eVISA Portal Walkthrough

The official Ecuador eVISA portal is at serviciosdigitales.cancilleria.gob.ec. It is operated by Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility (Cancillería). Portal labels can change; use the current screen if they differ from this guide.

1. Open the official portal

Go to the portal and select INICIAR SESIÓN / REGISTRARSE in the upper-right corner.

2. Sign in or create an account

On the login page, existing users enter their email and password. New users select Regístrate ahora.

3. Verify your email and create a password

Enter your email under Correo electrónico and choose Enviar código de verificación. Enter the code delivered to your email, then enter the same password under Nueva Contraseña and Confirmar Nueva Contraseña.

4. Choose Visas

After signing in, the system displays options including Visas and Apostillas. Select Elegir under Visas.

5. Start or review a trámite

The Visas area shows Nuevo Trámite and the Historial de Trámites. Use the history to review applications that exist in your account, including applications in process, approved, or denied. Ver Expediente opens the details for a listed application.

6. Choose the ordinary visa service

Select Nuevo Trámite, then choose Escoger Servicio under Visas Ordinarias y diplomáticas. The service menu may also show renewal, transfer, cancellation, and other services.

7. Choose Nueva Visa

For a new application, select Nueva Visa.

8. Identify the applicant

Select Titular/Beneficiario for your own application. The portal may also offer Apoderado/Representante Legal for a representative and Hijos menores de edad for a minor child.

9. Select the migratory category

The portal presents four broad categories:

• Diplomático — Diplomatic agents, consular officials, international organization personnel
• Visitante Temporal — Tourism and other authorized temporary visitor activities
• Residente Temporal — Residence up to two years, renewable
• Residente Permanente — Indefinite residence

10. Select the visa type

After choosing the category, select the specific visa type. See the Visa Types page for a complete list of available options.

11. Same-Day Deletion Rule

When you begin a visa application in the eVISA portal, the system creates a pending application record. This record must be paid — not just submitted, but actually paid — before 23:55 Ecuador time on the same calendar day.

If the clock hits 23:55 and the fee has not been paid, the system silently deletes the application. There is no confirmation dialog, no warning email, and no notification. Your application simply vanishes from your history.

Why This Happens

The rule appears to exist because the system is designed for a single-day workflow: you start the application, upload documents, and pay the fee all in one session. The portal does not treat applications started but not paid as "drafts" — it treats them as expired sessions that get garbage collected.

This is especially dangerous because:

• There is no grace period. Even one minute past 23:55, the deletion has already happened.
• There is no reminder. The system does not warn you that the deadline is approaching.
• There is no recovery. Once deleted, the application cannot be retrieved. You must start over from scratch.
• Debit card payments often fail. If you try to pay by debit card and the portal rejects it, you have no backup option unless you can get to a Banco del Pacífico branch during banking hours (08:30–16:00) — which is inside Ecuador only.

How to Avoid It

The only reliable strategy is to start your application early in the Ecuador business day. This gives you the maximum window to resolve payment issues:

• Begin the application in the morning Ecuador time if possible.
• Have your payment method ready before you start.
• If possible, use a credit card instead of a debit card — credit cards are more likely to succeed.
• If your card is declined, you have until the end of the same day to find an alternative, such as visiting a Banco del Pacífico branch.

If you are outside Ecuador and your only payment option is a card, consider starting the application early in the Ecuador morning so that you have the full day to try different cards or contact your bank.

What If It Happens

If your application is deleted, there is no recourse through the Ministry — they will not restore it. Your only option is to begin a new application and pay the fee on the same day. Unfortunately, you will also need to pay the application fee again.

To minimize the risk of losing another day of work, prepare all your documents in advance before starting the new application so you can upload everything quickly and pay immediately.