Peru

Compiled from the December 2006 Background Note and supplemented with additional information from the State Department and the editors of this volume. See the introduction to this set for explanatory notes.

Official Name:
Republic of Peru

PROFILE

PEOPLE

HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

ECONOMY

FOREIGN RELATIONS

U.S.-PERUVIAN RELATIONS

TRAVEL

PROFILE

Geography

Area: 1.28 million sq. km. (496,225 sq. mi.). Peru is the third-largest country in South America and is approximately three times the size of California.

Cities: Lima (capital), Arequipa, Chiclayo, Cuzco, Huancayo, Ica, Trujillo, Ayacucho, Piura, Iquitos, Chimbote.

Terrain: Western arid coastal plains, central rugged Andean mountains, and eastern lowlands with tropical forests that are part of the Amazon basin.

Climate: Arid and mild in coastal area, temperate to frigid in the Andes, and warm and humid in the jungle lowlands.

People

Nationality: Peruvian.

Ethnic groups: Indigenous (45%), mixed background (“mestizo”) (37%), European (15%), African, Japanese, Chinese, and other (3%).

Population: 28.3 million (July 2006). Approximately 30% of the population lives in the Lima/Callao metropolitan area.

Annual population growth rate: (2006 est.) 1.32%.

Religions: Roman Catholic (85%), Protestant (10%).

Languages: Spanish is the principal language. Quechua, Aymara and other indigenous languages also have official status.

Education: Years compulsory—11. Attendance—92% ages 6-11, and 66% ages 12-16. Literacy—95% in urban areas, 77% in rural areas.

Health: Infant mortality rate (2006)—30.94/1,000. Life expectancy (2006)—68.05 years male; 71.71 years female.

Unemployment: (2005) 9.6%; underemployment: (2005) 54.9%.

Government

Type: Constitutional republic.

Independence: July 28, 1821.

Constitution: December 31, 1993.

Government branches: Executive—President, two Vice Presidents, and a Council of Ministers led by a Prime Minister. Legislative—Unicameral Congress. Judicial—Four-tier court structure consisting of Supreme Court and lower courts.

Political subdivisions: 25 departments subdivided into 180 provinces and 1,747 districts.

Political parties: Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana (APRA), National Unity (UN), Peru Posible (PP), Popular Action (AP), Union for Peru (UPP), Solucion Popular, Somos Peru (SP).

Suffrage: Universal and mandatory for citizens 18 to 70.

Economy

GDP: (2005) $78.4 billion.

Annual growth rate: (2005) 6.7%.

Per capita GDP: (2005) $2,806.

Natural resources: Iron ore, copper, gold, silver, zinc, lead, fish, petroleum, natural gas, and forestry.

Manufacturing: (14.9% of GDP, 2004) Types—Food and beverages, textiles and apparel, nonferrous and precious metals, nonmetallic minerals, petroleum refining, paper, chemicals, iron and steel, fishmeal.

Agriculture: (8.3% of GDP, 2004) Products—Coffee, asparagus, paprika, artichoke, sugarcane, potato, rice, banana, maize, poultry, milk, others.

Other sectors: (by percentage of GDP in 2004) Services: (55.0%), mining (6.6%), construction (4.8%), fisheries (0.5%).

Trade: Exports (2005)—$17 billion: gold, copper, fishmeal, petroleum, zinc, textiles, apparel, asparagus and coffee. Major markets (2005)—U.S. (30%), China (11%), Chile (6.6%), Canada (6.0%), Switzerland (4.6%), Japan (3.6%), Spain (3.3%), Netherlands (3.1%). Imports (2005)—$12.5 billion: machinery, vehicles, processed food, petroleum and steel. Major suppliers (2005)—U.S. (17.7%), China (8.5%), Brazil (8.2%), Ecuador (7.3%), Colombia (6.2%).

PEOPLE

Peru is the fifth most populous country in Latin America (after Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina). Twenty-one cities have a population of 100,000 or more. Rural migration has increased the urban population from 35.4% of the total population in 1940 to an estimated 73% today.

Most Peruvians are either Spanish-speaking mestizos—a term that usually refers to a mixture of indigenous and European/Caucasian—or Amerindians, largely Quechua-speaking indigenous people. Peruvians of European descent make up about 15% of the population. There also are small numbers of persons of African, Japanese, and Chinese ancestry. Socioeconomic and cultural indicators are increasingly important as identifiers. For example, Peruvians of Amerindian descent who have adopted aspects of Hispanic culture also are considered mestizo. With economic development, access to education, intermarriage, and large-scale migration from rural to urban areas, a more homogeneous national culture is developing, mainly along the relatively more prosperous coast. Peru’s distinct geographical regions are mirrored in a socioeconomic divide between the coast’s mestizo-Hispanic culture and the more diverse, traditional Andean cultures of the mountains and highlands.

HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

The Inca Empire and Spanish Conquest

When the Spanish landed in 1531, Peru’s territory was the nucleus of the highly developed Inca civilization. Centered at Cuzco, the Incan Empire extended over a vast region from northern Ecuador to central Chile. In search of Inca wealth, the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro, who arrived in the territory after the Incas had fought a debilitating civil war, conquered the weakened people. The Spanish captured the Incan capital at Cuzco by 1533, and consolidated their control by 1542. Gold and silver from the Andes enriched the conquerors, and Peru became the principal source of Spanish wealth and power in South America.

Pizarro founded Lima in 1535. The viceroyalty established at Lima in 1542 initially had jurisdiction over all of the Spanish colonies in South America. By the time of the wars of independence (1820-24), Lima had become one of the most distinguished and aristocratic colonial capital and the chief Spanish stronghold in the Americas.

Independence

Peru’s independence movement was led by Jose de San Martin of Argentina and Simon Bolivar of Venezuela. San Martin proclaimed Peruvian independence from Spain on July 28, 1821. Emancipation was completed in December 1824, when Venezuelan General Antonio Jose de Sucre defeated the Spanish troops at Ayacucho, ending Spanish rule in South America. Spain subsequently made futile attempts to regain its former colonies, but in 1879 it finally recognized Peru’s independence.

After independence, Peru and its neighbors engaged in intermittent territorial disputes. Chile’s victory over Peru and Bolivia in the War of the Pacific (1879-83) resulted in a territorial settlement in which Peru ceded the department of Tarapaca and the provinces of Tacna and Arica to Chile. In 1929, Chile returned Tacna to Peru. Following a clash between Peru and Ecuador in 1941, the Rio Protocol—of which the United States is one of four guarantors (along with Argentina, Brazil and Chile)—sought to establish the boundary between the two countries. Continuing boundary disagreement led to brief armed conflicts in early 1981 and early 1995, but in 1998 the governments of Peru and Ecuador signed an historic peace treaty and demarcated the border. In late 1999, the governments of Peru and Chile likewise implemented the last outstanding article of their 1929 border agreement. Peru and Chile still dispute the sea boundary.

