Do you want a country that offers you a different adventure every day, a low cost of living, delicious cuisine and much more? Then look no further; Ecuador may just be the place for you. Located right at the equator (hence its name), this little South American nation is often overlooked, but that doesn’t mean it is a bad place. Indeed, it’s quite the opposite!
If you want to make Ecuador your new home, this article will help you understand the best permits to plan your move ahead and smooth your transition. Whether you are a retiree seeking a tranquil setting and cost-effective lifestyle, an ambitious investor or simply a digital nomad wishing to bask in good weather and vibrant culture, you’ll find the best residency permit for you in the lines below.
Dollarization has increased the prices of some commodities compared to its neighbours, but basic expenses like fuel, groceries, and dining out are still much more affordable than in major Western countries
Many places in Latin America have become so popular that they overshadow hidden gems like Ecuador. Think of Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico, which expats typically hold dear. I personally love all of these countries, but Ecuador is not to be taken lightly. It truly is a place where you can have it all in a very small area. Here are some reasons why Ecuador should be on your list:
With its four main climate zones, you can enjoy moderate temperatures one day and a warm tropical climate on the coast the next. From snow-capped mountains to lush jungles, Ecuador is an adventure destination worth exploring. Brazil and Colombia may top the list of biodiversity hotspots, but Ecuador doesn’t disappoint; here, you can find anything from Galapagos turtles to poison dart frogs and everything in between.
Ecuador has been a dollarized economy since 2000, helping prices remain relatively stable throughout the years. The inflation rates have been rather low during these last two decades, with the exception of the financial crisis of 2008 and the aftermath of covid. Even though dollarization has caused the price of some commodities to go up compared to their neighbours, basic expenses like fuel, groceries, and even dining out are way more affordable than what you can get in major Western countries. For instance, according to Numbeo, it is fairly easy to get an inexpensive meal for under $5 USD in Ecuador (almost unthinkable in the States and Canada), and the average price of fuel is $1.30 USD per gallon, while the national average in the U.S. is over $3 USD.
Ecuador’s vast natural resources add to its appeal. The low price of groceries is intimately correlated with the amount of food the country produces. Among other foodstuffs, you can find shrimp, fish, bananas, corn, potatoes, beans, cassava, meat and poultry. In 2023, agriculture, forestry and fishing alone accounted for almost 8% of GDP. This will give you peace of mind, as the country is self-sufficient and can satisfy its residents’ dietary needs.
Last but not least, the available residency options and the potential for citizenship make Ecuador a country that should be on your radar. If you want to work remotely from an apartment with a beautiful ocean view, there’s a permit for you. If you are in your golden years and want to live like a king for a few bucks, you’ll also be welcomed with open arms. The possibilities are simply endless.
Ecuadorian immigration law generally requires expats first to become temporary residents for 21 months and not leave the country for more than 90 days at a time—though there are other faster, alternative ways we’ll check in the upcoming sections. After that time, you can become a permanent resident. To make this more understandable, we’ll first go through the best temporary residency permits for expats:
Related content: 6 Reasons You Should Move To Ecuador
If you have a pension of at least three times the minimum wage and wish to live in Ecuador, the pensioner permit is ideal, requiring $250 USD per dependent and health insurance in the country
Ecuador is a hidden gem with lots of opportunities for savvy expats and investors. Regardless of your situation or why you want to move to Ecuador, this country is eager to welcome you if you want to contribute to its development and bring your dollars. The Organic Law of Human Mobility regulates the different residency options, outlining the different pathways and requirements for residing in this country and potentially getting citizenship.
This permit is meant to attract foreigners who earn a monthly passive income worth at least three times the minimum wage ($460 USD as of this writing) plus $250 USD per dependent. You can extend this permit to your kids, spouse or de facto partner. Here are the requirements you must meet:
Proof of lawful means of livelihood;
Documentation demonstrating passive income from domestic or foreign sources. These documents must be apostilled or legalized;
Colour photograph in JPG format of up to 1 MB, 5x5 cm (2x2 inches), updated with white background, facial expression should be preferably natural or have a natural smile, with both eyes open;
Current passport with a minimum validity of 6 months;
The original police clearance certificate must be from the country of origin or country of residence where the applicant has resided for the last 5 years. This document must be translated and apostilled or legalized. 180 days of validity will be taken into account, counted from the date of issuance of the certificate until the last entry of the interested party to the country. The certificates issued by federal governments will be valid as long as they include the criminal record at the national level;
Payment of the fee set by the Human Mobility Authority;
Health insurance is valid during your stay with coverage in Ecuador.
