Living in Peru as a French National: Stay, Residence, Schooling, Safety, Altitude and Daily Life

France Diplomatie states that French nationals do not need a visa for a tourist stay of less than three months, within a limit of 90 days in a 183-day period. The passport must be valid for at least six months from arrival: the requirement is strictly applied and entry is refused if it is not met. Overstaying incurs a penalty of 4.40 soles for each day over the limit and leaves the person in an irregular situation, with exit procedures that are sometimes lengthy.

By air, entry is recorded virtually in the immigration database; at land borders, the physical stamp is compulsory and the traveller must insist on it; entry by sea requires prior authorisation from the Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones. Beyond three months, a visa is requested from the Peruvian consulate in France, and France Diplomatie recommends registration on the register of French nationals living abroad for a residence of more than six months. The guide to the checklist for the first 90 days helps you put the steps in order, and the Peru fact sheet brings together the health insurance benchmarks.

Residence procedures are handled with the Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones (Migraciones), online, with a fee of 58.80 soles per procedure (code 07567, payable at the Banco de la Nación, the state bank, with the number of the travel document used to enter). Three statuses concern a French national who settles:

• Rentista: residence visa for a person who receives a retirement pension or a permanent annuity from a Peruvian or foreign source. For a foreign annuity, Migraciones requires a permanent net income of at least USD 1,000 a month, a declaration that the money enters Peru through a supervised banking or financial institution, and a criminal record for the previous five years; the processing time is 30 working days and the applicant is outside the country when obtaining the immigration status.
• Worker: residence visa for a person holding an employment contract of at least one year, approved by the labour authority, with an employer registered as active with the tax administration (SUNAT); the period of stay is 365 days, renewable.
• Permanent residence: change of status after three consecutive years of residence, with no more than 183 consecutive days outside the country in any 365 days, for 162.50 soles.

The carné de extranjería is the document that proves residence: Migraciones specifies that it allows you to work, study, start a business, be integrated into the public health system, take out a postpaid subscription and access bank credit. It is obtained at the end of the change of immigration status, for 24 soles, with the international exchange record of the police (Interpol) dated less than six months ago, except for minors. The page on working in Peru and the guide to digital nomad visas complete the subject.

The official sources consulted do not rank cities by their appeal to expats. France Diplomatie does, however, give safety benchmarks: in Lima, heightened vigilance in the historic centre after dark, around Callao airport and in the outlying districts where thefts are frequent; armed robberies and bag snatching are reported in residential neighbourhoods such as Miraflores, Barranco and San Isidro.

Outside the capital, two areas are formally advised against: the VRAEM region, under military control, and the Amazonian border zone with Colombia, in particular along the Putumayo river. Abancay and the Huánuco region are advised against except for compelling reasons. The Peruvian-French school Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry in Arequipa is part of the French school network, which can count in the choice of a city. For care, see the healthcare system in Peru.

The official sources consulted do not publish rents or typical budgets by city; the “Economic indicators” block above gives the macroeconomic indicators, including the exchange rate. The currency is the Peruvian sol. The minimum living wage (RMV) rose from 1,130 to 1,230 soles a month from 1 October 2026, under Supreme Decree No. 015-2026-TR published on 28 September 2026, which provides for a further increase of 70 soles in the first half of the following year, by a forthcoming decree, to reach 1,300 soles.

This RMV gives a local reference scale for estimating a budget. The residence thresholds (USD 1,000 for the rentista) are set in dollars, while administrative fees (58.80, 162.50 and 24 soles) and wages are in soles. To budget for health, the guide to budgeting for health when living abroad offers a method.

The AEFE lists two establishments under agreement in Peru. The Franco-Peruvian international lycée Albert-Camus, in Lima (Santiago de Surco), has 907 pupils and 15 approved levels, from the first nursery year to the final year, on the Southern Hemisphere calendar. The Peruvian-French school Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry is in Arequipa. Registration and fees are confirmed with each establishment.

For a child, health cover and maternity deserve a check before departure: see children’s cover abroad and expat family insurance.

France Diplomatie describes crime that mostly involves thefts on public transport, bag snatching, armed robberies and assaults, notably against women travelling alone, as well as an increase in attacks in unofficial taxis. The practical advice is simple:

• use only registered taxis from an official company or ride-hailing apps;
• avoid isolated trips at night outside busy areas and never leave a drink unattended in a bar;
• avoid night journeys in rural and mountain areas, where road accidents are frequent;
• call 105 (police), 106 (SAMU, medical emergencies) or 116 (fire brigade); the French embassy in Lima answers on +51 1 215 84 00.

Among natural risks, the country is in a zone of high seismic activity, the rainy season from January to May causes floods and landslides in the mountains, and the risk of forest fires is high in several regions, including Lima, Apurímac, Amazonas, Cajamarca and Tumbes.

Hikes often exceed 2,500 metres: France Diplomatie points out that altitude sickness is possible above this altitude and recommends climbing gradually, without gaining more than 400 metres of elevation a day. Dengue has annual epidemics from December to April in the northern and western regions; malaria is endemic in several regions and absent above 2,000 metres; yellow fever vaccination is strongly recommended for the Amazon, at least ten days before departure.

The language of administration is Spanish; Quechua, Aymara and the Amazonian languages are also spoken (French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs). A good level of Spanish makes it easier to sign a lease, open an account and deal with Migraciones. The page on healthcare reimbursement in Peru explains who pays in each situation, and Expavy helps you compare policies once the residence status is chosen.