Military Rule and Return to Democracy (1968–1980)

The military has been prominent in Peruvian history. Coups have repeatedly interrupted civilian constitutional government. The most recent period of military rule (1968-80) began when Gen. Juan Velasco Alva-rado overthrew elected President Fernando Belaunde Terry of the Popular Action Party (AP). As part of what has been called the “first phase” of the military government’s nationalist program, Velasco undertook an extensive agrarian reform program and nationalized the fishmeal industry, some petroleum and mining companies, and several banks.

Because of Velasco’s economic mismanagement and deteriorating health, he was replaced in 1975 by Gen. Francisco Morales Bermudez. Morales Bermudez tempered the authoritarian abuses of the Velasco administration and began the task of restoring the country’s economy. Morales Bermudez presided over the return to civilian government under a new constitution and in the May 1980 elections, President Belaunde Terry was returned to office by an impressive plurality.

Instability in the 1980s (1982–1990)

Nagging economic problems left over from the military government persisted, worsened by an occurrence of the “El Niño” weather phenomenon in 1982-83, which caused widespread flooding in some parts of the country, severe droughts in others, and decimated the fishing industry. The fall in international commodity prices to their lowest levels since the Great Depression combined with the natural disasters to decrease production, depress wages, exacerbate unemployment, and spur inflation. The economic

collapse was reflected in worsening living conditions for Peru’s poor and provided a breeding ground for social and political discontent. The emergence of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) in rural areas in 1980—followed shortly thereafter by the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) in Lima—sent the country further into chaos. The terrorists were financed in part from alliances with narcotraffickers, who had established a stronghold in the Peruvian Andes during this period. Peru and Bolivia became the largest coca producers in the world, accounting for roughly four-fifths of the production in South America.

Amid inflation, economic hardship, and terrorism, the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA) won the presidential election in 1985, bringing Alan García to office. The transfer of the presidency from Belaunde to García on July 28, 1985, was Peru’s first transfer of power from one democratically elected leader to another in 40 years.

The Fujimori Decade (1990–2000)

Economic mismanagement by the García administration led to hyperinflation from 1988 to 1990. Concerned about the economy, the increasing terrorist threat from Sendero Luminoso, and allegations of official corruption, voters chose a relatively unknown mathematician-turned-politician, Alberto Fujimori, as president in 1990. Fujimori felt he had a mandate for radical change. He immediately implemented drastic economic reforms to tackle inflation (which dropped from 7,650% in 1990 to 139% in 1991), but found opposition to further drastic measures, including dealing with the growing insurgency. On April 4, 1992, Fujimori dissolved the Congress in the “auto-coup,” revised the constitution, and called new congressional elections. With a more pliant Congress, Fujimori proceeded to govern unimpeded. Large segments of the judiciary, the military and the media were co-opted by Fujimori’s security advisor, the shadowy Vladimiro Montesinos. The government unleashed a counterattack against the insurgency that resulted in countless human right abuses and eventually quashed the Shining Path and MRTA. During this time he also privatized state-owned companies, removed investment barriers and significantly improved public finances.

Fujimori’s constitutionally questionable decision to seek a third term, and subsequent tainted electoral victory in June 2000, brought political and economic turmoil. A bribery scandal that broke just weeks after he began his third term in July forced Fujimori to call new elections in which he would not run. Fujimori fled the country and resigned from office in November 2000. A caretaker government under Valentin Paniagua presided over new presidential and congressional elections in April 2001. The new elected government, led by President Alejandro Toledo, took office July 28, 2001.

The Toledo Administration (2001–2006)

The Toledo government successfully consolidated Peru’s return to democracy, a process that had begun under President Paniagua. The government undertook initiatives to implement the recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which had been charged with studying the circumstances surrounding the human rights abuses and violations committed between 1980 and 2000. Criminal charges for corruption and human rights violations were brought against former President Fujimori, who is in Chile fighting efforts to extradite him to Peru. Despite being a frequent target of media criticism, Toledo maintained strong commitments to freedom of the press.

President Toledo’s strong economic management led to an impressive economic boom in Peru that remains strong. Toledo unveiled the construction of a road that will connect Brazil and Peru’s isolated interior to the Pacific coast. Poverty reduction has been uneven, however. Although poverty in some areas has decreased by up to 37% over the last five years, nationally it has only decreased by 5% and over half of Peruvians are still considered to be living below the poverty line (living on less than $2 a day). In 2005 the government implemented “Juntos,” a program to double the income of people living under extreme poverty (less than $1 a day).

2006 Elections and Transition

On June 4, 2006, APRA candidate Alan García Pérez was elected to the presidency by 52.5% of the voters in his runoff with Ollanta Humala. After a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, García returns to the presidency with promises to improve Peru’s social conditions. García seeks to balance economic stability with increased social spending. His immediate goal is to decrease poverty, especially in Peru’s southern highlands where poverty is most acute. With 36 seats, APRA has the second-largest bloc—next to the Union for Peru Party’s 45 seats—in the 120-seat unicameral Congress which was sworn in July 2006, a couple of days before the new President.

Constitution and Political Institutions

The president is popularly elected for a five-year term. A constitutional amendment passed in 2000 prevents reelection. The first and second vice presidents also are popularly elected but have no constitutional functions unless the president is unable to discharge his duties. The principal executive body is the Council of Ministers, comprised of 15 members and headed by a prime minister. The president appoints its members, who must be ratified by the Congress. All Executive laws sent to Congress must be approved by the Council of Ministers.

The legislative branch consists of a unicameral Congress of 120 members. In addition to passing laws, Congress ratifies treaties, authorizes government loans, and approves the government budget.

The judicial branch of government is headed by a 16-member Supreme Court. The Constitutional Tribunal interprets the constitution on matters of individual rights. Superior courts in departmental capitals review appeals from decisions by lower courts. Courts of first instance are located in provincial capitals and are divided into civil, penal, and special chambers. The judiciary has created several temporary specialized courts in an attempt to reduce the large backlog of cases pending final court action. In 1996 a human rights Ombudsman’s office was created.

Peru is divided into 25 regions. The regions are subdivided into provinces, which are composed of districts. High authorities in the regional and local levels are elected. The country’s latest decentralization program is in hiatus after the proposal to merge departments was defeated in a national referendum in October 2005.

