Ecuador will require transit visa to Cubans from this month

From this month, Ecuador has announced a measure that further complicates trips for Cubans: now it will be mandatory to request a transit visa to go through its territory, even if it is only a scale.

This decision affects citizens from 45 countries, but the impact on Cubans is particularly strong, given the frequent use of Ecuador as a migratory route or connection point.

What is the transit visa that Ecuador demands?

The transit visa, for Cubans in Ecuador, is a temporary permit that is granted to people who will make a scale in a country before continuing to their final destination. Until now, many Cubans used Ecuador as a bridge to reach other countries in South America or Central America, without formally entering. This ease has just disappeared.

To obtain this visa, documents that demonstrate the continuity of the trip must be presented and ensure that the person will not remain in Ecuador. The procedures will be carried out before the Ecuadorian Embassy in Havana, located in Miramar.

What countries are affected by this new demand?

In addition to Cuba, Ecuador included in his list countries such as Afghanistan, Venezuela, Haiti, China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt, and many others. This list coincides with that of nations whose citizens already needed visa to enter the country, therefore, this new layer of restriction is now added.

Statement | Government strengthens migratory control. pic.twitter.com/cyjKSyv4O0

– Foreign Ministry of Ecuador ?? (@cancileriaec) June 8, 2025

Why does Ecuador impose this measure?

The Ecuadorian government has justified the measure with national security arguments. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, this policy seeks to combat transnational organized crime, especially people trafficking and migrants traffic.

Since January 2024, Ecuador has been in a state of «internal armed conflict», declared by President Daniel Noboa. This enables the State to use more forceful tools against criminal gangs, many of them with international ramifications.

What is the relationship with organized crime?

The country has been a recent scenario of operations against networks of sexual exploitation and drug trafficking, where both Ecuadorians and foreigners have been involved. This hardening of border controls is part of a strategy to prevent criminals from taking advantage of migratory routes to operate unpunished.

For many Cubans, Ecuador has been an accessible exit, both to emigrate and to buy merchandise or visit relatives. Now, this destination moves further away, and with it, the plans of thousands of families are increasing and complicated.