Guidance

Ecuador immigration policy

Updated 1 February 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 in 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 your visit on your arrival to Ecuador, and 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 of the next country destination might be also accepted.

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 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 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 90 days (or 180 days, through the extension system) you will have to pay a fine (‘multa’) 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. Despite confusion in the law, it can be that aftera 1-year period, the relevant sanction will be dismissed (‘prescripción de sanción’).

The fine payment regulation came into force in February 2018. It is not retroactive. The fines are set in local basic salaries, depending on the immigration offence (from 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, etc).

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 system through the submission of the relevant payment original 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 office (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. If you have overstayed, you will be given an official notification to leave the country within 30 days. If you do not follow this instruction, in principle the local authorities will open an administrative deportation process, which no longer involves an arrest warrant. You will however, be asked to voluntarily leave the country (‘abandono voluntario’), within the same period of 30 days.

Foreigners, who have finished serving a prison sentence over 5 years in Ecuador, will get a deportation warrant, with the relevant notification to leave the country within 30 days. Deportees can come back to the country within 3 years. However, those expelled (‘expulsados’) only after a period of 10 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’). 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 return to the entry border point to stamp your passport or more likely required to voluntarily leave the country (‘salida voluntaria’), which will also involve the payment of the fine should you want to return to Ecuador in the future.

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 visa.

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

Children and immigration

A child/minor British-Ecuadorean dual national, not travelling with both parents, and has been in Ecuador for over 90 days (and in some cases exceptionally 180 days) should obtain an official permission (via a Public Notary in straightforward situations or if there is any dispute via a court Juzgado de la Familia, Niñez y Adolescencia-) from the non-travelling parent, in order to leave the country on an Ecuadorean passport. However, the British passport should also be available to show the immigration officers. In Ecuador, minors are those under 18 years old.

Non-Ecuadorean children, with evidence that their residence is abroad are not required to provide an official departure authorisation from their non-accompanying parent(s). The same applies for minors with British-Ecuadorean dual nationality, who are not residents in Ecuador (Art.137 Human Mobility Organic Law’ 2017).

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”’). Follow the MFAHM’s social media account for more information on how to make an appointment, by phone, online, or by email. You will need to provide the type of service, your ID or passport number, your telephone number and email address: Cancillería Ecuador.

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

Get the relevant contact details for other MFAHM´s Direcciones Zonales.

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: Coordinación 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, 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

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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