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If you have a remote job with a contract, Ecuador’s “Digital Nomad Visa” is now an attractive option.
Neil Olsen, the Minister of Tourism, proposed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs create a ‘Nomad Visa’ in 2021. There were some teething issues, but this visa type has now become a viable option.
- No income stuck in investments
- No education requirement
- Flexibility to spend time outside of Ecuador
CONS
- It is not an option for those who do not have an employment contract.
- Relatively new visa requirements may be variable or confusing.
Digital Nomad Visa Requirements:
Digital Nomad Visa Costs:
This visa is relatively easy to apply for. Many friends who work remotely have successfully obtained this visa. One of the main difficulties has been ensuring the Ministry accepted their employment contracts.
Also, I’ve seen issues with the Ministry accepting the modality letter. You can apply for the visa yourself, or you can hire someone like Expat Law Group to assist with the process.
The income must be in your bank account and the minimum monthly income amount is currently $1380. Just note that this value is pegged to Ecuador’s basic salary, which tends to change slightly each year.
Proving your bank income is straightforward. It is one of the only documents that does not need to be apostilled, you just have to download it from your computer.
Are you a digital nomad and have your own business?
This is perhaps still the most frustrating part of applying for this visa. Because the visa is still relatively new, the Ministry may apply a strict interpretation of the laws and deny your application.
However, it is possible. You must prove some additional requirements like you are the owner of a registered company.
But what happens with the employment contract and the Modality Letter?
One problem that seems to have gone unnoticed is that it can be weird having an employment contract in your name (as the employer) with yourself as an employee. I don’t know many digital nomads who treat themselves as their own employee.
If you fit into this category, I suggest looking at the Rentista or Investment Visa categories. These have the same income requirements, but can be easier for your application to be accepted.
In short, this visa has many positive sides for remote employees. Ecuador remains a popular digital nomad destination due to its low cost of living, abundant coworking options, and numerous hiking and other outdoor adventure options.
Are you a digital nomad in Ecuador?
Feel free to join our Digital Nomad Ecuador FB Group. Or, if you need help with this or any other visa, consider using someone like this.
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Main image: Clave.com.ec
I am someone who meets all financial requirements but want to cut the red tape. I am Mike"my namesake want to spend 6 months in NY" my home" and 6 months in Ecuador where I already bought a place but the tourist visa is not enough.I qualify for investment visa but I could be mistaken but red tape is a lot to cut through. So I will stick with 3 months for now when I could be staying longer spending more in ECUADOR 🇪🇨
We agree Mike. This visa should provide more flexibility to those wanting to spend more than 6 months in EC without committing to the paperwork required for temporary residency.
One question would be... Do they require certain amount of actual time spent in Ecuador after getting the visa? Can I travel back and forth based on the requirements of my business and not lose the visa or missing out on the time required to become a permanent resident later on?
I cannot find much information on the Modality letter. Do you have any more information on that or some sort of example available?