Ecuador Introduces New Visa Requirement for Nationals from 40 Countries
Ecuador will implement a Temporary Transit Visitor Visa on September 1st for nationals from approximately forty countries who currently need a visa to enter. This announcement was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility on Saturday, reports 24brussels.
The new regulation aligns with the Organic Law of National Solidarity, which revised Article 66 of the Organic Law of Human Mobility. Affected nationals will include those from countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, India, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Nepal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, North Korea, Senegal, Syria, Sri Lanka, and Somalia.
Additional countries affected by this requirement include Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Haiti, Mali, Ivory Coast, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Albania, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, and China.
Applicants must complete the process from outside Ecuador, utilizing the official services website. The application will incur a fee of 50 dollars, while the Temporary Transit Visitor Visa will cost 30 dollars.
The Ecuadorian government emphasized that this measure aims to enhance national security and immigration control. The Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Ecuador’s commitment to upholding human rights and adhering to existing legal frameworks.
This visa initiative arrives amidst broader discussions on immigration policies globally, reflecting ongoing challenges in managing border security and the dynamics of international mobility.