Is it safe to travel to Ecuador right now?

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Ecuador’s current rules for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Ecuador set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Ecuadorean Embassy in the UK.

Documents required to enter via land or river border

If you wish to enter Ecuador via a land or river border from Peru or Colombia, you must present a criminal record certificate from the country where you lived for the last 5 years. The certificate must be legalised with the Hague Apostille and translated into Spanish if issued in another language. This mandatory requirement was announced on 11 January 2024 for implementation with immediate effect.

Alternatively, if you do not have a legalised criminal record certificate, you can ask the Ecuadorean immigration authorities at the border to carry out a check on their ’SIMIEC’ Ecuadorean Immigration System (which flags any travel prohibitions or INTERPOL alerts). The following people are exempt from the presentation of the criminal record certificate:

• Holders of a valid Ecuadorean visa
• Holders of diplomatic passports
• Children and adolescents under 18
• Victims of human trafficking or those seeking international protection under the Ecuadorean Human Mobility Law.

There are no restrictions in place for anyone flying into Ecuador.

To obtain a UK Police Criminal Record Certificate, check the ACRO website. For information about legalising the document with the Hague apostille check the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s Legalisation Office website site.

Passport validity requirements

To enter Ecuador, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.

Visa requirements

You can visit Ecuador without a visa for up to 90 days in any 12-month period.

If you’re already in Ecuador and want to stay longer than 90 days, you can pay to extend your stay (in Spanish) by an extra 90 days. You must apply for an extension before the first 90-day period ends or you could be fined.

If you overstay your visa, you will get a fine when you leave. You will not be allowed to return to Ecuador unless you pay the fine before you leave the country.

For immigration information, see Ecuador Migration.

To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons, you must meet the Ecuadorean government’s entry requirements (in Spanish).

Applying for a visa

Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility (MFAHM) has an e-visa application process (in Spanish). Find the relevant MFAHM district zone offices.

For general guidance contact ssmc@cancilleria.gob.ec or call (02) 299 3200 extension 23064.

Checks at border control

All travellers entering Ecuador must register their entry and exit in the national immigration database. This is a mandatory requirement under Ecuadorean immigration regulations. At border control, you may be asked to:

• provide your reason for travel

• show proof of a return or onward journey

Peru and Colombia land border crossings

On the northern border with Colombia, the Rumichaca checkpoint is open. On the southern border with Peru, the Huaquillas, Macará, Zapotillo, and Lalamor checkpoints are open to international travellers.

Other checkpoints remain closed until further notice.

If you are entering Ecuador by land from Peru or Colombia, it is essential to use an official immigration checkpoint to receive the required passport entry stamp indicating your arrival date. Some buses may bypass immigration checkpoints, which can result in travellers not receiving the necessary stamp. This can lead to serious immigration issues.

Evading immigration control filters, regardless of the reason, is considered a serious offence. According to official sources:

• it will result in denied entry (‘inadmisión’) on future entry attempts

• immigration fines are generally not applicable for this type of violation (but they apply for overstaying cases)

• for official enquiries or direct assistance, contact an immigration office (in Spanish) as soon as possible

Galapagos Islands

Tourists can stay in the Galapagos Islands for up to 60 days. To enter Galapagos, you must have:

• evidence of a hotel booking or an invitation letter from your host
• evidence of a return flight to the Ecuadorean mainland
• purchase a transit control card at your departure airport before checking in for your flight – you must also keep a copy
• travel health insurance, which is mandatory for foreign tourists

If you are travelling to or from Galapagos Islands via Guayaquil airport you should check with the airline before booking to ensure you will remain airside at Guayaquil airport. FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Guayaquil, except for airside transit through the airport.

Check the Ministry of Tourism’s accredited tourism service providers (in Spanish), which includes information on accommodation, transport, tour operators and restaurants.

Travelling with children

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
• 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’).

