Options for foreigners visiting/moving to Ecuador:
Less than 90 days, up to 180 days, and longer

Written by Sara Chaca, Attorney – Abogada, June 14th, 2024

Visits for less than 90 Days -- Tourism

Ecuador is an easy country to visit. People from most counties do not require a visa to enter Ecuador and stay for up to 90 Days.

Requirements for most visitors:

• Passport valid for 6 months, or
• Citizens of South American countries only require an official Identification Card.

• Yellow Fever vaccination at least 10 days prior to travel.

For the most current information regarding countries of origin that will require a visa please see the "Countries that require a visa to enter Ecuador Interministerial Agreement No. 0000003" section in the Current, official Ecuadorian site (this link translated to English for convenience).

Visits for up to 180 Days

Visitors from South American countries can stay for up to 180 automatically.

Visitors from other countries can obtain a 90 day extension to the initial 90 days that comes with their Entry Stamp by applying for an extension.

Requirements for 90 day extension:

• Valid Passport
• Request form for extension. (link)
• Payment of fee. The fee is variable dependent on the Unified Base Salary of Ecuador. It is calculated as 1/3 of the Unified Base Salary. At the time this article was written the fee was a bit over $150. Note: Administrative inconvenience--the fee cannot be paid at the Ecuadorian Administrative office where you apply for the extension. The administrators will give you an invoice of sorts that you must take to a specific bank (ask the administrator). Pay the invoice at the bank, then return to the Ecuadorian Administrative office with proof of payment from the bank.

The request for extension must be made between the 80th to the 90th day of your authorized "tourist" stay.

* A foreigner exceeding ninety-90 days of his or her authorized stay as a tourist, you may request the extension of the stay authorization up to 30 days after his regular stay. There is a fine of 50% of Basic Wage Unified (~$230 at the time of this writing), for failing to apply for the extension while your tourist visa is valid.

This Visa Extension Information is correct and in alignment with the official Ecuador Website as of the date of publication. For the most current information see the official Site.

Visits Exceeding 180 Days -- Residency

Visits exceeding 180 days will require a residency visa. In most circumstances this starts with a Temporary Residency Visa which is good for 2 years. The Temporary Residency Visa can be parlayed into a Permanent Residency Visa if certain conditions are met. One important condition is that you stay in Ecuador for a minimum of 21 of the 24 months of the Temporary Residency Visa. Some affectionately refer to this the period as the "Visa Jail".

For more information on types of Residency Visas and their requirements see my article on Visa Options and many other relevant articles in my Article Library.

Assistance

For assistance contact Sara Chaca, an English speaking Ecuadorian Attorney (principal office is located in Cuenca but services all of Ecuador). For every Expat, Sara provides a complimentary consultation regarding immigration to Ecuador—specific to your circumstances.