The EU Parliament postpones voting on Ecuador's exemption from the Schengen Visa requirement

The vote on the proposal to remove the requirement for Ecuadorian natives to get a Schengen visa has been postponed, according to the announcement from the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The plenary session of the EU Parliament on the Commission's proposal to no longer require Ecuadorians to apply for a Schengen visa when entering the bloc has been postponed for this week.

The Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the delay by stating that they are still waiting for the procedures to be finished while also highlighting their hope to advance so that their residents can travel to the EU without a visa.

"In the last few hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility has learned that the vote on the issue, which was to take place next week, has been postponed."  The statement from Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs adds, "We are still awaiting the European parliamentary procedures and we hope to make progress on this important issue."

The Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also declared on Friday that numerous members of the parliament are the subject of an investigation.

Swiss Info reports that a vote on the proposal to free Ecuadorian nationals from the need for a Schengen visa while traveling to the EU is anticipated on December 14 or December 15. The MEPs will also vote on the Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman Schengen visa waiver during the same plenary session.

It was previously reported that Ecuador anticipates a favorable resolution in the situation. Juan Carlos Holgun, Ecuador's minister of foreign affairs, noted earlier in November that the removal of the Schengen visa requirement would be a significant step in this process and that it is vital for Ecuador.

Ecuador's citizens must apply for a visa before traveling to the EU because the two parties have not yet reached an agreement on a visa waiver.

A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that enables travellers to enter any member state of the Schengen Area for stays of up to 90 days within 180 days for both leisure and business travel.

There are a number of documents that applicants for a Schengen tourist visa must present. A completed Schengen visa application form, a passport, two pictures, an invitation letter, a roundtrip itinerary reservation, proof of travel health insurance, proof of accommodation, and financial documentation are required of all applicants.

Depending on the applicants' job position, additional documents can also be needed.

By fLEXI tEAM