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The Government of Ecuador, in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, and the Directorate of Civil Registry and Identification, launched a plan to legalize the immigration status of at least 324,000 Venezuelans who have entered the country by June 1, 2022.
“Here I am” is the slogan of the regularization process. Migrants who have entered Ecuador through an official migration control point, that is, by air, sea or land, in a regular manner, will be able to obtain a Temporary Residency Visa for Venezuelan Citizens (Virte).
With this document, foreigners may obtain residency for two years, in addition to other benefits.
Venezuelans who have entered through irregular passages must wait until February 17, 2023 to start their regularization process.
Ecuador is the third country in Latin America with the highest number of Venezuelan migrants. According to official figures, there are 513,900 as of June 2022.
First steps
To obtain this type of visa, the individual must complete three steps:
1. Registration – Starting September 1, 2022 2.
A registration process will be initiated by the Ministry of the Interior, which will be published through the official website. First, the migrant must register online and then continue the process in person at the points set up by the Ministry of the Interior nationwide. At the end of the process, a Certificate of Registration of Migratory Permanence will be issued.
2. Regularization – Starting October 1, 2022
After registration, you must start the visa process on the official website (available soon). This process will be virtual and can only be initiated after successful registration with the Ministry of the Interior. You will need the registration number that appears on the Certificate of Registration of Migratory Stay.
3. Identification/ID Cards – As of November 1, 2022
Upon receipt of the Virte visa and the ID card order, the person must make an appointment online at the Civil Registry website to obtain the ID document.
Is there any cost?
The petition form has a cost of $50 and $10 for the ID card order. Senior citizens will have a 50% discount and for people with disabilities over 30% it will be free of charge, as well as for unaccompanied children.
How long will the process take?
Executive Decree No. 436 of June 1, 2022 foresees that the regularization process for Venezuelan citizens with regular income will last 12 months starting on August 15, 2022, that is, it will be extended until August 15, 2023.
The process begins with registration before the Ministry of the Interior and continues with the application, issuance of visa, and identification order before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility.
The process ends with the identification phase, through the issuance of the identity card before the General Directorate of Civil Registry, Identification and ID Cards. The Ecuadorian State has worked to make this process agile, virtual and simplified.
To learn about the government regulations that allow this process to be carried out, click here.
