This marks a major shift in the country’s immigration policy and is expected to affect thousands of international travelers who use Ecuadorian airports as transit points to other destinations across the Americas and beyond.
Ecuador has abruptly ended visa-free airport transit for nationals of 45 countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, India, and China, requiring them to obtain a Transit Visa (Visa de Transeúnte) even for layovers without exiting the airport. The policy, confirmed by immigration authorities and reported by TravelBiz, takes immediate effect, marking a significant tightening of the country’s immigration rules.
Affected Countries (Partial List):
Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Libya, Mali.
Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Afghanistan, Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka.
Middle East: Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Iran.
Latin America: Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic.