Only Two Countries Still Offer 2-Year Citizenship as Peru Extends Naturalization Timeline

Moustafa Daly
Cairo

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Peru has exited the short list of countries with a two-year citizenship timeline, leaving Argentina as the only Mercosur member with a quick pathway to citizenship.

Peru has officially increased the minimum residency requirement for naturalization from two to five years.

The change removes Peru from the small group of countries that offer a short, two-year path to citizenship.

Now, only Argentina and the Dominican Republic maintain a two-year timeline for most applicants. Argentina, which is gearing up to launch Latin America’s only active citizenship by investment program, will soon be the only country within the Mercosur Residence Agreement SSB to offer a two-year citizenship timeline.

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The only other two countries still offering two-year citizenship timelines are Singapore and Liberia. In Singapore, this applies only after obtaining permanent residency, which has no set timeline and can take years.

Liberia, meanwhile, limits its two-year pathway to applicants of Black African origin.

Peru’s New Citizenship Requirements

The new law replaces the previous citizenship framework in Peru, which had been in effect since 1996, and introduces stricter criteria for applicants. Lawmakers say they designed the reform to align with constitutional principles, international human rights treaties, and national security considerations, according to local media reports.

Under the new rules, applicants must demonstrate five years of continuous legal residency, earn an annual income of at least 10 tax units (approximately US$15,000 in 2025), and pass evaluations in Spanish or Indigenous languages.

They are also required to pass tests on Peruvian history, geography, and civic education. Moreover, applicants must provide proof of a clean legal record, verified through Interpol, and show that their income comes from lawful, taxed activities in the country.

Exceptions to the five-year rule remain in place for certain categories, such as distinguished athletes or individuals granted citizenship for meritorious achievements.

Lawmakers have emphasized that the changes aim to ensure that citizenship applicants have meaningful ties to the country and show commitment to contributing to its social and economic development.

The naturalization process can now take up to 18 months to complete, with the possibility of a longer process in exceptional cases.

For those exploring pathways to citizenship in Peru or elsewhere, the IMI Citizenship Catalog offers a comprehensive overview of nationality laws in 195 countries. This resource simplifies the process of finding and comparing all available routes to citizenship, utilizing sortable tables, interactive maps, and charts to provide a thorough analysis of global citizenship options.