Ecuador power of attorney (poder notarial) at a US consulate

A power of attorney (poder) is a document that authorizes another person — your apoderado — to act on your behalf in Ecuador. Ecuadorian consulates grant it “ante el Cónsul o su delegado” (before the consul or the consul’s delegate). According to Ecuador’s official procedures guide (gob.ec, pages updated January 20, 2026, checked October 3, 2026), a general or special power costs USD 60.00, you sign and receive the original physical document at the consulate, and its authenticity can be checked online with a verification code.

Types of power of attorney on the official catalogue

The Foreign Ministry’s trámite catalogue on gob.ec lists these consular procedures for individuals abroad:

ProcedureFee (gob.ec, checked October 3, 2026)
General power and first copy (poder general)USD 60.00
Special power and first copy (poder especial)USD 60.00
Special power to collect salaries and retirement, disability or montepío pensionsFree (tariff item 1.2, USD 0.00)
Revocation of general and special powersUSD 60.00

The catalogue also lists a special power for Ecuadorian students abroad for bank loans, powers granted by legal entities (personas jurídicas), and second and later certified copies. Fees for those were not captured here; ask the consulate.

gob.ec describes the general power as an act by which a person “autoriza a una persona para que realice diversos trámites legales, judiciales o administrativos relacionados con sus bienes y con el ejercicio de sus derechos en el Ecuador.” gob.ec describes the special power in the same words.

Required documents

gob.ec lists, for a general or special power:

  • Original, valid cédula de ciudadanía and/or passport of the grantor(s). Foreign nationals may present a national identity document or an ID card issued in the country or jurisdiction of the consular office.
  • Extract or draft (minuta) of the document to be drawn up, if required.
  • Exact details of the apoderado(s) (“Datos exactos de o los apoderado(s)”).
  • Disability card, if the exemption applies.

Fee

  • USD 60.00, VAT-exempt, for a general or a special power. The 2023 Consular and Diplomatic Tariff lists it under its own heading: “1. CONCESIÓN DE PODERES — 1.1 Poder generales, especiales y primera copia o su revocatoria. USD 60.00.”
  • Seniors (65 and over): pay 50% — USD 30.00.
  • Disability of 30% or more: 100% exempt, on presenting the card issued by Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health.
  • Payment: gob.ec says to pay “conforme al arancel consular y diplomático vigente” (according to the current tariff); it does not specify the payment method. Ask your consulate how it accepts payment.

Step-by-step process

  1. Contact the nearest consulate. gob.ec: “Contactarse con el Consulado más cercano.” Book through the central appointment system, citas.cancilleria.gob.ec, choosing your consulate and the service.
  2. Present the supporting documents listed above.
  3. Pay according to the current tariff.
  4. Sign and receive the original (physical) document — “Firmar y receptar el documento original (físico).”
  5. Check the verification code. “Para comprobar la veracidad del acto notarial, usted deberá ingresar a la página web: https://serviciosciudadanos.cancilleria.gob.ec y digitar el CÓDIGO DE VERIFICACIÓN que le enviaron a su correo electrónico registrado” — the code gives access to the digitized, electronically signed document.
  6. Get the original to the person who will use it in Ecuador. Ask that person or institution whether they need the physical original.

Validity and revocation

  • Validity: “Conforme lo indique el mandante a menos que exista una cláusula de tiempo definido” — as the grantor indicates, unless the document has a fixed-term clause.
  • Revocation: revoking general and special powers is a separate consular procedure, “Revocatoria de poderes generales y especiales y primera copia en el exterior,” at USD 60.00 according to gob.ec.
  • Certificate that a poder is still valid: the “certificado de vigencia de poderes” certifies that a power granted at an Ecuadorian consulate has not been revoked. gob.ec lists it at USD 20.00 and says it is issued at the Foreign Ministry’s Zonal Offices and technical offices in Ecuador.

Witnesses and language

gob.ec’s summary of Article 29 of Ecuador’s Notarial Law says a public deed must be written in Spanish (castellano), must be read before it is signed, and, “cuando sea necesario,” may require an interpreter or witnesses. Ask the consulate whether your document needs either before the appointment.

Free power to collect pensions

If the poder is only to collect salaries or retirement, disability or montepío pensions, use the specific procedure: gob.ec says “El trámite no tiene costo,” and the tariff lists it as “1.2 Poder especiales exentos de pago y primera copia o su revocatoria. USD 00.00.” It is valid until the collection is carried out. See Ecuador proof-of-life certificate for pensioners.

US documents you attach

If the poder involves a US-issued document (US birth certificate, marriage certificate, court document), that document follows the US apostille process. The Ecuadorian Consulate in New York says US documents presented for a consular procedure must be translated into Spanish, notarized and apostilled, with the apostille on both the original and the notarized translation. For apostilling Ecuadorian documents, see apostille Ecuadorian documents.

Authoritative sources

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. Power-of-attorney requirements vary by country, by transaction type, and change periodically. Verify directly with the Ecuador consulate and, for complex matters, consult a Ecuador lawyer. Not legal advice.