Retirement visa for Ecuador

Hello John,,

We are moving to Cuenca the last part of October this year.  Yes,it is possible to get a "tourist" visa which will allow you to live there for 6 months. After that time, you can apply for the Residency or Pensioner's Visa which will let you live in Ecuador for as long as you wish to do so.  The Tourist Visa, also known as 12-X visa is relatively simple to get.

We are driving to Miami this week to apply for the Tourist Visa. It takes about one month to get it after that.  What we needed here in FL was the following:  Our last three months' bank statements, notarized. A police background check from our local state..and also notarized. Our passport and a copy of same, along with two passport pictures that they can keep and put on their forms.  A form which they email to you and want it filled out completely.( A non-immigrant visa application form) Just the normal stuff.  Name, address, phone number and something we can't understand why they need: your blood type. What you don't need, until you apply for a Residency Visa, is a letter from Social Security stating that you get at least $800/month. Oh, and we wrote a letter to the Consulate saying that "by this letter I am applying for a 12X visa so I can visit Ecuador for six months. (And saying that) "we understand that the enclosed documents will provide you what you need to process the application enclosed".  If you write or call your local American Consulate, and ask for the form you need to fill out, they will send it to you immediately.
It has the letters: MRE in the upper right hand corner of the form and "Repulica Del Ecuador" in the upper left hand corner.

If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know.  I took about 40 photos while we were there last April. Of Cuenca, that is. IF you want to give me your email address, I can send you a few that turned out beautifully.

Have a nice week.

Hi Carole,
I read your letter to John and found it quite informative. I too am thinking of retiring in Ecuador. Actually I am Chiropractor and would like to practice there as well. I will be there in Sept 12, 2011 with my two sons and would like to contact yopu andf your husband to talk a little. We will be staying in Cuenca for about 2 weeks.  My email is [email protected]
cheers
Rob

Hello. I am a facilitator who helps people obtain visas. I am happy to answer any questions about visa requirements that you might have. The Pension visa is quite easy to obtain. I have lived in Ecuador for many years and am happy to answer any questions you may have about life in Ecuador

Thank you for your rreply. I will be going top Ecuador on Sept10/11 for two weeks to scout it out.  I also want to set up a limited practice in Chiropractic. I have been a chiropractor since 1980 and still love to do that. I have been retired for a while now burt thought it would be great to practice where there is a need and I understand Ecuiador has only about 4 DCS there. Since I don't need to have a lot of money to live I can practice very affordably for the population there. My email is [email protected].
thank you
Rob

I have a few more quetions on this subject, since my situation is somewhat different.  In about a year from now both my wife and myself will be getting a pensions.  It is at this time that we plan to visit Ecuador.  Our house will be paid for and it is our intensions to rent it out with a 1 year lease.
     I understand that outside of a passport there is no requirement for a visa. When we arrive in Ecuador we plan to immediately apply for a "10-1". Although we are sure that we will love it there; the rental payments we receive will almost cover all of our expenses for that year.  Should we decide that we just can not bare the joys of shovelling snow in gale force winds at a temperature of  -40C we will just return to Canada and reclaim our house having had a years vacation.
     So I am inviting input both ( logistically  and in general) in regards to attempting such a venture.  Thanks in advance Bob

Hi Bob,

If you will read my blog input of July 4th, this year, you will note that there are about 7 documents you need to getyour visa. We drove to Miami to the Ecuadorian Consulate there and we took with us, the following papers.  Our passport and two copies thereof; two passport pictures for their forms which had to be filled out at the Consulate. A police background check from your local city/state; a round-trip ticket to Ecuador from your home city; a 3 months of bank statements all notarized This is to show the Consular that your income is more than $800/month.
Your letter of application (as noted in my previous blog at the top of this site)

What you don't need right now, but WILL need when you apply for your Residency or Pensioner's Visa after your 6 months are up down there is the following:  Your original birth certificate, with a seal form the Secretary of State, your social security letter, and your marriage certificate. These last 3 documents need to be translated into Spanish, and notarized.

So, you see, you do need more than strictly a passport. Actually, when you arrive into Ecuador..within the first week or so, you should apply for that Residency visa which will allow you to stay permanently..because it takes up to 8 weeks to receive it after they get all of your information put into the system.

When we drove to Miami?  It took 30 minutes for us to get our Visas.  Two forms each with our passport picture on it and our passport stamped by them with the Visa information.

