Residency in Ecuador

Moving to Ecuador requires applying for one of the many residency visas that the country offers. Moving to Ecuador is an excellent decision if you are looking for a really cheap country, with a very high standard of living and currency security thanks to the use of the US dollar as the national currency. Moving to Ecuador for Italians is still quite simple. Ecuador is a country where it is easy to move and where it is easy to obtain temporary residence. Furthermore, Ecuadorian citizenship, a step following residency, is still a simple step to take. We remind you that moving to live or work in Ecuador requires meeting economic requirements. Obtaining residency in Ecuador allows you to obtain a residence permit for an initially determined period, in a dollarized country. Applying for a visa to stay in Ecuador is quite simple. The residence permit in Ecuador is issued on the basis of economic requirements that the applicant must be able to meet. Taking up residence in Ecuador for Italians means being able to demonstrate certain requirements of their own economic solvency, such as a fixed salary or an income of at least 1275 USD per month. Transferring residency to Ecuador also requires having clean criminal records. The Ecuadorian residence visa for Italians is obtained like almost any other visa from other countries in the region and requires a lawyer to initiate the procedure locally. There are a number of Ecuador residency visas which we will discuss later.

Moving to Ecuador: Affordable Residency, Work and Investment

Ecuador is the perfect destination for those looking for a new start with incredibly low costs and unique advantages. Obtaining residency in Ecuador is simple, both for retirees looking to enjoy a mild climate and for professionals or digital nomads looking for a life full of cultural experiences. With real estate investments starting at a fraction of the cost of Panama, Mexico or Colombia, you can easily access a residency visa and live in the heart of a natural paradise. Discover Ecuador: an affordable future full of opportunities awaits you! 🌄🏡

The Republic of Ecuador is a country in Latin America and an associate member of MERCOSUR. Located in the northwestern part of South America, it borders Colombia and Peru by land and Costa Rica by sea, its territory is divided by a volcanic section of the Andes mountain range. To the east is the dense Amazon rainforest. To the west, the Gulf of Guayaquil, bordered by the Pacific Ocean, and overlooking the incredible natural landscapes of the Galapagos Islands. Old colonial cities, multicultural communities, volcanoes and exciting flora and fauna are all in abundance. Ecuador has also been called the most biodiverse country in the world. The nation boasts the best, most sought after and refined coffee in the world, with some varieties such as de Loja and Galapagos coffee making it an extremely exclusive destination for industry experts and coffee flavor avant-garde. Ecuador is also the land from which the world's first cocoa plant originated. To date, Ecuador is the undisputed homeland of the best and most refined cocoa qualities that are used in Switzerland, France, Austria and Belgium in the chocolate industry.

Ecuador has a population of over 18,200,000. Its political capital is Quito, although its most populated city is Guayaquil, the country's financial and industrial capital. Despite being a Spanish-speaking country, there are more than 13 recognized indigenous languages. Ecuador's economy is officially dollarized; the US dollar has been the only legal tender since 2001. Ecuador has the highest rate of female entrepreneurs in Latin America and the world according to GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONITOR

Its economy is based on exports, mainly oil, but also bananas, processed fish and gold, shrimp, fish, rice, and is heavily dependent on fluctuations in commodity prices. Ecuador also has a growing tourism sector. Other relevant industries include raw materials and manufactured goods, textile manufacturing, mining and chemicals. The country has a mild climate and a diverse geography, with abundant fertile lands and plenty of investment opportunities in the agricultural sector. It offers 4 ever-persistent climates within the same territory and a very low population density, perfect for hermits.

How to take up residency in Ecuador

Moving to Ecuador is as mentioned still quite simple and recommended as a plan B. Ecuador has one of the most liberal immigration policies in the world, with almost no restrictions on settling down. An example of this are the dozens of visas designed for every social condition, economic, cultural.

The transfer to Ecuador therefore depends on you who will choose the most appropriate visa for your needs. There are several ways to become an Ecuadorian resident and the process is quite simple. While you should submit your immigrant status visa application to the Ecuadorian consulate closest to your former residence, it is in fact approved by the Ministry of Foreign Relations, so expect the approval process to take four to eight weeks. Visa applications for dependents, however, can be processed directly by the consulate once the application has been approved.

