There is nothing like the joy of receiving a package from family or something like an item from eBay!  This post is dedicated to sending packages TO Peru from the US. To send packages or documents to the US, we usually use Serpost.  I will try make this as pain free as possible.  There is a lot of talk about the best way to have packages sent to Peru.  Most of my family is in the US so I will offer my experience with receiving packages in Peru.  This is based on over five years of experience. I know a lot of people will disagree with me and I welcome feedback and experience from others.

As for sending documents or packages to the US:  It depends on the value, usually we use SERPOST, the Peruvian postal service.  It’s one of  most cost effective and fairly efficient methods.  For more information: http://www.serpost.com.pe/

Documents

It is just that, a document, something of no tangible value though it may be priceless to you.  Convertible instruments are another story, one I will let someone else with experience write about.  You may prefer to send documents to Peru using UPS, FEDEX, DHL, TNT or another global delivery service.  In five plus years of living here in Peru, I have never had an issue with documents being sent to me or sending documents to the States.  This includes things like credit cards, diplomas, correspondence, but nothing of value.  If you live in Lima, the capital of Peru, you are in a lot better position to receive packages in a timely manner.  Usually no more than 24-48 hours.  I live in the provinces and things take about 4 days to get here using next day air service.  I have heard a lot of friends talk about issues they have with these carriers and I can empathize with them.  Issues include; lost packages, additional fees, delays in delivery and more.  While it is unfortunate, the same issues plague other countries.  Peru is a lot better than many in this regard. In all the years I have lived here, I have only had one lost item, a card my father sent me using regular mail.  My guess is it will show up in a few years.

Preferred service:  USPS Global Express service.  The cost is less than any of the other air option and delivery is guaranteed.

Delivery: Lima 24-72 hours.  Provinces: 3-5 days.

Success rate:  100%.

USPS Website:  https://www.usps.com/ship/gxg.htm

Packages

This is a major issue for most expats in Peru.  Shipping things to Peru is expensive but sometimes necessary.  There are some products that you just can’t get here, not a lot of things, but some.  Here is the scoop:  If you use any carrier other than the USPS your package is going to be held in customs 100% of the time.  While there it can incur storage fees and/or duties (taxes) in some cases. The delay can be as short as a few days or as long as several weeks.

Why so many issues?  There are few issues with lost or stolen packages here.  The real problem is a lack of knowledge of laws, processes and the language. Peru is a predominately a Spanish speaking country.  Outside of tourist areas you are going to be hard pressed to find English speakers.  Why is this an issue?  Try dealing with SUNAT or SERPOST in English and get back to me.

Are you crazy?  No, in fact this is the best way to get your package here in a cost effective and timely manner.  In all the years of having things sent to me here I have never had a package go missing.  I have been charged duties on two packages, but that was when I first lived in Peru in the late 90’s.

What do you have sent?  I have DVDs, Video Games, Vitamins and Supplements, replacement parts for things I can’t get here, just to name a few.

Why USPS?  SERPOST, the Peruvian equivalent of the USPS only screens about 10% of incoming packages.  So, right off the bat you have a 90% chance your package is going to be delivered straight to you.  Generally, if the declared value is less than $100 or it is a gift you won’t pay any additional fees.  This is completely discretionary and you never know what will be assessed additional duties.  Cost:  USPS Global Express 5 pounds for around US$70, with 1-3 day delivery or Priority International, up to 20 pounds for about US$60 with 6-10 day delivery.

What if I owe duties on a package? You will receive a notification that you have a package.  With UPS/FEDEX/DHL they will call you or better you can call them.  Give them the tracking information and your email address for timely updates.  With USPS, SERPOST will drop of a notice informing you that you have a package waiting to be picked up.  Go to the branch listed on the notice, wait in line and pay your fee, they will hand you your package and off you go. It’s not quite that simple but that is the essence of the process.

Success rate:  100%.

USPS Website:  http://postcalc.usps.gov/

Additional Information:

Duties:

What Peruvian Law says:  Basically it translates to you are allowed to send packages with a value of up to US$100, NOT including postage/shipping charges.  With a maximum of US$1,000 per calendar year, are not subject to tax.  This is for personal use only, not commercial purposes.

http://www.sunat.gob.pe/orientacionaduanera/enviospostales/index.html

La norma legal específica para este tipo de envíos, es el Reglamento de los Destinos Aduaneros Especiales del Servicio Postal y del Servicio de Mensajería Internacional D.S. N° 067-2006-EF. De conformidad con lo dispuesto los bienes de uso personal y exclusivo del destinatario transportados por los concesionarios postales (correo o empresas de mensajería courrier) cuyo valor FOB no supere los cien dólares americanos (US $ 100,00) (no incluye el valor del transporte) hasta un límite de mil dólares americanos (US $ 1 000,00) durante un año calendario, no están sujetos al pago de tributos.