Principal Government Officials

Last Updated: 10/3/2006

President: Alan GARCIA Perez

First Vice Pres.: Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas

Second Vice Pres.: Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar

Prime Minister: Jorge DEL CASTILLO Galvez

Min. of Agriculture: Juan Jose SALAZAR

Min. of Commerce & Tourism: Mercedes ARAOZ Fernandez

Min. of Defense: Allan WAGNER Tizon

Min. of Economy & Finance: Luis CARRANZA Ugarte

Min. of Education: Jose Antonio CHANG Escobedo

Min. of Energy & Mines: Juan VALDIVIA Romero

Min. of Foreign Relations: Jose Antonio GARCIA BELAUNDE

Min. of Health: Carlos VALLEJOS

Min. of Housing: Hernan GARRIDO Lecca

Min. of Interior: Pilar MAZZETTI Soler

Min. of Justice: Maria ZAVALA

Min. of Labor: Susana PINILLA Cisneros

Min. of Production: Rafael REY Rey

Min. of Transportation & Communications: Veronica ZAVALA

Min. of Women & Social Development: Virginia BORRA

Pres., Central Reserve Bank: Julio VELARDE

Ambassador to the US: Felipe ORTIZ de Zevallos

Permanent Representative to the UN, New York: Jorge VOTO-BERNALES Gatica

Peru maintains an embassy in the United States at 1700 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 (tel. (202) 833-9860/67, consular section: (202) 462-1084). Peru has consulates in Atlanta, New York, Paterson (NJ), Miami, Chicago, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Hartford.

ECONOMY

Peru’s economy has shown strong growth over the past five years, helped by market-oriented economic reforms and privatizations in the 1990s, and measures taken since 2001 to promote trade and attract investment. GDP grew 6.7% in 2005, 4.8% in 2004, 4.0 in 2003, and 4.9% in 2002. President Alan Garcia and his economic team have continued these policies. GDP is projected to grow by more than 7% in 2006. Recent economic expansion has been driven by construction, mining, export growth, investment, and domestic demand. Inflation is projected to remain under 2% in 2006, and the fiscal deficit is only 0.6% of GDP. In 2006 external debt decreased to $22 billion (est.), and foreign reserves were a record $14.1 billion at the end of 2005.

Peru’s economy is well managed, and better tax collection and growth are increasing revenues, with expenditures keeping pace. Private investment is rising and becoming more broad-based. The government has had success with recent international bond issuances, resulting in ratings upgrades. The Garcia administration is studying decentralization initiatives, and is focused on bringing more small businesses into the formal economy.

Foreign Trade

Peru and the U.S. signed the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) on April 12, 2006 in Washington, DC. The PTPA was ratified by the Peruvian Congress on June 28, 2006, but has not yet been ratified by the U.S. Congress. On December 9, 2006, the U.S. Congress extended U.S.-Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) preferences through June 2007.

Peru is projected to register a trade surplus of over $6 billion in 2006. Exports reached $23 billion, partially as a result of high mineral prices. Peru’s major trading partners are the U.S., China, EU, Chile, and Japan. In 2005, 30.6% of exports went to the U.S. ($5.2 billion) and 17.9% of imports came from the U.S. ($2.1 billion). Exports include gold, copper, fishmeal, petroleum, zinc, textiles, apparel, asparagus, and coffee. Imports include machinery, vehicles, processed food, petroleum and steel. Peru belongs to the Andean Community, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Foreign Investment

The Peruvian Government actively seeks to attract both foreign and domestic investment in all sectors of the economy. The registered stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) is over $14.3 billion, with the U.S., Spain, and the United Kingdom the leading investors. FDI is concentrated in telecommunications, mining, manufacturing, finance, and electricity.

Mining and Energy

Peru is a source of both natural gas and petroleum. In August 2004, Peru inaugurated operations of the Camisea natural gas project. Camisea gas is fueling an electricity generator and six industrial plans in Lima, with other facilities in the process of switching to gas. In a second phase, liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be exported to the west coast of the United States and Mexico. The gas and condensates from Camisea are equivalent to some 2.4 billion barrels of oil, approximately seven times the size of Peru’s proven oil reserves. The Camisea project, when completed, is expected to gradually transform Peru’s economy, catalyze national development, and turn Peru into a net energy exporter.

Peru is the world’s second-largest producer of silver, sixth-largest producer of gold and copper, and a significant source of the world’s zinc and lead. Mineral exports have consistently accounted for the most significant portion of Peru’s export revenue, averaging around 50% of total earnings in 1998 to 2005.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Peru generally enjoys friendly relations with its neighbors. In November 1999, Peru and Chile signed three agreements that put to rest the remaining obstacles holding up implementation of the 1929 Border Treaty. (The 1929 Border Treaty officially ended the 1879 War of the Pacific.) In late 2005, a declaration of maritime borders by Peru’s Congress set off a new round of recriminations with Chile, which claims that the maritime borders were agreed to in fishing pacts dating from the early 1950s. In contrast, the Garcia administration has recently made overtures to Chile, aimed at improving that relationship.

In October 1998, Peru and Ecuador signed a peace accord to resolve once and for all border differences that had sparked violent confrontations. Peru and Ecuador are now jointly coordinating an internationally sponsored border integration project. The U.S. Government, as one of four guarantor states, was actively involved in facilitating the 1998 peace accord between Peru and Ecuador and remains committed to its implementation. The United States has pledged $40 million to the Peru-Ecuador border integration project and another $4 million to support Peruvian and Ecuadorian demining efforts along their common border.

In 1998, Peru became a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, facilitating closer ties and economic relations between Peru and Asian nations. Peru will host the APEC Summit in 2008.

Peru has been a member of the United Nations since 1949, and is a member of the Security Council. Peruvian Javier Perez de Cuellar served as UN Secretary General from 1981 to 1991.

Peru maintains 210 troops in peacekeeping operations in Haiti under the UN’s MINUSTAH.

U.S.-PERUVIAN RELATIONS

The United States enjoys strong and cooperative relations with Peru. Relations were strained following the tainted re-election of former President Fujimori in June 2000, but improved with the installation of an interim government in November 2000 and the inauguration of the government of Alejandro Toledo in July 2001. Relations with President Garcia’s administration are positive. The United States continues to promote the strengthening of democratic institutions and human rights safeguards in Peru and the integration of Peru into the world economy.

The United States and Peru cooperate on efforts to interdict the flow of narcotics, particularly cocaine, to the United States. Bilateral programs are now in effect to reduce the flow of drugs through Peru’s port systems and to perform ground interdiction in tandem with successful law enforcement operations.

These U.S. Government-supported law enforcement efforts are complemented by an aggressive effort to establish an alternative development program for coca farmers in key coca growing areas to voluntarily reduce and eliminate coca cultivation. This effort is funded by the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

U.S. investment and tourism in Peru have grown substantially in recent years. The U.S. is Peru’s number one trade partner, and economic and commercial ties will deepen if the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) is passed by the U.S. Congress. About 200,000 U.S. citizens visit Peru annually for business, tourism, and study. About 16,000 Americans reside in Peru, and more than 400 U.S. companies are represented in the country.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials

LIMA (E) Address: Avenida La Encalada Cdra 17- Monterrico, Lima; APO/FPO: APO AA 34031; Phone: 511-618-2000; Fax: 618-2397; INMARSAT Tel: Iridium# 8816-7631-1064; Workweek: Monday–Friday, from 8a.m. to 5 p.m., except U.S. and some Peruvian holidays; Website: http://peru.usembassy.gov.

