Getting a passport in Ecuador goes through an awkward moment. After paying its value online, it is necessary to make an appointment for the registry office to issue it and therein lies the problem reported by users: the days are full until May 2022, and for later dates the option is blocked or disabled.

For citizens who are not on call, but have emergencies, for the sake of health, study, work and/or education, there is a possibility of emergency call.

The civil registry will increase 550,000 shifts for identity cards and passports; harassment of citizens still exists

The civil registry reported that 1,000 passports are issued daily at the Guayaquil agency, and that 75,000 travel documents have been issued nationally by February 27. However, the data does not satisfy users who do not make an appointment, and even more so when they come across processors outside the passport office who offer them a place for $200, plus the $90 the document says.

This is also extortion. Controls must be strengthened to prevent processors from monopolizing new or regular shifts. Those who carry out a personal process cannot be influenced without taking advantage of the need and service of the state.

“I’m not leaving here without my passport”: Citizens in Guayaquil complain of problems obtaining or renewing documents

The next “turn” of the solution must be assigned to the authorities so that the citizens are not exposed to this kind of external robbery; so that processors are not given the opportunity to exploit the unmet need and discover who is behind these illegal actions.

In addition, it must be investigated how the processors approach the duty hours that are denied to citizens.

And no less important is to correct the lack of a date in the agenda for the removal or renewal of a document that is known to have an expiration day, month, and year. The objections are not new, they have been going on since last year, and that is why it is strange that no permanent solutions have been reached.

Thus, citizens’ trust in their institutions continues to be lost. The components deserve better treatment. (OR)