If you’ve got a pension worth at least three times the minimum wage (same as with the passive income visa) and aim to live in Ecuador full-time, the pensionist permit is your best option. Also, if you want to bring any dependents along with you, you need to make an extra $250 USD per person. The requirements are exactly the same as those for a passive income visa, except you need to provide a supportive letter from your government or private company, depending on the source of your pension. Health insurance with coverage in Ecuador is also required.
You guessed it. This permit is your best bet if you work remotely or have an online business. The requirements are fairly easy to meet; you must provide services to foreign companies (whether as an employee or one-person business) and demonstrate foreign-sourced income worth at least three times the minimum wage. The rest of the documentation is the same as that for passive income and pensionist permits.
If you prefer working for Ecuador-based companies, you should go for a working permit. There are no income requirements. Instead, you need to submit an employment contract you signed with your company and a certificate of registration of the contract issued by the Ministry of Labour.
The employer must certify that they have no outstanding obligations with the Internal Revenue Service, the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security, or the Superintendence of Companies issued by the competent authority in each case. The rest of the requirements are the same as those for the abovementioned permits.
Ecuador offers interest investment opportunities for savvy investors, especially in real estate. The minimum investment must be worth a hundred times the monthly minimum wage, translating to a meagre $46,000 USD that you can put into local real estate, a certificate of deposit from an Ecuadorian bank, or shares of an Ecuadorian company. Here are all the requirements:
Current passport;
Police clearance certificate;
Last three months’ bank statements;
Passport size photo (5x5 cm, 2x2 inches);
Application fee of $50 USD;
Approved visa fee: $270 USD.
To apply for temporary residency in Ecuador, you can do so in-person at the ‘Direcciones Zonales’ or consulates or online by registering, completing the application, making payments, and tracking the process
First, let’s check how to apply for any of the permits. There are three main alternatives:
In-person in Ecuador’s ‘Direcciones Zonales’ (Zonal Directorate);
In-person in Ecuadorian consulates outside Ecuador;
Online.
If you opt for the ‘Direcciones Zonales’ route, you must choose the government office near you. If you prefer to go to your country’s consulate, you have to find the closest consulate, submit the required documents in person, and pay the applicable fees. Lastly, if you want to do everything from the comfort of your home, here’s how the process goes:
Register with your Google or Microsoft account or just with your email and password;
Type your email address;
Follow the instructions to get a verification code;
Create a new password.
Enter personal data and accept the terms and conditions.
Select new procedure;
Choose the type of service you wish to access;
Complete data: passport, photograph and other supporting documents;
Minors must carry out this procedure through their legal representatives or proxies, as the case may be;
After making the visa application, the first payment must be made online;
This payment corresponds to the submission of the application and review of documents. The user will receive notification emails as the process progresses, along with the electronic invoice for the payment made. The type of visa must be properly selected, as this payment is NOT refundable.
Check the status of the application in the system;
You can access the file to obtain a summary of the process.
If the information submitted is incomplete or incorrect, you will receive a notification;
Follow the instructions and upload the requested documentation;
The time foreseen in the norm to carry out this process is ten working days;
If applicable, CESDI (Centro de Servicios Digitales) will inform you whether or not a face-to-face or virtual interview is required.
Once the application has been approved, you will be able to pay for the visa and the cedulación order, depending on the type of visa requested. For now, you can only make the payment online. Later on, the in-person channel will be increased in authorized bank offices;
You will receive an e-mail notification of the payment along with the electronic invoices of the amounts paid by the user.
Once the second payment has been made, the visa and identification order, if applicable, will be automatically generated.
