International travelers will be required to submit a digital customs form beginning July 29

All travelers, national and foreign, entering or leaving Ecuador will be required to submit a digital Customs Registration Form (FRA) beginning on July 29.

International travelers entering and leaving Ecuador will be required to submit a Customs Registration Form beginning July 29.

The requirement applies to those who travel by air, land or sea, and must be presented by both travelers and crew members, regardless of whether or not they are transporting goods subject to declaration, the National Customs Service (Senae) announced last week.

According to Senae, the FRA is intended to strengthen customs control, prevent money laundering and prevent tax evasion.

Although the FRA requires information from all international travelers, only those transporting cash and precious metals or stones valued at more than $10,000 will be subject to taxes or further reporting.

These are the steps travelers must follow to fill out the FRA electronically:

1. Access the www.aduana.gob.ec web portal and go to the ‘Citizen Service’ tab that you will find in the top menu. Then click on the option ‘For travelers: ‘Customs Registration Form’.
2. Create a user account with your identification number and a password if you do not have one. You can also access the form directly at this link.
3. Select the type of form (entering or leaving the country), enter personal data and declare the goods, money with which you travel or enter the country, negotiable instruments to the bearer, metals and precious stones, as applicable.
4. Once the FRA is completed, the system will generate a QR code that must be presented at the immigration checkpoint, when entering or leaving the country. After that, it will go directly to customs control, at ports, border points and airports.
5. In the case of family group (parents and children), only one parent will declare for the family if it brings a value equal to or greater than USD 10,000, this section being blocked for the other parent. If both parents are carrying taxable property, each must fill out a FRA. The family group includes minors with their parents or legal guardians.

The form can be submitted up to three days before an international trip via internet.