Guidance

Ecuador immigration policy

Updated 24 December 2024

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Disclaimer

This information is provided for your convenience, but the Consular Section of the British Embassy Quito is not accountable for the accuracy, competence or probity of the below immigration regulations in Ecuador, as they are subject to change at any time. Not regularly updated.

Ecuadorean immigration policy

The Ecuadorean government’s ‘Human Mobility Organic Law’ in 2017, brought certain changes to visa requirements and immigration policy for tourists and residents. A key principle of the new law is that no individual should be considered ‘illegal’ due to his or her immigration status. Therefore, foreigners wishing to settle in Ecuador can do so through a ‘temporary residency’ leading to ‘permanent residency’ after 21 months.

All temporary and permanent residents will be granted an Ecuadorean identity card (‘cédula’), respectively for 2 and 10 years validity. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility (MFAHM) will issue an ID order (‘orden de cedulación’) to the Civil Registry Office within the standard visa application process.

Since January 2019, temporary and permanent resident visas are issued electronically. Visas will no longer be placed in the passport; instead, you will get it via e-mail and will be able to print it as often as needed. Public and private institutions, as well as the user will be able to verify the information and current validity on the system (via an app and/or website). Check the process to: transfer your current visa from your current passport to a new electronic version or to a new passport

A further reform to the ‘Human Mobility Organic Law’ was issued in February 2021.

Visas

As a British visitor, you do not need a visa to come to Ecuador. Foreign visitors can remain in Ecuador for up to 90 days within a 12 month period. This is applied at every entry point in Ecuador. You should be issued with an entry stamp in your passport at any port of entry.

All visitors need to have a valid passport with a minimum validity of 6 months when entering Ecuador. If your passport is valid for less than 6 months you will be denied entry to Ecuador.

The Immigration authorities are entitled to ask you questions about the reason for your visit on your arrival in Ecuador, and to verify your travel document. You may be asked to provide evidence of a return or onward flight/bus ticket showing when you will leave the country. A hotel booking in the next country destination may be accepted.

If an immigration official considers there is a strong case to  deny someone entry (‘inadmisión’) into Ecuador, they have 24 hours to follow the legal procedure . A  ‘inadmisión’ verdict will be notified to the relevant parties to enforce this (for instance, airlines to take a passenger back to the country of origin or to the last place of embarkment). Some cases may require a hearing with the presence of a public lawyer and an official interpreter.

Travellers transiting in Ecuador can only stay for a maximum of 24 hours. Airlines are responsible for enforcing this requirement.

The immigration authority has an online advice system Consultas y Asesoría en Temas Migratorios to check how many days you have left on the current 12 months visit period, so that you can organise your length of stay in Ecuador, or when are you entitled to return without a visa.

Visa extensions

This 90 day period can be extended for a further 90 days (known as ‘prórroga’), only once and by paying a fee. This extension process is managed by the Ministry of Interior-Immigration Under-Secretary (MoI-IUS). You can apply in person through one of the Immigration Support Service Units nationwide (SAM - Servicio de Apoyo Migratorio).

The local authorities have implemented an online application process through the official government´s services platform “Trámites en Línea” – only in Spanish. You will be required to provide your email and telephone number details to be contacted by an immigration official to validate your online data, prior to a payment authorisation for this service.

Both options will involve completing a visa extension form. In principle, you can apply for a ‘prórroga’ visa extension, maximum by day 120, which will be discounted from the 180 days extension period. Check these links to obtain detailed information on this application process here and here

Once the 90 or 180 days have been used and you have left the country within this period, you can come back after 6 or 9 months respectively, unless you apply for a consular visa from an  Ecuadorean Embassy overseas.

For general information check the Ministry of Interior website

Overstaying your visa

Overstaying after the 90 days is an immigration offence. Under the Human Mobility Organic Law, if you have overstayed after the permitted 90 days (or 180 days, through the extension system) you will be informed on departure (by immigration) that you have a fine (‘multa’) and will need to pay it in order to return to Ecuador (within 1 year) after leaving, or apply for a new visa in an Ecuadorean Embassy overseas. You will not be allowed entry into Ecuador if the fine has not been previously paid. 