Prohibited /Restricted Items:

Please refer to the latest updates from SUNAT/Aduanas:http://www.sunat.gob.pe/orientacionaduanera/mercanciasrestringidas/index.html

Privacy:

My packages that have been sent via UPS or FEDEX for example are always opened and have my resident ID #(now my DNI) added to the bill of lading.  Items sent via USPS, not really sure if they track them or not.  I would assume so given Peru’s love affair with bureaucracy and paperwork but only 1 in 10 is actually inspected.  <– Really!

Hints and Tips:

• Don’t send prohibited items.  Peru has very few restrictions.
• If possible, use the online services offered by the USPS to print the customs form. If not…
• Make sure the sender writes very clearly what is included in the package.
• It does not need to be an item by item breakdown, just general contents.
• If the inspector can’t read what’s in the box, they are going to open it and inspect it.
• Make sure the document or package is sent with tracking.  Make sure that tracking number is given to the recipient.
• Peru now has postal codes for the ENTIRE country, not just Lima, USE them. http://www.mtc.gob.pe/portal/CPOSTAL/Listado_codigo_postal.html
• Make sure the package is clearly addressed.  Here the house number is listed last in the main address line, opposite the US.  In rural areas the addresses here are crazy.

UNU Maestria en Gestión Publica

I have to say, I have the most amazing wife in the world.  She has completed grad school and earned her Master’s degree in Gestión Publica or Public Administration.  Today (April 14, 2012) is a very special day for Kelly, my wife and best friend, as she graduates from university, again.  Already a CPA and with grad school behind her she can focus on what comes next.

What began with a trip to the university for information turned into a two year journey.  The path was filled with many obstacles yet she managed to clear everyone of them!  Along the way she helped and supported her mother and me.  All the while, working full-time and still making time to study and excel in the academic environment.  What makes me so proud is the fact the she did all her own work and missed only one class in two years (my fault, of course).

We would like to thank Kelly’s sister, Margarita for her support and faith in Kelly.  Also a special thanks to my Dad and his wife Linda.  None of this would have been possible without them.  Finally a huge thanks to Kelly’s mother and father for raising such a well rounded, intelligent, caring and compassionate child.  They instilled strong morals and ethics in her.  Unfortunately Kelly’s dad passed away in 2005 but he is with her in spirit, always watching over her.

UNU Maestria en Gestión Publica

Image from RENIEC

I recently became a Peruvian citizen which has been a great experience.  I thought I would follow up with my experience of getting my DNI.  It is the Peruvian National Identification card.  The steps to achieve this are somewhat vague.  Additionally, applying in the province I live was complicated by the fact that nobody at the office knew how to handle a gringo becoming Peruvian.  This coming week I will be picking it up and getting my Peruvian passport, that takes an hour or less.  My nearly three years of dealing with the awesome team at DIGEMIN will be over… I am sure they will miss me!

My Story…

This means spending some quality time at RENIEC  http://www.reniec.gob.pe/portal/intro.htm.  It is the Peruvian agency in charge of issuing and managing one’s identity (birth, marriage, divorce, death) and obtaining certified marriage certificates.   There is no hell on earth quite like RENIEC.  We have one local office that serves about 200,000 people.  The lines often stretch for blocks in the blazing sun. Inside there are about a dozen workers, most of whom seemed more interested in their cell phones than actually helping people. There is a whole micro economy at work outside the office, it is fascinating to see it in action.  We had good luck with the line on the day we went.  We were only there for about two hours.

A few tricks to avoid the lines here in Pucallpa:

• Go around 1:30 in the afternoon, a lot of people will go home and eat lunch.
• The VERY best time to go is when it is raining.  Minimal lines and I love the rain.

