Tourist Visa (T-3)

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Tourist Visa (T-3)

Ecuador's standard entry visa for tourists and short-stay visitors — 90 days, extendable to 180 per calendar year, and free for citizens of most countries.

90 days Initial stay

180 days/year Maximum per year

Free Cost (most nationalities)

On arrival How it's granted

Overview

Ecuador grants a tourist visa (officially the T-3 or visa de turismo) to citizens of most countries on arrival at any international port of entry — airport, land border, or sea port. No prior application is required for the majority of nationalities. The visa is stamped into your passport on entry and grants 90 days of legal stay.

Ecuador counts tourist days against the calendar year — specifically, a maximum of 180 days in any 12-month period. If you leave and re-enter Ecuador, the days accumulate until you reach 180. After that, you must either leave and wait out the remainder of the year, apply for a visa extension, or apply for a residency visa.

Who Qualifies

Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Latin America receive the T-3 visa free on arrival. A small number of nationalities require a pre-arranged visa from an Ecuadorian consulate. Check the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores website or your nearest Ecuadorian consulate before travel if you are unsure of your country's status.

What You Need on Entry

• Valid passport (valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay)
• Return ticket or onward ticket out of Ecuador (sometimes requested, not always checked)
• Evidence of sufficient funds (rarely enforced but technically required)
• No vaccination certificates are routinely required for entry from most origins

The 90-Day Stay

Your initial 90 days begins on the date stamped in your passport at entry. You are counted as a tourist during this period and may not work legally for an Ecuadorian employer. You may, however, work remotely for foreign employers — this is a common situation for digital nomads and is widely practiced on the coast.

Extending Your Stay

If you want to remain beyond 90 days, you have two options:

Option 1: Visa Extension (ampliación)

You can apply at a Jefatura de Migración office for an extension of up to 90 additional days (for a total of 180 in the year). This must be done before your initial 90 days expire. See Visa Extension for the full process.

Option 2: Visa Run

Leave Ecuador and re-enter. Your day count resets, but days still accumulate against the 180-day annual cap. See Visa Runs for practical details. A common option is a day trip to Peru (Huaquillas border crossing) or a flight to Colombia.

What You Can and Cannot Do

• ✅ Tourism, leisure, visiting family and friends
• ✅ Remote work for foreign employers (widely practiced; legal grey area but not enforced)
• ✅ Studying short courses and language classes
• ✅ Renting accommodation, opening a bank account (with passport)
• ❌ Formal employment by an Ecuadorian company (requires a work visa)
• ❌ Registering a business (requires RUC, which requires a cédula or residency)

For a full breakdown, see What you can and can't do on a tourist visa.

Key Contacts

The relevant government body for immigration matters is the Ministerio del Interior — specifically the immigration (Migración) directorate. On the Santa Elena Peninsula, immigration matters are handled through the office in Santa Elena city or Guayaquil. Do not leave extensions to the last moment — offices can have queues and processing backlogs.

• General immigration inquiries: Ministerio del Interior, Dirección de Migración
• General emergency: 911

See Also

• Visa Extension — how to get 90 more days
• Visa Runs — crossing the border and returning
• What you can and can't do on a tourist visa — detailed breakdown
• Residency — for longer-term stays
• Getting a Cédula — next step after establishing residency
• Portal:How-to Guides — all guides