Last Updated: 12/12/2006

Other Contact Information

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Office of Andean Affairs (Room 5906)
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520-6263
Tel: 202-647-4177
Fax: 202-647-2628
Home Page: http://www.state.gov/

U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Office of Latin America and the Caribbean
14th and Constitution, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: (202) 482-0475
(800) USA-TRADE
Fax: (202) 482-0464
Home Page: http://trade.gov/

American Chamber of Commerce of Peru
Avenida Ricardo Palma 836, Mira-flores
Lima 18, Peru
Tel: (511) 241-0708
Fax: (511) 241-0709

E-Mail: [email protected]
Home Page:
http://www.amcham.org.pe/

TRAVEL

Consular Information Sheet : April 3, 2006

Country Description: Peru is a developing country with an expanding tourism sector. A wide variety of tourist facilities and services are available, with quality varying according to price and location.

Entry/Exit Requirements: A valid passport is required to enter and depart Peru. Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel. U.S. citizens may enter Peru for short-term tourist- or business-related visits of up to 90 days; however, the actual period authorized is determined by the Peruvian immigration officer at the time of entry into Peru. After admission, travelers may also extend their visa for an additional three months. Persons who remain beyond their period of authorized stay without obtaining a visa extension or a residence visa will have to pay a fine to depart Peru. Visitors for other than tourist or short-term business visit purposes must obtain a Peruvian visa in advance. Business workers (under contract) should ascertain the tax and exit regulations that apply to the specific visa they are granted. Peru does not require any immunizations for entry, although it recommends vaccination against Yellow Fever. U.S. citizens whose passports are lost or stolen in Peru must obtain a new passport and present it, together with a police report on the loss or theft, to the main immigration office in downtown Lima, located at Prolongacion Espana 734, Brena, to obtain permission to depart. An airport exit tax of approximately $32 (in U.S. or local currency) per person must be paid when departing Peru. There is also a $6 airport fee for domestic flights. For further information regarding entry requirements, travelers should contact the Peruvian Embassy at 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20036; telephone (202) 833-9868; Internet http://www.peruvianembassy.us/; or the Peruvian Consulate in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Miami, New York, Paterson (NJ), or San Francisco.

Note: It is illegal for any person within the United States, as well as U.S. citizens, nationals, and resident aliens elsewhere, to fly or otherwise conduct business with Aero Continente airline. Persons who violate this provision are subject to criminal and civil penalties under U.S. law. Although the airline is no longer flying and is doing business as Nuevo Continente, the prohibition remains in effect. Persons seeking a license to conduct business with the airline on an exceptional basis may fax their request to the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) at (202) 622-1657. Telephone inquiries may be directed to (202) 622-2480. Further information on this matter is available on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s website at http://www.treas.gov/ofac. FAA safety restrictions placed on Aero Continente are not related to this action.

Visit the Embassy of Peru web site at http://www.peruvianembassy.us/for the most current visa information.

Additional Requirements for Minors: In an effort to prevent international child abduction, many governments, including Peru’s, enforce specific rules at entry/exit points. These often include requiring documentary evidence of relationship and permission for a child’s travel from the parent(s) or legal guardian not present. Peru’s specific procedures mandate that minors (under 18) who are citizens or residents of Peru and who are traveling alone, with one parent, or with a third party, must present a notarized authorization from the absent parent(s) or legal guardian(s), specifically granting permission to travel alone, with one parent or guardian, or with a third party. When a parent is deceased, a notarized copy of the death certificate is required in lieu of the authorization. If documents are prepared in the United States, the authorization and the birth certificate must be translated into Spanish, notarized, and authenticated by the Peruvian Embassy or Consulate in the United States. If documents are prepared in Peru, only notarization by a Peruvian notary is required. These requirements do not apply to children who enter Peru on U.S. passports as tourists unless they hold dual U.S.-Peruvian citizenship. Children born in Peru of U.S. citizen parents are considered to be Peruvian citizens and must obtain Peruvian passports and the notarized authorization from the non-traveling parent or legal guardian in order to depart Peru. (Diplomats are exempt from this requirement.)

Safety and Security: The Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) terrorist group is still active, and sporadic incidents of Shining Path violence have occurred in the recent past in rural provinces of Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Junin and San Martin. The Shining Path has previously targeted U.S. interests and there are indications that it continues to do so. These have included attacks by large, heavily armed groups believed to be members of Shining Path on Peruvian army and police patrols in remote areas, as well as kidnappings of Peruvian and foreign aid workers. None of these incidents occurred in areas normally visited by tourists. Mining prospectors, adventure travelers and others considering travel to remote areas of Peru are strongly advised to contact the U.S. Embassy in Lima for current security information.

A peace treaty ending the Peru/Ecuador border conflict was signed on October 26, 1998. The Peruvian Government is working to remove mines and unexploded ordnance left over from the conflict, but crossing or approaching the Peru-Ecuador border anywhere except at official checkpoints can still be dangerous. The entire Peru/Colombia border area is very dangerous because of narcotics trafficking and the occasional incursions of armed guerrilla forces from Colombia into Peru’s remote areas. Political demonstrations and labor-related strikes and marches regularly occur in urban and some rural areas and sometimes affect major highways. They can also cause serious disruptions to road, air and rail transportation. Demonstrations are often – but not always – announced in advance. While these activities are usually peaceful, they can escalate into violent confrontations. As a general rule, it is best to avoid large crowds and demonstrations. Visitors are encouraged to keep informed by following the local news and consulting hotel personnel and tour guides.

The U.S. Embassy in Lima can be contacted by phone at 51-1-434-3000 and the Consular Agency in Cusco’s number is 51-84-9-62-1369. For further information concerning travel to Peru, travelers should consult the Department of State’s web site found on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov.

U.S. Embassy Travel: The U.S. Embassy restricts travel of U.S. Government employees in the following areas, where terrorist groups and narcotics traffickers have recently resorted to violent actions, usually directed against local security forces, local government authorities, and some civilians. Overland travel in or near these areas, particularly at night, is risky.

Apart from the following list of locations restricted because of the danger from terrorist and narcotic groups, embassy employees are prohibited from nighttime overland travel anywhere outside of major urban areas because of the risks posed from robbery and unsafe road conditions. The only exception is that nighttime travel by commercial bus on the Pan-American Highway is permitted for official or personal travel.

Road travel along this route, by means other than commercial bus service, and nighttime travel via commercial bus service along other routes anywhere in Peru, continues to be prohibited for embassy employees.

This list below is under continuous review, and travelers may contact the U.S. Embassy for updated information:

Ancash: Restricted: Provinces of Pallasca, Corongo, and Sihuas.

Apurimac: Province of Chincheros.

