Ecuador : electronic visa planned for June 2024

From June 2024, travelers requiring a visa to visit Ecuador will be able to apply for an electronic visa (e-Visa).

Ecuador will introduce electronic visa (e-Visa) and apostille services from June 2024.

This measure aims to ease the main procedures carried out in Ecuadorian consulates abroad and in the Direcciones Zonales within the country, for the convenience of both Ecuadorians and foreign travelers.

In an interview with Radio Quito, Ecuador’s Foreign Minister, Gabriela Sommerfeld, stated that tourist visas are currently obtained in person at any Ecuadorian consulate. However, from June 2024, the process can be done electronically through the MFA website.

According to Gabriela Sommerfeld, the implementation of the e-visa, which will speed up the process of obtaining the document but still respect the requirements set by Ecuador, will be a “real boost to development” for the country.

In early May, the General Coordinator of Technology at Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pablo Sebastián Martínez Menduiño, mentioned that the country will soon “eliminate procedures that do not generate value and centralize them here in Ecuador through an information system. This system is based on two fundamental pillars: the first is digitization, so it will not be necessary to visit any of the 68 consular offices. The second part involves conducting the analysis; this visa will no longer be analyzed at the consulate in New Delhi, for example, but will be analyzed at the visa issuance center in Quito”.

Countries requiring a visa for Ecuador

To visit Ecuador today, you’ll need to meet certain conditions, depending on your nationality and the length of your stay.

For stays of up to 90 days, citizens of most countries in the world, including Europe, can enter Ecuador without a visa. However, you must present a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry into the country.

Under current regulations, a tourist visa allows a temporary stay in Ecuador of 90 days. The cost of the visa application is US$50, and the issuance of the document is US$30.

Citizens of the following countries must obtain a visa to travel to Ecuador :

Online pre-registration required before travelling to the Galapagos Islands

Whether they need a visa or not, all travelers must complete an online pre-registration (TCT) before traveling to the Galapagos Islands.

This process must be done on the government portal: www.gobiernogalapagos.gob.ec.

After providing some personal information, as well as details about the airline and accommodation, you can retrieve your TCT registration at the airport.

Go to the Consejo de Gobierno del Regimen Especial de Galápagos counter at the Quito or Guayaquil airports, depending on your boarding location for the Galapagos.

At the counter, you’ll need to show your ID and pay the US$20 fee for the TCT.