The country and its immigrants
Ecuador
Area: 283,561 km²
Residents: 16,863,000 (2018)
Population density: 59.5 E / km²
Form of Government: Republic
System of Government: Presidential system
Neighboring countries: Colombia, Peru
Capital: Quito
National Languages: Spanish
Religions:
72.3% Roman Catholic
Protestants
0.56 % Jehovah’s Witnesses
Currency: US dollar
1 USD = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
1 EUR = 1.22 USD
1 USD = 0.82 EUR
1 CHF = 1.13 USD
1 USD = 0.89 CHF
(exchange rate from 01/26/2021)
Telephone area code: +593
Time zone: UTC -5
Mains voltage: 110/129 W, 60Hz adapter and transformer required
In 2020, 139 Germans officially emigrated to Ecuador and 229 came back to their homeland. Within the 10 years from 2010 to 2019, 2,076 Germans officially emigrated to Ecuador and 2,395 moved back to Germany.
As one of countries starting with E listed on Countryaah.com, Ecuador is hard to beat in terms of natural diversity. It is divided into four very different regions – the coastal region with very beautiful sandy beaches, wide, deserted and breathtaking; – the Andean highlands with gigantic mountains, more than 6,000 m high and covered with snow, as well as icy glaciers and volcanoes; – the Amazon region, with tropical rainforest, cloud forests and an incredible biodiversity; – as well as the Galapagos Islands. Numerous national parks with a huge variety of plants and animals invite you to hike and discover.
For those who have had enough of pure nature and are looking for some art and culture, some cities offer a rich variety. Mention should be made of Quito and Cuenca. In both cities you feel as if you have been transported back to colonial times. Numerous museums, art galleries, churches and narrow streets bear witness to this bygone era. A few years ago, the old town of Cuenca was even declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The climate is also fairly constant due to the proximity of the equator. On the coast there is an average annual temperature of around 30 degrees during the day and 22 degrees at night. Not so in the Andes highlands. Here the average annual temperature is around 2,500 m during the day at 21 degrees and at night at 8 degrees. There are no seasons as we know them. A distinction is only made between the dry season (May to October) and the rainy season.
Travel and Visa
Changed travel regulations during and after the corona pandemic
Entry is currently only possible by air for people who do not have a permanent residence in Ecuador. The land borders are closed except for the return of residents. Travelers aged two and over must present either a negative PCR or antigen test that is less than three days old or proof of a full vaccination that was carried out at least 14 days before departure before boarding to Ecuador.
When entering from Europe or randomly from other countries, a rapid antigen test is also carried out at the airport. If the result is positive, travelers must be quarantined for ten days after entry.
General provisions for travel and residence (until the corona pandemic)
In order to be able to enter Ecuador, a tourist needs a valid passport or temporary passport. Children need a child’s passport. These documents must be valid for at least 6 months upon entry. With the entry stamp (= T-3 tourist visa) in your passport you can stay in Ecuador for up to 90 days (per year). The year begins with the date of entry. You should always check the entry stamp to see whether the 90-day stay has been granted. If not, the residence permit at the Policia de Migración must be extended in good time. Otherwise you have to expect a fine when leaving the country.
Address – Dirección General de Asuntos Migratorios y Extranjería del MMRREE:
Calle San Ignacio 207 y San Javier
(near the Multicentro shopping center)
Quito
If you want to be in Ecuador for more than 90 days within a year, you need a visa (12-IX). This entitles you to stay in Ecuador for 180 days within one year (not calendar year). The visa can be applied for in advance at the Ecuadorian embassy / consulate in your home country or in Ecuador at the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Interior before the T-3 visa expires. This costs around 450 euros.
Galapagos Islands
To visit the Galapagos Islands, you need a return ticket and a hotel reservation for the planned length of stay.
Compulsory health insurance
All foreigners are required to have travel health insurance valid for Ecuador for the length of their stay.
Health insurance – safe, inexpensive, flexible
If you would like to take out your health insurance abroad while you are still living in Germany, you can use the cheapest option (from € 28.90) for terms of up to 5 years – it’s called PROTRIP – info here. After taking out PROTRIP, you willreceive your insurance confirmation as well as all other documents that you need for consulates and authorities.
If you already live abroad or would like to have health insurance abroad with an unlimited term, then, depending on your situation and needs, 3 other BDAE insurances are possible – information here. These are the highest quality coverage for your stay abroad as a single or family, whether temporary or permanent.