Ayacucho: Restricted: Provinces of La Mar and Huanta. Daylight road travel from Ayacucho to San Francisco. Permitted: Daylight road travel from Ayacucho City to the city of Huanta. Staying within the city limits of Huanta. Daylight road travel from Pisco to Ayacucho City.

Cusco: Restricted: 20-kilometer swath of territory contiguous to the Apurimac River and Ayacucho Department. Permitted: Everywhere else including Machu Picchu area and city of Cusco.

Huancavelica: Restricted: Provinces of Acobamba, Castrovirreyna, Churcampa, Huancavelica, Tayacaja. Permitted: Staying within the city limits of Huancavelica City. Train travel from Huancayo to Huancavelica City. Daylight road travel from Pisco to Ayacucho City.

Huanuco: Restricted: All areas. Road travel is no longer permitted in this department. Permitted: Flying into and staying within the city limits of Huanuco and Tingo María.

Junin: Restricted: Provinces of Satipo and Concepcion east of the Mantaro River. Permitted: Daylight travel from La Merced to Satipo.

La Libertad: Restricted: Provinces of Pataz and Sanchez Carrión.

Lambayeque: Restricted: Lambayeque Province northeast of Olmos and east of the Pan-American Highway. Permitted: Daytime road travel on the Pan-American Highway.

Loreto: Restricted: 20-kilometer swath of territory contiguous to the Colombian border. Travel on the Putumayo River.

Pasco: Restricted: Province of Oxapampa. Permitted: Flying into and staying within the city limits of Ciudad Constitucion and Puerto Bermudez.

Piura: Restricted: Province of Huancabamba south of Huancabamba City. Permitted: Huancabamba City and areas to the north of the city.

San Martín: Restricted: Provinces of Bellavista, Huallaga, Mariscal Caceres, and Tocache. Permitted: Flying into and remaining within the city limits of Bellavista, Juanjui, Saposoa and Tocache. Daytime road travel from Tarapoto to Juanjui and Bellavista.

Ucayali: Restricted: Provinces of Padre Abad and Coronel Portillo west of Pucallpa City and west of the Ucayali River. Road travel from Pucallpa to Aguaytia and all cities west of Aguaytia. Permitted: Flying into and remaining within the city limits of Pucallpa. The province of Coronel Portillo east of the Ucayali River.

The Government of Peru has declared a state of emergency in the following districts/provinces, and the Embassy recommends avoiding these locations:

• Provinces Huanta and La Mar, in Ayacucho
• Province of Tayacaja, in Huancavelica
• Province of La Convención, in Cusco province
• Province of Satipo, in Junín
• District of Andamarca in the province of Concepción, in Junín
• District of Santo Domingo de Acobamba in the province of Huancayo, in Junín.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Crime: While the great majority of the approximately 200,000 Americans who visit Peru each year have very positive experiences, a small but growing number have been victims of serious crimes. The information below is intended to raise awareness of the potential for crime and suggest measures visitors can take to avoid becoming a victim.

Violent crime, including carjacking, assault, and armed robbery is common in Lima. Resistance to violent crime often provokes greater violence, while victims who do not resist usually do not suffer serious physical harm. “Express kidnappings,” in which criminals kidnap victims and seek to obtain funds from their bank accounts via automatic teller machines, occur frequently. Thieves often smash car windows at traffic lights to grab jewelry, purses, backpacks, or other visible items from a car. This type of assault is common on main roads leading to Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport, specifically along De la Marina and Faucett Avenues and Via de Evitamiento, but it can occur anywhere in congested traffic, particularly in downtown Lima.

Travelers are encouraged to put all belongings, including purses, in the trunk of a car or taxi. Passengers who hail taxis on the street have been assaulted. Following the May 2003 armed robbery of a U.S. Embassy employee by a taxi driver, the Embassy’s Regional Security Officer advised all embassy personnel not to hail taxis on the street. It is safer to use telephone-dispatched radio taxis or car services associated with major hotels. Travelers should guard against the theft of luggage and other belongings, particularly U.S. passports, at the Lima airport.

Passengers arriving at Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport should be cautious in making arrangements for ground transportation. Upon exiting the airport, travelers may be approached by persons seeming to know them, or who claim that a prearranged taxi has been sent to take them to their hotel. Some travelers have been charged exorbitant rates or taken to marginal hotels in unsafe parts of town. Travelers who are not being met by a known party or by a reputable travel agent or hotel shuttle are advised to arrange for a taxi inside the airport. At least two taxi companies maintain counters inside the international arrival area (between immigration clearance and baggage claim). An additional two companies have agents at the information kiosk just before the exit from the passenger arrival area.

In downtown Lima and suburban areas frequented by tourists, the risk of street crime is high. American citizens traveling alone or in unescorted groups are more vulnerable to street crime. There is an increased level of criminal activity in Barranco, a popular Lima neighborhood. Visitors should avoid carrying unnecessary credit cards or ATM cards, and keep cash and ID in their front pockets.

Street crime is also prevalent in cities in Peru’s interior, including Cusco, Arequipa, Puno and Juliaca, and pickpockets frequent the market areas in these cities. In Cusco and Arequipa, “chokehold” or “strangle” muggings are common. In the recent past, there have been a number of cases of armed robberies, rapes, other sexual assaults and attempted rapes of U.S. citizens and other foreign tourists in Arequipa and in Cusco city, as well as in the outlying areas in the vicinity of various Incan ruins. These assaults have occurred during both daylight hours and at night.

Some crimes in the city of Cusco and in Arequipa have involved the drivers of rogue (or unregistered) taxis. Travelers should use only licensed, registered taxis such as those available from taxi stands in Cusco displaying a blue decal issued by the municipal government on the windshield of the vehicle. Visitors should not accept offers of transportation or guide services from individuals seeking clients on the streets. In recent months there have been several reports of U.S. citizens being victimized by “express kidnappings’ in Arequipa after taking a taxi hailed on the street. On occasion, the victim has been bound, beaten, and held for over 24 hours as the assailants attempted to empty cash from bank accounts with the victim’s stolen ATM card.

Tourists should be particularly cautious when visiting the Sacsahuayman ruins outside of Cuzco. They should not travel alone, but do so in as large a group as possible. Visitors should also avoid these areas at dawn, dusk or night, since roving gangs are known to frequent these areas and prey on unsuspecting tourists. U.S. citizen backpackers have also been victims of armed robbery while hiking on trails other than the Inca Trail.

Peruvian law enforcement authorities have responded to rising crime by increasing the number of tourist police officers patrolling Cusco and its outskirts on horseback and motorcycles. The officers have been dispatched to bus and train terminals, taxi stands, automatic teller machine locations, and other sites frequented by tourists, such as discotheques, restaurants, and craft fairs and shops.

Crime also occurs on roads, particularly at night and outside of urban areas. Clandestine, impromptu roadblocks can appear on even major highways, where bus and automobile passengers are robbed. The risk is even greater on rural roads after dark. The U.S. Embassy prohibits its employees from road travel after dark outside of urban areas because of concerns about both crime and traffic safety, and all U.S. travelers are urged to follow the same guidelines.

