Prepare for visa-free entry
Check your passport, supporting documents, and any arrival forms before travel.
Before you travel
Check the passport and supporting documents listed below. Keep copies accessible during your journey.
When you arrive
Follow the arrival steps below and keep your travel documents to hand.
During your visit
Up to 90 tourist days in the year from first entry. Ecuador counts this allowance from your first entry in a one-year period, not as a fresh 90 days for every visit. The law allows one requested and paid extension of up to 90 additional continuous days.
Check your stay and passport validity
Enter your arrival and departure dates to count your stay and check how long your passport must stay valid.
Travel preparation checklist
Check each item’s requirement level and the conditions that apply.
Your circumstances may require additional documents. Ticks track preparation, not eligibility or admission.
Ecuador arrival steps
Check the timing and conditions for each arrival step.
Galápagos Transit Control Card and island entry formalities
If visiting the Galápagos, register for the TCT at Quito or Guayaquil airport before airline check-in, pay USD 20, and keep the card until departure (maximum stay two months). Biosecurity luggage checks apply before flights and between populated islands. The separate protected-area fee on arrival is USD 200 for foreign tourists over age 12 and USD 100 under age 12; children under 2 are exempt. The official fee table does not clearly classify travelers exactly age 12, so confirm that band before paying. The British FCDO also lists a hotel booking or host invitation, a return flight to mainland Ecuador, and travel health insurance for foreign tourists.
Arrival guidanceEntry conditions and exceptions
Check whether these rules affect your eligibility, application, or arrival.
Register both crossings and get an entry stamp
Ecuador requires entry and exit to be recorded at an official migration checkpoint. Get an entry stamp, especially at a land border; buses may bypass immigration, and leaving without a recorded entry can cause serious problems when you depart or return.
Official guidancePrepare extra documents for land or river entry from Peru or Colombia
If you cross from Peru or Colombia by land or river, Ecuador's migration guidance requires an apostilled criminal-record certificate covering the last five years in your country of origin or residence, translated into Spanish if needed. Australian, British and Canadian guidance says travelers without the certificate can request an on-site SIMIEC check. Air arrivals are not subject to this border document rule. Exemptions include children under 18, diplomatic passports, valid Ecuador visas, trafficking victims and people seeking international protection.
Official guidanceEcuador travel essentials
- Capital
- Quito
- Currency
- USD
- Calling code
- +593
Ecuador entry questions
Do Spanish citizens need a visa for Ecuador?
For tourism in Ecuador, ordinary passport holders from Spain do not need a visa. Up to 90 tourist days in the year from first entry. Re-entry does not restart the allowance; count all visits in that period together.
How long can I stay in Ecuador?
Up to 90 tourist days in the year from first entry. Ecuador counts this allowance from your first entry in a one-year period, not as a fresh 90 days for every visit. The law allows one requested and paid extension of up to 90 additional continuous days.
How much passport validity do I need?
At least 6 months after arrival.
Galápagos Transit Control Card and island entry formalities: what do I need to do?
Required only when the stated conditions apply. If visiting the Galápagos, register for the TCT at Quito or Guayaquil airport before airline check-in, pay USD 20, and keep the card until departure (maximum stay two months). Biosecurity luggage checks apply before flights and between populated islands. The separate protected-area fee on arrival is USD 200 for foreign tourists over age 12 and USD 100 under age 12; children under 2 are exempt. The official fee table does not clearly classify travelers exactly age 12, so confirm that band before paying. The British FCDO also lists a hotel booking or host invitation, a return flight to mainland Ecuador, and travel health insurance for foreign tourists.
Can I extend my visit?
The published route allows 1 extension for 90 days. Apply using the official procedure before your current permission expires; an extension is subject to approval.
What if I’m going to work, study or stay longer?
This guide is for a short tourist visit on an ordinary passport. It does not establish eligibility for employment, study or residence. Use the destination’s official guidance for your actual purpose.
Does my country of residence change the answer?
Passport nationality and legal residence are different. This page starts with your passport. Residence can change where you apply and which application channel is available; an existing visa or residence permit may also create an exception. Check the official eligibility guidance for your circumstances.
Official visa and entry guidance
Confirm Ecuador’s requirements directly with government authorities.
Open Galápagos Transit Control Card and island entry formalities
Read Ecuador's official eVisa guide
For a stay or travel purpose that requires a visa, use the Ministry's English overview of the electronic application and supporting documents. It does not determine whether your passport needs a visa.
Check the visitor stay allowance
Ecuador counts this allowance from your first entry in a one-year period, not as a fresh 90 days for every visit. The law allows one requested and paid extension of up to 90 additional continuous days.
Who this guide covers
Short tourist visits to Ecuador with an ordinary Spain passport. Residence, travel documents, and purpose can affect the rules. Confirm the official guidance before travel; border authorities decide admission and your permitted stay.
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