Ecuador: immigration

How many refugees and Venezuelans live in Ecuador?

Ecuador had recognised 78,629 refugees in total by December 2024, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, as reported on the UNHCR data portal, which lists 67,400 as active. The same page gives 444,778 refugees and migrants from Venezuela in Ecuador at the end of 2024.

UNHCR's population statistics for the end of 2025 show 26,428 refugees and 8,571 asylum seekers, plus 432,888 other people in need of international protection. The figures differ because they use different definitions and dates. Most of Ecuador's recognised refugees came from Colombia.

Official sources: UNHCR data portal · population statistics

Who needs a visa to visit Ecuador?

Citizens of 45 countries need a visa to enter Ecuador, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility. They include China, Cuba, India, Venezuela, Vietnam, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Nationals of countries not on the list can enter as tourists without a visa. The ministry also notes that Haitian nationals must complete a tourist registration before travelling. Visas, including electronic visas, are handled by the ministry's visa and naturalisation office; information on visa types is on its visas page. Entry and exit controls at the border are run by the Ministry of the Interior's migration department.

Official sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility · visas page

How many people leave and enter Ecuador each year?

Ecuador recorded 3,126,192 international arrivals and 3,139,329 departures in 2025, according to the INEC's international arrivals and departures statistics. Departures of foreigners exceeded their arrivals by 29,907, while arrivals of Ecuadorians exceeded departures by 16,770.

The figures count border crossings, not people, so one person can travel several times. According to the INEC's main results, tourism was the reason given for 75.7% of Ecuadorians' departures and residence for 11.2%. The United States was the main destination (29.8% of departures), followed by Peru (19.6%), Colombia (17.1%) and Spain (5.4%). The data come from the Ministry of the Interior's migration control units.

Official sources: international arrivals and departures statistics · main results

How many people seek asylum in Ecuador?

9,745 new asylum applications were lodged in Ecuador in 2025, according to UNHCR's asylum statistics. At the end of 2025 there were 8,571 asylum seekers waiting for a decision, up from 7,023 a year earlier, according to UNHCR's population figures.

By country of origin, Venezuelans made up 5,267 of the pending asylum seekers and Colombians 2,993. Colombians are the largest group of recognised refugees, with 22,420 of the 26,428 counted by UNHCR. UNHCR counts a further 432,888 Venezuelans as other people in need of international protection, outside the asylum system.

Official sources: UNHCR's asylum statistics · population figures · country of origin

How many Ecuadorians have sought asylum abroad?

122,060 asylum seekers and 5,723 refugees from Ecuador were living in other countries at the end of 2025, according to UNHCR's population statistics.

Almost all were in the United States, which had 113,622 Ecuadorian asylum seekers and 4,369 refugees, followed by Mexico (1,481 asylum seekers) and Canada (1,003). Asylum seekers are people whose claims had not been decided at the end of the year. UNHCR compiles the figures from host governments' data, so they cover only people in the asylum system, not all Ecuadorian emigrants.

Official sources: UNHCR's population statistics · 113,622 Ecuadorian asylum seekers and 4,369 refugees

How many immigrants live in Ecuador?

The latest figure from the UN Population Division, for 2024, is 4.1%. In 2015 the figure was 2.0%. Latin America & Caribbean median: 4.8%; Ecuador is 22nd highest of 33. Worldwide: 101st of 193.

How many people move to Ecuador each year?

The UN Population Division puts net migration in Ecuador at -17,219 in 2025. The peak was 95,482 in 2018 and the low -28,503 in 2021. Latin America & Caribbean median: -967; Ecuador is 26th highest of 33. Worldwide: 149th of 193.

How many refugees does Ecuador host?

According to UNHCR, the number of refugees in the country in Ecuador was 26,428 in 2025. Since 2005 it has ranged from 10,046 (2005) to 264,868 (2007). Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 1,306, and Ecuador placed 4th highest of 28. World rank, highest first: 77th of 169.

How many refugees come from Ecuador?

In 2025, the number of refugees from the country living abroad in Ecuador was 5,723, according to UNHCR. That is the highest since at least 2005. Latin America & Caribbean median: 710; Ecuador is 12th highest of 33. Worldwide: 74th of 189.

How much money do migrants send home to Ecuador?

5.9% of GDP: that is personal remittances received in Ecuador for 2025, according to the World Bank. Its high point since 2005 was 2007, at 6.7% of GDP; its low point was 2014, at 2.4% of GDP. It is 7th highest of 27 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 3.3% of GDP. Worldwide: 33rd of 127.