Residency & Visas In Ecuador
Here you will find some detailed information on what it will take to become a resident of Ecuador is you want to stay for a while.
Living In Ecuador
Many people come to live in Ecuador, and it’s not very hard. Some overstay and simply pay the fine when they leave, which isn’t too bad. If you decide to become a resident, though, here are some logistics you would need to think about if you want to come and live here permanently or even semi permanently, like weathering the world-storm that is coming.
Applying for a residency visa requires some paperwork (an patience). You will need a facilitator to help you as you will never figure it out yourself! It will be well worth the cost. (about $1500 – $2000 from start to finish)
We can hook you up with these connections if you choose to relocate to Ecuador.
The Process of Visas & Residency
Visas & Residency
First, you start with three months on your passport, then get a three month extension visa, during which time you would start the process of applying for a 2 year residency.
Three month extension is easy to get, just prove you have some money in your bank account (can be savings, no income), get a photo taken, and that’s it. ($150 done right at the Cuenca airport)
Again, you don’t necessarily have to do this as long as you’re willing to pay the fine when you leave. The fine is variable, and we have heard many reports, from $0, to $250, to $1500 (which was 12 years ago, not so expensive anymore).
What Documents?
You will need the documents listed in the next section, so it’s advisable to bring them. If you don’t, don’t worry, you can get them from a distance. It just gets a lot more complicated though if you don’t bring them with you.
If you can apostille any of these documents about a month before you come, that would be best, but if not, that’s ok too. It can be done through mail from here. It simply takes longer and adds a bit of stress getting everything in time, but it can be done.
Keep in mind some of these things cannot be more than 6 months old from the time you apply for your residency visa, (basically, just the police reports) so try to get them done right before you come.
List of Documents
- Birth Certificate
- College or University Diploma, Bachelors (or higher) from a Title IV school. If your college accepts federal loans, most likely it is Title IV. You can get residency based on your degree alone.
- Police Report – If you are from the USA, both State Police Report, and Federal Criminal Report from USA government. If you’re from a country without states, only need one from your country. Only do it right before you come so it’s not too old at the time you apply for residency (must be less than 6 months old).
- Bank Account – You will need 6 months of bank account statements at the time you apply for residency. Make sure your account:
– has the same name as on your passport
– keep it open in your country
– $800 or more income every month
– if you don’t have that, make arrangements
– can get statements online
Working In Ecuador
Just to let you know, it’s not possible to come here and find a job, especially if you don’t speak fluent Spanish. Even if you do, jobs are scarce.
Some people come to live in a city and teach English, but keep in mind that it won’t be possible while living at Gaia Sagrada. We are an hour from the nearest city (Cuenca) so you won’t be able to reasonably commute. The bus is an hour and a half each direction, and it will take a half hour to an hour to reach the bus station, depending on how fast you can walk uphill.
If you need to earn a living, you need to have some kind of online work. We have hi speed Wifi, so you can do whatever digital kinds of work you need to do, but other than that, there isn’t going to be a way to make a living here.
This is a great place to work on your projects like writing, art, music, whatever it is that you do creatively. There is plenty of space to do your thing! If you can take some time off from the rat race, treat yourself with some savings used in this way, to support yourself in taking some time off, this is a great place to do that!
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