Hope this helps.  I am formerly from Maine, so I do understand about the minus degrees and the snow drifts piling up in my driveway just after I had shoveled it all out.  Usually caused by a yahoo snow plower who took great joy doing that to clean driveways.  lol

Carole

See you in Cuenca

Finding so many conflicts on retiree visa for Ecuador.  We are traveling there in Feb to purchase a condo .  We want to go a head and apply for retiree visa.  What is all the step , the fast track to getting this done? I am from Florida and it is impossible to get information from Washington or Florida consulante.  I have visa , extra passport pictures, Apostille for marriage license, back ground check, SS# information. what else and what now....?

Hi John,   You can go to Ecuador with just your passport and they will stamp it for 3 months.   You can apply for an extension  or you can apply for a 6 month tourist/business visa.    Or you can get your paperwork started for the retirement visa right away.   We were there from March -June and are headed back next month February.   There is a couple in Quito who can help you get your visa quickly.  They own the  "Hotel Bonanza Quito"  and have very good information on the visa process.  You should look them up.

We plan on locating along the coast in the Bahia or Jama area.   We just became certified to teach a 3 day seminar class for Spanish.   We plan on teaching the class in Bahia, Manta, Quito and Cuenca,  starting in Bahia.    It is a very unique class, and will get you thinking creatively and gives you the ability to know over 4000 words in Spanish, and you will be able to speak and create sentences in Spanish. 

Hope this information helps,   If you want more information on the Spanish Classes, email me.

Theresa

My wife is a naturalized US citizen originally from South Korea. Her original birth certificate is not available. However she has her original Citizenship certificate. Does anyone know if that would be accepted in lieu of a birth certificate?

the right way to do it is as you say...arrive on a 3-month visitor's visa.  You can obtain a 6-month extension once here, conditional upon you applying for permanent residence during those 6 months.
check out what documents yo need, especially to justify your pension income, and make sure they are duly legalised in the USA.
The system has been dramatically improved, and speeded up, especially for retirees like you and I.
We live in Manta........there are expat communities in more and more cities now, Cuenca, Quito and Guayaquil especially, but also smaller places like Canoa, San Clemente, Bahia de Cadaquez,etc on the coast, ++++
Most places either have official language schools, or you will find a local ready to converse with you over coffee or a beer to help you learn the lingo!

Would anyone know how many times a year I can come there just on my passport (3 months) and if I need a wait time between visits and how long.  I want to visit for 3 months and if it works, then come home, get the paperwork needed and come back.  Thanks
   Bryan

stick1947 wrote:

Would anyone know how many times a year I can come there just on my passport (3 months) and if I need a wait time between visits and how long.  I want to visit for 3 months and if it works, then come home, get the paperwork needed and come back.  Thanks.
   Bryan

Bryan,
My understanding is once in a 365 day period, not calendar year,on your passport alone, you're allowed one 90 day visit. That is not to say you can't get extensions once you are in country. My understanding is that if you stay, on your first visit that full 90 days, you will then have to wait another year to re enter under your passport. Why not visit for say 60 days, make your decision, and then go through the process? You would then have 30 days to re enter the country in the same 365 day period, and once you start the Visa process, the clock stops ticking on that last 30 days. I suppose you could cut it closer and stay 80 days on your first visit, with 10 days remaining in that year? I just have a tendancy to want to leave myself more lee way.
And again, this is the information I've gotten, so it is always best to get a confirmation from an attorney. I was told this by an attorney.... but that was last June. Things change! < BAG >
Good Luck
Neil

So one has to PAY transportation TWO TIMES (one round trip,, one one-way trip) plus an attorney.
Crazy. I'll go to Greece.
I cannot afford this ridiculousness.
Barb

barbaracjohnson wrote:

So one has to PAY transportation TWO TIMES (one round trip,, one one-way trip) plus an attorney.
Crazy. I'll go to Greece.
I cannot afford this ridiculousness.
Barb

Barb,
I don't understand what you find so ridiculous. You can go and apply for a resident Visa on your first trip.... no need to leave the country at all, one trip. But, if you choose to go back to where ever you reside, you would have to purchase a return ticket anyway. You do not have to hire an attorney, and I see you once were an attorney, so I would think you could navagate that with your experience, with possibly the help of a facilatator.

Although, Greece is a nice place to be also. My wife has family there, and just returned. A tad more expensive to live in Greece though.

