Skip the visa application. Prepare for your trip.
Start with your passport and entry documents, then check the arrival formalities.
Before you travel
Check the passport and supporting documents listed below. Keep copies accessible during your journey.
When you arrive
Prepare Galápagos Transit Control Card and island entry formalities 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.
What to prepare for your trip
Check each item as you prepare it. Labels show which documents are required, conditional, or recommended.
Your circumstances may require additional documents. Ticks track preparation, not eligibility or admission.
Arrival paperwork is a separate 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.
Open Galápagos Transit Control Card and island entry formalitiesDetails that can change your plans
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 at a glance
- Capital
- Quito
- Currency
- USD
- Calling code
- +593
Questions for this route
Do travelers with an ordinary passport from United Arab Emirates need a visa for Ecuador?
Travelers visiting Ecuador for tourism with an ordinary passport from United Arab Emirates do not need a visa. 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. Entry conditions still apply.
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.
Do I need to complete Galápagos Transit Control Card and island entry formalities?
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. It does not replace a required visa or travel authorisation.
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 websites
Use these government websites to confirm requirements and complete any application.
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.
About this guide
This guide covers short tourist visits on an ordinary passport. Your nationality, residence, travel document and purpose can affect the entry conditions. Check the linked official guidance before travel; the border authority decides admission and your permitted stay.
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