Entering Ecuador

Children entering Ecuador with someone other than a parent or legal guardian do not need a consent letter.

Vaccine requirements

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Ecuador guide.

Customs rules

From 29 July, every adult passenger or family group travelling to or from Ecuador carrying taxable goods or cash equal to or higher than 10,000 US dollars must:

• register online
• complete the form, and present the digital version (QR code) to customs on arrival/departure (airports, land borders, ports)

This form must be completed at least three days before travelling. Failure to declare goods can lead to fines, confiscation of goods or criminal charges.

Taking money out of Ecuador

You must declare cash you’re carrying when you leave Ecuador. You will have to pay tax on amounts over 1,350 US dollars.

Some countries have imposed measures in response to the Ebola disease outbreak. These can include restrictions on entry and health screening measures for travellers having recently visited an affected country. If you are suspected of having symptoms, you may be subject to isolation, quarantine and/or travel restrictions. Contact the authorities of the country you are travelling to for more details.

The authorities of a country or territory decide who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from local authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Passport

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you're travelling with.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Ecuador.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

You should also be aware that current systems used by some countries and travel companies may not recognize the “X” gender identifier. You may still be asked to provide your sex/gender information as either male or female when travelling.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics
• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports and other travel documents

Visas

Tourist visa: not required for stays up to 90 days per period of 12 months
Business visa: not required
Student visa: not required

Entry stamp

Make sure your passport is stamped upon arrival. You may face significant problems if you fail to present an entry-stamped passport when departing Ecuador.

Many tourists, including Canadians, have not stopped to get their passports stamped when arriving by land from Peru. When they try to leave the country later on, for example by airplane out of Quito, they are often required to return to the Peruvian border to obtain an entry stamp at the place of entry.

Ecuador entry restrictions

If you enter Ecuador from Colombia or Peru through land or river borders, you must present a criminal record check from your country of origin or residence. The original criminal record check and the Spanish translation must be apostilled and cover the past five years. Minors travelling with their family members are generally exempt.

If you cannot provide a criminal record check, the Ecuadorian Migration System will check to verify that you don’t have previous convictions.

Authentication of documents

Stay extension

You may extend your stay for an additional 90-day period once. If you decide to do so while in Ecuador, you must obtain a visa from the immigration authorities before the expriation of the entry stamp.

If you overstay your authorized length of stay, you may be:

• fined
• denied entry for one year

Local authorities may also add your name to their immigration records, requiring you to request a visa at an Ecuadorian embassy or consulate before re-entering the country.

Useful links

• Migration Ecuador – Ministry or Interior (in Spanish)
• Digital services – Government of Ecuador (in Spanish)
• Visas – Government of Ecuador (in Spanish)
• Extension of stay – Ministry of Interior (in Spanish)

Galápagos Islands

To enter the Galápagos Islands, you must present:

• personal identification
• the Galápagos Transit Control Card purchased at the Galápagos Governing Council Counter in the Quito or Guayaquil airports
• a return ticket

The maximum stay for tourists is 60 days in a 1-year period.

Guidelines for entering Galápagos – Galápagos Governing Council (in Spanish)

Amazon region

Some Indigenous groups require permits to enter their territory. If you are planning on visiting the Amazon region, ensure that you have the required documentation prior to entering the area.

Children and travel

To leave the country, children born in Ecuador to a Canadian parent must:

• be registered with the Ecuadorian Civil Registry
• obtain an Ecuadorian passport
• present valid Ecuadorian and Canadian passports

Minor dual citizens - under 18 - travelling alone with both passports must have a letter of consent from both parents. This letter should:

• authorize the travel and stipulate the destination and duration of the intended trip
• be legally certified and translated into Spanish
• be notarized at the Embassy of Ecuador or an Ecuadorian consulate in Canada

Canadian minors travelling alone as tourists with Canadian passports don’t need this authorization letter.

Useful links

• Travelling with children
• Recommended consent letter for children travelling abroad

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).