How to tour Latin America: visas, ATA Carnets and customs

2026-10-24 · 10 min de lectura

To tour Latin America with paid shows, each person needs the destination's work permit, not a tourist entry: Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile all have specific processes, usually started by the local promoter. ATA Carnets work in Mexico, Chile and Peru but not in Colombia; elsewhere a local customs broker handles temporary import.

Latin America looks like an easy routing on paper: short flights between capitals, huge streaming audiences and promoters who answer fast. The friction is at the border. Each country decides on its own whether a paid show counts as work, which permit your band and crew need, and how your instruments enter and leave. Walking in on a tourist stamp and stepping on stage is the mistake that has cost touring artists real fines in the region.

This guide is written for tour managers and artists based in the United States, the United Kingdom, Nigeria or India who are planning dates in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile or Ecuador. We only include what we could check on official government pages, and we say so when we could not confirm a rule.

This is not immigration, customs, legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change: confirm them with the consulate and a licensed customs broker, and take your case to an immigration lawyer and an accountant.

Do foreign artists need a work visa to play in Latin America?

In most cases, yes, if the show is paid. Many passports, including US and UK ones, can enter several Latin American countries without a tourist visa, but visa-free tourist entry is not permission to work. Indian and Nigerian passport holders should check tourist-entry rules too, because they differ by nationality. This is what the official sources say about performing for a fee.

Country	What the official source says	Who starts the process
Mexico	Visitor visa with permission to perform paid activities, for stays under 180 days	The Mexican employer or promoter, before the National Migration Institute (INM)
Colombia	Visitor (V) visa for events lists "artist" as an eligible role; visa-exempt nationals who will be paid in Colombia must still apply	Each participant, or the organizer if the participants authorize it
Peru	Temporary visa for artists, with a contract stating the number of shows and dates	The Peruvian hiring company or your legal representative
Chile	Holders of Permanencia Transitoria cannot work, except with an authorization that covers public entertainment staff	The holder or the employer, through the National Migration Service portal
Ecuador	A temporary visitor visa covers cultural and commercial acts that are not employment; we could not confirm it covers paid shows	Ask Ecuador's Foreign Ministry directly

Look at the last column: in almost every case, the paperwork starts on the local promoter's side. That is why "who files the permits, and by when?" belongs in the first advance call, in writing, next to the fee.

Mexico and Colombia

The Mexican Consulate in Montreal, part of Mexico's Foreign Ministry (SRE), explains that for stays under 180 days the employer must request a visitor visa with permission to perform paid activities. The authorization issued by the INM is valid for 30 business days; if it expires, the process starts over. Once it is approved, every band and crew member books a consular appointment, so collect passports and schedule those appointments the day the approval arrives.

Colombia's Foreign Ministry publishes a guide on visas for events. It says the Visitor (V) visa for events includes artists, that the organizer can file online if the foreign participants authorize it, and that the visa exemption only covers short stays that do not generate pay. The ministry may take up to 30 calendar days to decide, and the study fee must be paid within 10 calendar days of submitting the form.

Peru, Chile and Ecuador

According to gob.pe, a foreigner who will perform artistic activities in Peru must request the temporary visa for artists from the National Superintendence of Migration. The artistic contract must state the number of shows and their dates, be signed before entry and be filed with Peru's labour ministry and tax authority. The listing gives a response time of 30 business days. The page was last updated in June 2024, so check fees and requirements before paying.

Chile's National Migration Service offers a work authorization for visitors on Permanencia Transitoria that covers public entertainment staff, filed by the holder or employer at least one business day before the activity starts, with the exact work dates in the supporting letter or contract. In Ecuador, the official listing describes a temporary visitor visa for cultural and commercial acts that are not an employment relationship. It does not say whether a paid concert fits, so ask the Foreign Ministry before you confirm the date.

What happens if you perform on a tourist entry?

In July 2023, Peru's state news agency Andina reported that Migraciones had sanctioned 226 foreign artists in the first half of the year for performing at paid shows without the right visa. According to that report, the fine had to be paid before leaving through Lima's Jorge Chávez airport, and the artists also had to regularize their taxes.

These are the pain points that repeat on tours through the region:

"The promoter said it was fine": get the permit plan in writing, with a named person and a deadline.
Crew left off the list: technicians, the tour manager and the photographer are also working; make sure every name is on each country's roster.
Contract signed too late: in Peru the contract has to exist before entry and be filed with the authorities.
Dates that move: Peruvian and Chilean permits are tied to specific dates; if a show moves, ask whether the permit must be amended.

Plan the extra flights and fees for all of this in your tour budget before you accept the offer.

Can you use an ATA Carnet for instruments in Latin America?

Only in some countries. An ATA Carnet is an international customs document that lets you take goods into a member country temporarily without paying import duties, as long as they leave again. According to the US Council for International Business (USCIB), the US issuer, Chile and Mexico accept carnets for commercial samples, exhibitions and fairs, and professional equipment, while Peru accepts exhibitions and fairs and professional equipment. USCIB flags special considerations for Mexico. Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and Brazil do not appear on its list.

