How to Extend a Tourist Visa in Ecuador 2023: 3 Simple Steps
Based on our first-hand experience we would like to explain the process of extending the tourist visa in Ecuador in 2023.
The tourist visa extension in Ecuador is called ‘Prórroga’ and allows you to stay in the country for an extra 90 days on top of the initial 3 months granted by the tourist visa. When we were researching the Internet about the formal process of application we found a lot of contradicting or misleading information that made it look more complicated than it actually was. The visa regulations in Ecuador change quite often, so it’s difficult to find updated news. If you are like us, and you are confused and worried about extending your stay in Ecuador, we hope this guide will help you prepare for the process and make the experience easy and stress-free!
Table of Contents:
1. How to Extend a Tourist Visa in Ecuador in 2023 in 3 Simple Steps2. Where to Extend the Ecuadorian Tourist Visa3. When to Extend the Ecuadorian Tourist Visa4. Extending Ecuadorian Tourist Visa Online5. Quick FAQ - What to Know Before Applying for an Ecuadorian Visa Extension6. Our experience - Extending Ecuadorian Tourist Visa in Ambato7. Comments
How to Extend a Tourist Visa in Ecuador in 2023 in 3 Simple Steps
Step 1. Find the closest Migration Office - ‘Servicio de Apoyo Migratorio’ in your area: https://www.ministeriodegobierno.gob.ec/directorio-de-servicios-de-apoyo-migratorio. You don’t need to book an appointment. Once in the office, the government official will check your passport and provide you with the information about extending your visa. Keep in mind, the official may not speak any other language than Spanish. You will be given an application form to fill in and asked to make photocopies of your passport (ID page and the entry stamp to Ecuador). In terms of payment, you will receive a small paper note for the bank (Banco del Pacifico) with the price of the visa extension. Without the paper note, you need to use the payment code ‘4.6 Prorroga’. Make sure to ask for the exact address of the bank that you should make the deposit in. You need to visit the bank and come back to the Migration Office the same day as you apply, so make note of the operating hours of the department to ensure that you are able to come back on time (the waiting lines in the banks can be long!).
Step 2. Go to the bank you were pointed to. It may not be the nearest bank, so you might need to commute. The security guard in the bank will show you which line you should wait in. When you reach the desk, give the clerk the paper note received from the Migration Office and the required deposit. We weren’t asked any additional questions. You will receive a receipt and confirmation of payment - don’t throw it away! You need to present it in the Migration Office.
Step 3. Go back to the Migration Office with your passport, photocopies (little photo-copy shops are usually close to the offices and banks), completed application form and the proof of payment. The officer will complete the submission in the system and print out the document of your extended visa (keep it with your passport). On the document you will find the exact date when your visa extension ends, so there is no confusion.
Where to Extend the Ecuadorian Tourist Visa
The Google search of the phrase “Migration office” in Ecuador can be very misleading, as it shows various institutions and companies providing visa assistance. The visa agencies are NOT the official governmental migration office - they will charge you extra money for their help (usually around 50 - 70 usd on top of the price of extension itself). Looking up the “Servicio de Apoyo Migratorio” on Google Maps also doesn’t provide a complete list.
Here is the only official list we have found on the Ecuadorian gov website, with the addresses of places you can extend your tourist visa:
https://www.ministeriodegobierno.gob.ec/directorio-de-servicios-de-apoyo-migratorio/
The office we found was in the building of the Immigration Police (Policía de Migración).
When to Extend the Ecuadorian Tourist Visa
There is a lot of confusion about the date you need to show up in the Migration Office. We have found different information on various blogs and forums - some claim you must extend your visa exactly on day 90, others that you can wait until day 91 or 92.
According to the information provided by the governmental website for the on-line visa extension: “The extension must be requested from the 80th to the 90th day of regular stay”. (Source: https://servicio.migracion.gob.ec/) - you need to click the option of ‘Más información’: on the ‘Emisión y registro de prórrogas migratorias para permanencia en el país’.
We had no trouble extending our visas on day 88.
If you need to work your travel plans around the visa extension date, it’s good to consult the nearest Migration Office about the possible application time.
Extending Ecuadorian Tourist Visa Online
There is a valid possibility of extending the visa online. You can do this through this website: https://servicio.migracion.gob.ec/. The procedure is explained step by step, but unfortunately it’s available only in Spanish.
We haven’t chosen this option as it may involve receiving a confirmatory phone call from the Migration Office. As we are not fluent in Spanish, we were worried about not understanding the instructions.
Our Spanish speaking friend has applied on-line without any trouble and found this option easy and hassle-free.
Quick FAQ - What to Know Before Applying for an Ecuadorian Visa Extension
Q: What do I need to apply for a visa extension?
