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Tourist Entry & Extension

Everything about entering Ecuador as a tourist — the 90-day rule, extending your stay, SAM offices, and overstay fines. Covers both visa-exempt and visa-required nationals.

Visa-Exempt Entry

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. You receive a 90-day stamp in your passport upon arrival.

If your country is on the visa-required list, see Tourist Visa (90 Days) to apply before you travel.

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.

Prórroga Turista (Extension)

There are two different procedures for extending your stay by 90 days, depending on whether your country requires a visa to enter Ecuador.

Visa-Exempt Nationals (SAM Office)

If you entered without a visa, you can extend your stay once for an additional 90 days at a SAM (Servicios de Apoyo Migratorio) office.

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 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).

Visa-Required Nationals (eVISA Portal)

If your country is on the Régimen Especial list and you obtained a 90-day tourist visa from an Ecuadorian consulate, you can also apply for a prórroga turista — but the process is different:

  • Apply through the eVISA portal, not at a SAM office. Follow the same steps as the initial tourist visa application.
  • Cost: $50 application fee + $30 issuance fee (total $80).
  • Requirements: photo (5×5 cm, JPG), passport (6+ months), criminal background check (apostilled/translated, less than 180 days old), means of livelihood, and the visa application form.
  • Timing: Apply before your initial 90-day permission expires.

Once approved, you receive an additional 90 days. See the eVISA Portal Guide for application steps.

SAM Office Locations

These are Servicios de Apoyo Migratorio offices where you apply for the prórroga turista and other immigration procedures.

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.