We strongly recommend that you contact one of our Ecuadorian immigration lawyers to help you navigate the visa process without mistakes and time consuming.

On February 6, 2017, Ecuador's new immigration law (Ley de Movilidad Humana) came into force. This law involves several important changes and one of them is the introduction of temporary residence visas.

You can move to Ecuador temporarily as a tourist. You can enter Ecuador as tourists with a maximum permit of 90 days. On site at the end of the 90 days, starting from day 91 it is possible to request an extension of another 90 days for a cost of 144 USD. Be careful, if you use the 90 days and that's it, at the end of the 90 days you must leave and you will not be able to return until the count resets to zero, which happens the following year, on the same first day of your first entry into the country. In the past, foreigners in Ecuador could immediately apply for a permanent resident visa, but this is no longer the case. Now everyone must first obtain a temporary residence visa valid for two years. This temporary visa can only be renewed once. After obtaining the temporary visa for 21 months, you are eligible to apply for a permanent residency visa in Ecuador which does not have an expiration date.

Holders of temporary resident visas in Ecuador can live outside the country for no more than 90 days in any 12-month period. Those with permanent resident visas are allowed out of the country for no more than 180 days total for the first two years. The law does not clarify how long permanent residents can be out of the country after the first two years have passed.

The types of visas for residence in Ecuador for Italians that you can apply for are described below and these choices are the same for both temporary and permanent visas.

Italians can easily apply for residence in Ecuador. To take up residence in Ecuador, it is necessary to decide which residence visa to apply for. There are 13 different visa options in Ecuador, but the vast majority of expats obtain residency in Ecuador on a retiree visa. This is what was previously called the 9-I , but is now the 60-III .

60-III: Retired: For expats with retirement income this is usually the preferred option for taking up residence in Ecuador, as it does not require major capital investments. You must demonstrate permanent income from a source outside Ecuador of at least Dollars-Eur $1275 per month . $500 is required for each employee. Typically, this comes from the applicant's Pension, Social Security, or Fixed Income Annuity (since the funds cannot be withdrawn once the distribution phase begins). Income from sources such as rental property or stock is not acceptable under this visa; however, such investments can be used for the 60-II (Rentista) visa.

If you are applying for an Ecuador residency visa while in the country on a T-3, that visa MUST have at least 30 days remaining at the time of application.

The requirements for obtaining a residency in Ecuador are relatively straightforward, although it's important that your attorney walks you through the process.

Below are some general requirements to keep in mind if you want to move to Ecuador:

1. Documents submitted for this process must be originals or certified copies (notarized) and must be apostilled if your home country is a signatory to the United Nations Apostille Convention (the United States is, Canada is not).
2. In the United States, the apostille stamp is affixed by the State Secretary of State office of the state where the documents are drafted. In Italy at the prefectures of the province where the documents are issued.
3. Documents must be translated into Spanish (do this after your arrival in Ecuador to avoid getting other documents apostilled).
4. You must register your home address with immigration authorities and report any change of address while living in Ecuador.

All residency applications to move to Ecuador require the submission of:

1. A completed solicitud de visa de inmigrante form for the appropriate residence type.
2. A certified copy of an up-to-date passport (make sure it doesn't expire in the next six months), with the notary certifying that its status is legally current.
3. A completed form called ¨hoja de datis para la cédula¨ (a data sheet, later used for your identity card).
4. Two current passport size photos, in color with a white background. You can easily get them once you are in Ecuador.
5. If applicable, a marriage certificate or a common law certificate. If you have a previous marriage, you will also need copies of a divorce decree or death certificate.
6. Birth certificates for the applicant and all dependents. For the visa itself these are only required for dependent children, but birth certificates for all are required to apply for your cédula (Ecuadorian identity card) after your visa has been approved. A criminal record report and pending charges. This applies to all immigrant residences (Type 9) in Ecuador. The report must be issued by the country where the visa applicant has resided for the past five years.
7. Finally, a cumulative certificate of Citizenship, Residence, Birth.

The total of Ecuador residency visas currently present are 13 .

There are numerous Ecuador residency visa options available to foreigners. Below are the most requested residence visas in Ecuador:

Retiree Visa (Pensionado): In Ecuador, a retiree visa requires the applicant to demonstrate that they have steady income from a guaranteed, reliable, lifelong source, such as from Social Security or a city/state or company pension. There is a minimum income requirement of $1275 per month for a retiree Ecuador residency visa (up from $800), plus $500 per dependent family member (up from 100) who moves to Ecuador with the principal applicant retiree.

Investor (Inversionista): Investor visas are available to people who have economic resources and assets that they will use to develop manufacturing or commercial activities. They can invest in Ecuadorian real estate or an Ecuadorian certificate of deposit at a bank for at least 100 times the Ecuadorian minimum wage. The current minimum wage in Ecuador is $425 USD per month, and therefore the current minimum investment is approximately $42,500, plus $425 USD fixed salary per month and an additional $500 per family member moving to Ecuador with the 'lead investor applicant. Therefore, in addition to investing 42,500 US dollars, it is still necessary to demonstrate a monthly income of 425 USD, equal to a basic salary.

Professional, technician, technologist or master craftsman (professional): Professionals with a 4-year degree from a recognized college or university can come to Ecuador with this visa to develop their profession, technical activity, technological activity or artisanal activity, governed according to the respective regulations that control these activities, although there is no obligation to work in Ecuador with this class of visa, as indeed many expatriates who are retired choose to move to Ecuador with this type of visa.

Independent Income/Income (Rentista): This visa applies when a person has their own resources (i.e. monthly income) brought to Ecuador from abroad. If they are generating their income from such assets or from any other legal income that comes from an external economic source, such as 'property rental income', then they are eligible for this type of visa, but as it is a new type of visa, proof of income requirements and the type of income in question are by no means set in stone, and therefore are very subject to change over time, respectively, both in terms of application and interpretation. In general we can say that all requests with values ​​higher than 1275 USD are always accepted.

Marriage or Dependent Visa (Amparo): This type of visa is for foreigners who are already married or will soon marry an Ecuadorian citizen (hence the reference to “Marriage Visa” in the title), as well as for ANY dependents of Ecuadorian residents who are relocating (or have already relocated) to Ecuador with a foreigner on one of the other visa types shown in this comprehensive list of 13 such total visa options. This type of visa (“Amparo Visa” is its full general term referring to all possible permitted classes of dependents), broadly applies to spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, siblings and domestic partners (i.e. Union de Hecho) , respectively.

Worker (Trabajador): A work visa is for someone who has been authorized to carry out paid work in an employer-employee relationship. This applies to work in the public service, work in private industry and people who are self-employed. You must be registered with the IESS.

Scientist, Researcher or Academic: This visa requires that the applicant specializes in scientific activities, such as working as a researcher or in an academic setting, and is contracted/employed by public or private entities. It also applies to a person who is part of the Ecuadorian education system who works in his area of ​​specialization. This visa can be renewed depending on the duration of the academic programme.

Athlete, artist or cultural agent: this visa applies to people hired by an Ecuadorian natural person or entity to develop activities of this type.

Religious, religious volunteer or missionary of an organization with legal authorization and duly recognized by the Ecuadorian government: The religious visa is for a person who will develop activities related to religion.

Volunteer (Volunteer): Volunteer visas apply to people who, voluntarily and altruistically, provide services to the community according to the regulations of the Human Mobility Law of Ecuador. They can work within their own means or with the support of a non-governmental organization (NGO), also known as a non-profit (or non-profit) organization.

Student (Estudiante): Student visas are for people who come to Ecuador to attend school, be it basic education, higher education, undergraduate education, or master's level education. They must be regular students in a private or public educational facility recognized by the Ecuadorian government. Student visas are also for people who come to do an internship program in Ecuador. This visa can be renewed based on the duration of the academic program.

International Convention (Convenio): This visa is for a person entering Ecuador under the umbrella of an International Convention to which Ecuador has signed and recognized (i.e. Mercosur or Unasur, and when/where applicable).

