Visa Information
1. Most nationalities a get free 90-day tourist visa on arrival in Ecuador. See this page: https://www.gob.ec/mremh/tramites/concesion-visa-visitante-temporal-trista-90-dias
For updated information see this page: https://expatsecuador.com/visas/ecuador-visa-requirements/
2023 updates: https://www.ecuaassist.com/2023-temporary-and-permanent-visa-ecuador
2. To get an additional 90-day extension read our page here on how to get a tourist visa extension in Ecuador
3. To obtain a long-term visa: The first step is to obtain temporary residency for 2 years (see below). After 2 years with a temporary visa, you may obtain permanent residency, which is valid indefinitely with less conditions.
The prices for temporary visa range from $1,500 to $2,500 and permanent visas cost abit less (after about two years or 20 months of temporary visa) depending on the conditions, facilitator fees and government fees. There are addtional things to consider like the travel time to the local offices.
The options for getting a temporary residency are:
1. Professional visa with a university degree
2. Investment visa with at least US $45k which requires either a certificate deposit in a bank (interest rates between 6%-7%), or buying land (tax valued) or a business of equal value
3. Digital nomad visa – 2 year contract of earning minimum of $1275/month (letter and bank statements)
4. See other options on the websites link on this page (or do your own research and let us know)
The other required documents* that we recommend you bring with you from your country of residence are:
1. Criminal background check from your country
2. The documents required for the specific visa you are applying for (university transcript, diploma, etc.)
3. Bank statements of at least $425/month of income in the last 6 months. Check with your facilitator for any changes in the amount or other details. These can be simple bank transfers going into the account with your name.
* Note: It is useful and helpful to bring these documents with you from your home country because they are usually more expensive and time consuming to obtain once outside your home country.
We recommend hiring a facilitator to help with the process because of the language barrier and rules that often change on short notice. This will also reduce the number of trips to the cities and government offices. (For example: https://expatsecuador.com/visas/ or research others online and let us know about your experiences by contacting us.)
For more information, have a look at https://thevisaproject.com/ecuador-visa/residency/. And use your choice of search engine to find more resources and a facilitator to help with the process.
IMPORTANT: Fruit Haven does not give legal advice, is not liable for any information that is out of date or incorrect on this page, and does not take any responsibility for your visa or any issues that may occur because of our information or pages on this website.