Regula Powers Ecuador’s Plan to Modernize Every Border – From Airports to Maritime Ports

Ecuador’s border control authorities have significantly enhanced their identity verification capabilities by deploying a suite of advanced document examination devices from Regula. The nationwide upgrade, supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and local partner INSETK, brings automation, precision, and speed to the country’s border checkpoints, which collectively process nearly 1.5 million travelers annually.

The project is a major step in Ecuador’s mission to modernize all land, air, and maritime entry points, including key international airports in Quito and Guayaquil, as well as northern and southern border crossings. These strategic locations now benefit from Regula’s advanced forensic devices, which enable fast and reliable detection of fraudulent documents—critical in the fight against identity-related crime.

Closing the gap with a set of forensic devices

Previously, document checks at Ecuador border crossings were largely manual and supported by outdated equipment, often handled by just two officers per site. This made the process slow, error-prone, and vulnerable to sophisticated fraud.

To address this, Ecuador’s border checkpoints were equipped with the following Regula solutions:

●      Regula 4308 at Quito International Airport: Ideal for high-traffic airports, this dual-video spectral comparator supports the full spectrum of light sources and optical filters. It also offers high-quality image capture capabilities thanks to its up to 320x optical zoom and up to 140,000 ppi resolution. As a result, border officers can thoroughly inspect all of the ID security features, including printing techniques, holograms, optically variable inks, and more.

●      Regula 4306 at Guayaquil International Airport and major land borders: A space-saving device with an 8 MP high-resolution camera and over 40 LED light sources for analyzing document authenticity, just like its counterpart, the Regula 4308.

●      Regula 4205D at frontline checkpoints: A multi-functional device tailored for primary control zones. It includes 12 light sources, automated cross-checks, and up to 30x on-screen magnification for thorough document authentication.

●      Regula 8333M at mobile checkpoints: Designed for remote or non-standard border control situations, such as processing charter flights or cruise ship passengers, this compact mobile document reader ensures that ID checks remain reliable and consistent outside traditional migration offices.

Regula’s video spectral comparators are controlled via Regula Forensic Studio (RFS), a cross-platform software solution for advanced document checks. It enables precise measurements, image comparison, report generation, and scripted workflows for faster, consistent inspections. With RFS, officers can also verify MRZs, RFID chips, barcodes, and IPI—all without extra tools. For deeper document examination, border control officers have real-time access to Regula’s Information Reference System (IRS), which provides synchronized reference images and lighting presets for fast, precise comparison of travel documents.

RFS also integrates with Regula Document Reader SDK to automate travel document verification and prevent fraud through data cross-verification and robust authenticity checks. Importantly, Regula’s software is backed by its proprietary identity document template database—the world’s largest—featuring over 15,000 templates from 252 countries and territories, ensuring reliable validation at border checkpoints.

Trusted results, faster than ever

Since implementing Regula’s solutions, Ecuadorian border control authorities have noticed notable improvements:

●      Document authentication now takes minutes instead of hours.

●      Detection of forged documents has significantly increased.

●      Automation reduces human error and increases operational efficiency.

●      Officers have more time to focus on complex cases and decision-making.

“Apart from the technology upgrade and fraud detection improvement at the border crossings, our collaboration with Regula demonstrated another success. The project was fulfilled very smoothly. From the beginning, we’ve received full support from Regula’s team—they were always ready to help with any issue, even those caused by users on the ground. It’s definitely a level of service that makes a real difference,” says Diego Calderon, Chief Executive Officer at INSETK.

“Border security is where precision, speed, and trust must converge. We’re proud to support Ecuador in modernizing its checkpoints with tools that meet forensic standards while being easy to use in the field. This project shows how technology can turn critical inspection tasks from time-consuming to streamlined, without compromising security,” comments Arif Mamedov, CEO at Regula Forensics, Inc.