A number of Americans have been robbed on the road between Tarapoto and Yuriguaymas in recent months. In addition, numerous Americans have reported the theft of passports, cameras, and other valuables on overnight bus rides, by thieves who take advantage of sleeping passengers.

Pick pocketing and theft of luggage and passports from locked hotel rooms, rental cars, and restaurants have been reported by U.S. citizen travelers to Arequipa, Puno, and other destinations. In April 2003, two young foreign tourists, one a minor, were raped in the jungle in Ucayali province.

U.S. citizen visitors to Peru should immediately report any criminal activity perpetrated against them to the nearest police station or tourist police (“POLTUR”) office. Immediate action may result in the capture of the thieves and the recovery of stolen property. U.S. citizens should also report crimes to the U.S. Embassy in Lima (telephones 434-3000 during business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 434-3032 for after-hours emergencies if calling from within Lima; add the prefix 01 if calling from the provinces). Victims of crime in Cusco should contact the Consular Agent there (while in Cusco, telephone 84-9-62-1369; from Lima, callers must dial the prefix 084 for Cusco). The telephone number for POLTUR in Lima is 225-8698 or 225-8699; the fax number is 476-7708. There are also tourist police offices in 15 other cities, including all major tourist destinations, such as Cusco, Arequipa, and Puno.

Tourists may register complaints on a 24-hour hotline provided by INDECOPI (National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property) by calling 224-7888 or 224-8600 while in Lima. Outside of Lima, callers should dial the prefix (01), then the aforementioned numbers, or call the toll-free number 0-800-42579 from any private telephone (the 800 number is not available from public payphones). The INDECOPI hotline will assist the caller in contacting the police to report a crime, but it is intended primarily to deal with non-emergency situations such as poor service from a travel agency or guide, lost property, or unfair charges.

Information for Victims of Crime: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Medical care is generally good in Lima and usually adequate in other major cities, but it is less so elsewhere in Peru. Urban private health care facilities are often better staffed and equipped than public or rural ones. Public hospital facilities in Cusco, the prime tourist destination, are generally inadequate to handle serious medical conditions. Although some private hospital facilities in Cusco may be able to treat acute medical problems, in general the seriously ill traveler should return to Lima for further care as soon as is medically feasible.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

Medical Insurance: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

Specific Health Risks: Visitors to high-altitude Andean destinations such as Cusco (11,000 feet), Machu Picchu (8,000 feet), or Lake Titicaca (13,000 feet) should discuss the trip with their personal physician prior to departing the United States. Travel to high altitudes could pose a serious risk of illness, hospitalization, and even death, particularly if the traveler has a medical condition that affects blood circulation or breathing. Several U.S. citizens have died in Peru from medical conditions exacerbated by the high altitude. Tourists or business visitors, particularly those who suffer from cardiac-related problems or high blood pressure, and who wish to travel to high-altitude areas in Peru should undergo a medical examination before traveling.

All people, even healthy and fit persons, will feel symptoms of hypoxia (lack of oxygen) upon arrival at high-altitude. Most people will have increased respiration and increased heart rate. Many people will have headaches, difficulty sleeping, lack of appetite, minor gastric and intestinal upsets, and mood changes. Most people may need time to adjust to the altitude. To help prevent these complications, consider taking acetazolamide (Diamox) after consulting your personal physician, avoid alcohol and smoking for at least one week after arrival at high altitudes, and limit physical activity for the first 36 to 48 hours after arrival at high altitudes.

In jungle areas east of the Andes mountain range (cordillera), chloroquine-resistant malaria is a serious problem. Cholera, yellow fever, hepatitis, dengue fever and other exotic and contagious diseases are also present. Yellow fever is endemic in certain areas of Peru; in general, those areas are located on the eastern side of the cordillera and at lower elevations in jungle areas. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Peruvian government recommend that travelers to Peru receive a yellow fever vaccination and carry documentation of the vaccination with them on their trip. Diarrhea caused by contaminated food or water may affect travelers, and it is potentially serious. If it persists, please seek medical attention. Local tap water in Peru is not considered potable. Only bottled water or treated (disinfected) water should be used for drinking. Fruits and vegetables should be washed with care, and meats and fish should be thoroughly cooked. Eggs, meat, unpasteurized cheese, and seafood are common sources of the bacteria that can cause travelers’ diarrhea, and they should be properly prepared or avoided.

Over the last few years, at least five American citizen visitors have died during liposuction operations in Peru. While some of these deaths occurred in ill-equipped, makeshift clinics, travelers are urged to carefully assess the risks of having this type of surgery performed overseas, even when opting for a treatment at one of the better-known clinics.

Adventure Travel Safety: Inca Trail hikers are significantly safer if they are part of a guided group trail hike. To protect natural resources along the Inca Trail, the Peruvian Government charges fees for hiking the trail and instituted limits on the numbers of hikers permitted on the trail. Hikers in peak season (June-August) are advised to make reservations for the Inca Trail in advance via a travel agency.

Visitors should always register when entering national parks. Hikers should exercise extreme caution in steep or slippery areas, which are neither fenced nor marked. Several climbers have died or suffered serious injuries after falling while climbing Huayna Picchu, a peak near Machu Picchu. Only very basic medical assistance is available at Machu Picchu.

Adventure travelers should be aware that rescue capabilities are limited. In recent years, several hikers have died, and others have had to be rescued after serious accidents in the Huaraz region of the Cordillera Blanca Mountains, where Peru’s highest peaks are located. Most rescues are carried out on foot because helicopters cannot fly to the high-altitude areas where hikers are stranded. U.S. citizens who plan to visit these mountainous areas in Ancash province should contact the Peruvian National Police’s High Mountain Rescue Unit (“USAM”) at telephone 51-44-793327, 793291, or 793333, fax 51-44-793292, or E-mail: [email protected]. Some USAM officers read and/or speak English.

Swimmers, rafters and boaters should be aware of strong currents in the Pacific Ocean and fast-moving rivers. Two American citizens and at least three foreign visitors were killed while white water rafting in 2006, and another died in 2002. Seasonal rains can exacerbate the already dangerous conditions in Peru. Those considering white-water rafting should consult local authorities about recent weather and the impact on white-water rafting conditions. Be cautious in relying on those with a commercial interest in gauging conditions. Companies offering white-water rafting in Peru, their guides, and their equipment may not be held to the same standards as similar companies in the United States. Travelers are advised to seek advice from local residents before swimming in jungle lakes or rivers, where large reptiles or other dangerous creatures may live; caymans, resembling alligators, are found in jungle areas of Peru. One crocodile species is native to the Tumbes area, but it is limited in numbers and range. All adventure travelers should leave detailed written plans and a timetable with a friend and with local authorities in the region, and they should carry waterproof identification and emergency contact information.

