Is Peru safe for LGBTQ+ travellers?
Mixed — know the gaps
Peru is a mixed picture for LGBTQ+ travellers — the clearest concern is same-sex relationships (legal, no recognition).
What to know as an LGBTQ+ traveller
the sourced facts that weigh most for you · concerns first
Same-sex sexual activity is legal, but Peru’s 1984 Civil Code (Art. 234) defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and no civil unions or marriage equality exist.
Peru has no gender identity law; trans people can change the name and sex marker on their DNI only through a case-by-case judicial process.
Legislative Decree 1323 (2017) amended Penal Code Art. 323 to criminalise discrimination, including on sexual orientation and gender identity, but Peru has no single comprehensive civil anti-discrimination statute.
Legal protections for LGBTQ+ people are partial — Equaldex scores 64/100 (2026); some rights are recognised, others are not — check specifics before you travel.
Peru has no blasphemy law; its Penal Code contains no offence criminalising blasphemy or defamation of religion.
Identity & recognition
Same-sex relationships
Legal, no recognitionSame-sex sexual activity is legal, but Peru’s 1984 Civil Code (Art. 234) defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and no civil unions or marriage equality exist.
Legal gender recognition
Court-gatekeptPeru has no gender identity law; trans people can change the name and sex marker on their DNI only through a case-by-case judicial process.
Anti-discrimination protection
Partial protectionLegislative Decree 1323 (2017) amended Penal Code Art. 323 to criminalise discrimination, including on sexual orientation and gender identity, but Peru has no single comprehensive civil anti-discrimination statute.
Disability rights
CRPD 2008 + lawPeru ratified the CRPD on 30 January 2008 and enacted the General Law on Persons with Disabilities (Law 29973, 2012), which sets employment quotas and accessibility rules, though enforcement remains weak.
Women's legal rights
Broadly equal in lawWomen hold broadly equal legal rights here — the World Bank’s Women, Business & the Law index scores 95/100 (2023), spanning mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood and property.
LGBTQ+ legal equality
Partial protectionsLegal protections for LGBTQ+ people are partial — Equaldex scores 64/100 (2026); some rights are recognised, others are not — check specifics before you travel.
Body & health
Abortion access
Life/health onlyAbortion is permitted only as therapeutic abortion to save the woman’s life or avoid serious permanent health harm under Penal Code Art. 119; there is no exception for rape or fetal anomaly.
Cannabis & personal drug law
DecriminalisedRecreational cannabis is illegal, but personal possession of up to 8g of marijuana (2g of derivatives) is not penalised under Penal Code Art. 299, and medical cannabis is legal under Law 30681 (2017).
Faith & conscience
Government restriction of religion
Low restrictionPeru scored 1.8 (Low restrictions) on Pew’s 2022 Government Restrictions Index, among the lowest levels of government restriction on religion in the Americas.
Blasphemy & apostasy law
No blasphemy lawsPeru has no blasphemy law; its Penal Code contains no offence criminalising blasphemy or defamation of religion.
Speech & press
Freedom of expression
Partly free · 66/100Rated Partly Free, 66/100, by Freedom House (2025).
Your obligations on arrival
Address / residence registration
A foreign student granted a resident student visa must register with the Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones and obtain the Carne de Extranjeria within 30 days of the visa being approved.
Student work rights
Peru’s student migratory status does not authorise paid work from Peruvian sources; students may only carry out unpaid professional practices or work during vacation periods with prior authorisation from Migraciones.
Health insurance
Proof of health insurance or a health certificate is generally required among the documents for a Peruvian student visa, though the exact requirement varies by consulate and university.
Bringing medication
Travellers may bring personal-use prescription medicines (keep the prescription and original packaging), but narcotics and psychotropic drugs are controlled by DIGEMID and require an official import certificate.
Laws differ from lived experience and this is not legal advice. Each fact shows its evidence type, date and source. Full method & sources →
Emergency numbers
Travel-medical cover that works abroad with no local address, and a data eSIM so maps and messaging work the moment you land.