EcuadorVisa-free Ecuador raises short-stay visa waiver request at EU-Ecuador meeting
Ecuador's request for a short-stay visa waiver agreement with the EU was discussed at an interparliamentary meeting in Brussels on 15 October 2026. No decision or timeline has been announced.
Ecuador asked the European Union to consider a short-stay visa waiver agreement during an interparliamentary meeting held in Brussels on 15 October 2026. The European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the Countries of the Andean Community (DAND) hosted the talks, which also covered trade, security cooperation and elections. No decision on the visa request has been announced.
Key facts
- The meeting took place in Brussels on 15 October 2026
- It was hosted by the European Parliament's DAND delegation with Ecuador
- Ecuador requested a short-stay visa waiver agreement with the EU
- The next Interparliamentary Meeting is planned for Quito in 2027
What did Ecuador ask for?
Participants discussed what the European Parliament described as the Ecuadorian request for a short-stay visa waiver agreement. The request concerns short stays in the EU for Ecuadorian travellers.
The published account of the meeting does not record any agreement, decision, timetable or conditions attached to the request. It also gives no details on which nationalities or traveller categories such a waiver would cover, or how long stays would be permitted.
What else was discussed?
Talks covered the state of EU-Ecuador political and economic relations, trade ties under a decade-old trade agreement and the recently concluded Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA).
Participants also addressed cooperation against organised crime and drug trafficking, including EU support through programmes such as COPOLAD, EL PACTO, EUROFRONT and the Europol partnership, with emphasis on human rights, the rule of law and civil society engagement. The meeting further looked at follow-up to the EU Election Observation Mission's recommendations after Ecuador's 2025 elections.
What this means for travellers
Nothing changes for travellers at this stage. The visa waiver was raised as a request during parliamentary discussions, and the source reports no outcome. Ecuadorian passport holders and other travellers should continue to check current EU short-stay visa requirements before booking.
What happens next
The next Interparliamentary Meeting between the two sides is scheduled to take place in Quito in 2027. No further dates or decisions on the visa waiver request have been published.