Good Luck in whatever your choice.

some of the recent posts on this subject need clarification........so here is our personal experience, now that we have permanent residency visas, and cedulas (national identity cards)
you can enter the country for up to 180 days a year, on a visitor's visa.  That's 90 days, plus 90 days....possible on one trip or more.
during that time, and up to the last day of your stay, you can apply for one of the residency visas, which gives you 180 days more.   BUT if you do aply for it, it's important to complete everything within that 180-day period......otherwise you have to wait a year to re-enter the country
for this you do NOT need a lawyer any more.  it can be done directly by you, at the "Immigration Office".  they offer advice and help in English,.....  this avoids expensive lawyers.

ZenSPIKE wrote:

barbaracjohnson wrote:

So one has to PAY transportation TWO TIMES (one round trip,, one one-way trip) plus an attorney.
Crazy. I'll go to Greece.
I cannot afford this ridiculousness.
Barb

Barb,
I don't understand what you find so ridiculous. You can go and apply for a resident Visa on your first trip.... no need to leave the country at all, one trip. But, if you choose to go back to where ever you reside, you would have to purchase a return ticket anyway. You do not have to hire an attorney, and I see you once were an attorney, so I would think you could navagate that with your experience, with possibly the help of a facilatator.

Although, Greece is a nice place to be also. My wife has family there, and just returned. A tad more expensive to live in Greece though.

Good Luck in whatever your choice.

I am 78 and essentially homeless and living on social security of 1000 a month Have no money for flying down and back three times.  I'll go somewhere and be essentially a hermit and write.
I lived in Greece decades ago (in the '60s). I loved the people. Time for me to go to fishing village there. Greeks are friendly.
I am going to assume it's cheaper in a fishing village than in or around Athens. In what part of Greece was your wife?

Barb, my educated guess is $1,000/month will go further on Ecuador coast than Greece. Also, 50 years since your last visit is a long time and much probably changed.
Best of luck with whatever direction you go.

fdmcg wrote:

Barb, my educated guess is $1,000/month will go further on Ecuador coast than Greece. Also, 50 years since your last visit is a long time and much probably changed.
Best of luck with whatever direction you go.

Expect that it has changed, but I cannot afford three air trips to Ecuador and not know whether I can live until I expire.

Facilitator Just_a_mirage.  What papers do I need?  For Costa Rica, I needed a birth certificate, a letter from the police and certification from secretary of state. Same thing in Ecuador??

Will my cedula from Costa Rica be helpful at all?

Is there anywhere else in South America cheaper to live than in Ecuador?

At 78 yo, I am essentially invisible to most people. I adjust anywhere and easily. I have to avoid HIGH temps. I hate the heat as much as I now hate snow.

My wife was in Athens for awhile, and then her family are in a town called Larissa about 4 hours out of Athens, so they spent time with family there. The costs for most day to day things are pretty expensive. You must realize that the economy there is really in poor shape.
I suppose you might live in a fishing village reasonably, I can't really say.
I'm sorry that you feel that you are invisable. I can hear you, and understand your frustration.
I wish you the best in which ever direction you choose.
Neil
PS. If you want to pm me, I can give you a contact of a family member over there that might be able to give you some ideas of costs. He is a Greek, and lived there all his life,except for some stints in the US and England for work.

ZenSPIKE wrote:

My wife was in Athens for awhile, and then her family are in a town called Larissa about 4 hours out of Athens, so they spent time with family there. The costs for most day to day things are pretty expensive. You must realize that the economy there is really in poor shape.
I suppose you might live in a fishing village reasonably, I can't really say.
I'm sorry that you feel that you are invisable. I can hear you, and understand your frustration.
I wish you the best in which ever direction you choose.
Neil
PS. If you want to pm me, I can give you a contact of a family member over there that might be able to give you some ideas of costs. He is a Greek, and lived there all his life,except for some stints in the US and England for work.

Would phone you if I knew the number. Great idea to speak to your Greek friend.  I lived there June 1966--June 1970.  My best years.
Am aware of their economic problems.

We wish to know what needs to be done to move to Ecuador in August.  We have visited and are very impressed

hi there!

You need to check the requirements for a visa.  Arrive and they give you a tourist visa valid for 3 months.
The rest is easier than it used to be, and you no longer need a lawyer to go through the system.  Several large cities have immigration offices which are very helpful.
But again, check what documents you will need to save having to go back state-side to pick up what you forgot.  For example you will need a legalised police record, a legalised copy of your birth certificate, proof of residence in the states over at least the previous 5 years, etc...

