Business Customs
In Peru, business attire is conservative. Women typically wear dresses or suits, and suits and ties are customary for men. Usually, business partners will exchange business cards at the outset of a meeting. Business travelers to Peru seeking appointments with U.S. Embassy Lima officials should contact the Commercial Service in advance. Contact information for the Commercial Service located in the U.S. Embassy is: e-mail office.lima@trade.gov, Tel. (51) (1) 618-2240.
Travel Advisory
The U.S. Department of State’s webpage provides travel information, including travel warnings and alerts. The Embassy’s webpage contains travel information, regulations, and restrictions related to COVID-19.
The Department of State publishes country-specific information for all foreign countries, including Peru, including the location of the U.S. Embassy or consulate, immigration requirements, health conditions, minor political disturbances, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties. Peru’s Country Specific Information is in State Department Consular Information Sheet for Peru. Passports must have a minimum of six months validity at time of entry.
Visa Requirements
The U.S. Embassy in Lima maintains a website with a wealth of information for U.S. business travelers. U.S. Companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States are advised that security evaluations are handled via an interagency process. Visa applicants should refer to the following: U.S. Department of State, Visas
The Department of State recommends that all U.S. citizens traveling overseas enroll their trip with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Travelers may register their stay in Peru online.
Travel Related Resources
U.S. Department of State’s Travel Website
U.S. Department of State’s Country Specific Information for Peru
U.S. Department of State’s Consular Information Sheet for Peru
U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
U.S. Embassy in Lima, Lost and Stolen Passports
Embassy of Peru in Washington D.C.
Peruvian Customs Information in English
Currency
The Peruvian local currency is the Peruvian Sol (PEN), and the average exchange rate in the first half of 2022 was approximately 3.8 PEN to $1.
|
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
Exchange Rates |
3.40 |
3.50 |
4.10 |
3.8 |
While major retailers, hotels, and some restaurants accept credit cards, smaller businesses operate on a cash basis. Visa and MasterCard predominate where credit is accepted, and American Express on a limited basis. Mobile payment applications (Venmo/PayPal) are yet to catch on, but Yape is a Latin American equivalent that is becoming popular. ATMs are readily accessible in urban areas.
Telecommunications/Electronics
Peru has four leading mobile service providers: Telefonica Movistar is the biggest service provider, with about 31% of the market; America Movil’s Claro is second with a little less than one-third of all users. Entel Peru and Vietnam’s Bitel serve the rest of the market.
For travelers to Peru, a smartphone will function if it has GSM/GPRS service. For long-distance calling, there are a variety of pre-paid calling services. In addition, Wi-Fi access is widely available in many public and private venues.
Transportation
Airlines
Travel to and from Peru has rebounded to nearly pre-pandemic levels. The Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) in Lima is the gateway for international flights into Peru and the central hub for inter-country connections. Direct flights from the United States to Peru are available from: Atlanta, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, and New York.
At the regional level, direct flights to Lima are available from: Bogota, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Panama City, Quito, Rio, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Cartagena, Punta Cana, Medellin, Guayaquil, La Paz, Santa Cruz.
Domestically, although there are daily flights between Lima and provincial cities, flights between provincial cities are infrequent, and most travel between metropolitan areas will require a layover in Lima.
Current travel restrictions
COVID travel protocols change frequently, so we advise you to contact your airline days before your flight to gather the proper documentation and regularly consult the airport website for the latest guidance.
Airport Taxis
The U.S. Embassy in Lima recommends using official airport taxi services and cautions against hailing taxis on the street. The safe and reliable taxi services located in the Lima International Airport as soon as one passes through Customs are Taxi Green, Taxi 365, Taxi Directo, and CMV. In major urban areas, Uber is widely used and reliable.
Rail
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications oversees the limited rail system in Peru through a system of government concessions to private companies. Lima is the only urban area with a basic metro system. Line 1 is in operation and runs from Villa El Salvador to Downtown Lima. Line 2, approved in 2014 and estimated to be completed by 2024, will run from the industrial district in Ate to the port district of Callao.
