Obtain Required US documents while in Ecuador?

You do realize that you would need to not only provide the documents, but that they also need to be notarized, and some of them apostilled?

I cannot imagine how you would accomplish, for example, acquiring a US state police report and having it notarized and apostilled, all the while remaining in Ecuador.

You cannot apply for residency in Ecuador without submitting the required documents at the time of visa application.

See the pinned "New online Ecuador guide" in this forum. Look under 'visas'.

Thanks. I will definitely look at that guide.

I was wondering if a family member in the US would be able to do those things for me (what if I gave them power of attorney) while I'm in Ecuador?

Also, where can I get the official state police report? Is it the same thing as criminal background check?

We called the local police department and based on the discussion I don't think  they knew what a "police record" is --at least as far as us being able to pick one up at the local station.

I have to agree with Gardener1.  I am hearing that you need either a report from the state police or the FBI.  You will have to provide fingerprints, and they can not be over 6 months old.  I doubt the FBI or any state police agency would accept fingerprints from overseas, as there is no way to verify that you are the one whose prints they have.

wlae84 wrote:

I was wondering if a family member in the US would be able to do those things for me (what if I gave them power of attorney) while I'm in Ecuador?

That's how I did it. I had everything but my police report when I left the US, but the Illinois State Police had screwed up my report, so I got it done again and my daughter took it to the bank to be notarized and to the Sec of State for the appostille, then UPS'd it to me.

wlae84 wrote:

Also, where can I get the official state police report? Is it the same thing as criminal background check?

Yes -- you can get it through your state police. When I called Illinois State Police, they knew what I meant.

Bob

Joanneinict wrote:

I doubt the FBI or any state police agency would accept fingerprints from overseas, as there is no way to verify that you are the one whose prints they have.

That's not true. Don't know about state police, but the FBI does accept fingerprints from overseas if they are taken with the local police.

Just wanted to update on this matter:

I contacted 3 FBI-Approved Channelers about obtaining a  background check while overseas and all three said that they accept fingerprints from overseas. I believe I recall that they said that the report must be sent to a US address though. So, I guess you can send it to a friends/relatives, and then have them mail it to you at your overseas location.

I would think the preferred route would be to get ALL USA or other countries papers in order before leaving the country. Then travel to Ecuador on a non-tourist visa as suggested by the Ecuadorian Government. Why start by making things more difficult? I would strongly suggest you get your information from the Ecuadorian Consul nearest you.

This is not the platform to receive Official Information this is a Blog.

Regards .... Tom

I think I can clarify things a little, as I'm in the process of doing this, but am in the States.

It's not really a choice to go to the State or the FBI. It's a matter of the State you live in, some keep criminal records, some don't. Just google your states policy and you'll then know if you can do everything within your State or you'll have to go to the FBI.

If you have to go to the FBI, use one of the FBI approved channelers (as mentioned) like NationalBackGroundCheck. Next, because you've had to use the FBI, this document can only be Apostilled in Washington DC (there may be one other place, can't remember). It's too bad in that if your State kept the records, it could be Apostilled in State (and I think way more cheaply).

One problem someone might run into doing this abroad is that the FBI goes to great lengths to be sure that it is "YOU" that is looking for a criminal background check. It's illegal for them to give that information to anyone else.

You can, fyi, do all of this from the States, you don't have to be in Ecuador to make this happen. There are people that act as 'facilitators' to help get this done. I'm in Tucson and am in the final stages of this process, once I have all the documents I will send them to my facilitator in Quito, he will translate them and get everything done at the Consulate, and they will send my Visa to the nearest Ecu Consulate in Arizona.

The Visa does not 'expire', it's indefinite. But like everyone else, you must abide by the 'cannot be out of Ecuador more than a total of 90 days a year' for the first 2 years.

The good thing about doing it this way is that the 90 day 'clock' doesn't start until you arrive in Ecu and have your visa 'registered' (the clock does not start the day it is issued).

Good luck everyone, check out some of the FB forums also, useful information there too.