

Peru's Calidad Migratoria Rentista is a passive income residence program for foreign nationals who receive a retirement pension or permanent income from Peruvian or foreign sources. Originally established under Decreto Legislativo No. 703 and given a dedicated legal framework through Ley No. 28072 (2003), the program is administered by MIGRACIONES. It grants indefinite residence in Peru and is one of the most straightforward residence options in Latin America, requiring only proof of at least USD 1,000/month in permanent income. Holders cannot engage in any paid or lucrative activities in Peru.

• Minimum net permanent income of USD 1,000 per month from a recognized permanent source
• Additional USD 500/month for each accompanying dependant
• Acceptable income sources: state or private pensions, social security, government pensions, employment-related pensions, union pensions, disability pensions, lifetime annuities, and permanent income from royalties or dividends
• For foreign-source income, funds must enter Peru through a banking or financial institution supervised by the SBS
• No specific educational or professional qualifications required
• Criminal record certificates from country of origin and countries of prior residence (covering last 5 years)
• Valid passport with at least 6 months validity
• Must not engage in any paid or lucrative activities in Peru

• Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity)
• Certificate of no criminal, judicial, or police records from country of origin and countries of prior residence (last 5 years), apostilled or legalized and translated to Spanish
• Income documentation proving permanent pension or income of at least USD 1,000/month, notarized or authenticated
• Sworn declaration (declaración jurada) indicating desire to adopt rentista status and confirming no criminal records
• Sworn statement confirming income enters Peru through an SBS-supervised financial institution (for foreign-source income)
• All foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and translated to Spanish by a certified translator
• Payment of applicable fee (S/ 58.80 for initial visa; S/ 161.40 for change of migration status)

The rentista status grants indefinite residence with no expiration date and does not need to be renewed. However, the Carné de Extranjería (foreigner ID card) must be renewed annually at least 30 days before expiration through the MIGRACIONES Digital Agency, with a fee of S/ 25.60. The status is cancelled if the holder is absent from Peru for more than 6 consecutive months or accumulated intervals totaling 6 months within a calendar year.

Spouse and children under 25 may be included in the applicant's migration unit. Each dependant requires proof of additional USD 500/month permanent income. Dependants may alternatively apply under the calidad migratoria de familiar de residente, which grants a 1-year renewable residence permit requiring proof of kinship through apostilled documents translated to Spanish.

Pension income originating from personal work (retirement, survivor benefits, disability) is exempt from Peruvian income tax. Rentista holders who do not engage in income-generating activities generally are not considered tax domiciled and are not required to register with SUNAT for a RUC. Other types of foreign-source income (dividends, royalties) received by tax residents may be subject to Peruvian income tax.

Applicants outside Peru submit documents to a Peruvian consulate, which forwards them to MIGRACIONES. Upon approval, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorizes the visa, and the applicant presents it at a migration control point upon entering Peru. Applicants already legally in Peru can request a change of migration status through the MIGRACIONES Digital Agency or in person (fee: S/ 161.40). MIGRACIONES evaluates applications within 30 business days. After approval, the holder must obtain a Carné de Extranjería by completing biometric registration at a MIGRACIONES office (fee: S/ 49.90).

Rentista holders are strictly prohibited from all paid or lucrative activities in Peru. Income sources that are not considered "permanent" — such as rental income, freelance work, capital gains, and bank interest — may not qualify, as only pensions and lifelong or permanently guaranteed income streams are accepted. The USD 1,000/month threshold has not been adjusted since 2003. Holders are exempt from annual foreigner registry fees and import duties on household goods when first establishing residence. Regarding citizenship, the new Ley No. 32421 (August 2025) increased the general naturalization residency requirement to 5 years and notably omitted the previous provision allowing rentista holders to apply after just 2 years. Holders who need to remain outside Peru for longer than 183 consecutive days may request an authorization from MIGRACIONES before departing.

Links

• https://www.gob.pe/es/12875-solicitar-calidad-migratoria-para-rentista-residente
• https://www.gob.pe/12933-cambiar-calidad-migratoria-residente-solicitar-cambio-de-calidad-migratoria-rentista-residente
• https://docs.peru.justia.com/federales/leyes/28072-sep-25-2003.pdf

Other Digital Nomad Visas in South America