visa information service frequently asked questions

Q: Who should use this service?

A: All applicants for non-immigrant visas (tourism, work or study) who are resident in the consular district of Guayaquil, and all applicants for immigrant visas resident in Ecuador.

The provinces included in the Guayaquil consular district are:  Azuay, Cañar, El Oro, Galápagos, Guayas, Santa Elena, Loja, Los Ríos, Manabí y Zamora Chinchipe.

Q: How do I access the service?

A: Dial 1-800-010-145 in Ecuador or 1-800-919-5290 in the United States.
Starting June 12, you may also make a direct international call to the call center by dialing 0054-11-5077-1720 from any telephone using a Visa or MasterCard credit card.  The cost for this call is US$9 plus the cost of the long distance toll charge for the call.

Q: How much does the service cost and how do I pay for it?

A: You will need a personal identification number (PIN) to access the service.  To obtain your PIN, you must pay $12.00 at any branch of Banco de Guayaquil.  The Bank will then give you a receipt containing a PIN number with which you will have access to the service for a total of 8 minutes.

Up to five members of the immediate family living in the household may make appointments with one PIN number.  The members of the immediate family include spouses, children, brothers, sisters, and parents.

If more than five members of the family are applying for visas, we recommend that you obtain two PIN numbers to make appointments for additional family members.  There is no guarantee, however, that all the members of one family will be able to schedule appointments for the same day when using different PIN numbers.

You can also pay for the service using VISA or Master Card by dialing:            1-800-010-145 in Ecuador or 1-800-919-5290 in the United States directly and choosing the appropriate option.  Starting June 12, you may also make a direct international call to the call center by dialing 0054-11-5077-1720 from any telephone using a Visa or MasterCard credit card.  The cost for this call is US$9 plus the cost of the long distance toll charge for the call.

Q: Do I still have to pay the $131 visa application fee at Banco de Guayaquil?  Where do I get the visa application forms?

A: All non-immigrant visa applicants, including K and V visas, must continue paying the $131 application fee at Banco de Guayaquil for each application.  Visa application forms can be obtained by clicking here

but the interview appointment for all applicants from the Guayaquil Consular District will be obtained through the Call Center.  Immigrant visa applicants do not pay this fee at the bank.

Q: What if I want to apply for a non-immigrant (tourism, work, study) visa and I live in Embassy Quito’s consular district?

A: The interviews for nonimmigrant visa applicants from the Quito Consular District can also be scheduled through the Visa Information Service.  The Quito Consular District includes the following provinces:  Bolívar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Esmeraldas, Imbabura, Morona Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbíos, Santo Domingo de los Colorados, and Tungurahua.

Q. Can I call Embassy Quito to get information on applying for a non-immigrant visa in Guayaquil?

A.  No.  The Embassy in Quito will only respond to inquiries from residents of its consular district.  For information on obtaining a nonimmigrant visa from the Guayaquil Consulate, and for obtaining an interview in Guayaquil, you must call the Visa Information Service.

Q: Can I still call the Consulate General in Guayaquil for Visa Information?

A: No.  No visa information will be available through the U.S. Consulate General's phone numbers. You must use the Visa Information Service for all visa questions.

Q: How will the service benefit me?

A: The service provides access to an operator who will provide extensive information on visa requirements and application procedures for both non-immigrant and immigrant visas.

If you need to apply for an immigrant visa, regardless of where you live in Ecuador, or for a nonimmigrant visa if you reside in the Guayaquil Consular District, you must schedule your appointment through this service.

Listening carefully to the information provided will help you save time when applying for a visa. The biggest delay most applicants experience is arriving at their visa interview without having all the required information and the forms properly filled-out.

We recommend that you have paper and a pen to write down the information that will be provided to you.

Q: If I do not have four members of immediate family, can I share the cost with other non-related persons?

A: No.  Only up to 5 members of the same family, who live in the same household, can schedule appointments with one PIN.  The members of the immediate family include spouses, children, brothers, sisters, and parents.

Q: What happens if the call gets cut off?

A: The PIN is valid for up to 8 minutes.   If you do not use the 8 minutes at one time, you may call again or use the PIN at a later time.  Therefore, it is important that you keep your PIN number

Q: Can I change an already scheduled appointment for emergency reasons?

A: Yes.  You must obtain a PIN and call the Visa Information Service to reschedule your appointment.  Please click here to know more about emergency appointments.

Q: Can I call the Service even if I do not have plans to apply for a visa at the moment?  Do I have to pay the $131 visa fee at Banco de Guayaquil before calling for an appointment?

A: You can call the Service to obtain information on the visa application process only, and do not have to schedule an appointment at the time of your call.  To schedule the appointment for your non-immigrant visa interview, you can call the Service either before or after paying the visa application fee at Banco de Guayaquil.  The processes are independent.  However, nonimmigrant visa applicants must have paid the $131 visa fee at Banco de Guayaquil prior to their interview and must present the receipt of having paid this fee, before being admitted to the Consulate General. 

Immigrant visa applicants, including visa categories K and V, can call the Service to obtain information at any time during the process, but they can only schedule their appointment for an interview after having received the information packet with instructions about when to call.  Immigrant visa applicants do not pay the $131 fee at Banco de Guayaquil.