90 days in any 12 months, not 90 in 180. The Galapagos is a separate USD 220 entry bill paid in cash, and 45 nationalities now need a visa that did not before.
- The allowance is 90 days in any rolling 12-month period, not 90 in 180 - a month here in February and a month in July leaves you 30 days for the rest of the year.
- A further 90 days can be bought, but only if you apply before the first period expires. Miss that and you pay a fine on the way out.
- The Galapagos is a second border and a bill of USD 220 before you have slept anywhere: USD 20 for the transit control card and USD 200 for the park fee, which doubled on 1 August 2024.
- The park fee is cash only, and the notes are inspected. Worn or torn bills are refused at the desk, which is a genuinely bad place to discover the problem.
- From 1 September 2025 the list of nationalities needing a visa was extended to 45 countries, India, Vietnam and the Philippines among them, and China's waiver was suspended on 1 July 2024.
90 days per year, which is the trap
Most visitors need no visa at all. The allowance is what catches people, because it is not the rule they are used to.
- 90 days in any rolling 12-month period. Not 90 in 180. A month here in February and a month in July leaves you 30 days for the rest of the year.
- Your passport must be valid at least 6 months from the date you arrive.
- You may be asked for proof of a return or onward journey, and occasionally are.
- An extension of a further 90 days is available, paid for, and must be applied for before the first 90 expire. Miss that and you pay a fine on the way out.
Who now needs a visa
- From 1 September 2025 the list of nationalities requiring a temporary visitor visa in advance was extended to 45 countries, and it includes several that were previously waved through - India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Kenya, Nigeria and Venezuela among them.
- China's waiver was suspended on 1 July 2024 and Chinese nationals need a visa.
- The visa costs USD 80 in total - USD 50 to apply, USD 30 on issue - and is obtained from an Ecuadorian consulate before travel.
- Check your own position rather than a two-year-old blog post. This list has moved twice recently.
The Galapagos is a separate entry
Going to the islands means a second border, a second set of documents and a bill of USD 220 before you have slept anywhere.
- USD 20 for the transit control card, bought at Quito or Guayaquil airport before you check in for the island flight.
- USD 200 for the national park entrance fee, paid on arrival at Baltra or San Cristobal. It doubled from USD 100 on 1 August 2024. Children under 12 pay USD 100.
- The park fee is cash only. No cards. Bring crisp, undamaged notes - worn or torn bills are refused at the desk, which is a genuinely bad place to discover the problem.
- You also need a hotel booking or invitation letter, a return flight to the mainland, and travel health insurance, which is mandatory for the islands even though it is not for the mainland.
- The tourist stay in the archipelago is capped at 60 days.
Customs and money at the border
- From 29 July, adults carrying taxable goods or cash of USD 10,000 or more must register online at least 3 days before travel and show a QR code to customs.
- On leaving, cash must be declared, and amounts over USD 1,350 are taxed.
- Do not carry anything you would not want examined. Ecuador is a cocaine transit country and outbound screening at Quito and Guayaquil is thorough.
What visitor status does not allow
- You may not work. Remote work for an employer at home is tolerated; taking on Ecuadorian clients or a local job is not.
- Volunteering is work for these purposes, whatever the organisation tells you.
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