What you need…

This is a vague area.  When doing research I could not find the exact requirements, they seem to have every scenario covered with the exception of applying for your DNI as a naturalized citizen. Here is what they wanted from me:

• Receipt of payment of S/. 24.00 for inscripción DNI at the Banco de la Nación.
• A recent utility bill (copy):  power, water or telephone less than 6 months old.  It must have your current address listed on it.
• Copy of your Title.  You get 5 certified copies at DIGEMIN for S/. 11.55 as outlined in my citizenship post.
• And my favorite:  If you have a degree and want it added to your DNI, you can do that.  Seems pointless but it is an option.
• One color passport size photo.  Make it nice, it is yours for the next 7 years, or until you lose it.
• They may insist that you have two witnesses with you because you are over 17.  After a few minutes of discussion and disagreement among the workers it was decided that I did not need the witnesses.  So be prepared for that.
• You will then wait in line for hours to present your required documents.  Once it is your turn they will ask you a series of questions and take complete fingerprints.
• Finally, you will be given a receipt with the estimated date to pick up your DNI. It is about 3cm x 10cm, has a bar code and an 8 digit FICHA N^o.  It will have a hand written date to return for your DNI.

Results…

• You can check the status online using the 8 digit FICHA N^o at any time. https://cel.reniec.gob.pe/estadoTramite/
• I was told my DNI would be ready to pick up on 4.20 but it is already waiting for me, a full two weeks ahead of time.

As always, if you need information just leave a comment.  I am always happy to help!

Back in December of 2011, after two years of legal residency, I began the process of becoming a Peruvian citizen. I am proud to say that I now have dual citizenship.  The process outlined below is specific to marriage to a Peruvian citizen.  In our case, 14 years this September.  Before I go into the process itself, I want to share my view of the pros and cons of citizenship versus residency in Peru.

Pros:

• You get a DNI(national ID card).  Renewal is only once every seven years.  Unlike a CE which generally requires two trips a year to DIGEMIN and a few other places.
• We plan on living here and this give us more flexibility with travel and spending time outside Peru.
• Never making another trip to RENIEC for a stamped copy of your marriage certificate.
• You save time and money!
• No more standing in line paying renew and annual fees.
• No more trips to DIGEMIN (immigration) except to renew your passport.
• Peruvian passport.  Peru is part of the Comunidad Andina which allows you visa free travel to Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador and Columbia, using just your DNI.  Citizens of some countries are required to obtain a visa before travel to Brazil at cost of $130, even as a CE holder you are required to get a visa for travel to Brazil.  Bolivia charges $130 as well that you can pay as you cross the border.  Chile and Argentina have similar requirements if you arrive by air.
• New rights and responsibilities.
• I am sure I have left out many other positives, but these immediately came to mind as I was writing this.

Cons:

• None that I can see, unless you don’t like voting.

My title!

Here is the process, which we completed 100% on our own.  We also did it without paying a single bribe, nor did we have anyone solicit one from us to make the process go ‘quicker.’

• Spend two years of continuous LEGAL residency in Peru (you must spend at least 183 days a year in Peru to maintain your residency).  The process of getting your residency is not complicated and is quick, 30 days or less in most cases.  I have written about the entire process in posts from 2009.  Those processes are still the same, though the costs associated with the steps have changed.
• After the two year anniversary of the issuance of your CE (carné de extranjería) you can apply to become a naturalized citizen.  It depends on your home country as to whether or not they allow dual citizenship.  In my case that is possible.
• Gather up the required documents.  You will need your passport, CE, spouse’s DNI and birth certificate (spouse’s NOT yours), your marriage certificate with the seal from RENIEC no older than 90 days and 4 passport photos (it says one on the DIGEMIN website). Pay about S/. 50.00 in fees(city hall and RENIEC).
• You will need to make several copies of the passport pages as requested.  Several copies of your CE (two should do) and spouse’s DNI.  I think the extra copies were for the local office to keep on file, in case the original documents were somehow lost in transit.
• Once you have everything gathered up and you have passed the two year mark on your CE, head to your local DIGEMIN office.
• You can actually complete the entire process from the provinces if you live outside Lima.
• They will update you on any changes in the process and you will need to go to fill out form F-006 located here:  http://www.digemin.gob.pe/formularios/f-006.pdf  and then go to Banco de la Nación and pay a fee of S/. 46.55(as of December 2011) and another fee of 1% of the UIT which at the time I applied was S/. 36.00.
• Fill out this form: http://www.digemin.gob.pe/documentos/solicitud_irpm.doc . It is a request to register the change in your status from resident to citizen.
• Fill out a simple declaration that you have a place to live, you are in good health and have not committed any crimes in Peru or in your home country since obtaining your residency.  They will provide this in most cases or models are available, Google it.
• You will sign all the papers and have a few fingerprints taken.
• Then you wait… and wait… and wait.
• The process from Lima should take about 30 days, from the provinces it takes about 60 days.  The TUPA(transparency act) states 15 days but that is not accurate.
• When your title has been approved, you will be contacted to come to the DIGEMIN office and sign your title.  From there it will be sent back to the main office in Breña for three signatures.  This part takes as little as a few days or, in my case, almost a month.
• Once you are notified that your title is ready you must do this step, it is not listed anywhere but trust me, you need to do it.  Go to the nearest notario and get certified copies of your CE as you have to change over your ID on all your accounts and property.  The cost is a whopping 2 soles per copy and will save you a world of hassle down the road.
• You will be notified that it is approved via phone or email and in my case, when to pick it up.  It works differently in Lima.
• Go pick up your title.  It looks similar to the one my wife received when she became a US citizen.  Your CE will be retained and destroyed.  In Lima you will have a cool swearing in ceremony, like in the States. In the provinces they just give it to you and you are on your way.
• Get copies of your title made, it is S/. 11.55 for up to five copies.  Fill out form F-002. You do this at the DIGEMIN office.
• Next step is to go to RENIEC with your title to get your DNI.  That takes 14 days and costs S/. 24.
• After you receive your DNI, then you can get your passport.  That takes about an hour at any DIGEMIN office. The cost as of this posting is S/. 37.05.