If you need to ship furniture, you can.  Your car can also be imported, but only if it is a model from 2013!

Have you decided where you want to relocate?
We live in Manta, and are very happy there with many local and North American friends.   If you plan on coming here, let us know.  we can help with accommodation, rented or purchased.

In any case, good luck.......you will enjoy the country!
my personal e-mail, easier than communicating via Expat.com:  [email protected]

regards
mike adams

Hi, I saw your willingness to answer the question regarding what documents Ecuador requires for me to apply for a pension  Visa?

Can you advise what they require?

Thank you

Tim OBrien

Looking forward to learn on this new-to-me forum. Can someone answer a question about the 9-II Investor residency visa?

I understand one option with this is to get a CD of $25,000 (plus $500 per other family member) at an "approved" Ecuador bank. I read the CD needs to be there for at least "365 days." Does anyone know if the $25,000 (+) CD needs to remain in the bank the entire time that we live in Ecuador? Or is that money then free for us to use after one year? And do you think that this money would be safe as a CD in an "approved" Ecuadorian bank?

Muchas gracias!

Hello, Welcome to the Expat.com!  The Money if deposited or spent on a property etc. has to remain permanently in order to keep your residency visa.  If you become a Citizen after 3 years you could then withdraw the investment.  If at any time you withdraw the investment without being a Citizen you will lose your Residency Visa.  Have you considered the Retirement Visa where you only need $800 per month retirement/pension income to secure it?  We have the retirement visas. If we can help with anything else we live in Bahia de Caraquez. Enjoy Ecuador! We do immensely! Charlie

Thanks for the welcome and for your quick response!

I would like to use the Pension visa but I don't think we qualify. Neither of us will get $800 + $100 from our individual Social Security payments. We could combine our two totals for the needed amount, but I don't think that is allowed, right? And we won't have enough "pension" either (unless we're able to combine our two pensions to equal the required amount).  We do have 403b accounts, but it seems that this cannot be used for the pension requirement.

And regarding the banks, would you be worried about being able to get this CD money back when ready to leave the country?

I'm really looking forward to some good conversations with you all!

tfpob wrote:

Hi, I saw your willingness to answer the question regarding what documents Ecuador requires for me to apply for a pension  Visa?

Can you advise what they require?

Thank you

Tim OBrien

Tim,

People on this blog obtained their residency at differing times and the requirements have changed often. Please keep in mind that the information provided here, while not intentional, may not always be complete. Ecuador has consulates throughout the states and they are suppose be up-to-date on the requirements. You can go to a consulate website (I used the one in Washington D.C.), call the consulate, or visit the consulate in person. They can not only provide the current requirements for each Visa, but can answer any questions you may have. Using this resource, as well as the answers here will ensure that you have a more complete picture.

This website lists the Ecuadorian Consulates in the U.S. with e-mail and phone contacts:
http://www.english.cedei.org/prosp-teac … s-usa.html

This is the official english-language website for Ecuadorian visas:
http://www.ecuador.org/nuevosite/Req_Vi … ante_e.php

Good Luck.

Hi, my wife is reading their requirements from their website in Spanish now.  You can combine your Social Security and your pension to reach $800 each.  Any income can be combined for each person and counted as long as it's regular monthly income. So if you have Soc. Sec. and pensions and other income you can combine them for each person to reach the $800 threshold . You'll need a Notarized Statement proving the income to bring with you.  All papers also need to be Apostilized by your Secretary of State's Office.  We recommend getting 3 originals of each document you bring with you.  All the agencies require an original here, no copies.  Not sure what a 403b is.  Are you planning on just a short stay?  You mentioned when you leave?  There are other short term visas you can get if you are not planning on staying here.  Remember on the retirement and investors Visas you can't be gone from Ecuador in your first 2 years more than 90 days per year or you will lose the Visa. There are work Visas and you can get Tourist Visas for 6 months. Regarding Banks the Banks only guarantee $25,000 per account. Ecuador takes 5% of your money if you withdraw it and take it out of the Country. Enjoy Ecuador! Charlie

wanderingbears wrote:

All papers also need to be Apostilized by your Secretary of State's Office.

In my own efforts, I experienced some confusion over this, so, if I may, I would like to add a bit more detail. Who issues and signs the Apostille depends on who has authority for the document. If the authority is a State, then the State signs and issues the apostille. For example, since Social Security is administered at the State level, the State issues the Apostille.

