Ecuador makes traveling easier with new e-visa system

Starting in June 2024, Ecuador will introduce a new system of electronic visas and apostilles, simplifying procedures that previously required personal presence at consulates or regional offices. This change aims to improve service for Ecuadorian citizens and foreign tourists.

Pablo Sebastián Martínez Menduño, General Coordinator of Technology at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the imminent elimination of unnecessary procedures and their centralization in Ecuador through a new IT system. This innovative system eliminates the need to visit consular offices in person and will allow visa applications to be processed and analyzed in Quito, instead of consulates abroad.

Ecuador's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriela Sommerfeld, emphasized that currently a visit to a consulate is required to obtain a tourist visa, but from June 2024 the entire process can be done online through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The new e-visa system will meet all Ecuadorian standards and will make it much faster and easier to obtain a visa, thus contributing to the development of the country.

Currently, citizens of most countries, including European countries, do not require a visa to enter Ecuador for up to 90 days. However, you must have a valid passport that expires at least six months after the date of arrival. A tourist visa entitles you to stay in Ecuador for up to 90 days according to current regulations.

However, all foreign nationals who plan to visit the Galapagos Islands are required to apply for a transit control card in advance through the official website of the Galapagos Islands Governing Council. It is necessary to fill in the details of your flight and place of stay. After that, the citizen will be able to complete the registration directly at the airports of Quito or Guayaquil. When arriving at the islands, it is necessary to provide identification and pay 20 US dollars for the transit control card.