Our new baby is doing very well.
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We're getting to your messages. Thanks for your patience🙏
Our Ecuador Residency Visa Calculator helps you quickly determine which temporary residency visas you may be eligible for. Try it out below, it should only take 30 seconds!
Start by answering the first question. Your response will determine the next question, and so on. Continue answering the questions until you've established which visas may apply to you.
It should only take you 30 seconds to 1 minute to run through the questions & determine your eligibility.
We've focused on the 5 visas that are most popular with expats moving to Ecuador. These are:
There are other visa types such as student and volunteer visas that we have not included. Feel free to get in contact with us if you'd like to enquire about your eligibility for these other visa types.
Absolutely not. This visa calculator is designed to give you an idea of the types of visas you MAY be eligible for. We've covered the main visa requirements, but we always suggest contacting a visa facilitator if you have any questions about your specific circumstances. You can contact us if you'd like a facilitator recommendation.
Yes, this calculator uses Ecuador's updated visa rules from 2021 & 2022 (but more changes are expected). We'll continue to make sure the calculator is updated with any major new updates.
Did you find this residency visa calculator useful? Awesome, please let us know in the comments below. Hated it? That's great feedback too - please share your thoughts on how it can be improved.
I'm interested in the requirements for applying for a permanent residency visa after having a temporary residency visa for two years. Any changes here?
Hey Dave - yes, there is one very substantial change that still needs to be confirmed. I suggest reading this article about the visa changes: "If you want to apply for permanent residency, it currently is not clear how long you need to spend in Ecuador on your temporary visa. In particular, there is confusion as to whether you can spend any time outside of Ecuador at all. There is a new regulation expected to the passed during May 2021 that will address this."
Right now, we've heard reports from many migracion offices that if you spend even 1 day outside of Ecuador during your temporary residency, then you are not eligible for permanent residency and will need to renew your temporary residency. We're waiting for updated regulations that will confirm this one way or another.
Hi Jason.
Do you happen to know what the new travel rules are now, regarding renewal of temporary visas (to temporary or permanent)? Also, it used to be that one could renew a few months before expiration. Any info on that? Thank you!
I am Italian permanent residence. But I live in Bangladesh now and I receive equivalent of $1000 range in Bangladesh so how I proof for ecuadorian rent visa. please help me advise.
We've covered the requirements for the Rentista Visa in this article. Feel free to reach out if you have any remaining questions after reading this article. We do work with a respected visa facilitator should you need assistance obtaining your visa.
This is in reply to Dave. Have you figured out what is required for your permanent visa yet? The site has not updated since the new changes as of May. My 21 months will be up soon and am just putting together documents as we speak. I have been in and out of Ecuador several times over the last 18 months, approx 30 days total so well under the 90 days a year as per last ruling i read (could be changed again who knows) . I cannot find some answers though. like
-Do I have to re-submit Canadian fingerprints from canada again
- Do i have to re-submit canadian marriage certificate legalized again
- Do I have to re submit my old Canadian Divorce certificate again
All those documents were submitted back in January 2020 for temp visa and will be very hard to get again and legalized and signed by Ecuador embassy because of covid.
Hey John - this still hasn't been clarified. Right now, if you spend even one day outside of Ecuador during your temporary residency, Migracion will most likely deny your application for permanent residency. Rather than waiting and hoping the law is clarified in your favor, it might be worthwhile looking at renewing your temporary residency for another 2 years. The requirements for renewing a temporary residency visa are less onerous than your original application. Feel free to send a message to our visa facilitator here if you'd like assistance sorting this out for you.
