Moving to Spain from Peru

Peru has one of the strongest migration ties with Spain in Latin America: visa-free entry, a dual nationality treaty, driving licence exchange and a social security agreement. Many people arrive with family already settled here, and every year from June to September demand for study visa appointments in Lima soars. Here are the routes and how to plan your deadlines.

Key facts

• Entry: Peruvian passport holders can stay in the Schengen area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This does not allow work and does not, on its own, let you settle.
• Citizenship: as a national of an Ibero-American country you can apply for Spanish citizenship after 2 years of legal, continuous residence. The Spain–Peru dual nationality treaty lets you keep Peruvian nationality.
• Documents: Peru is party to the Hague Convention, so an apostille is enough; the Foreign Ministry issues it online for many documents, and no translation is needed.
• Driving: there is an exchange agreement. Once resident you can drive for six months on your Peruvian licence and exchange it without a test for cars and motorcycles.
• Social security: the Spain–Peru agreement lets contributions paid in both countries count towards your pension.

How people usually move

• Family. If your spouse, or your parent if you are under 18, is a non-EU resident in Spain, they can sponsor you after one year of residence (family reunification); if they are Spanish or an EU citizen, the route is residence as a family member. Family reunification
• Studies. A master’s, degree or vocational course (FP) with a study authorisation, which allows work up to 30 hours a week. Time as a student does not count towards the 2 years for citizenship. Study permit
• Work in Spain. A contract with a Spanish company, a highly qualified professional profile or an EU Blue Card. Employment permit
• Remote work. The digital nomad visa suits people working remotely for companies or clients outside Spain, with a relationship of at least three months. You can apply at the consulate or from Spain while legally there. Digital nomad
• Arraigo after 2 years in Spain. It is a legal route, but it means spending a period in irregular status, with the risk of an expulsion order that can later complicate the application. It is not a good way to plan your move. Arraigo

Documents and apostille

• Criminal record certificate (certificado de antecedentes penales) from the Poder Judicial, requested online, and, if required, the police record certificate. For visas in Lima, the certificate must be no more than 3 months old and apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Birth and marriage certificates (actas) from RENIEC or the municipality where they were registered, recent and apostilled.
• University degrees, apostilled, if you plan to have them recognised or apply for a skilled visa.
• Passport valid long enough for the procedure, and health insurance with no co-payments or waiting periods where the visa requires it (for example, non-lucrative residence).

What to keep in mind

• Visas are handled by the Consulate General of Spain in Lima. Since 2024 most of them (studies, digital nomad, highly qualified professional, researcher, internships and others) are filed by appointment at the BLS International centre in San Isidro; appointments are only available on its website.
• Study season runs from June to September: the consulate recommends starting as early as possible and warns that no intermediary can guarantee an appointment. Since June 2026, bring the printed BLS appointment letter.
• As the criminal record certificate cannot be more than 3 months old, book the appointment first and request it afterwards.
• In Spain: register at the town hall (padrón) and, if you came with a residence visa, apply for your TIE within the first month.

Frequently asked questions

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