New regulation to enter Ecuador as of May 1, 2018

[DiveTheGalapagos]

There is a new regulation to enter Ecuador that will take effect on May 1, 2018. You must have medical insurance to cover you while in the country in the event of an emergency. This is in addition to dive insurance.

If you are departing from the US, typically you can purchase this insurance quite inexpensively when you book your flights. If you have already booked your flights, just log in to manage your flight and you can probably add it.

In theory, it will also be for sale in the mainland airports for around $5 a day in the event you arrive without it, however, I cannot confirm this is yet the case. Please do plan to print out a card or proof of insurance to provide upon arrival into Ecuador.

This is for all visitors in the country, not just divers and not just for people heading to Galapagos. It doesn't look like the implementation of this policy will be postponed again. It looks like it will go into effect May 1.

 

[KeithG]

There is a new regulation to enter Ecuador that will take effect on May 1, 2018. You must have medical insurance to cover you while in the country in the event of an emergency. This is in addition to dive insurance.

If you are departing from the US, typically you can purchase this insurance quite inexpensively when you book your flights. If you have already booked your flights, just log in to manage your flight and you can probably add it.

In theory, it will also be for sale in the mainland airports for around $5 a day in the event you arrive without it, however, I cannot confirm this is yet the case. Please do plan to print out a card or proof of insurance to provide upon arrival into Ecuador.

This is for all visitors in the country, not just divers and not just for people heading to Galapagos. It doesn't look like the implementation of this policy will be postponed again. It looks like it will go into effect May 1.

Can you post a link to a source that verifies this?

We went last year and were aware of new laws that were being proposed for tourists staying longer than 90 days. Less than 90 days and there were no issues. If you want to stay more than 90 days you also need to obtain a visa.

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

This is an entirely new law that has been in the process of developing since last year and although I am not aware of any official document, it looks like the regular DAN or DIVE ASSURE insurance coverage will not be adequate and it will need a general travel medical insurance. For what we know it has to be a health insurance which can cover accidents or anything that can happen to them during their trip, and I am not clear if a dive insurance can cover one in case you have an accident while you are not diving. We do not have enough information to give an official statement but as soon as we have some news about it we will let you know. Dom at Dive Advice.

 

[KeithG]

This is an entirely new law that has been in the process of developing since last year and although I am not aware of any official document, it looks like the regular DAN or DIVE ASSURE insurance coverage will not be adequate and it will need a general travel medical insurance. For what we know it has to be a health insurance which can cover accidents or anything that can happen to them during their trip, and I am not clear if a dive insurance can cover one in case you have an accident while you are not diving. We do not have enough information to give an official statement but as soon as we have some news about it we will let you know. Dom at Dive Advice.

Can you clarify if this is targeted at tourist's (less than a 3-ish week stay) or longer term foreigners staying for extended periods (more than several months) of time?

As I posted above when we traveled this was only about people staying longer than 90 days. These people also required visas for their long stay.

So not targeted at tourists, but more at foreign nationals that may be draining the local health services.

Do divers even care?

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

It is targeted at everyone who visits Ecuador - tourists, business, short or long stays - perhaps they perceive that they have medical system that will suffer with an overload of sick visitors and they may want to be 100% sure that they get every penny back from sick foreigners. I am sorry, that is pure conjecture as I have no real idea on the why, but that may not be relevant if they will not let you in without full medical insurance, and perhaps worse, you maybe asked to show it before boarding an international flight to Ecuador and refused boarding with out it. At this time it is not clear and it may only become clear when they refuse entry to the first persons ! My wife and I have an annual medical coverage that costs next to nothing and covers us all around the world. We recommend that to our clients.

 

[KeithG]

It is targeted at everyone who visits Ecuador - tourists, business, short or long stays - perhaps they perceive that they have medical system that will suffer with an overload of sick visitors and they may want to be 100% sure that they get every penny back from sick foreigners. I am sorry, that is pure conjecture as I have no real idea on the why, but that may not be relevant if they will not let you in without full medical insurance, and perhaps worse, you maybe asked to show it before boarding an international flight to Ecuador and refused boarding with out it. At this time it is not clear and it may only become clear when they refuse entry to the first persons ! My wife and I have an annual medical coverage that costs next to nothing and covers us all around the world. We recommend that to our clients.

Thanks.

This subject was very concerning for us last fall as there was lots of confusing info being tossed about. Can you provide a link to a reliable source that describes the new laws?

At that point there seemed to be lots of hype driven by insurance providers selling (unneeded insurance). Digging deeper I found the proposed 90 limit.

Has this proposed limit changed?

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Sorry I cannot give you anything more at this time. I have been sent information but I see that is changing all the time. It appears we have until May 1 to find the real truth or at least some direction and I really do not feel i can way in until we get something concrete. I will get back to this forum when we get any news.

 

[KeithG]

Sorry I cannot give you anything more at this time. I have been sent information but I see that is changing all the time. It appears we have until May 1 to find the real truth or at least some direction and I really do not feel i can way in until we get something concrete. I will get back to this forum when we get any news.

Thanks.

A link to an official Ecuador government tourist / immigration site would be useful.

Maybe some of us foreigners could lean on our own government to seek clarity?

 

[Trailboss123]

It is targeted at everyone who visits Ecuador - tourists, business, short or long stays - perhaps they perceive that they have medical system that will suffer with an overload of sick visitors and they may want to be 100% sure that they get every penny back from sick foreigners. I am sorry, that is pure conjecture as I have no real idea on the why, but that may not be relevant if they will not let you in without full medical insurance, and perhaps worse, you maybe asked to show it before boarding an international flight to Ecuador and refused boarding with out it. At this time it is not clear and it may only become clear when they refuse entry to the first persons ! My wife and I have an annual medical coverage that costs next to nothing and covers us all around the world. We recommend that to our clients.

Who do you have your international coverage with?

 

[inka]

Spanish version. Seguro de salud será obligatorio para extranjeros que viajen a Ecuador desde mayo de 2018

So, yes from May , 1st 2018, you will need a medical insurance to visit Ecuador , from day 1 of your visit. ( law 90 days counted from January to May , to become efective )