I intend to ship all my stuff in a 20' container to Ecuador. I will likely use the property (to be) purchased for the investor visa. In order to get the container into Ecuador without paying taxes on the contents, I understand that I need to already have a residency visa. So, that would be the order? Buy the house using a Power of Attorney, get the residency visa, ship the container, fly there, take up residency, use a utility bill to open a bank account. Does that sound doable? How long would it take for you to obtain my residency visa once initiated (after the property closes)? If this order is wrong please let me know. Thanks. - Jim from Phoenix
Hey Jim - thanks for your comment (and for buying us a coffee tree - very kind of you). Yes, the order of your plan makes sense. But, my biggest concern is your property purchase. It sounds like you're potentially buying it sight-unseen? I'd normally suggest renting in the same area as you're considering buying for at least 6 months first. Rents are cheap, but it can be very difficult to sell a property (it's very different to the US). Perhaps a safer option for you is to open a Certificate of Deposit (CD) at a bank or co-operativa here and get 8+% interest on this.
But, to answer your question, it would take us approx 3 weeks to arrange your investor visa once you have the property deed registered in your name.
If you wanted to visit Ecuador first, you can visit for 180 days with minimal difficulty or cost (90 days on initial entry + 90 days with a tourist visa extension). Hope this helps. Feel free to sing out if you have any other questions (or you can also contact us).
Hi Jason,
Congratulations on the birth of your baby!
Thanks for all the great information on this site.
I’m married to an Ecuadorian citizen from Tena/Napo.
He has been living in the US with me for over 10 years and also has US citizenship.
We mostly have been living in the US these past 10 years but the last three years we have traveling a lot back to Ecuador where his family has an Ecolodge. (They are a shamanic family that has a healing center).
For him it’s no problem but for me it has become an issue with only 90 days per year.
Here is my question...
- I incorrectly calculated my stays over the past 2 1/2 years based on a calendar year instead of a rolling year without realizing it. Reading your blog on Visa’s made me realize my error.
So, in 2019 I overstated by 28 days over several trips, but I didn’t realize it. When I returned in 2020, no one mentioned it. I stayed 87 days.
I was there this past summer and no one mentioned it and I will be returning again this October.
I hope they don’t see it retroactively.
Do you think that I’m at risk of a retroactive penalty when I return?
Hey Laura. Thank you. The baby has been quite the rollercoaster so far. I don't think you'll have an issue as you didn't have a problem when you last entered Ecuador (and you left without overstaying). If you want to be 100%, then you could always have your spouse's family check with immigration (give them a copy of your passport).
Ps - the healing centre of your spouse's family sounds quite interesting. Michelle and I do occasionally practice traditional medicine, so feel free to ping me the details and we may be able to check it out.
Hi, it is confusing that you say only 400 per month income is required for residency. Elsewhere, I read that the minimum income requirement is 800. can you clarify???
Hey Sky. $800 is the old requirement. This was updated to $400 in Feb 2021. You're reading old information is all 🙂
Hi Scott, My understanding is that as a Permanment Investor resident it is not sufficient to just have fixed bank deposits of some amount but also regualar (i.e. every month an amount greater than the min basic salary?) for 12 months. My problem is that although I have an average of a far greater amount there are two months when I didn't get actual payments. My average monthly deposits over the past 13 months is in excess of $5,000. But the rule appears to be "must have regular and continous for each month? Do you see a problem?
If you are 64, receiving SSDI, would that type of income qualify for a retirement visa?
PS. Note I'm not yet eligible for SSDI to turn to full retirement till age 67.
I have a university degree but I wma not working right now. Might I be eligiable for a professional visa?
Jason. Thank you for your great expats Ecuador. But now January 2022 is the time to update. Why so slow?
Thank you (I think...) We update whenever there's been a substantial change in the law. Feel free to let us know any changes you think we've missed.
My wife and I are considering full retirement in ecuador. As an amateur cyclist, I would like to know is it possible to rent a place with a garage and or space to do work? That is reasonable?
Hola Ryan. Of course, you'll be able to find somewhere to rent with a garage and or workshed. As with most cities, you'll have more options for green space etc the further from the center you're prepared to live. View our current Cuenca properties to rent.