The process itself is simple yet extremely frustrating when applying from the provinces.  I have nothing but praise for the Pucallpa DIGEMIN team; they were amazing throughout the process.  If only Lima had some people that actually cared about the provinces, life in Peru would be so much better.  Once again I found out how little Lima takes the provinces into consideration.

While I was waiting for everything to be approved, several of my friends that applied around the same time as I did but in Lima were done in 30 days or less.  In my case, my application was held in Lima for a month before it was sent back to Pucallpa not because the application was incorrect, but the fees had changed and Lima failed to publish that.  The process is not without flaws, but what isn’t.  Compared to the US citizenship process, this was easy and fast.  Overall I would rate the experience as an 8/10 and the Pucallpa office a 10/10.

Peruvian DNI sample

UPDATE(16/04/2012):  Effective 01/01/2012

Peru does now require proof of income during your residency. They now ask to see receipts, bank statements, labor contracts to make sure you met the terms of your residency.  I have not been able to confirm if they require copies of bills paid. I will update this again when I have the correct information.

Outdated:  I would also like to take a moment to address misinformation I have seen posted regarding the process.

• At NO time will you asked to provide financial records as part of the process.
  • This includes bank records, payroll records, job contracts, etc.
  • You will NOT be asked to provide copies of bills you have paid.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Expatriates in Peru Facebook Group - Click to checkout the page.

Expatriates in Peru is the best place on Facebook to talk about Peru.  They recently added their 1,000th member.  It was started by a fellow expat in September of 2009 and continues to grow and thrive.   There are lots of new posts everyday and hundreds of comments that go along with them.  The group is very active!

It is an excellent place for people to get timely answers to any questions they might have about Peru, network, make new friends and share information and ideas.  The group is open to anyone interested in Peru.  It is an extremely diverse group and many of the members get together on a  fairly regular basis to have a good time.  Most of the members live in Peru, so getting accurate accurate information based on experience is the norm.

If you are interested in checking out the group, click HERE.

Click HERE to read another great story about the Expatriates in Peru Group.

]]> http://saboraselva.com/blog/2012/01/20/expatriates-in-peru-facebook-group/feed/ 0 http://saboraselva.com/blog/2012/01/19/sopa-strike-and-saboraselva-com/ http://saboraselva.com/blog/2012/01/19/sopa-strike-and-saboraselva-com/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:57:20 +0000 scoot http://saboraselva.com/blog/?p=1090

SOPA PIPA Strike 2012

Yesterday a lot of the internet went symbolically dark to protest Hollywood’s attempt to hijack the internet, this site included.  Thank you for your patience.  If you live in the US please contact your legislators.  Outside the US, please contact the US State Department.  http://sopastrike.com/.  Please remain vigilant, they will try make some cosmetic changes to the bills and push them through.  Remember too, this is a bi-partisan issue with ill informed and technically illiterate politicians trying to push through bills with the aid  of their lobbyists.

