IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Mercosur residents may now apply for their police, criminal and judicial records through the online records system known as PIDE (Plataforma de Interoperabilidad del Estado Peruano).

What does the change mean? The online system may be used by both Peruvian citizens and foreign nationals to request Peruvian police, criminal and judicial records. Mercosur visa applicants needing to obtain and submit Peruvian criminal records will no longer need to submit them in person along with their visa application; rather, Peruvian authorities will access and verify these records through the online portal.

  • Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
  • Visas/permits affected: Mercosur visa applications.
  • Who is affected: Peruvian and foreign nationals applying for Peruvian police, criminal and judicial records.
  • Impact on processing times: The process will remove an extra step that Mercosur visa applicants had to take at their local migration offices to verify their police/criminal records.

Background: As part of the Mercosur accord, citizens of founding and associated states, including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador, are able to obtain a temporary residence permit for up to two years in member countries. In Peru, Mercosur citizens applying for a visa and/or residence permit are required to submit their police, criminal and judicial records from either the country of origin or the country of residence to immigration authorities in order to complete their application. The same process exists for Mercosur applicants applying for visas and permits in other Mercosur countries. In an effort to simplify the records request process, Peru has extended the use of the PIDE records system to Mercosur visa applicants, who are now able to request and submit their Peruvian records online.

Analysis & Comments: Mercosur visa applicants will no longer need to submit their police and criminal records in person along with visa applications, as immigration authorities will be able to access the records through the PIDE platform.

Source: Deloitte LLP. Deloitte LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC303675 and its registered office at 1 New Street Square, London EC4A 3HQ, United Kingdom.