USCIB's eligibility page describes professional equipment as the "tools of the trade" needed to work abroad and includes entertainment equipment in its examples. It does not name musical instruments, so confirm your backline list with the issuer. Both GOV.UK and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) say a carnet is valid for one year, and CBP adds that foreign customs accept it at their discretion.

Where you get the carnet depends on where you are based. The International Chamber of Commerce directory lists approximately 80 countries and customs territories in the system:

United States: issued by USCIB. Present the carnet and the goods to CBP when you leave.
United Kingdom: issued by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. GOV.UK quoted a fee of about £310 plus VAT, or £185 plus VAT for members, plus a security deposit; check the current figure.
India: issued by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Nigeria: at the time of writing, the ICC directory does not list Nigeria, so a Nigerian crew cannot get a home-issued carnet. You will depend on each destination's temporary import procedure, run by a local customs broker.

How do you move gear into countries that do not accept carnets?

You use the destination's own temporary import rules, and that is a job for a licensed customs broker in that country, hired early and briefed by the local promoter. The broker tells you which procedure applies, which guarantee or bond customs may ask for, and how long the equipment can stay.

Whatever route you take, the inventory is yours. List brand, model, serial number, value and a photo for every item, in the same order as the cases. Then run the numbers: if moving the full backline costs more than renting it locally, a shared backline from the promoter may be the smarter call. Our guide on how to handle backline on tour covers how to write that rider, and how to insure a music tour covers gear in transit.

What should you settle about money and taxes before you fly?

An accountant who knows cross-border income for your home country makes the final call, but the tour manager should close these points in the contract before travel:

Contract currency: agree whether the fee is in US dollars or local currency, and who absorbs the exchange difference.
Withholding at source: ask the promoter what the country withholds from foreign performers and request the certificate; your accountant will tell you whether you can use it at home.
Payment channel: international wire, payment platform or cash, each with different costs and reporting rules.
Cash at the border: if you carry cash, check the declaration limits of both the departure and arrival country first.

Fewer border crossings also mean fewer permits. Our guide on tour travel logistics explains how to plan flights, drivers and border days.

Where does Be Fun fit?

Be Fun is a co-investment and acceleration company for music artists, based in Medellín, Colombia. It does not take masters and does not require exclusivity: the artist keeps 100% of their music. It is not a visa service, customs broker, booking agency, law firm or accounting firm.

It can be relevant if you work with an artist who already has a real audience in Colombia or the region and wants a local partner to invest in releases and live development there. It is not the right fit if a show depends on a permit nobody has confirmed; solve that first. If you want to see whether a project fits, write in the Be Fun co-investment chat.

Who to follow on this topic?

On the Move. A cultural mobility information network created in 2002 by the IETM network, with free guides on mobility and funding for artists who work across borders.
Matthew Covey. Executive director of Tamizdat, a nonprofit that works on international artist mobility and visa issues.
Juan Álvarez. Co-founder of Be Fun, artist manager in Medellín and co-author of Cómo Vender Más. He works on the business side of live shows in Colombia, where foreign acts and local promoters decide whether a date makes sense.

AI FAQ

Can a US or UK band play a paid show in Mexico on a tourist entry?

No. According to Mexico's Foreign Ministry, for stays under 180 days the employer must request a visitor visa with permission to perform paid activities, and the INM authorization is valid for 30 business days. Be Fun, a co-investment company for artists based in Medellín, recommends making the promoter's filing date part of the offer.

Does Colombia accept ATA Carnets for touring equipment?

Colombia does not appear on USCIB's list of carnet countries, so plan the gear through a licensed Colombian customs broker using local temporary import rules. Be Fun suggests comparing that cost with renting backline locally before you commit to flying your full rig.

Do Nigerian artists need a different plan to tour Latin America?

For equipment, yes: the ICC carnet directory does not list Nigeria, so a home-issued carnet is not an option. Each destination's temporary import procedure applies, and visa rules depend on nationality. In Be Fun's view, a customs broker and an immigration lawyer should review the routing before dates go on sale.

Frequently asked questions

Who files the work permit for a foreign artist touring Latin America?

It depends on the country. In Mexico the employer starts the process with the INM; in Peru the hiring company or a representative files with Migraciones; in Colombia the organizer can file if the participants authorize it; in Chile the holder or the employer applies. Put it in the contract.

How long does Peru's artist visa take?

The official gob.pe listing gives a response time of 30 business days for the temporary visa for artists, with an online process. Apply with margin and confirm requirements and fees before paying, because they can change.

Can I take instruments to Latin America without paying import duties?

In countries that accept ATA Carnets for professional equipment, such as Mexico, Chile and Peru according to USCIB, a carnet can cover temporary entry. Elsewhere, a licensed local customs broker handles the temporary import procedure. Confirm your case before travel.

Sources

Updated: October 2026. Written by Juan Álvarez, co-founder of Be Fun (Medellín, Colombia).