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April 12, 2024

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Travel.State.Gov > Legal Resources > Judicial Assistance Country Information  > Ecuador Judicial Assistance Information

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Judicial Assistance Country Information

Travel.State.Gov > Legal Resources > Judicial Assistance Country Information  > Ecuador Judicial Assistance Information

Ecuador

Ecuador
Republic of Ecuador

Hague/Inter-American

Party to Hague Service Convention?
No
Party to Hague Evidence Convention?
No
Party to Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes
Party to Inter-American Convention?
Yes
Service of Process by Mail?
NA

DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A SPECIFIC CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE APPROPRIATE FOREIGN AUTHORITIES OR FOREIGN COUNSEL.

 

ALL / ALL /

Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Embassy Quito

Avigiras E12-170 y  Eloy Alfaro 
Quito, Ecuador
Telephone: 593-2-398-5000
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: 593-2-398-5000 or 593-9-9788-3222
Email: 

Consulates

U.S. Consulate General Guayaquil
Santa Ana St. and Jose Rodriguez Bonin Ave.
San Eduardo Sector
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Telephone: 593-4-371-7000
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: 593-4-371-7000
Email: 

List of Attorneys

List of Attorneys - U.S. Embassy Quito

Service of Process

Ecuador is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters. The United States and Ecuador are parties to the Inter-American Convention on Letters Rogatory and Additional Protocol. The U.S. Central Authority for the treaty is the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, Office of Foreign Litigation, Washington, D.C.  Requests for service under the Inter-American Convention on Letters Rogatory and Additional Protocol may be sent to the U.S. Department of Justice's contractor, Process Forwarding International (PFI), for transmittal to the Ecuadorian Central Authority.

Service on a Foreign State:  See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Criminal Matters

Prosecution Requests: U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance.

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters: Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

Obtaining Evidence in Civil and Commercial Matters

Ecuador is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters.

Taking Voluntary Depositions of Willing Witnesses

The taking of voluntary depositions of willing witnesses is not permitted in Ecuador, regardless of the nationality of the witness. Litigants may wish to consult local legal counsel for guidance on local legal procedures available.

Authentication of Documents

Ecuador is a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization of Foreign Public Documents. Ecuador’s competent authority for the Hague Apostille Conventionwill authenticate Ecuadorian public documents with Apostilles.  For information about authenticating U.S. public documents for use in Ecuador, see the list of U.S. Competent Authorities.  To obtain an Apostille for a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America, contact the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Vital Records Office.

Last Updated: November 15, 2013

Assistance for U.S. Citizens

U.S. Embassy Quito
Avigiras E12-170 y
Eloy Alfaro
Quito, Ecuador
Telephone
593-2-398-5000
Emergency
593-2-398-5000 or 593-9-9788-3222
Fax
No Fax
Email
ACSQuito@state.gov
Website
https://ec.usembassy.gov/

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