Retiring in Ecuador with HIV.......

Previously having a HIV- status was necessary for a visa application.  That changed 2 years ago.

Now it is possible to apply for an investors visa (with a CD of $25 or more or investing in property of that amount or more) or a pensioners visa if you have a verifiable monthly income of greater than $800 for a single person or $1200 for a couple.

The difficulty lies in that infromation on the new status travels slowly through the beauracracy here and there is still a stigma attached to the illness.  That being said your best position is to handle as much of the visa process in the states at the Consular level as possible -- and the ecuador consules that are most up to date are the ones in Washington DC and Miami Florida.

You might have to actually travel to either of those -- with an appoitnemnt to meet with a representative todiscuss you case in particular.  And it might be worthwhile to bring with you a person who speaks Spanish fluently if you need to have any documents translated into Spanish and "notarized" (a term used to mean confirmed by a court appointed staff memeber, not to be confused with our notary public in the States).

Also do be sure that the medications you require are either avaiable or can be shipped in to you on a regualr and continuing basis -- some medications may not be as easily accessible here.  The concept of living in Ecuador is to lower stress and be able to provide your body with a much healthier alternative food supply than is possible in the USA -- you do not need to discover upon arriving here that you are in a more stressful environment!

Stay well, keep healthy, be strong!  And G_d bless

Susan
TheOceanHideaway.com

My husband & I will be moving to Cuenca in about two years. Our son is HIV positive (41 years old), virus status undetectable, managed by meds for 11 years. Will it be possible and how difficult to have him move to Cuenca with us?

Thank you!
Elizabeth

OceanHideaway said: "a pensioners visa if you have a verifiable monthly income of greater than $800 for a single person or $1200 for a couple"

Ouch!  Please say it isn't so.  My Social Security will be $958 a month.  We thought Ecuador required $900 for a married couple.  I hope this is a mistake.

I thought it was $800 plus $100 for each dependent, so you should be in.  The problem would be if you die then she needs $800/month to stay on.

Mugs: << I thought it was $800 plus $100 for each dependent, so you should be in.  The problem would be if you die then she needs $800/month to stay on >>

I hope we're right about the $900, but OceanHideaway doesn't make many mistakes.

You make a good point about the predicament my wife would find herself in should I die.  There's a fifteen year difference, so she might wait many years before being old enough to draw on my Social Security.  Our plan is to buy a cheap fixer-upper as soon as possible and qualify for an investor's visa.

John

Investors visa sounds like the way to go, remembering the unit must be valued at $25,000, no matter what you pay for it. The previous $1,200 comment was made in 2011, perhaps it is different now.

Everything I have seen says $800 per month and $100 for each dependent, first time I have ever seen $1200

movinon wrote:

Everything I have seen says $800 per month and $100 for each dependent, first time I have ever seen $1200

Same here. I think the $1200 was an error, or possibly just outdated, as Mug suggests.

Bob