All travellers

If you present symptoms such as high temperature, cough, loss of sense of smell/taste or a skin rash, please fill in the Health Declaration Form. You can fill this form online or physically on arrival at the airport or land border.

As of October 2021, international cruise ship operations are authorised at the following ports: Esmeraldas, Manta, Guayaquil and Puerto Bolivar. However, there are strict guidelines and measures to comply with to obtain the relevant permissions.

If you’re fully vaccinated

There are no vaccination requirements to enter Ecuador.

If you’re not fully vaccinated

There are no vaccination requirements to enter Ecuador.

If you’re transiting through Ecuador

If you are transiting through Ecuador, you are subject to the same COVID-19 requirements as for entering Ecuador.

Exemptions

Airline crew members are exempt from Ecuador’s current entry requirements.

Yellow fever certificate requirements

Check whether you need a yellow fever certificate by visiting the National Travel Health Network and Centre’s TravelHealthPro website. Please check if you will be required to present a yellow fever certificate to travel to your next destination from Ecuador. See Health.

Check your passport and travel documents before your travel

Passport validity

Both visitors and residents must have a minimum of 6 months’ validity on their passport from the date of entry.

This is a strict legal requirement from the Ecuadorean government. If your passport does not meet this requirement, you will be denied entry to Ecuador.

Check with your travel provider to make sure your passport and other travel documents meet their requirements.

Visas

If you are a British passport holder visiting Ecuador for up to 90 days in any 12 month period, you do not need a visa. If you plan to stay longer, you should consult the nearest Ecuadorean Embassy before travelling. On entry, you may be asked about your reason for travel, and asked to provide evidence of a return or onward flight/bus ticket.

You can extend your 90 days (only once) online by a further 90 days by paying a fee. If you wish to extend your stay, you must begin the extension process before the first 90 day period expires. For general immigration information, please visit the Ecuadorean Migration website. For general enquiries contact: servicios.migratorios@ministeriodegobierno.gob.ec.

For any other lengths or types of stay, including studying or working, you should consult the nearest Ecuadorean Embassy before travelling. For further details on visa applications for Ecuador, check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

The MFA encourages customers not to approach their offices without a confirmed appointment. For general guidance contact: consejeria@cancilleria.gob.eccitasvisas@cancilleriga.gob.ec

Get the relevant emails for other MFA’s Coordinaciones Zonales here.

Permanent and temporary resident visas are issued electronically (digitally sent by email)

Overstaying your visa

The penalty for overstaying is a fine. You will be notified by immigration officials on departure that you have a fine pending and that your name will remain on immigration records. It is only possible to pay this fine within Ecuador. Once the fine is paid and recorded, you can return to Ecuador.

Arriving across a land border

If you enter Ecuador via the border with Peru or Colombia, you must ensure you get an official entry stamp at the border showing the date of your arrival. There have been cases of buses not stopping at the border, which has caused great difficulties for foreign visitors for failing to comply with immigration regulations. Travellers may face a fine when leaving Ecuador if their passport does not have an entry stamp. If your passport was not stamped on entry, approach an immigration office for further guidance.

Galapagos

All visitors to the Galapagos Islands should be ready to provide a copy of their hotel booking, or an invitation letter from a host if staying with a resident, upon entry. National and foreign tourists must also present evidence of a return flight, as well as the Galapagos Transit Control Card, to be filled out online at least 24 hours before the flight. Travel health insurance is mandatory for foreign tourists.The maximum stay in the Galapagos Islands as a tourist is 60 days.

Travelling with children

Under Ecuadorean law, children under the age of 18 born in Ecuador are automatically considered as Ecuadorean citizens, even if travelling on a British passport (dual nationals).

They, along with British minors who have resident status in Ecuador, will need notarised written consent from the non-accompanying parent(s) to leave the country. In non-straightforward situations due to a legal dispute, the child will need judicial written permission (Autorización de Viaje Judicial) issued by a judge (Juzgado de la Niñez y Adolescencia). If one of the parents is deceased, the other parent will need to submit the death certificate to a public notary, so that an indefinite notarial permit to travel with the child is issued. The immigration authorities are responsible for checking all the above legal documents.

British children (or British-Ecuadorean dual nationals) who have tourist status in Ecuador do not need these permissions.

Minors entering Ecuador with someone other than a legal guardian(s) do not need to present written consent. The obligation to check these permissions lie with the country they departed from.