Ecuador Suspends Visa Waiver for Chinese Nationals Due to Unprecedented Increase in Travelers from China
In 2023, Chinese nationals entered Ecuador 48,381 times but only exited 24,240 times, as reported by official government data. Ecuador has suspended a visa waiver agreement with China due to a significant increase in migratory flows from China.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador mentioned in a social media post on June 19 that there was an unexpected rise in the number of Chinese nationals entering the country lately. Approximately 50% of these individuals exceeded the 90-day permitted stay or left through irregular means.
Ecuador was one of the two mainland countries in the Americas that allowed visa-free entry for Chinese nationals, with the other being Suriname.
According to the Niskanen Center, Chinese nationals entered Ecuador 48,381 times in 2023 but only exited 24,240 times based on official entry/exit data provided by the Ecuadorian government. This resulted in an entry/exit difference of 24,141, the highest among all nationalities.
The Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry announced that the suspension of the visa waiver agreement with China would commence on July 1, without specifying an end date for the suspension.
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The newly-elected president of Panama, José Mulino, has promised to shut down the Darien Gap route for illegal migrants. He will assume office on July 1 for a five-year term.
After winning the election in May, Mr. Mulino stated in a radio interview, “When repatriation starts here, those attempting to arrive will think twice as they won’t have an easy entry and will be sent back to their home countries.”
Last year, half a million migrants journeyed through the perilous jungle terrain to reach migrant camps in Panama operated by NGOs and the United Nations.
U.S. border authorities have detained 48,500 illegal or inadmissible Chinese nationals in the seven months from October 1, 2023, according to Customs and Border Protection data, including over 7,400 entering through the northern U.S. border.
The number of arrests of illegal immigrant Chinese nationals surged from 554 in fiscal year 2020 to 52,700 in fiscal year 2023.
Lin Yan contributed to this report.