Travelers to all remote areas should check with local authorities about geographic, climatic and security conditions.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Peru is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Road travel at night is extremely dangerous due to poor road markings and frequent unmarked road hazards. Drivers should not travel alone on rural roads, even in daylight. Convoy travel is preferable. Spare tires, parts and fuel are needed when traveling in remote areas, where distances between service areas are great. Fog is common on coastal and mountain highways, and the resulting poor visibility frequently causes accidents. Inter-city bus travel is dangerous. Armed robbers, who force passengers off buses and steal all their belongings, sometimes hold up inter-city buses at night. Bus accidents resulting in multiple deaths and injuries are common, and they are frequently attributed to excessive speed, poor bus maintenance, and driver fatigue. For further information, travelers may contact their nearest automobile club, or (for information in Spanish) the Associacion Automotriz del Peru, 299 Avenida Dos de Mayo, San Isidro, Lima 27, Peru, telephone 51-1-440-0495.

Visit the website of Peru’s national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety at http://www.peru.info/peru.asp.

Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Peru as being in compliance with ICAO international aviation safety standards for oversight of Peru’s air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s Internet web site at www.faa.gov/avr/iasa/index.cfm.

Customs Regulations: The government of Peru prohibits the exportation of archaeological artifacts and colonial art. These restrictions include archaeological material from the pre-Hispanic cultures and certain ethnological materials from the colonial period of Peru, which are considered protected Peruvian cultural patrimony. U.S. law enforcement authorities can take action even after importation into the U.S. has occurred. For more information, contact Art Historian Dr. Jaime Mariazza, National Cultural Institute (Instituto Nacional de Cultura—INC), Director of Direccion de Regis-tro Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Mueble, or his assistant Rocio Sierra, at 476-9900, and/or Archaeologist Ms. Elia Centurion, Direccion de Registro de Patrimonio Arqueologico, at 463-5070 or 463-2009. Travelers buying art should be aware that unscrupulous traders might try to sell them articles that cannot be exported from Peru. Peruvian customs authorities may seize such articles, and the traveler may be subject to criminal penalties. In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products are illegal and bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection may impose corresponding import restrictions in accordance with the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. (For further information, please contact the Customs Service at telephone (202) 927-2336 or consult the Internet site at http://exchanges.state.gov/culprop/97-446.html).

Travelers who purchase reproductions of colonial or pre-colonial art should buy only from reputable dealers, and they should insist on documentation from Peru’s National Institute of Culture (INC) showing that the object is a reproduction and may be exported. Peruvian customs authorities may retain articles lacking such documentation and forward them to INC for evaluation. If found to be reproductions, the objects eventually may be returned to the purchaser, but storage and shipping charges are the responsibility of the purchaser.

Vendors in jungle cities and airports sell live animals and birds, as well as handicrafts made from insects, feathers, or other natural products. Under Peruvian law, protecting the country’s biodiversity, it is illegal to remove certain flora and fauna items from their place of origin to another part of Peru or to export them to a foreign country. Travelers have been detained and arrested by the Ecology Police in Lima for carrying such items.

Information on U.S. regulations for the importation of plant and animal products is available from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture via the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov. Travelers bringing animals to the United States may also wish to consult with U.S. Customs or the Fish and Wildlife Service of the U.S. Department of Interior. Peru currently bans the importation of domestic housecats from the United States and other countries. Housecats arriving from the U.S., or cats of U.S. origin, will be returned to the country of origin at the owner’s expense or destroyed in Peru.

Additional information about the protection of Peru’s cultural heritage and its flora and fauna is available from the Embassy of Peru.

Peruvian customs regulations require that many electronic items or items for commercial use be declared upon entering the country. Failure to make a full and accurate declaration can lead to arrest and incarceration.

Philanthropic groups and individuals planning to enter Peru with medical supplies in quantities greater than for personal use are strongly advised to consult closely with a Peruvian consulate in the United States prior to arrival in Peru. Peruvian Customs authorities will seize any merchandise that is not properly documented, even if intended for charitable or philanthropic use. The cost of retrieving seized goods can often exceed the value of the merchandise.

Criminal Penalties: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country’s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Peru’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Peru are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Travelers should be aware that some drugs and other products readily available over-the-counter or by prescription in Peru are illegal in the United States. The prescription sedative flumitrapezan, trade name rohypnol, is one such drug; others may come on the market at any time. Although coca-leaf tea is a popular beverage and folk remedy for altitude sickness in Peru, possession of these tea bags, which are sold in most Peruvian supermarkets, is illegal in the United States.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.

Other Legal Issues: Civil marriage in Peru of U.S. citizen non-residents to Peruvians is difficult, and documentary requirements vary by location. The Peruvian fiancé(e) should check with the municipality where the marriage will take place to determine what documents are required. The U.S. Embassy does not authenticate U.S. civil documents for local use. All U.S. documents must be translated and authenticated by a Peruvian consular officer in the United States.

Disaster Preparedness: Peru is an earthquake-prone country. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at http://www.fema.gov/.

Children’s Issues: In Peru, international adoptions are strictly regulated. An adoptive child must be abandoned by the birth parents and placed with a government-approved agency before he or she can be adopted internationally, unless the adoptive parent has Peruvian nationality or is a Peruvian resident. Current information on Peruvian adoption procedures and the immigrant visa application process for orphans is available from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy. Information on pre-adoption requirements and the I-600 orphan petition process is available from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or USINS) office at the U.S. Embassy, telephone 51-1-434-3000, extensions 3011 and 3012 from 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Registration/Embassy Location: Americans living or traveling in Peru are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Peru. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located in Monter-rico, a suburb of Lima, at Avenida Encalada, Block Seventeen; telephone 51-1-434-3000 during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or 51-1-618-2935 for after-hours emergencies; fax 51-1-618-2397, or 618-2724 (American Citizen Services Unit); Internet web site—http://peru.usembassy.gov/wwwhmain.html.

The Consular Section is open for American Citizen Services, including registration, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon weekdays, excluding U.S. and Peruvian holidays. The U.S. Consular Agent in Cusco may be reached by cellular phone at 51-84-962-1369; or by email at consagentcuzco@ terra.com.pe.

The Consular Agency can provide information and assistance to U.S. citizen travelers who are victims of crime or need other assistance, but it cannot replace lost or stolen U.S. passports, which are processed at the U.S. Embassy in Lima.

International Adoption : May 2006

The information below has been edited from a report of the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. For more information, please read the International Adoption section of this book and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Disclaimer: The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is based on public sources and current understanding. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.

Please Note: All intercountry adoptions in Peru must be processed through a Peruvian-approved U.S. adoption agency. There is a different process for Peruvian domestic adoptions, which may be requested by Peruvian nationals, some blood relatives, or non-Peruvians who have lived in Peru for more than two years. Please note that these procedures for domestic adoptions do not always comply with U.S. and Peruvian inter-country adoption requirements and often cause problems when Americans who have completed the adoption of a Peruvian child are then applying for the child’s U.S. immigrant visa.

Patterns of Immigration: Please review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Adoption Authority: The government office responsible for adoptions in Peru is the Ministry for Women and Social Development (Ministerio de la Mujer y Desarrollo Social, or MIMDES). MIMDES is responsible for identifying possible orphans for assignment to prospective adoptive parents, assisting the court’s investigation of the child’s background, contracting and coordinating with the approved U.S. adoption agencies, certifying the court-issued adoption decree, and establishing post-adoption reporting requirements to ensure the child’s adequate development and care in the United States. See the “Post-Adoption Reporting” section towards the end of this flyer for more specific information on this last subject.

MIMDES
Av. Arequipa 381-B
Sta. Beatriz, Lima 1, Peru
(51)(1) 332-0733
E-mail: [email protected]

Eligibility Requirements for Adoptive Parents: Prospective adoptive parents must be at least 18 years older than the child to be adopted. In some cases, where applications are filed for children older than 6, groups of siblings, or children with handicaps, the prospective adoptive parents may not be more than 55 years old. Both married and single persons may adopt in Peru. However, married couples must jointly present the adoption application to MIMDES. The presence of both adoptive parents is necessary during the family placement and adjustment phase with the child, which generates a favorable adoption report from MIMDES. Applications from unmarried couples will not be considered. Although Peruvian law allows children up to age 18 to be adopted, it is important to note that U.S. law requires that the I-600 petition be filed before the child’s 16th birthday.

Residency Requirements: There are no residency requirements for intercountry adoptions.

Time Frame: Adopting from Peru can be time-consuming. Recent experience suggests the total time (from the initial inquiry with an approved adoption agency until the child arrives in the U.S.) can take several months and often over one year. Although both adoptive parents do not need to be present in Peru for the entire time, both must be present for the provisional placement, evaluation, and ratification of the adoption through the court. Prospective adoptive parents should plan to stay in Peru for approximately eight weeks, and sometimes longer.

Adoption Agencies and Attorneys: Only MIMDES-approved agencies are permitted to initiate foreign adoptions in Peru. Each licensed agency must designate at least one local (Peruvian) representative. MIMDES reviews each agency’s status every two years.

There are currently eight U.S. adoption agencies approved by MIMDES. The U.S. Embassy in Lima has a list of these agencies. The U.S. Government cannot assume any responsibility for the quality of services provided by these private adoption agencies or their employees.

Adoption Fees: Adoption agencies estimate that the total cost of an adoption in Peru will be $3,000 to $6,000. The fees include:

• Office of Adoptions (MIMDES): no charges
• Peruvian Legal Fees: $3,000—$5,000
• Other Peruvian adoption costs: $500

These fees are subject to change without notice, and will vary according to the exchange rate.

Adoption Procedures: For prospective parents, the process begins when they apply through one of the approved U.S. agencies to MIMDES for permission to adopt. When the dossier of the prospective parents is completed and approved by the MIMDES Board of Directors, MIMDES tentatively assigns a child to those parents and forwards information regarding the assigned child to the parents’ adoption agency. MIMDES assigns the U.S. agency a specific amount of time (usually 15-20 working days) to confirm the prospective parents’ intention to adopt the child. The prospective adoptive parents then must travel to Peru for the adoption proceedings.

There is no established minimum or maximum time after confirmation of intent during which travel is required, but adoptive parents should confirm with MIMDES before making travel plans that adoption proceedings are ready to move forward. If married, both prospective parents must attend the ratification of the adoption. Provisional custody is awarded to the prospective adoptive parents shortly after their arrival in Peru.

After 10-15 days, a social worker assigned to the case will issue a report attesting to the compatibility and bonding of the child and the prospective parents. If the report is favorable, both of the prospective adoptive parents appear in court to ratify their adoption request, after which the judge may issue the final adoption decree.

When completed, the adoption is entered into a national adoption registry maintained by MIMDES. The adoptive parent(s) must also register the child in the municipality where s/he was born and obtain a birth certificate listing the adoptive parents as the child’s parents. In preparation for the U.S. visa process, adoptive parents must also obtain a Peruvian passport for the child. All court documents related to the child’s abandonment and adoption must also have an official English translation. A list of translators is available at the U.S. Embassy in Lima. Once the parents have the child’s adoption decree, revised birth certificate and Peruvian passport, they will need to file their I-600 petition with the Department of Homeland Security’s office of Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS/USCIS) at the American Embassy in Lima. The approved petition is then passed to the Consular Section’s Immigrant Visa (IV) unit for visa processing. The IV unit will work with the adoptive parents to schedule visa interviews.

Documentary Requirements:

• Prospective adoptive parents’ birth and marriage certificates (if applicable);
• Home study evaluation (I-600A can be used to fulfill this requirement);
• Physical and psychological health certificates issued by a registered doctor from the state in which they live;
• Financial and employment certifications;
• Police clearances—MIMDES requires a copy of the FBI clearance record, received in the I-600A approval process, in order to assign a child.

These documentary requirements are established by Peruvian law and do not change frequently, but prospective adoptive parents should nonetheless check with their agencies to be certain they are prepared to meet all requirements in effect at the time they are going through this process.

The U.S. Embassy advises prospective adoptive parents to bring extra certified copies of all required documents with them to Peru and specifically to the visa interview at the U.S. Embassy.

The Embassy of Peru:
1700 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 833-9860

Peru has Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Patterson (NJ), and San Francisco.

U.S. Immigration Requirements: Prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to consult USCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adopting Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions. Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

U.S. Embassy:
Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17 s/n
Monterrico, Surco, Lima 33
Peru
(51)(1) 434-3000
Fax (51)(1) 434-3037
http://lima.usembassy.gov/

Post-Adoption Reporting Requirements: The post-adoption controls for adoptive couples in which both spouses are Americans differ from those for couples in which one parent is a Peruvian citizen.

For U.S. citizen couples, the U.S. adoption agency is responsible for conducting post-adoption checks for four years after the adoption takes place, according to the norms established by each adoption agency.

For couples in which one parent is a Peruvian citizen, or single-parent households, a U.S.-based entity that has been judged by the Peruvian government to be the general equivalent of MIMDES is responsible for conducting an initial post-adoption evaluation and an evaluation every six months for the following four years.

The U.S. agency in charge of the home study when the I-600 petition was filed may be used for this purpose, and is not required to be listed on the Peruvian approved adoption agency list. Peruvian law does not require that adopted Peruvian children be registered with a Peruvian Consulate in the United States.

Additional Information: Specific questions about adoption in Peru may be addressed to the U.S. Embassy in Lima. General questions regarding intercountry adoption may be addressed to the Office of Children’s Issues, U.S. Department of State, CA/OCS/CI, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, toll-free Tel: 1-888-407-4747.