Ecuador Opens Doors: New Beginnings for Venezuelan Migrants

On Friday, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa issued a decree granting an eight-month migration amnesty to Venezuelans.

This initiative targets Venezuelan nationals and their families who haven’t secured the Temporary Exceptional Residence Visa (VIRTE) and hold an expired Migration Permanence Registration Certificate.

Launched as a part of ongoing efforts since 2022, the program aims to seamlessly integrate Venezuelan migrants into Ecuadorian society.

The decree stipulates that identity documents expired up to five years ago are still valid for the regularization process.

The Interior Ministry will facilitate an exceptional registration to renew these certificates and to issue the new VIRTE II Visa.

Applicants for VIRTE II will receive a free application form, although they must pay for the visa and the registration order. This visa remains valid for two years and is extendable for an additional two-year period.

The Foreign Ministry, with the Strategic Intelligence Center and the National Police’s Intelligence Directorate, will screen applicants for security risks.

Venezuela’s ongoing crisis has driven nearly 97,000 Venezuelans in Ecuador to seek regularized status.

Compared to Colombia’s 1.7 million, Peru has 1.2 million, Chile 455,000, Brazil 261,000, and Argentina 175,000.

This policy helps migrants and boosts Ecuador’s social and economic landscape, showcasing the benefits of effective migration policies.

Ecuador Opens Doors: New Beginnings for Venezuelan Migrants