Ecuador’s decision to temporarily suspend the visa waiver agreement with China entered into force on July 1, 2024.
This implies that starting today, Chinese nationals are required to obtain a visa before entering Ecuador’s territory, VisaGuide.World reports.
First announced by the Ecuador Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility on June 18, such a measure was taken citing “irregular migratory flows”.
More specifically, Ecuador authorities said that numerous Chinese visitors have not left the country before the end of the required 90-day period, whereas some others have used Ecuador as a transit pathway to other destinations.
As cited by Reuters, the ministry said that over 66,000 Chinese visitors reached Ecuador during 2023 and 2024, while only 34,200 were registered as leaving the country. This means that some 32,000 have not been registered as departing Ecuador.
In recent months, there has been a worrying increase in the migratory flows from China, and, additionally, approximately 50 percent of these entries have not left through regular routes and within the time established by law. For this reason, they would be in the country in an irregular migration situation or would have left through irregular routes to other destinations in the Hemisphere.
As further noted, some Chinese citizens entering the country aim to reach the US, mainly through the Darien Gap.
China Firmly Denounces Human Smuggling, Chinese Official States
The reciprocal agreement on visa waiver between China and Ecuador was reached in 2016. Since then, it has contributed significantly in the cooperation between two countries, according to Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.
The Chinese official, as cited by Reuters, further said that China firmly denounces all forms of human smuggling.
The agreement on mutual visa exemption between China and Ecuador, since it took effect in August 2016, has played an important and positive role in promoting cross-border travel and practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries.
Moreover, in May 2024, the Chinese authorities expressed willingness to continue the dialogue about immigration enforcement with the US and take back individuals verified as Chinese nationals, as reported by the Associated Press.
Chinese Passport Holders Can Travel Visa-Free to Only 49 Countries
With Ecuador reinstating visa requirements, Chinese citizens currently can travel without visas to only 49 countries worldwide.
Moreover, the VisaGuide Passport Index indicates that the Chinese passport is ranked 117th as of July 1. This implies that holders of such a passport are required to obtain a traditional visa for 116 countries in addition to Ecuador.