Spanish (official), American Languages (especiallt Quechua)

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-third of central government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact.

Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)

A U.S. passport with remaining validity of at least six months is required to enter Ecuador. A valid U.S. passport is required to depart Ecuador.  Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel.  U.S. citizens traveling on regular passports for tourism or business do not need a visa for a stay of 90 days or less.  Those planning a longer visit must obtain a visa in advance of arrival.  Travelers who stay in Ecuador beyond the allowed entry time are charged a substantial fine and are barred from re-entering Ecuador for six months from the date of departure.  A valid U.S. passport is required to depart Ecuador.  Payment of an airport exit tax is also required when departing Ecuador.

U.S. citizens whose passports are lost or stolen in Ecuador must obtain a new passport at the U.S. Embassy in Quito or the U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil and present it, together with a police report of the loss or theft, to the main immigration offices in those cities prior to arriving at the airport in order to obtain permission to depart. 

Ecuador’s exit procedures mandate that minors (under the age of 18) who are citizens or residents of Ecuador and who are traveling alone, with one parent, or with a third party, must present a copy of their birth certificate and written authorization from the absent parent(s) or legal guardian.  When a parent is deceased, a notarized copy of the death certificate is required in lieu of the written authorization.  If documents are prepared in the United States, the authorization and the birth certificate must be translated into Spanish, notarized and authenticated by the Ecuadorian Embassy or an Ecuadorian Consulate in the United States.  It is not uncommon for local authorities to insist that these documents be apostilled (authenticated).  Documents must be apostilled by the same U.S. state that issued the document.  If the documents are prepared in Ecuador, only notarization by an Ecuadorian notary is required.  This paragraph does not apply to children who enter Ecuador with U.S. passports as tourists, unless they hold dual U.S./Ecuadorian citizenship.

For further information regarding entry, exit, and customs requirements, travelers should contact the Ecuadorian Embassy at 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009, telephone (202) 234-7166; or one of the Ecuadorian Consulates in Chicago (312) 338-1002/03, fax (312) 338-1004; Houston (713) 572-8731; Jersey City (201) 985-1700; Los Angeles (323) 658-5146, (323) 658-1068, fax (323) 658-1198; Miami (305) 539-8214; New Orleans (504) 523-3229; New York (212) 808-0211; or San Francisco (415) 982-1819. 

Visit the Embassy of Ecuador’s web site for the most current visa information.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website.  For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information Sheet.

Airports:  3951, Airports w/paved runways:  98

Quito – Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO/SEQU)
Quito Airport, Ecuador, Ave Amazonas y de la Prensa s/n, Casilla 17-01-7082, Quito, ECUADOR
Tel: +593 (0)294-4900, +593 (0)294-4931, +593 (0)294-4951
Fax: +593 (0)294-4906, +593 (0)294-4900
E-mail: uiport.telecom@quiport.com or dacams01@impsat.net.ed

The U.S.Embassy in Quito advises against travel to the northern border of Ecuador.U.S. Government personnel are restricted from travel to these areas due to the spread of organized crime, drug trafficking, small arms trafficking, and incursions by various Colombian terrorist organizations.There have been at least three cases in 2004-2006 in which small quantities of drugs have been placed by unknown persons in unsecured pockets of tourists' checked bags, including backpacks, en route to the Galapagos. Upon arrival, these drugs have been detected by police canine units, and the owners of the bags have been arrested and detained for months while the cases are resolved.

Infant MR total:  22ths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:  TOTAL 76.62 years  (male 73.74/female 79.63)

Required: None
Recommended: Hep A & B, Yellow Fever, Rabies, Typhoid
Boosters: MMR, DPT

Travelers should be aware of the presence of malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever in areas of Ecuador below 4500’ elevation. Historically there has not been dengue or malaria in the Galapagos archipelago, and yellow fever has only occurred in the Amazon Basin. Travelers who are on an appropriate anti-malarial drug have a greatly reduced chance of contracting malaria, while vaccine can provide protection against yellow fever.
Dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, onchocerciasis, and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) are other diseases carried by insects that also occur in this region. Epidemics of viral encephalitis and dengue fever occur. Bartonellosis, or Oroya fever (a sand fly-borne disease), occurs in arid river valleys on the western slopes of the Andes up to 3,000 meters (9,842 feet).

Adequate medical and dental care can be readily obtained in the major cities of Ecuador.In smaller communities and in the Galapagos Islands services are limited, and the quality is variable and generally below U.S. standards.  Ambulances, with or without trained emergency staff, are in critically short supply. Acute surgical and cardiac services are not available on the Galapagos Islands. Serious cases must be evacuated to the Ecuadorian mainland or the United States for treatment.

Travelers to Quito (close to 10,000 feet) and other highland areas may require some time to adjust to the altitude, which can adversely affect blood pressure, digestion and energy level. Scuba divers in the Galapagos Islands should be aware of limited facilities for decompression.

Country Calling Code:  +593
Internet Country Code:  .ec