In exceptional cases, you may obtain permanent residency faster if you marry an Ecuadorian citizen, are a dependent minor or person with a disability, or are a relative of an Ecuadorian citizen or permanent resident
Once you spend 21 months in Ecuador as a temporary resident without leaving the country for more than 90 days, you can apply for permanent residency if you feel like Ecuador can be your new home and potentially get second citizenship. But this is only the conventional way; there’s also a fast-track route to permanent residency that we’ll discuss later on.
After 21 months of continuous stay in Ecuador without leaving the country for more than 90 days per year, you are eligible for permanent residency. Here are the requirements you need to meet:
Colour photograph in JPG format of up to 1 MB, 5x5 cm (2x2 inches), updated with white background, facial expression should be preferably natural or have a natural smile, with both eyes open;
Valid passport with a minimum validity of 6 months;
Payment of consular and diplomatic fees ($50 and $225 respectively);
Proof of lawful means of livelihood.
These requirements are similar to what we’ve seen so far in this article, but there are some extra requirements to fulfill:
In the absence of one of the parents, a special power of attorney or authorization must be presented, apostilled or legalized and translated if necessary;
The birth certificate of the minor must be attached, apostilled or legalized and, if necessary, translated into Spanish;
Ecuadorian criminal record certificate. This document is only required for persons over 18 years of age;
Proof of temporary residence with a time of permanence of at least 21 continuous months is accredited, and the request for permanent residence must be presented before the expiration of the migratory condition held;
Documentation that shows the fact that caused the granting of the temporary residence visa.
In some exceptional cases, you may be entitled to obtaining permanent residency faster than others. Here are the three situations to do just that:
Get married or in a de facto relationship with an Ecuadorian citizen;
Be a minor foreigner, a person with a disability who is dependent on an Ecuadorian person or a foreigner with permanent residency;
Being a relative within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity of an Ecuadorian citizen or of a foreign citizen with permanent residence in Ecuador.
The process is exactly the same as that for temporary residency permits. The only difference is the price you pay in fees:
Conventional Way: pay an application fee of $50 USD and a granting of visa fee of $225 USD;
Alternative Way: pay an application fee of $50 USD and a granting of visa fee of $175 USD.
Related content: Beyond "I Do": The Benefits Of Citizenship By Marriage
For Ecuadorian citizenship, minors under 18 must obtain consent from their guardians (parental authority or legal guardianship), and the opinions of children and adolescents will also be taken into account
There are two pathways to citizenship in Ecuador. The first is naturalization, requiring you to live in the country under a permanent residency permit for three years, whereas refugees or stateless persons just need two years of living in the country to get naturalized. The second (and faster) option is marrying or being in a de facto relationship with an Ecuadorian citizen. Let’s check each route separately:
This permit is meant for foreigners who have lived in Ecuador for three years and have permanent residency. Below are the requirements you need to fulfill:
Reside regularly and continuously in the country with a permanent residence permit according to the Organic Law of Human Mobility provisions;
Have a document duly apostilled or legalized and issued by the competent authority of the country of origin stating the applicant's place of birth and other data of affiliation;
Be over 18 years of age at the date of application;
For persons under 18 years of age, the consent of those who have parental authority or legal guardianship will be required; the opinion of children and adolescents will be heard in accordance with the provisions of the Special Law on Children and Adolescents;
Have general knowledge of history, geography, culture and the current reality of Ecuador;
Speak and write in Spanish;
Possess lawful means of livelihood in the country.
Be up to date in their obligations with the Ecuadorian State;
In an interview, share the reasons why you wish to acquire the Ecuadorian nationality;
Payment of consular and diplomatic fees ($50 USD and $350 USD respectively).