The fine payment regulation came into force February 2018. It is not retroactive. The fines are set in local basic salaries, depending on the immigration offence (e.g. overstaying in Ecuador for more than 90 days, not applying for an extension period, not submitting a formal request to change your immigration status or undertaking activities not allowed under the relevant visa).

A specific local bank account has been created for this purpose. You will be asked to pay the corresponding fine at the nearest ‘Banco del Pacífico’ nationwide. The fine can only be paid in Ecuador and registered in the immigration system through the submission of the relevant original bank receipt.

Should you want to sort out your immigration status, you will be given 30 days for this process (‘regularización’), by registering the fine payment and getting a certificate from an immigration support service unit (SAM), as well as any other supporting documents. More information here

Ecuadorean immigration officers are entitled to check your passports and documents at any time. We recommend you carry a copy of your passport and entry stamp or visa at all times. Avoid carrying your original passport unless it is necessary. If you have overstayed, you will be asked to leave the country voluntarily (‘abandono voluntario’) within 30 days. If you do not follow this instruction, the immigration authorities will open an administrative deportation process (which no longer involves an arrest warrant). This will require a hearing, to be held within 10 days maximum, to establish whether or not there are strong links to remain in the country. Following a deportation warrant, the immigration authorities will action this order within 24 hours.

Foreigners, who have finished serving a prison sentence over 5 years in Ecuador (under the current integral organic criminal code – COIP), may get anc ‘expulsion’ court order, with the relevant notification to leave the country, for the immigration authority to pursue, by lifting any travel ban court order… Those  ‘expulsados’ will only be able to return to Ecuador after a period of 10 years.

However, given that not all judicial units enforce “expulsion” orders, the immigration officials may have the authority to issue an administrative ‘deportation process’. Deportees can come back to the country after 3 years.

Passport entry stamps

You will face problems if for any reason there is no entry stamp in your passport (for example if an international/interstate bus did not stop at the border for foreigners to stamp their passports), as this will be taken as avoiding the official immigration controls (‘evasión de filtros migratorios’), subject to a deportation process. It is recommended that you keep proof of having crossed the border (exit stamp from the other country, bus tickets/bus company certificate) to show to the immigration authorities. However, you may be requested to voluntarily leave the country (‘salida voluntaria’), which will also involve the payment of a fine should you want to return to Ecuador in the future. Bear in mind that your previous entry to the country will not appear on the system when attempting to return to Ecuador. The above evidence will help you justify the lack of entry stamp during the required interview with an immigration official to authorise your entry to the country.

Other immigration requirements

If your passport is stolen with a valid Ecuadorean visa in place, in principle you can go to the nearest MFAMH office with a copy of the passport and the original police report of the theft and request a certificate confirming that you hold a valid visa. This serves as proof of your immigration status until you can obtain a new passport and e-visa.

There is no longer a visa requirement for foreign nationals wishing to get married in Ecuador.

Children and immigration

Leaving Ecuador  

British children, including British - Ecuadorean dual nationals, aged 17 and under must have a notarised consent letter (in Spanish) to leave Ecuador, if they are travelling alone or with one parent or legal guardian, and are resident in Ecuador or have been in Ecuador for over 90 days. Even if they are travelling on a British passport.

If they are tourists (not resident in Ecuador) British children (or British-Ecuadorean dual nationals) do not need a notarised consent letter (Art.137 Human Mobility Organic Law’ 2017).

If one parent is deceased, the other parent must submit the death certificate to an Ecuadorean public notary to get an indefinite notarial permit to travel with the child. 

In more complex situations, such as legal disputes, a child will need judicial written permission (‘Autorización de Viaje Judicial’) issued by an Ecuadorian judge (‘Juzgado de la Niñez y Adolescencia’). 