If the document is for Military Retirement, for example, which is administered at the Federal level, then the U.S. Department of State issues the Apostille. This is not always obvious, at least it wasn't to me.

I went through this process over two years ago, so things may have changed. At that time, the U.S. Department of State was really backed up and took over 8 weeks to issue an Apostille. This was important because I ran into some delay because of the age of some of my documents. I was refused an Apostille because the original (really, a notarized copy which stands in as an original) was greater than 6-months old. I had to start the procedure from the beginning by ordering a new copy and having it notarized. I almost didn't have all the documents in time for my departure, which was booked well in advance. Hopefully, you can avoid these same  mistakes.

Charlie,

This is absolutely great news. If we can combine our pensions, we've got it made! Would MUCH rather do this than tie up $25,000 in a CD.  We are planning on staying for an indefinite period. So the pension visa is the one that we hope to obtain.

Could you, by any chance send me a link to this information OK'ing the combining of pension or Social Security amounts? I would really appreciate it, if possible. A 403b is like an IRA (or 401k) - it's an investment account that has most of our retirement money, but it doesn't assure a certain set amount to be provided to us on a monthly basis.

There are sure lots of nice Ecuador expats out there - folks like you!
All the Best,
Rose

Joseph,
OMG.... the consulate!!!!
I went to the consulate in Minneapolis. There was a very nice young man that I did business with. In looking at all my apostille forms, he said he had to " LEGALIZE " them. I was confused, and reminded him that they all had been apostilled. Nope, he said , they had to be legalized. The cost was a total of 40 dollars for all my forms, so what the heck, double coverage in my mind.
Of course, I call my attorney's in Cuenca, and they literally laughed, and said " why would you do such a redundant thing?"
Cuz I'm following the rules set forth by the consulate. My attorneys were correct. It was an effort in futility. But, we do as we are told by the authority we are dealing with.
In the end, this is why it's so difficult to try to be helpful, and give advise. The rules are so fluid, ever changing. I am really gun shy of giving advice. I always preface my responses now by saying, this was my experience, on a certain day, at a certain office.
The up side is, if one does their due diligence, they can accomplish this challenge. I got my visa approval in less than 21 days, a time frame I thought impossible.

But.... your mileage may vary!!!
Stay Well,
Neil

Thank you very much

Hi,

We are planning to move to Ecudor as soon as possible. May i request you to send me the photos to my following email-id.
[email protected]

Regards,

Tks Joe K. for the links.

ZenSPIKE wrote:

Joseph,
OMG.... the consulate!!!!

I went to the consulate in Minneapolis. There was a very nice young man that I did business with. In looking  always preface my responses now by saying, this was my experience, on a certain day, at a certain office.
Neil

I think each and every one of us wonders just how how helpful a comment might be because for every experience, there will be the opposite (and everything in between). I think what makes this blog so valuable is that so many people share their experiences in such a constructive way. I am always amazed at how much I learn through these comments. There have been a number of times I have had to adjust my attitude or view as a result of the information provided here. Heck, I have been here almost two years, and discover things in Loja I never knew even existed. Case in point, a while back, I was sure Loja did not have a symphony. Well, I was wrong. I mean, how could I have missed that? My aoologies to the person I mislead.

Really, I am so grateful for this blog and those who participate. I am sure the "Newbes" wii agree and understand that each will have their own "Personal" experience.

Joseph,
I agree, it's a daily learning experience... and then some days, you have to un learn your previous learning. < does that make ANY sense?>
I concur, there are many valuable things to learn on this site, and so many that contribute.
We are all in the same boat, lets share!
Take Care,
Neil

I have read that some have gotten their pensioner visa (think Washington DC - but not sure) before coming and that all they had to do was get their cedula here in Ecuador.  That was just a month or two ago...but that may no longer be the case or it was a one off.  But worth checking into.

We just returned to Denver Colorado after spending 2 months in Quito. I had every intension of staying but certain family issues came up that required our presence so here we are. I must say that I loved my time in Quito and really miss it. However all is not lost, we plan to return to Quito, next May or June. We made several friends while there , mostly Ecuadorian but a couple of American friends as well.
We will have to gather up all new documents then and have them notarized and apostilled because the ones we have will be out of date. But it should be easier next time since I know now where to get the things I need and won't have to research it all again. Of course I will need to be aware of any changes that may occur.
Also I will be looking for a good immigration lawyer when the time comes so if anyone on the forum would like to offer suggestions that would be great.