Peru replaced legacy visa workflows with e-SAMI online portals on Aug. 24

Peru replaced its legacy consular migration system with e-SAMI on Aug. 24, shifting visa intake and case management online across participating foreign consulates.

Phase-one rollout targets consular filings

Foreign Minister Carlos Espá launched the Sistema de Administración Migratoria Integral (e-SAMI) and its companion Visa Electrónica to replace the former SAM workflow. Developed alongside the Inter-American Development Bank, the platform introduces online registration, electronic case management and automated tracking to cut processing delays and prevent intermediary handling, the ministry announced.

The first phase restricts direct electronic visa issuance to three categories: diplomatic, official and consular tracks for temporary and resident status. The foreign ministry confirmed other visa classes will transition gradually by region, though officials haven't published a timetable for standalone tourist or digital-nomad electronic visas.

The platform also processes physical and virtual emergency passports for Peruvian citizens abroad.

Practical requirements for overseas applicants

Visa-exempt tourists entering the country see no operational change under the new system. Foreign nationals who require an entry visa or who are preparing for settling in Peru under student, employment or family status must now submit their initial applications through e-SAMI if their local consulate has migrated.

Consular jurisdictions already operating under the system, including the Consulate General of Peru in Chicago, require applicants to register an e-SAMI account and file documentation online before scheduling any required consular visits.

Foreigners already inside the country handle status changes, residence extensions and work authorizations through the separate Agencia Digital de Migraciones portal, which remains distinct from the consular platform. Applicants submitting overseas files must confirm their regional consulate's current intake protocol to avoid submitting outdated paper forms.