Foreigners and residency

Foreigners wishing to apply for a resident visa in Ecuador will need to submit a police record from the country of origin or the country/countries in which they have resided during the last 5 years. Police certificates issued in the UK need to be legalised/apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office´s Legalisation Office. Read the Living in Ecuador guide for more information.

Temporary residence can be granted to foreigners in Ecuador under certain categories, for an initial period of two years, which can then be renewed only once. For a full list of categories, and the relevant requirements, consult with the relevant local authority.

Temporary residents can leave Ecuador for a maximum of 90 days per year, for the first two years of their temporary residency. If this is not complied with, a fine will be incurred.

Permanent residents can leave Ecuador for a maximum of 180 days per year, for the first two years of their permanent residency. If this is not complied with, a fine will be incurred. After these first two years of residency, permanent residents can leave Ecuador for up to 5 continued years. If this time is exceeded, they will lose their residency status.

If your visa is about to expire make an appointment online before the deadline and this date will be applied for your procedure, although the actual appointment date is outside the initial expiry date. More information on types of visas and their requirements can found here.

Immigration control officials have access to the MFAHM´s appointment platform to check applicants´ status.

The MFAHM is encouraging customers not to approach their offices nationwide without a confirmed appointment (including for residence visa renewals and other services – ‘sistema de agendamiento citas”’).

MFAHM has implemented an e-visa online application system (for ordinary visas) when applying from Quito or overseas. In other cities you can also apply in person.  For this online system, you will need to provide the type of service, your passport number, telephone number, email address, as well as uploading a photo and other supporting documents. The first online payment is to review your application. If anything is missing, you will be duly instructed how to complete this within a deadline. If an online/in-person interview is required, you will receive the relevant notification. Once the application is validated and approved, you will have to pay online. You will then receive an email payment notification with the appropriate Ecuadorean ID issuing order.  

Follow the MFAHM’s social media account for more information: Cancillería Ecuador. Get the relevant contact details for other MFAHM´s Direcciones Zonales.

For general enquiries: <consejeria@cancilleria.gob.ec> / <dvn@cancilleriga.gob.ec> / <citasvisas@cancilleria.gob.ec>

Local authorities

For further details about official regulations, and the specific requirements and services available, please contact the local authorities directly:

Visit Ecuador´s government services platform “Ventanilla Digital de Trámites Ecuador” to search what public services are available online (“Trámites en Línea”) – only in Spanish.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility: Dirección Zonal 9 (Quito)

Plataforma de Desarrollo Social in Quitumbe 

Quitumbe Ñan Avenue and Amaru Ñan Avenue Quitumbe sector (south of Quito)

Temporary and permanent visas (ordinary visas only through the e-visa system), naturalisations, ID issuing authorisation (‘orden de cedulación’), services for the inclusion of the foreign community, services for returning Ecuadorean immigrants, organic code process certificates, services for Ecuadoreans abroad, apostilles and legalisations

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility (MFAHM) - Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana

10 de Agosto Avenue N1855 and Carrión

Solis Building - Quito

Requests for execution of foreign judgements, international criminal assistance, letters rogatoire (rogatorio) and other issues

  • working hours: Monday – Friday. From 8:30am to 4.30pm

  • for other provinces, check the list of MFAHM’s DireccionesZonales

Ministry of Interior – Immigration Under-Secretary (headquarters) – Subsecretaría de Migración

Amazonas N32-171 and República Avenues (opposite “El Jardín” shopping centre) - Quito

  • working hours: Monday – Friday. From 8:00am to 5.00pm

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Ecuadorean Civil Registry Office (Registro Civil, Identificación y Cedulación del Ecuador)

Naciones Unidas Avenue N37-61 and Amazonas Avenue, La Previsora Building - Quito (another office can be found in Quitumbe (“Desarrollo Social” platform) in the south of Quito – for all services to foreigners)

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