Pledge of the Republic of Ecuador in the framework of the IMRF

La República del Ecuador se compromete a realizar esfuerzos durante este año, con el fin de regularizar a 500.000 inmigrantes venezolanos, quienes actualmente viven en nuestro territorio; y a fortalecer la coordinación y cooperación con las agencias de las Naciones Unidas, con el fin de avanzar en la protección de los derechos humanos que se encuentran estipulados en nuestra legislación nacional, para el respeto, protección y cumplimiento efectivo de los derechos humanos de todos los migrantes, independientemente de su condición migratoria.

LAST UPDATED: 4/JUL/23

In response to the extraordinary regularization mechanism implemented by the Ecuadorian government, 144,156 foreigners have registered to access it (March 28, 2023). Of these, 45,705 have already received a visa that will allow them to remain in Ecuador and guarantee full access to their rights. 

An extraordinary regularization process was successfully implemented in Ecuador in 2021. This first process, which included migratory amnesty, registration of migrants and issuance ofVERHU visas, reached 58,425 migrants, as of November 2022, who received two-year visas that allowed them to reside, work and benefit from social policies, and effectively contribute to Ecuadorian society and economy. These visas also opened the possibility for many Venezuelans to change their migratory status depending on their economic activity, family ties or profession.

In 2022, the government of Ecuador started a new regularization process, divided into three phases. In only 3 months of operation, this process has exceeded 50% of visa issuances compared to the total number of VERHU visas corresponding to the regularization process 2019-2021. The first phase, which began in September 2022, benefits Venezuelans who entered through the official points of entry and are currently in irregular migratory status or benefited from other visa schemes. As of March 28, 2023, 139,584 Venezuelans are already registered (52.9% women, 47.1% men) and 45,705 visas (known as VIRTE) have been issued (53% women, 47% men). Moreover, 27,213 of them now have an identity card as a result of the process.

Ecuador subsidizes the cost of VIRTE visas for Venezuelans for an amount of USD 13.2 million, as of 2022. Until December 2023 it will be a value of approximately USD 70.6 million.

The next phases are planned for 2023 and will focus on citizens of other nationalities who entered Ecuador through regular points, and on Venezuelan citizens who have entered thecountry irregularly. The second phase has been convened as of March 22, 2023 (Executive Decree 698). Therefore, Ecuador's efforts to promote a policy of inclusion in favor of thepopulation in human mobility and their host communities continue.