34 African countries removed from Ecuador’s visa-free transit
Ecuador has revoked visa-free airport transit privileges for citizens of 45 countries, including 34 in Africa, in a major shift in immigration policy aimed at curbing irregular migration and tightening border controls.
The announcement was made by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility.
Under the new directive, travellers from these African countries will now be obligated to obtain a Visa de Transeúnte (Transit Visa) to pass through Ecuadorian airports, even if they remain within the international zone. Previously, these travellers were exempt from visa requirements so long as they did not clear immigration or customs.
African nations are disproportionately impacted by the new directive, with affected countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, and Rwanda, among others.
With 34 out of the 45 countries affected being African, the continent bears the brunt of the policy shift.
African countries have long been subjected to restrictive immigration policies. In 2024 alone, the continent lost tens of millions of euros in non-refundable visa application fees due to widespread European Union (EU) visa rejections. These high rejection rates, coupled with strict migration rules, continue to place a disproportionate burden on African travellers and further limit mobility, opportunities, and international engagement.
According to Ecuadorian authorities, the move is designed to “strengthen transit controls” and address growing security and migration-related challenges.
Ecuador has increasingly become a transit point for travellers from many from Africa and the Global South, en route to North America and Europe, with the country recently mandating that Cuban travellers obtain a transit visa when passing through the country, following intensified operations against criminal networks.
The policy is expected to disrupt travel itineraries and increase costs for many African travellers using Ecuador as a stopover. It also aligns with a global trend of tighter migration policies in response to rising international migration flows and border security concerns.
The full list of affected African countries includes:
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Egypt
- Sudan
- Ethiopia
- Eritrea
- Somalia
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Republic of Congo
- Cameroon
- Liberia
- Sierra Leone
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- The Gambia
- Senegal
- Togo
- Benin
- Mali
- Niger
- Burkina Faso
- Chad
- Central Africa Republic
- Angola
- Mozambique
- Zimbabwe
- Zambia
- Rwanda
- Burundi
- Uganda
- Algeria
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- South Sudan.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
