Beginning today, new health form is required for incoming international travelers

To strengthen controls against the Covid-19 virus, the Ministry of Health is requiring that all air travelers to Ecuador present a completed health form prior to boarding flights to Quito and Guayaquil. Previously, passengers filled out a form during the flight and presented it to immigration officers on arrival. The new form is required beginning today.

A new health form for incoming international travelers must be submitted at the embarkation airport beginning today.

Health Minister Ximena Garzón said the new requirement will provide a “higher level” of security against Covid. “Submitting the form prior to boarding flights will help identify some passengers who could be carrying the virus,” she said. “It also raises the health consciousness of both passengers and the airlines serving Ecuador.”

She added: “Ecuador has made tremendous progress against Covid in recent days and weeks and we want to maintain the progress. We currently have the highest daily vaccination rate in the world and are second lowest in all of Latin America for Covid deaths per day.”

Officials at the José Joaquín de Olmedo International airport in Guayaquil said the submission of the health form at the embarkation point will save time for arriving international traveler. “The process of reviewing documents filled out in-flight required more staff time due in part to the fact that forms often had missing information. Now, airlines will verify the forms before boarding begins,” an airport spokeswoman said.

The health requirements for incoming international passengers have not changed, the ministry said. Passengers must show proof of full vaccination with the second dose received 14 days prior to flying, or present a negative RT-PCR test taken a maximum 72 before boarding. The new health form can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/3fvCVD7