In August 2023 the documents necessary for application were:
- valid passport
- color copy of the ID page and the page with the entry stamp to Ecuador
- application form (available to obtain at the Migration Office)
- proof of payment (remember to first go to the Immigration Office, they will pre-register your application and inform you how much to pay and in which bank)
Q: How much does the tourist visa extension cost?
In August 2023, the visa extension in Ecuador was 150 USD per person + small fee in the bank for the deposit (around 1 USD).
Q: Do I need to wait until day 90 of my visa to apply for the extension?
No, we went to the office on day 88 of our visa and the officer didn’t mind that we were applying earlier. Keep in mind that we received extra 90 days from the day we applied - NOT the day our initial tourist visa ended.
According to the official government website: https://servicio.migracion.gob.ec/ for the online application states you should request the extension between day 80 and 90 of your stay. If you have any doubts about your visa, consult the Immigration Office, which will provide you with the most accurate information.
Q: How long does it take to process the tourist visa extension?
We received it immediately after showing up in the Immigration Office with the proof of payment.
Q: What does the tourist visa extension look like?
It’s a print out with a QR code. We submitted our e-mail addresses and phone numbers, but haven’t received a digital copy. Although all the information should be in the immigration system, we made copies and photos of our extension permit (just in case).
Q: Do I need to show a forward ticket or proof that I will leave Ecuador when applying for visa extension?
No. Some airlines require a forward ticket when embarking on a plane to Ecuador. The Ecuadorian immigration officers were not concerned about it and there is no need for a forward ticket when applying for the visa extension.
Our Experience: Extending Ecuadorian Tourist Visa in Ambato
By the time our tourist visas were about to expire we found ourselves in Baños de Agua Santa. The picturesque little town on the foothill of the Tungurahua volcano, although very touristy, didn't provide Migration Office services. As we didn’t plan on visiting any major cities, we wanted to find the closest possible place where extending the visa was an option and could be handled during a single day trip.
Our tourist visa expired on the day of Ecuadorian Independence Day, so we knew the governmental institution would most likely be closed. We didn’t want to risk illegally overstaying the permitted time period, so we decided to play it safe and apply for the extension a few days before our 90th day.
We were happy to see that in Ambato, which is only an hour's bus ride away from Baños, were several migration institutions! Unfortunately we hadn’t yet found the official Ecuadorian website with the addresses of "Servicio de Apoyo Migratorio” and relied on our Google Maps research. From the bus station we went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility. After waiting for over an hour (lunch break!) we were informed this is not the right place and we should go to the Policía de Migración on the other side of the city!
Immigration Police Ambato is located on the corner of Avenida Cervantes and Pareja Diezcanseco. It’s in the residential area so we weren’t sure how to get there with public transport and since we were already short on time, we decided to take a taxi. The name of the building is easy to spot from the street, so we didn’t have any trouble with finding it.
The nice security guard showed us to the proper office. The government lady behind the desk wasn’t too talkative (since we are not fluent in Spanish we weren’t either), so we sat in silence for the time she pre-registered our applications. Then she handled out the visa application forms and the tickets for the bank. When we asked in which bank we had to make the deposit, she told us to go to Banco del Pacifico at this address: Simón Bolívar Bolívar y Montalvo, Ambato 180101. All the way back to the city center! It was already 2pm and the office was closing at 4:30pm.
We grabbed another taxi and rushed to the given address. When we saw over 30 people waiting in line in the bank, we started to panic. I left Aaron in the queue and ran to find a photo-copy shop. There are plenty of them in the center, so I found one just around the corner. I paid 50 cents per page. I didn’t need to rush, as when I came back to the bank Aaron was at the exact same spot where I left him. We waited nervously, feeling that the time was ticking away. The security asked us to not use the cellphones inside the building, so we weren't even able to check the hour. Finally, after over an hour and a half of standing we reached the clerk desk.
The payment went smoothly and we each received a small blue note with our name and information that the deposit was made. We ran out of the bank sweating, because it was already 4pm and the rush hours were about to start - it’s not easy to catch a taxi in the afternoon traffic!
We were lucky and made it back on time to the Immigration Police! After submitting all the required paperwork we received the visa extension! I expected it would be an additional stamp in the passport, but it was only a page with personal data and a QR code. We made a photo of it (we like to have photos of all our travel documents, just in case) and tucked it safely in the passport. That was it! We were officially allowed to stay in Ecuador another three months! We couldn’t be more happy and relieved that our mission had a successful ending.
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I hope this article shed some light on the process of applying for the Ecuadorian Prórroga and helped you in extending your stay! Let us know about your experience in the comments!
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