Ecuador Reinstates Visa Requirement for Chinese Travelers

Ecuador's foreign ministry announced the reinstatement of a visa requirement for travelers from China due to an increase in irregular migratory flows. The previous agreement, which waived the visa requirement, was suspended after many Chinese travelers overstayed the permitted 90-day period and failed to exit on time.

Ecuador's foreign ministry on Tuesday said that it was effectively reinstating a visa requirement for travelers from China, citing an increase in irregular migratory flows from the Asian nation.

The ministry, in a statement posted on social media, said that it was suspending an agreement with China which had waived the requirement for travelers to obtain a visa. The ministry said that many Chinese travelers had overstayed the permitted 90-day period, with some potentially using Ecuador as a stepping stone to reach other destinations in the hemisphere.

The ministry said that in recent months, nearly half of visitors from the country did not exit through regular routes on time.