Apostille Peruvian documents from the US: S/18 digital or S/31

Peru has been party to the Hague Apostille Convention since September 30, 2010, according to the Peruvian consulate in Washington, D.C. Peruvian documents are apostilled only by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) in Peru: consulates do not apostille. From the United States you can apostille a digital Peruvian document (electronically signed, with a QR code or link) online for S/ 18; a hand-signed document is apostilled in person in Peru for S/ 31 (fees published by the MRE, checked October 3, 2026). For the opposite direction, US documents to be used in Peru, the Washington, D.C. and New York consulates publish different rules; this page quotes each one.

Versión en español

Key facts

ItemDetail (checked October 3, 2026)
Hague ConventionIn force for Peru since September 30, 2010 (Washington, D.C. consulate)
Who apostilles Peruvian documentsThe MRE: headquarters, decentralized offices and five MAC Centers
Do consulates apostille?No (MRE; Washington, D.C. consulate)
In-person apostille or legalizationS/ 31 (MRE)
Digital apostille or legalizationS/ 18, delivered within 5 business days at most (MRE)
Appointment at the MRENot required (MRE)
Apostille expiryNone; the document’s validity depends on the country where it is used (MRE)
Consular legalization of US documentsUS$ 30.00 natural person / US$ 80.00 legal entity (New York and Washington, D.C. consulates)

Part 1: Peruvian documents for use in the US

What can and cannot be apostilled

According to the MRE, “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru apostilles only documents issued by Peruvian public authorities,” and only originals or certified copies bearing the signature of an authority previously registered with it. Before the apostille, the document must have the relevant chain of certifications. The MRE also says an apostille “does not guarantee the validation of its content” and that, if the destination country requires a translation, the translation must also be apostilled.

According to the Washington, D.C. consulate, documents issued by diplomatic or consular officials, and administrative documents directly related to a commercial or customs operation, are not apostilled.

Online from the US: the digital apostille (S/ 18)

The MRE page “Apostillar y legalizar documentos digitales” says the procedure can be done “from your home, without going to a service office,” 24 hours a day, all year. Conditions:

  • The document must be electronically signed by the public official, in PDF, legible, and carry a verification mechanism (QR code, link or similar).
  • The official who signed it must be registered with the MRE.
  • One document per request; once the document is attached and paid for, cancellation cannot be requested.
  • Payment of S/ 18.00 through Págalo.pe. The MRE FAQ gives codes 04517 (digital apostille) and 04519 (digital legalization).
  • Time frame: the document is certified “within a maximum of 5 business days.” Requests are processed Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the MRE.

The MRE FAQ (last changed November 19, 2024) lists as eligible for digital apostille: criminal and court record certificates, SUNEDU, ONP and Migraciones certificates, and official and certified digital translations; it adds that any document with an electronic validation element, such as a QR code or verification link, can be certified digitally.

Free: according to the MRE, apostilles and legalizations of SUNEDU certificates on degrees, titles and studies, and of MINEDU-signed school certificates (regular basic and technical education), are free for Peruvian citizens.

Hand-signed documents: in person in Peru (S/ 31)

The MRE says that if the document has a handwritten signature, the procedure is in person at its headquarters, at the MAC Centers (Lima Norte, Callao, Lima Este and Lima Sur, per the digital apostille page) or at its decentralized offices. The FAQ asks for a DNI or foreign ID, the document with its chain of certifications, and payment, and says no appointment is needed. The MRE portal also lets you register a request for a physical apostille online, so the document is then delivered to an office in Peru. The MRE pages we read describe only delivery of the document at its offices in Peru. The MRE pages we read do not say whether the person presenting the document must be its holder; the New York consulate, for the final legalization of its documents, says “your representative” can do the procedure at the MRE. If that person needs a power of attorney, see Peru power of attorney from the US.

RENIEC records for apostille

RENIEC’s FAQ page says that for procedures before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the record copy is requested at an office or Plataforma Virtual Multiservicios with a S/ 12.00 payment (code 06637), not the S/ 10.30 online copy. More in Peru birth certificate from the US.

Part 2: documents issued by a Peruvian consulate

A record registered at a consulate, a power of attorney granted before the consul or a consular certified copy is not apostilled. The MRE explains that legalization “also makes it possible to validate the signature of a Peruvian consular official … for use in Peru.” The Washington, D.C. consulate, for example, notes that a consular certified copy “must be legalized at the Legalization Offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” to be used in Peru.

Part 3: US documents for use in Peru

Here the two consulates with detailed pages publish different rules. This page does not choose between them.

What the Washington, D.C. consulate says

  • “In the jurisdiction of the Consulate of Peru in Washington D.C., you must obtain the Apostille from the Secretaries of State of the state where the Public Document was issued” (its jurisdiction: Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.).
  • “Foreign documents duly apostilled by the ‘apostille authority’ of the country of origin do not need legalization by the Consular Offices or legalization by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru for use in Peruvian territory.” The same consulate notes this does not exempt you from other procedures before local authorities.
  • It also offers consular legalization of signatures of US authorities in its jurisdiction: first a notary public, then the county court (County Clerk), then the consulate. Fee: US$30.00 if the document relates to a natural person and US$80.00 if it relates to a legal entity. That page says no prior appointment is required for legalization, though it recommends one.

What the New York consulate says

The New York Consulate General’s page on gob.pe (last changed March 18, 2026) presents consular legalization as mandatory: “Completing this procedure is a mandatory step before sending your documents to Peru for judicial, commercial or civil registry matters.” Its steps:

  1. Civil records (birth, marriage, death): presented in original, as issued by the local authority. Other documents (powers, contracts, declarations): first signed before a notary public, then legalized by the County Clerk of the notary’s county.
  2. Online appointment through the “Formulario de Actos Notariales,” attaching a single PDF with all documents.
  3. Visit to the consulate with the originals.
  4. Cash-only payment: US$ 30.00 for civil certificates and documents of natural persons; US$ 80.00 for commercial documents or documents of legal entities.
  5. Final legalization in Peru: the consul’s signature is validated at the MRE; according to the consulate, “your representative” can do this at headquarters in Lima, at MAC Centers or at the decentralized offices.

What RENIEC asks for to register a US event

To register a marriage performed abroad at a RENIEC office, RENIEC asks for the certificate “apostilled or legalized by the Peruvian consulate, translated into Spanish and legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” For a death, it asks for the certificate “apostilled and translated into Spanish by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” See registering a US marriage with Peru and death of a Peruvian in the US.

How to apostille a document in a US state: see apostilling US documents.

Signing a private document before the consul

The Washington, D.C. consulate legalizes a person’s signature on a private document, for example a sworn statement (declaración jurada): you bring the unsigned document, sign it before the consular officer, and the consul legalizes the signature. Fee: US$ 25, or US$ 80 if the person signs on behalf of a company. The procedure is personal.

Your US immigration status

The requirements of the MRE and of the consulates we read ask for a DNI or a foreign identity document (passport or ID). They do not ask for US immigration documents.

Official sources

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. MRE fees and each consulate’s rules change. Verify directly with Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, your consulate and the body that will receive the document. Not legal advice.