Do I Need a Visa for Ecuador? (Updated September 2026)

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Ecuador is one of the easiest countries in South America to enter. Most backpackers get a 90-day stamp on arrival and never fill in a form. This guide was checked against the UK Foreign Office advice and Ecuador's own migration rules in September 2026, and covers who needs a visa, what to show at the border, the extra paperwork if you arrive overland from Peru or Colombia, and the fees the Galapagos adds on top.

Do I need a visa for Ecuador?

Visa-free entry: citizens of the United Kingdom, Ireland, every EU and Schengen country, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not need a visa to visit Ecuador as tourists. You are stamped in on arrival for up to 90 days in any 12-month period. That is a rolling 12 months, not a calendar year, so days you spent in Ecuador in the past year still count.

Staying longer: if you want more than 90 days you can pay to extend your stay once, by a further 90 days, through Ecuador's migration service. Apply before your first 90 days run out. An overstay means a fine when you leave, and you cannot come back until it is paid.

Travel insurance: you may have read that insurance is compulsory for every visitor to Ecuador. That rule was introduced in 2018 and dropped for the mainland soon after. Today it is only mandatory for the Galapagos Islands, where you must show proof of travel health insurance to enter. We would still never travel without it (see the tools at the end).

Other nationalities: if your passport is not on the visa-free list you need a tourist visa before you fly, applied for online through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility and completed at an Ecuadorean consulate. Rules differ by nationality, so check yours early.

• Permitted stay: 90 days in any 12-month period for visa-exempt nationalities, extendable once by a further 90 days.
• Passport validity: at least six months left on the day you arrive.
• Blank pages: keep at least one free page for the entry stamp.
• Arriving overland from Peru or Colombia: you must present a criminal record certificate from the country you have lived in for the last five years, legalised with the Hague apostille and translated into Spanish, or ask the border officers to run a check on Ecuador's own SIMIEC system instead. There is no such rule if you fly in.

What you need to enter Ecuador

• A passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date.
• Proof of onward or return travel, which border officers do ask for.
• Enough money for your stay; a bank card and a recent statement are enough.
• Your reason for travel: tourism. Every arrival and departure is recorded in Ecuador's immigration database.
• Overland from Peru or Colombia only: the apostilled criminal record certificate (or a SIMIEC check at the border), and make sure your bus stops at the official checkpoint so your passport is stamped. Skipping the stamp is treated as a serious offence.
• For the Galapagos: proof of accommodation or an invitation letter, a return flight to the mainland, a US$20 Transit Control Card bought at Quito or Guayaquil airport before check-in, the US$200 National Park fee paid in cash on arrival, and travel health insurance.

Applying for an Ecuador tourist visa (if your passport needs one)

Most readers of this guide will not need to apply for anything. If your nationality is not visa-exempt, Ecuador's visas are handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, with an online application and an appointment at the consulate responsible for where you live.

• Check your nationality first: the visa-exempt list is long, and a quick check with Sherpa or the consulate saves an unnecessary application.
• Apply online: the Ministry's e-visa system takes your form and documents; you then attend the consulate to finish the process.
• Documents: passport, photo, proof of onward travel, proof of funds, an accommodation booking and, if asked, a police certificate.
• Fees and timing: fees vary by visa type and nationality and are set by the consulate, so confirm the exact amount when you book your appointment. Allow four to six weeks before you fly.

The quickest way to see the exact rules for your passport is to check your requirements with Sherpa, which keeps track of the latest entry changes for you.

Travelling within Ecuador

Once you are stamped in, mainland Ecuador is yours to explore with no permits: Quito, the Andes, the Amazon and the Pacific coast. The Galapagos Islands are the exception. They have their own entry control, a maximum stay of 60 days, and the Transit Control Card and park fee above. If you connect through Guayaquil, check the current Foreign Office advice for that city before you book and stay airside where you can. Our 7-day Galapagos small group tour includes accommodation, island transport and a local guide; the US$200 park fee and US$20 transit card are paid locally, as they are on every operator's trip. For when to go, read our Ecuador weather guide and our Galapagos flights guide.

Official sources

Check the latest visa requirements:

• UK Foreign Office: Ecuador entry requirements
• Ecuador Ministry of the Interior: Migration
• Galapagos Governing Council (Transit Control Card)
• Contact the Ecuador embassy or consulate in your country

Handy tools for your trip

• Travel insurance: cover your backpacking trip with Nomad Insurance from SafetyWing.
• Money: dodge bad exchange rates with a Wise travel card.
• Flights: compare fares for your Ecuador flights on Skyscanner.

Ecuador packs the Andes, the Amazon, the Pacific coast and the Galapagos into a country the size of the UK, and for most of us the border is a stamp and a smile. Check out our Ecuador backpacking tours.