One of the requirements for entering the Galapagos Islands is the TCT: Transit Control Card (Tarjeta de Control de Tránsito), or formerly known as Ingala Card.
This card is required for all tourists, regardless of nationality, and must be shown to enter and exit the Galapagos.
The Galapagos TCT costs $20 USD per person in cash only (credit cards are not accepted).
If you book a tour to the Galapagos, the travel company may handle this process for you. However, if you are traveling alone, you can do it yourself.
To acquire the TCT at the airport, there is an online pre-registration process.
But there is no problem if you forgot to pre-register. Just arrive in advance at the Quito or Guayaquil airports and proceed to the Galapagos Special Regime booth where the TCT is issued.
Here, we’ll show how to get the TCT if you’re going to Galapagos on your own.
See also:
Galapagos TCT pre-registration online
Even though pre-registering online is not mandatory, it speeds up the process at the airport where you get your TCT.
Here are the steps to pre-register online:
1. Visit the following website: https://www.gobiernogalapagos.gob.ec/pre-registro-tct-turistas/
2. Click on the button that says “Click here“.
3. Then click on “Pre-registro TCT” on the side menu and select whether you are traveling alone (Pre-Registro Individual) or with your partner or family (Pre-Registro Grupal).
4. The Pre-Registration Form will open based on your choice. This form is divided into three sections: Transportation to Galapagos (Transporte a Galápagos), Lodging (Hospedaje), and Personal information (Datos personales). So, to fill it out, you will need your flight details, hotel information, and your passport:
- Transportation: This refers to whether you arrive in Galapagos by air or sea. If you are going by yourself, the most common way is by plane. Choose “air” (aéreo) as your mode of transportation (Medio de transporte) and enter the city from where your flight departs (Origen), the airline’s name (Aerolínea), the flight number (Nro. de vuelo), and destination island (Destino).
- Lodging: In this section, you must provide information about your hotel or other accommodation in Galapagos. Click Add accommodation (Agregar hospedaje) and choose: Type of accommodation (Tipo de hospedaje): hotel or friend’s house; the island where you will be staying (Isla de hospedaje); the name of the hotel or the number of the host’s residence in Galapagos if you’re staying at a friend’s house (Nombre del sitio de hospedaje or N° Residencia del Anfitrión), and the check-in/check-out date (Fecha de ingreso, Fecha de salida). These steps must be repeated for every island you visit if the trip includes more than two. If you don’t know the host’s residence number, phone them and they’ll give it to you. That number is exclusive to Galapagos residents only.
- Personal information: Lastly, you must provide your passport information and an email address in this section. Translated in the same order: Document Type (ID card, passport), Document Number, Category, Full Names, Paternal Surname, Maternal Surname, Date of Birth, Marital Status (Single, Married, Divorced, Widowed, Free Union), Gender (Male, female), Country of Residence, Postal Code, Nationality, Studies (Elementary School, High School, University, others) Email.
If you are traveling with a partner or family, there will be one extra field to fill out in the form (remember to select Preregistro Grupal).
In the “List of People” section (Listado de personas), click “Add” to fill out each travel companion’s personal information.
Then, in the box that says “Are you traveling?” (¿Usted está viajando?), choose the option that best fits: In group (en grupo), Alone (solo), Couple (en pareja), Family (en familia). Finally, enter the total number of your companions in the box labeled “Number of members” (Número de miembros).
To complete the pre-registration, please read the declaration on the form and click the “Accept Declaration / Save Registration” button.
You should receive an email confirming your registration, but occasionally this email never arrives.
TCT payment at the airport
Within the airport, the TCT and baggage inspection booths are situated close to one another.
You must line up separately: first for the TCT, then for the inspection, or vice versa.
The line to purchase the TCT is usually very long. This is why it is best to go early to the airport.
If you pre-registered online, you will simply need to show your ID or passport and pay the $20 cost when it is your turn.
However, if you did not pre-register, you will be required to present your identification, travel, and lodging documentation. This is why the queue is so lengthy. Everything would be faster if travelers pre-registered online.
Once you have the document, keep it safe.
The TCT must be shown upon arrival at the Galapagos airport. You must also show it when you depart the islands.
Sometimes they don’t ask for it when you leave the islands; this happened to us once. However, they do occasionally request it.
