These are the requirements that travelers entering Ecuador by air must meet

As part of the prevention measures against the omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Government ordered that all travelers, nationals and foreigners, who wish to enter Ecuador by air have to present their certificate of vaccination against COVID-19 and an RT test -PCR with negative result.

The provision was announced on November 29 by the President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, and became effective at 00:01 on December 1.

In the case of travelers from or who have made a stopover in eight African nations, their entry is preventatively restricted. These countries are: South Africa, Botswana, Egypt, Mozambique, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, and Namibia, in accordance with the resolution adopted by the national Emergency Operations Committee (COE).

The guidelines were issued by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) and approved by the national Emergency Operations Committee (COE). The Ministry of Tourism is in charge of disseminating the information.

All passengers arriving in the country must report to the MSP the presence or absence of symptoms in themselves or in their direct contacts.

Who for exceptional reasons does not have the RT-PCR test, when entering the country it will be performed and the cost will be assumed by the traveler.

Entry requirements to continental Ecuador

Every person must present the Traveler’s Health Declaration in digital form when boarding the airline. The document can be accessed through the electronic address https://declaracionsalud-viajero.msp.gob.ec/.

If the platform is not available, the form can be presented physically, it is indicated in the guidelines. Those who have filled out the digital document no longer need to hand over the physical paper at the point of entry to the Ministry of Health.

• All 16-year-old passengers are obliged to present the complete vaccination card, valid for at least 14 days after completing the scheme. In addition to the negative result of an RT-PCR test carried out up to 72 hours before shipment to Ecuador.
• Children between 2 and 15 years, 11 months and 29 days of age must submit the negative result of an RT-PCR test carried out up to 72 hours before shipment to Ecuador.

Requirements for air entry to Galapagos

Foreign tourists, nationals and / or residents of the Galapagos Islands must comply with the following:

• All passengers over 16 years of age must deliver the vaccination card with at least 14 days of validity from the completion of the scheme. This must be accompanied by the presentation of the negative result of an RT-PCR test up to 72 hours before shipment to Galapagos.
• Children from 2 to 15 years, 11 months and 29 days of age must submit the negative result of the RT-PCR test carried out up to 72 hours before embarking to the Galapagos Islands.
• National or foreign tourists must present the transit control card issued by the Government Council of the Special Regime of Galapagos.

What happens if a passenger has symptoms?

The guidelines indicate that in case the passenger shows symptoms related to COVID-19, they must report it to the telephone line 171 of the Ministry of Health. Those who arrive in the country and have symptoms, regardless of the result of the RT-PCR test, will be evaluated by Ministry personnel before entering the migration area.

If it is determined that it is a suspicious case, a rapid antigen test (with swab) will be carried out and if it is positive, the person has to undergo 14 days of isolation at their home or at any accommodation site of their choice -the lodging costs are paid by the traveler. To follow up on the case, you must report contacts. All this information must be included in the Traveler’s Health Declaration.

If the rapid test is negative, the passenger will not have to comply with isolation, but they must report their symptoms.

How do you proceed when an Ecuadorian is inadmissible in other countries and returns to Ecuador?

The provision is that these people should not submit an RT-PCR test. However, the Ministry of Health will carry out a rapid antigen test upon arrival in the country.

Reaction of airlines to regulations

The new provisions caught airlines and passengers by surprise, due to the short time for implementation. However, the companies comply with the guidelines from the moment they come into force, said Marco Subía, president of the Association of Representatives of Airlines in Ecuador (Arlae).

The Arlae spokesperson said that there were difficulties on the first day. Some travelers who were on their way to the country, having neither the license nor the proof, had to reschedule the flights or stay in the transit countries until the PCR was carried out.

To comply with government regulations and avoid setbacks, airlines inform passengers and are not allowing those who do not have the requirements to board, he said.

Subía believes that instead of promoting restrictions for entry into the country, emphasis should be placed on vaccination and biosafety measures. “We have seen that these types of measures (the guidelines), in what has to do with air traffic, do not contribute to reducing infections,” he commented.

For Holbach Muñetón, president of the National Federation of Provincial Chambers of Tourism of Ecuador, the measures have been taken technically. However, he suggested that planning be done at airports so that there are no bottlenecks when planes land.

“When two or three flights arrive at the same time, bottlenecks are generated because passengers must present all the documents and there are only a few service windows,” Muñetón said.

Catalina Vergara, communication manager for Air France and KLM for the Andean region and Central America, highlighted that since the beginning of the pandemic the company has followed all the instructions issued by the governments and the World Health Organization (WHO). Passengers can find out the provisions that apply in each country through the company’s website.

Vergara added that the planes are disinfected before each flight, the cabin air is automatically renewed every three minutes. The ships are equipped with filters. In addition, the mandatory use of masks and distancing are verified, among other biosafety measures.

To date, neither the Arlae nor the Federation have registered cancellations of flights or hotel reservations due to the new entry regulations into the country. (I)