Ground Transportation
Driving conditions in Peru differ from those in the United States and can be considerably more dangerous. Visitors are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with local laws and driving customs before attempting to operate vehicles. Road travel at night is hazardous due to poor road markings and frequent unmarked road hazards. Due to safety concerns, inter-city bus travel can be dangerous.
The Metropolitano is the first public, urban and massive transport in Lima that serves around 700 thousand daily trips. The trunk routes are integrated with the feeder routes and manage to connect the North and South of the city, linking 18 districts. The buses that circulate on the trunk road can carry 160 passengers and have high-quality standards in safety and technology. In addition, the Metropolitano was the first system in the world to operate buses powered by natural gas.
Language
Peru has three official languages: Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara, but most business is in Spanish. While some members of the Peruvian business community may speak English, marketing literature for the Peruvian market should be in Spanish. Quechua and Aymara are common in the Andean highlands.
Health
Medical care is adequate in Lima and major cities but of inconsistent quality elsewhere in Peru. Private, urban healthcare facilities are often better-staffed and better-equipped than public or rural ones. Public facilities in Cusco are generally inadequate for serious medical conditions. Visitors to popular Andean destinations, such as Cusco/Machu Picchu, Arequipa/Colca Canyon, and Puno/Lake Titicaca, often suffer from altitude-related illnesses. Travelers to Peru should purchase medical evacuation/global health insurance to cover the unlikely but extremely costly instance of a medical evacuation flight.
Local Time, Business Hours, and Holidays
Lima is situated directly south of New York in terms of longitude, occupying the Eastern Standard time zone (UTC minus 5). Peru does not observe Daylight Saving Time. The format for writing dates is the day of the month, month, and year, e.g., April 28, 2021, would be written as 28/04/2021.
Business hours in Peru are generally from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Breakfast meetings are becoming increasingly common, and people typically schedule business lunches between the hours of 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. Business offices, excluding banks, are closed on Saturdays. In the provinces, business hours are usually from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. It is acceptable to arrive half an hour late for social functions. However, punctuality is the norm for business visitors to social and business functions.
|
New Year’s Day |
January |
1 |
2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Holy Thursday |
April |
14 |
2022 |
|
Good Friday |
April |
15 |
2022 |
|
Labor Day |
May |
1 |
2022 |
|
St. Peter and St. Paul |
June |
29 |
2022 |
|
Peruvian Independence Day |
July |
28 |
2022 |
|
Peruvian Independence Day |
July |
29 |
2022 |
|
Saint Rose of Lima |
August |
30 |
2022 |
|
Battle of Angamos |
October |
8 |
2022 |
|
All Saints Day |
November |
1 |
2022 |
|
Immaculate Conception |
December |
8 |
2022 |
|
Martin Luther King Day |
January |
17 |
2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Presidents’ Day |
February |
21 |
2022 |
|
Memorial Day |
May |
30 |
2022 |
|
Juneteenth |
June |
20 |
2022 |
|
Independence Day |
July |
4 |
2022 |
|
Labor Day |
September |
5 |
2022 |
|
Columbus Day |
October |
10 |
2022 |
|
Veterans’ Day |
November |
11 |
2022 |
|
Thanksgiving Day |
November |
24 |
2022 |
|
Christmas Day New Year (for January 1st, 2023) |
December December |
26 31 |
2022 2022 |
The U.S. Embassy is closed on both Peruvian and U.S. holidays.
Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings
The Customs authority SUNAT oversees the temporary entry of items into Peru. Goods for registered trade fairs may temporarily enter Peru by paying a bond without paying duties. In addition, travelers may enter Peru with a cellular phone and a laptop computer as long as the items are for personal. Information regarding items that require temporary entry registration is on ADUANET (http://www.aduanet.gob.pe/aduanas/version_ingles/informca/TR01ITPV.htm).
A customs guide for travelers can be found at SUNAT.
The Peruvian Customs Baggage Declaration form is also available at SUNAT.
Travel Related Resources
U.S. Department of State’s Travel Website
U.S. Department of State’s Country Specific Information for Peru
U.S. Department of State’s Consular Information Sheet for Peru
U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
U.S. Department of State, Visas
Embassy of Peru in Washington D.C.
Peruvian Customs Information in English