US Military Staff Can Now Enter Ecuador Without a Visa or Permit
The rule replaces the special-permit system introduced in 2024 and puts US defence staff on a dedicated migration register. The post US Military Staff Can Now Enter Ecuador Without a Visa or Permit appeared first on The Rio Times .
A recent ministerial order in Ecuador has eliminated the need for US military personnel, Defense Department civilians, and contractors to obtain visas or special permits for entry into the country. This change, published in the Registro Oficial on August 18, 2026, modifies the regulations governing temporary entry and stay for these individuals under the existing bilateral Status of Forces Agreement.
The updated agreement supersedes previous guidelines from 2024 that required additional authorization steps. Instead, a dedicated migration register will be used to track travel, with the purpose marked as SOFA (Special Operations Forces Agreement). Covered US personnel must present a valid passport or official US government identification, along with a collective movement order or an individual travel order issued by the US Department of Defense.
This arrangement allows covered personnel to stay in Ecuador for up to 180 days per calendar year, with non-renewable entries and multiple entries permitted within that limit. The privileges, exemptions, and immunities granted to these individuals are equivalent to those of a diplomatic mission's administrative and technical staff, as per the 1961 Vienna Convention.
The ministerial agreement, rather than a law or presidential decree, is an implementing measure for the bilateral agreement and can be amended or withdrawn by the Interior Ministry without congressional involvement.
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