Ecuador Visa Essentials 2026: 90-Day Entry, Extensions, Residency Paths

(Ecuador) Ecuador is keeping visa-free entry for up to 90 days for most tourists in 2026, but stricter enforcement of the 90/180-day limit and higher residency income thresholds tied to the Basic Income Unit (SBU) are changing how long-stay visitors should plan. For anyone aiming to stay beyond tourism—retirees, remote workers, investors, and families—the difference between “a long vacation” and a legal long stay now comes down to paperwork, proof of income, and timing.

2026 entry rules most travelers will rely on

Citizens of over 100 countries—including the United States (🇺🇸), Canada (🇨🇦), Australia, and most EU states—typically receive a T3 tourist stamp on arrival for 90 days without applying in advance. Your passport needs at least 6 months validity and two blank pages.

Several South American nationals—Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela (with an ID card)—can stay up to 180 days, a major difference for regional travelers arranging family visits or cross-border work.

Ecuador still requires a pre-arrival tourist visa for travelers from a list that includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cuba, Haiti (plus tourist registration), Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Venezuela, and others such as Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Yemen. Typical costs are $50 to apply, plus a visa fee of $30–$150. Documentation is demanding: passport photos, apostilled criminal records, bank statements, and proof of lawful stay where you apply.

Official updates and category rules are published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility (Cancillería). The most dependable public reference is the government portal for visas, requirements, and alerts at the exact link: https://cancilleria.gob.ec.

Before you fly: airline and border checks to expect

Even with visa-free entry, airlines often check basics before boarding. In 2026, travelers report added scrutiny around onward travel and insurance proof, because Ecuador now treats insurance as a real compliance item, not a formality.

Plan around these practical issues that commonly derail smooth entry:

• Yellow fever proof
• Required for travel to Amazon provinces such as Napo and Pastaza, and for arrivals from risk areas such as Brazil.
• Galápagos travel
• Requires a Transit Control Card and baggage screening before boarding the islands-bound flight (often in Quito).
• Transit rules abroad
• Example: U.S. citizens transiting the UK need an ETA costing 10 euros starting January 8, 2025.

None of the above changes the 90-day tourist permission itself, but they can affect whether you board your flight and how quickly you clear arrival formalities.

Time planning inside Ecuador: the 90/180-day rule

The most common mistake is thinking a quick exit and re-entry “resets the clock.” It doesn’t.

• The central rule for most visitors is the 90/180-day cap: 90 days of tourist stay per 180-day period.
• Ecuador is enforcing this more aggressively to curb “perpetual tourism.”

If you use a tourist extension, the math becomes even more important. The 12-IX Tourist Extension can add another 90 days, but the overall ceiling still governs your calendar. Once you reach 180 days total, you must leave and remain outside Ecuador for 180 days before returning again as a tourist.

Example timeline showing the tightness of the rule:
1. Enter January 1 — 90 days to April 1
2. Apply to extend on March 15 — extension to July 1
3. Cannot return as a tourist until December 28

Overstays are penalized. Fines can reach $500+, and overstaying can trigger entry bans that complicate later residence applications.

Getting more time as a tourist: extensions explained

Tourist extensions are filed online or through offices in Quito, Guayaquil, or Cuenca, and timing matters: apply before your initial 90 days expire.

Expect to provide:

• Passport with entry stamp
• A compliant passport photo
• Proof you can support yourself (bank statements or credit card evidence)
• Proof of accommodation (hotel booking, lease, or host letter)
• Health or travel insurance covering the full extended period
• Fees typically in the range of $250–$450 USD (varying by case)

There is also a special one-year extension, available once every five years, but it requires a strong justification submitted to the Human Mobility Authority. For most travelers, that option is less predictable than switching to a residence visa.

Temporary residence for stays beyond tourism: SBU and thresholds

If Ecuador will be more than a short visit—remote work, retirement, investment, study, or family life—temporary residence is the safer path. Temporary Resident Visas can allow up to 2 years, typically renewable once, but they carry travel limits: absences limited to 90 days per year, or the visa can be cancelled.

The headline change for 2026 is the income benchmark. Ecuador’s Basic Income Unit (SBU) is $486, and many residence categories require 3× SBU = $1,458 per month. This is the figure retirees and digital nomads must now plan around.

Common temporary categories:

• Pensioner / Retiree
• Show $1,458/month in stable pension income.
• $250 more per adult dependent required.
• No age minimum.
• Professional / Digital Nomad (12-VI)
• Show $1,458/month from remote work or freelance income.
• Supported by contracts, tax records, and 3–6 months of bank statements.
• Investor
• Invest at least $48,600 (set at 100× SBU), via an Ecuadorian bank certificate of deposit or qualifying real estate.
• Worker / Student / Other
• Show a job offer, enrollment, or program documentation.
• Guide figures: about $400 for work visa costs and about $130 for student.

Document quality is critical: apostilled criminal checks (including FBI checks for U.S. applicants, typically valid 6–180 days depending on rules used), a recent health certificate (within 90 days), and Spanish translations with proper certification.

According to VisaVerge.com analysis, higher SBU-linked thresholds are changing how long-stay visitors approach Ecuador: planning is increasingly like a formal relocation, not an open-ended trip.

Permanent residence after 21 months

Ecuador provides a route from temporary to permanent status:

• After 21 continuous months on a temporary visa, you can apply for Permanent Residency (indefinite).
• Permanent residents also face absence limits. During the first two years, absences are limited to 180 days per year, with penalties for exceeding this.

Permanent residence unlocks key practical benefits: it facilitates obtaining a cédula (national ID card), which helps with banking, healthcare access, and other services that are difficult on tourist status.

Five-step path to a clean application (with timeframes)

1. Map your timeline — same day

– Count days under the 90/180 rule and decide early whether to stay as tourist, extend once, or switch to residence.
2. Collect core documents — 2–12 weeks
– Passports, photos, apostilled criminal records, health certificate, financial evidence. Apostilles often take the longest.
3. Secure insurance and income proof — 1–3 weeks
– Ecuador expects coverage for your authorized stay and income evidence at $1,458/month for many residence categories.
4. Submit through correct channel — same day, then waiting
– Apply via an Ecuadorian consulate abroad or use in-country options when permitted through Servicio de Apoyo Migratorio.
5. Wait for processing and keep copies — 2–8 weeks
– Processing commonly falls within 4–8 weeks for residence cases; extensions can also take weeks.

After arrival: compliance habits that prevent problems

Long-stay visitors do best when they treat immigration compliance as part of weekly life. Recommended habits:

• Carry ID and keep digital copies of entry stamps and approvals.
• Act early if plans change; missed deadlines are expensive and can affect future residence applications.
• For Amazon or Galápagos travel, plan for extra checks, baggage limits, and restrictions on bringing fresh foods to the islands.
• For work: do not take casual jobs on a tourist stamp. Move to a legal work or professional/digital nomad status before beginning paid work.

Ecuador still sells itself with warmth—“We open our arms”—but in 2026 the welcome works best for travelers who count days carefully, document income cleanly, and treat the SBU-linked rules as fixed numbers, not suggestions.