Here’s the full step-by-step process you must follow to get Ecuadorian citizenship by naturalization:
Check Personal Information: Verify that the names, surnames, birthdates and places of birth for you and your parents are correct and match on all documents. If anything is incorrect, fix it before starting the application process to avoid issues down the road;
Personal Application: You must apply in person. You can’t authorize anyone else to apply on your behalf;
Submit Requirements: Submit your documents to the Zonal Directorate nearest to where you live. You can find the best office and check if you need to book an appointment here;
Provide Information: At the office, give the public servant you’re assigned all the information they need to fill out your application form;
Photo Requirement: Your photo will be taken. Make sure you don’t wear glasses, a hat, a headband or anything that covers your face or hair;
Email Notifications: Provide a valid email address to get updated about your application, including those for the knowledge test, interview or if more information is needed;
Criminal Record Certificate: You might be required to get a criminal record check from your home country or the country where you’ve lived for the last five years. Note that this certificate must be apostilled if it comes from a country that’s part of the Hague Apostille Convention; if not, it must be legalized. Also, if it’s not in Spanish, it needs to be translated;
For Minors: If the application is for a minor, the parents or legal guardians must attend with the child and provide the court order demonstrating guardianship or parental authority. If the court order is from another country, it must be validated in Ecuador;
Application Outcome: The approval or denial will be sent to the email address you provided;
After Naturalization: Once you receive your Letter of Naturalization, you have 45 days to renew your ID card (cédula) with your new Ecuadorian status. If you miss the deadline, you’ll need to request a validity certificate for your naturalization letter. The first certificate costs $45 USD, and repeated requests cost $85 USD.
This permit is aimed at foreigners who are married to or in a de facto relationship with an Ecuadorian person and meet at least one of the following conditions:
You married an Ecuadorian in Ecuador, and two years have passed since its celebration and the domicile was established in the country;
You married an Ecuadorian abroad; two years have elapsed since the date of registration in the Civil Registry, and the domicile is established in the country;
You are in a de facto union with an Ecuadorian, and two years have passed since the date of inscription in the Civil Registry, and the domicile is established in the country;
The application process is slightly different if you’re married to or in a de facto relationship with an Ecuadorian. Here are the required steps:
Check Personal Information: Make sure that your names, surnames, birthdate and place of birth, as well as those of your parents, are correct and match across all documents. Correct any mistakes before starting the application to avoid delays;
Marriage or Union Requirement: If you are married to or in a de facto relationship with a naturalized Ecuadorian citizen, you can only apply for citizenship if this marriage or union was registered after your spouse or partner became Ecuadorian and under the rules of the Organic Law of Human Mobility;
Personal Application: You must apply in person, and no one else can submit the application for you;
Submit Requirements: Present your documents at the Zonal Directorate closest to where you live. Check for location details and whether you need an appointment here;
Provide Information: At the office, give the public servant you’re assigned all the information they need to fill out your application form;
Photo Requirement: Your photo will be taken at the office. Don’t wear glasses, a hat, a headband, or anything that covers your face or hair;
Joint Application: You and your spouse/partner must be present to sign the application form together;
Email Notifications: Provide an email address to receive updates on the process, interviews or requests for additional information;
Application Outcome: You’ll be notified by email if your naturalization has been approved or denied;
After Naturalization: Once you receive the Naturalization Resolution, you have 45 days to update your ID card with your new Ecuadorian status. Missing the deadline will result in a request for a certificate of validity for your Naturalization card, which is $45 USD. Repeated requests will cost $85 USD.
Ecuador has sought to boost its economy through various residency permits, leveraging its favourable climate, the US dollar, and other features that make the country an attractive place to live
Ecuador is an expat-friendly country where you can find opportunities to thrive and live comfortably for little money. The lifestyle appeal is evident, as you can enjoy a new adventure every single day, try food made with fresh ingredients, and encounter locals who are keen to know about your life story.
Ecuador has made a great effort to boost its economy with its various residency permits, leveraging its favourable climate, usage of the US dollar and other features that make this country worth living. Here, retirees, workers, investors and other types of people can find their place. If you’re also looking into getting residency in Ecuador, make sure to meet all the requirements and follow all the steps carefully.
Unlike other countries that can make for solid Plan-B residencies, Ecuador does require a higher level of commitment, but for the right people, establishing residency here can make sense. If you need help finding out what your best country is to build your perfect Plan-B, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and claim your free special report, ‘Plan-B Residencies & Instant Citizenships.’