Ecuador

Do You Need a Visa?

Applying for a Visa for Ecuador

We can't wait for you to be snorkeling in the Galápagos Islands, studying biodiversity in the Amazon Rainforest, and learning about indigenous cultures as you walk through Otavalo Market. Before you get lost in your Ecuadorian daydream, let's make sure you will get the correct visa as a student.

Every year our team of visa specialists support each of our students studying abroad in Ecuador to have the proper documents to enter and stay in the country. Let's get started!

Ecuadorian visa processes and requirements are determined by the Ecuadorian consulates, not by IES Abroad. While our team of visa specialists regularly updates this page, the most up-to-date and official information can be found on Ecuadorian government and consulate websites. This page was last updated August 6, 2019.

What is an Ecuadorian Student Visa?

A student visa for Ecuador is a legal document adhered to one of the inside pages of your passport. The visa serves as approval from the Ecuadorian government for you to legally remain in Ecuador for the duration of your study abroad program. As a study abroad student you will likely need only a Tourist Visa or a Temporary Resident Visa.

Do You Need a Visa for Ecuador?

Depending on your IES Abroad program and citizenship, you may need a student visa to study abroad in Ecuador. We’ve outlined citizenship options below to help you learn more about your requirements for legal entry and stay in Ecuador.

If you will be going on a Customized & Faculty-Led Program, you may need a student visa depending on the length and nature of your program. Learn more in your myIESabroad account.

If you are a U.S. citizen...

You will receive a Tourist Visa with an extention for 180 days to study in Ecuador for a semester. You can receive this visa as long as you have not been in Ecuador within one year prior to your date of arrival and don't plan to return to Ecuador within 200 days of the end of your study abroad program.

If you will study in Ecuador for an academic or calendar year, you will be required to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa. Contact your IES Abroad Advisor for more information about this process.

You will not need a visa for our summer study abroad programs.

If you are a non-U.S. citizen... 

Your visa application process may look a bit different, and there may be additional visa application requirements you need to meet. Please reach out to your IES Abroad Advisor for details.

Receiving a Tourist Visa to Study in Ecuador

Once you are accepted to your semester or year-long IES Abroad program, you will find detailed instructions to obtain an Ecuadorian student visa in your myIESabroad account. For now, read below to get an idea of what the process will look like.

If you are a non-U.S. citizen, refer to the visa information in your myIESabroad account to determine whether or not you need a visa and what the process will be to apply. Contact your IES Abroad Advisor with further questions.

HOW

Students will need the following documentation in order to obtain an Ecuadorian Tourist Visa:

• Original passport and a color copy - your passport must be signed
• Letter of Invitation - depending on your program will come from Universidad San Francisco de Quito or the IES Abroad Center
• CISI Insurance Letters - (in both English and Spanish) which state your name, coverage period, and benefits

This letter of invitation will ask the Ecuadorian Immigration Official to grant an extension of your 90-Day Tourist Visa to a 180-Day Tourist Visa. However, this is not guaranteed, and it is also possible in some cases for Immigration to deny this.

In the case that the Immigration Official at the airport issues you a 90-Day Tourist Visa, USFQ and IES Abroad Center Staff will help you to apply for your 180-Day Extension in the first weeks of your program.

WHEN

You will receive your Tourist Visa when you arrive in Ecuador. Make sure to carry your required documents in your carry-on baggage to show to immigration.

If you do not receive the 180-day Tourist Visa Extention, the IES Abroad Quito Center staff will help you obtain your extention within the first weeks of your program.

COST

If you need to apply for an extension there is a $132 fee. This fee is subject to change 

for more information : https://www.iesabroad.org/student-visa/ecuador