Foreigners residing in Ecuador must register in the Permanent Migration Registry, a document issued by the Ecuadorian government to count the number of people who have entered the country to stay temporarily or permanently.
The registry also includes those who “pose a threat or risk to public security and the structure of the Ecuadorian state.”
The permanent migration registry is intended to ensure that all foreign citizens are included in the databases of state institutions responsible for security.
According to the Ministry of Interior, this document does not replace a visa, as each citizen must go through the appropriate procedures depending on their migration status.
The procedure for obtaining the residence permit for migrants will begin on Sep. 1, 2022, and the timetable set by the Ministry of Interior includes the dates by which Venezuelan foreigners must complete the procedure.
On Sep. 1, Venezuelan nationals and their family members who have declared entry at an official checkpoint can begin the registration process.
On the other hand, citizens of different nationalities who also entered through an official migration checkpoint will be able to register to start on Nov. 16.
Venezuelan nationals who entered the country irregularly will be able to register to start on Feb. 17, 2023.
According to Ecuador’s migration website, registration is a “sine qua non for claiming a migration amnesty and accessing a temporary residence application process with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility.
MIGRATION IN ECUADOR
In 2022, more than 1.2 million people of all nationalities entered Ecuador from around the world, according to official migration statistics. More than 695,000 came to stay in the country, and more than 380,000 entered as tourists.
Americans recorded the highest number of arrivals, with more than 239,000 travelers, of whom nearly 60,000 came to stay in the country.
Of the total number of arrivals in 2022, only 10,038 were Venezuelan nationals – almost as many as Argentines who entered the country.
This figure shows that the number of Venezuelan foreigners entering the country has decreased significantly. In 2017, for example, 286,689 people entered the country.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 508,935 Venezuelans live in Ecuador. Most of them are classified as displaced persons, with more than 4,200 applying for asylum and 798 having refugee status.
Of the Colombians, 54,491 are refugees, and 2,719 are asylum seekers.
In addition, there are refugees and asylum seekers from Cuba (280), Syria (157), Afghanistan (147), Yemen (129), Peru (90), Iran (72), Iraq (55), and other countries.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, refugees are people who have crossed an international border because they are at risk of persecution or have been persecuted in their country of origin.
The UN Refugee Agency defines an asylum seeker as someone seeking international protection.
According to Ecuadorian regulations, a foreign national may stay in the country for 90 days from the date of their first entry into Ecuadorian territory. This period may be extended for an additional ninety days upon payment of one-third of the uniform basic salary, which this year is US$425.
For citizens from Mercosur countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, the permitted period of stay is 180 days.
Foreigners who need a visa to enter Ecuador must apply for one through Ecuador’s consular missions abroad before entering the country.