Asylum and refugee status in Peru

The CEPR recognises as refugees people who have a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, or who face other serious situations endangering their life, liberty or personal safety, and who therefore cannot remain in their country of origin. The claim is made by a foreigner who is already in Peru. The CEPR is made up of the Ministry's Director of Human Rights, the Director of State Security of the National Police, the Ministry's Director of Assistance to Nationals and an executive secretary, with a representative of UNHCR.

Fill in the application addressed to the CEPR explaining why you seek refugee status and sign it by hand; digital signatures are not accepted. For a family group, give each person's details. Bring original identity documents from your country (passport or national ID). If you have no passport, ID or birth certificate, bring a police report of loss or theft and the sworn declaration for undocumented applicants. Bring the Andean Migration Card or the entry stamp, or state in the form that you do not have them. Applicants over 15 add a sworn declaration on police, judicial and criminal records, and everyone gives an email address for notifications.

In Lima the offices are at Jr. Hernán Velarde 148 (Santa Beatriz), Jr. Clovis 745 (Pueblo Libre), San Juan de Lurigancho and San Martín de Porres, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the Ministry's regional offices also receive claims. In-person registration of every member is compulsory.

Under Article 14 of Law 27891, the CEPR issues a provisional document while the case is pending in both instances. It confirms the person's status as an applicant, allows them to stay in Peru and authorises them provisionally to work. The CEPR's secretariat issues an applicant card, which needs periodic renewal while the case is open, and a virtual work authorisation that the applicant can generate online after registering, valid while the case is pending and verifiable by QR code.

The CEPR periodically asks applicants to confirm that they want to continue. The 2026 update, for claims filed up to 7 February 2026, ran from 17 September to 16 October 2026; claims not updated are archived, and the applicant documents linked to them lose validity.

The CEPR calls the applicant to an interview by phone and email. Missing it twice sends the case to the archive. The decision arrives by email after 60 working days, a period that can be extended as needed. If refugee status is recognised, the notice explains how to obtain the carné de extranjería from Migraciones. If not, the applicant may file a request for reconsideration or an appeal within 15 working days of notification, at the same offices. Questions go to solicitantesrefugio@rree.gob.pe or +51 1 204 3127.