Map of the Pucallpa Zoo

Yesterday we went to the Pucallpa Zoo for the first time since we moved back to Peru in 2009.  I have very personal ties to the zoo.  In 1999 I donated my zoo in Pucallpa consisting of over 100 mammals and reptiles plus about 100 or so birds to the Pucallpa Zoo.  They still had quite a few of them in 2003, the last time I visited the zoo but not anymore.  Back to the visit… Kelly, Mama Rosa and I all hopped into a motokar and headed off to the zoo.  From the center of the city expect to pay 3 or 4 soles to get there. Make sure you and the driver agree you will be taken to then entrance of the park.  The zoo is located at km4.2 on the Carretera Federico Basadre LINK.  Once you turn off the highway it is still another kilometer to the zoo.  The last bit of the road is a muddy nightmare during the rainy season.   Currently the zoo is in a state of chaos, which in this case, is a good thing.  They were awarded about 6 million soles(over US$2 million) to upgrade and repair the zoo.  There is ongoing construction in almost every portion of the park.  The zoo has a long and storied past, it has seen it good times and bad, right now times are great!

Lilies in bloom - Pucallpa, Peru © 2012 Saboraselva.com

The entrance fee is S/. 3.00(about US$1.20) for adults and 1 sol for students.  Like everywhere else in Peru, make sure you are prepared.  Bring a camera!  You never know what you are going to see.  Also take insect repellent, sunscreen, toilet paper and some snacks. Oh, and it being the rainy season, bring an umbrella, just in case!  I posted a map of the zoo.  As the map says, ‘use it to locate your favorite animal.’   You can expect to spend about 3 hours exploring the zoo, snacking and enjoying the beauty of the park. Enjoy the photos  and I will be posting more on Facebook.

We were walking along when Kelly spotted the most colorful and beautiful caterpillar we had ever seen.  And yes, it does have a tail.

This is a vulture, believe it or not:

An Ocelot having a nap:

Spider Monkeys or maquisapa as they are known here having a good time:

Spider monkeys - Maquisapa © 2012 Saboraselva.com

Wooley Monkeys or Mono Choro as they are known here:

Woolly Monkeys - Mono Choro © 2010 Saboraselva.com

I am a nerd and while going through my news updates today I came across an interesting article on noise pollution and how a new application called NoiseTube was being used to track it.  The app works with either iOS or Android devices.  I downloaded the Android version and will start monitoring noise around Pucallpa and report back.  So, do your part!  Download this and help track the noise in your neighborhood, be it in Peru or elsewhere in the world.

Why bother?  The noise here is one of the few things that really bothers me and is out of my control.  Now I have a tremendously useful tool to measure it.  Interested, check out the article on mashable.

http://mashable.com/2012/01/11/noisetube-noise-pollution/

“We live in very, very loud world. With cars whizzing past, construction sites pounding away, ambulances roaring around and the dull ache of idle chatter constantly bombarding the sound wall, it’s easy to get overwhelmed in a noisy environment. And there’s good reason for that: Although it’s usually pushed into the background, noise is actually a form of pollution.”

 

 

• Some visitors may have noticed my weather feature stopped working back in November.  My data provider(weather.com) decided to switch from a free to paid model and I have been busy with other projects to update it.  So… I have the code rewritten and will be testing it soon using wunderground.com as my data source.  Still have some formatting and display issues, but it is getting there!  - update(working now).
• Fixed the translation code.  Now using Google translate to provide non-Enlgish translations of the website.

Have a Safe, Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Scott

But the best addition for 2011? Our vote goes to Dulcemania.  It is located at Jr. Raymondi #389(Next to the Yamaha dealership).  The service is top rate. No jumping up and down or snapping your fingers here for service, they actually wait on you!  They offer free wi-fi, you need to ask for the code for the day. They also have air conditioning which makes it even more appealing.  There is also an upstairs area that is like a lounge where you can just relax and enjoy surfing the net while chatting with friends.

They offer wonderful tea, coffee, espresso, iced coffee drinks.  Their selection of freshly prepared juices is second to none and always made to order.  Their desserts are to die for, as my wife would say.  They have the best desserts without a doubt.  You can also pick up a empanada or quiche as well.  The owner is a professional pastry chef and her staff is amazing.  They make custom orders as well at very reasonable prices.

If you are in Pucallpa, be sure to check them out!