Temporary Visitor
For tourism, short business trips, and other authorized short-term stays.
Actos de comercio y otras actividades (180 días) Business activities
Prórroga turista (90 días) Tourist extension
Turista (90 días) Tourist
Turista venezolanos (180 días) Venezuelan tourist
Coming as a Tourist from Visa-Exempt Countries
This section is for citizens of countries that do not need a visa to enter Ecuador as tourists — you receive a 90-day stamp in your passport upon arrival.
Who Can Enter Without a Visa
Citizens of most countries — including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea — do not need a visa to enter Ecuador as a tourist.
The 90-Day Rule
Your visa year starts when you arrive. Ecuador gives tourists 90 days per "visa year." Your year begins on the date you first enter the country and runs for exactly 365 days.
Days are cumulative. If you leave and re-enter Ecuador within the same visa year, your days keep accumulating. Only days physically present in Ecuador count toward the 90-day limit.
New year = next entry after 365 days. When your 365-day window expires, your next visa year starts on your next actual entry into Ecuador — not automatically on the anniversary.
Extending Your Stay
You can extend your tourist stay once for an additional 90 days. This is called a Prórroga Turista.
The extension window: days 80–90. You must apply between day 80 and day 90 of your current stay. The cost is approximately $150. Apply at any SAM (Servicios de Apoyo Migratorio) office.
Apply between day 80 and day 90. After day 90 you cannot extend and face an overstay fine.
What to bring: your passport, the extension form (available at the SAM office), and proof of payment (~$150 at Banco del Pacífico).
SAM Office Locations
Quito
- Dirección Nacional de Migración — Av. Amazonas N32-171 y Av. República, Edificio Río Amazonas. Tel: (02) 2439408. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30. Main office, busiest.
- Plataforma Gubernamental Financiera Norte — Av. Amazonas, entre Pereira y Unión Nacional de Periodistas. Tel: (02) 2993200 ext. 23015. Mon–Fri 8:30–16:30.
- Plataforma Quitumbe — Av. Amaru Ñan y Lira Ñan. Tel: (02) 299-3200 ext. 23015. Mon–Fri 8:30–17:00.
Guayaquil
- Edificio Joaquín Gallegos Lara — Av. Francisco de Orellana y Av. Paseo del Parque Samanes, Bloque 6. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30.
Cuenca
- Jefatura de Migración del Azuay — Calles Gran Colombia y Eduardo Muñoz. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30.
- Aeropuerto Mariscal Lamar — Av. España y Elia Liut, 2nd Floor. Tel: (07) 2821112 ext. 149. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30. Less crowded. Reachable by Tranvía ($0.35).
Other Cities
- Ambato — Calle Pareja Diezcanseco y Av. Cervantes. Tel: (03) 2586527. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30.
- Loja — Edificio Zonal 7, Av. Orillas del Zamora y Juan de Velasco. Tel: (07) 2573600. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30.
- Manta — Unidad de Vigilancia Comunitaria, Av. 4 de Noviembre y Calle 303. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30.
- Machala — Calle 9 de Mayo, entre Manuel Serrano y Manuel Estomba. Tel: (07) 2930883. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30.
- Santo Domingo — Av. Tsáchilas y Calle Río Yasuní. Tel: (02) 3778408. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30.
- Ibarra — Luis Fernando Villamar y Olmedo. Tel: (06) 2608579. Mon–Fri 8:00–16:30.
Overstay Fines
If you exceed 90 days without extending, you must pay a fine of approximately $482 (one Salario Básico Unificado) when you leave the country. The fine is paid at the airport before departure. Overstaying does not automatically result in a ban, but repeated or lengthy overstays can cause issues with future entries.