International Protection: This final visa category is for those who have been recognized by the Ecuadorian government with the status of refugee, asylum or stateless person and cannot meet any of the requirements of the aforementioned categories. These people may also be able to obtain international protection migration status in Ecuador.

Digital Nomad: A temporary residence visa through which all those who are truly digital nomads, and who therefore can receive a stable source of income from a foreign company, can temporarily establish their residence in Ecuador for a few years.

In addition to obtaining your residence in Ecuador, you will probably be interested in creating a life insurance policy on your taxation, taking up a second tax residence, in a country with territorial taxation, such as a residence in Panama or a residence in Paraguay

You'd also be tempted to find out what advantages moving to the Mexican economic giant would have, taking up residency in Mexico

To start your residence transfer procedure, contact us at info@studiopanamaitalia.com, sending us a copy of your passport, and the precise dates to start and take up residence in the country of your preference, or contact us via the contact form on this website or via whatsapp-telegram at +1 786-623-8177

The documents to apply for residency in Ecuador are for any type of visa in addition to the specific documents for each visa the following mandatory general documents:

• Birth certificate
• Cumulative certificate of citizenship-birth-family status-residence
• Judicial Records Certificate
• Certified hanging loads
• Certificate homologous to criminal record and pending charges for each country where he has been a resident or has stayed for more than 90 days in the last 5 years
• All documents must be apostilled for Ecuador
• Documents specific to the type of visa requested

The best cities to take up residence and live in Ecuador are very different from each other. Any foreigner who wants to live and move to work in Ecuador will be spoiled for choice, given the enormous amount of beautiful cities and towns where they can settle down. Definitively the most popular are in order of prevalence:

Cuenca , the capital of the province of Azuay, a city at 2600m above sea level, between the Andes, historic, clean, tidy, crossed far and wide by a river, green and culturally effervescent. You will not differentiate between Cuenca and any culturally dynamic European city. Safe, cycle and pedestrian friendly wherever you want to go. Cheap, everyone speaks English.

Quito : the capital of the Pichincha province, at 2850m above sea level, a metropolis of 2.6 million inhabitants, also historic, ancient, and culturally alive, you will have to pay more attention due to its size. Crimes common to any other large city.

Manta : coastal city in the province of Manabí, small, organized, extremely sunny, on the Pacific Ocean. You will be happy if you want friendly and compact people to do your tasks. Among the best cuisines in the country.

Guayaquil : megalopolis of the province of Guayas. It has recently suffered criminal episodes due to its strategic position between Peru and Colombia which makes it, having the largest and busiest port in the Pacific North, a necessary hub for drug trafficking of these two nations. The coastal metropolis well exceeds 2.8 million and is the most industrialized and commercial area of ​​the country. It is definitely the city where a European can least easily adapt to living, due to the exaggerated dimensions, the massive and compulsory use of the car, the enormous differences between the sectors, from areas such as Samborondon, defined as the most luxurious neighborhood in Ecuador , to areas like Durán, the most dangerous neighborhood in Ecuador.

Security in Ecuador has never been a problem. For over 30 years Ecuador was the most peaceful and safest country in Latin America. Since 2017, the country has suffered a localized escalation of criminal acts due to the arrival of Mexican drug trafficking. Security in Ecuador is being put to the test by the presence of gangs that want to divide up the drug trafficking territory. In particular there are two groups of Mexican narco families. The Sinaloa Cartel and the Gulf Cartel. Both opened friendship and came to terms with the local crime, which was much reduced, but rising to a criminal level with training and weapons of war. The reason is the perfect geographical position of Guayaquil, the industrial and port capital of the country, between Peru, a cocaine producer in the VRAEM and Colombia, a well-known cocaine producer in the Colombian Andean cordillera. The only outlet for cocaine is Guayaquil. The state then engaged in a head-on fight. The damage and any social dynamics are strictly sectoralized, so when you listen to news about Ecuador and the security of Ecuador, and the criminal acts in Guayaquil, these are 100% caused in areas where no foreigners or high class citizens media lives and perhaps doesn't even know it. It is important to say this to escape from the usual misinforming catastrophism of the Italian and European media in general which in a few seconds would like to clarify these localized phenomena inherent to geopolitical dynamics where supranational interests of other countries and forces clash.