retirement visa for Ecuador
mine was at $1,300.00, not to include the Notary here, and of course the government fees. It did include all the translations and such.
Hate to say it, but probably the best money I've spent in this whole endeavor!
Take Care,
Neil
Given the ease and speed of your experience, it sounds like you got a good deal. Is it appropriate for you to share your Lawyer's name here? I think a lot of people would be interested. I dealt a little with a lawyer here in Loja, but found the service lacking (to put it politely). I did a lot of the work by myself with some help from a friend. So, I would not recommend him.
As an aside, I did the translations before I left and when I went to the Consulate in Washington D.C. to have my package reviewed, they noted I forgot to have the translations notarized. They packed them up, with the other documents I had, stamped everything with the Consulate seal, and then stapled them. When I got here, the Ministry accepted the package without comment or question. But, of course, there were other surprised I had to deal with. How can there be fun if there aren't surprises? But, the Consulates' help beyond the norm is why my experience with them was so positive.
The lawyers I used have a very good reputation. They can be found on Gringo Tree under " Recommendations " I originally used them for a property transaction. They are Grace & Nelson, a husband and wife team. She speaks excellent English, Nelson? Not a drop, but he is a very sharp guy, and knows all the current shenanigans with the legal system on the Visa end.
With their reputation,, and my personal experience, I feel pretty confident in recommending them. Yikes.... there I did it!
I would further add, I have NO affiliation with them in a business sense ie: finders fee. Just my reporting my experience with them. Like I said, under a month for the visa is pretty incredible from what I've heard reported.
Best Wishes to All,
Neil
Ps. like all things Ecuadorian, don't think they are ignoring you if your email isn't responded to right away.< a mistake I made>聽 On the business end, they are very thorough.
ZenSPIKE wrote:Joseph,
Yikes.... there I did it!
LOL. Yep, I know the feeling, and really appreciate the info. I know of them, but have never heard from anyone who has used them. It is really good to share this information. Thanks.
I was actually introduced to them via my Realtor last year. They handled everything flawlessly, so I felt pretty confident in giving them my Visa business.
I realize it's very difficult to put your self in the hands of someone you don't know, in a foreign country, but I had the good fortune to meet them face to face. That made the decision that much easier. All I can say is that it was the right one for me.
And to all, a good night!
Neil
ZenSPIKE wrote:Joseph,
The lawyers I used have a very good reputation... They are Grace & Nelson, a husband and wife team. She speaks excellent English, Nelson? Not a drop, but he is a very sharp guy, and knows all the current shenanigans with the legal system on the Visa end.
With their reputation...
I have never used them, but have heard only good things about them.
Not sure what you like but it's very laid back here!
OK rental prices.聽 From $250 to $1000 per month.聽 Varies by Ocean View or not # of bedrooms and furnished or not.聽 Downtown Apts. start at $250, on the Malecon Ocean View/Ocean front $600 on up.聽 Penthouse 3 bedrooms Ocean front $1000 (all per month).
You CAN get Mortgages here for 70% loans on new homes.聽 As I am sure you know your US Passport gets you a 90 day visa automatically!聽 Enjoy Ecuador!聽 We do ! We have a 10 year old and he loves it here too! Charlie
Be very careful with this health care issue particularly with the boys in DC聽 looking to slash and burn any dollars they can!
Pay attention to the details on the cancelled downside of part B it can and will almost certainly cost you later if you go home.
Welcome to the forum. Based on my own experience, I would say that $1200/month is enough to live on.
The Craiglist ads are legit, as far as I know, but tend to be mostly higher-priced places. Here are a few other sites:
There also are some rentals listed here on expat-blog.
Good luck.
Need help and have some time to work through the process. I have all my paperwork apostilled so not too worried about that end of it, just needing the translated part and the help walking me through the valley to our VISA's.
Thanks
I Could be wrong on this but i believe immigration recently changed the procedure .Before u could do it in Ecuador with tourist visa but now u must go to ECUADORIAN embassy closest to you in your country.
i could check on that next time I go to immigration in quito but trip and time waiting is sometimes all day to get information then as I have discovered sometimes info given聽 to me in past is contradictory and inaccurate depending who I talk to聽 at immigration office unless it is their immigration lawyers who give accurate info but takes some time to get appointment.
Website info on ecuador visas is many times not up to date and useless.
So safest bet is contact ECUADOR embassy closest to you in your country.
Study spanish in聽 QUITO or CUENCA places where you might want to live so u can know is this the sitio for me?
dang
I am retired and ready to move to Ecuador .
I would like to get 鈥ixed Income Pensioners v1 visa.
If anyone can recommend some help thank you .
I have live in Davao Philippines for 4 years love it but to hot .
Not sure were I wish to live seem many nice area to choose from .
thank you
David
davidjz wrote:I am retired and ready to move to Ecuador.
I would like to get 鈥ixed Income Pensioners v1 visa.
If anyone can recommend some help thank you .
The correct number for Pensioners Visa is 9-I.
Among the papers you'll eventually need to have affixed with an apostille or international certification, and translated to Spanish in Ecuador, is proof of reliable income.
The threshold is $800 per month for the applicant and $100 additional for each dependent.聽 Social Security, company or government pension, or annuity income will suffice.聽 But not rental income.
Expats who can afford it are well-advised to hire an experienced EC immigration attorney to match up against the ministry or 颁补苍肠颈濒濒别谤铆补's assortment of curveballs.聽 However, among Expats there are a select few (8 percent) who can negotiate the EC bureaucracy and emerge with a residency visa sans professional assistance.聽
A less expensive option for assistance is the visa facilitator.聽 If you need a referral for an immigration attorney or a facilitator, PM me with your preferred Ecuador location.
The official visa-info web page is:
The page is coming up in 别蝉辫补帽辞濒-only today despite the green language icon.聽 If that's what you get, perhaps try back later...or grab a dual-language dictionary.
News you can use:聽 once the residency visa is granted, you may be outside Ecuador for only 90 days during each of the subsequent two 12-month periods.聽 If you are away longer, you stand to lose the visa and would re-apply to get a new one.
cccmedia in Quito
Investment-visa holder since February 2014
davidjz wrote:I am retired and ready to move to Ecuador...
I haved lived in Davao, Philippines, for 4 years...love it but too hot.
Not sure where I wish to live...seem many nice areas to choose from .
The cooler places in Ecuador primarily are in the highlands.聽 This includes the capital, Quito, which is EC's second-largest city...and Cuenca, the beautiful and popular Expat favorite in southern Ecuador, which is the third-largest.聽 Some beach areas are cooled by breezes and may have moderate temps during the off-season (typically June-November, more or less).
The average daily-high temperature in Quito, on a monthly basis, is 67-68 degrees Fahrenheit, 12 months a year.聽 Cuenca has similar temps. 68 Fahrenheit translates to 20 degrees Celcius.
Other popular highland cities for Expats include Cotacachi and Vilcabamba.
The suburbs of Quito, including Tumbaco and Cumbay谩, are at somewhat lower elevation than here, and daily highs can sometimes be 10-15 degrees (F.) warmer than the capital.聽 This means more outdoor swimming pools, which are a rarity in Quito.
cccmedia in Quito
I love to ride motorcycle spending much time in the Philippine I like scuba.
It sound like I need a attorney what will it cost who is recommended.
Thank you
David
davidjz wrote:I think warmer may be better for me .
I love to ride motorcycle...spending much time in the Philippines I like scuba.
It sounds like I need an attorney...what will it cost...who is recommended?
Seems like you're more of a beach guy than I first thought, so we're going to set you up to process your paperwork in Guayaquil.聽 It is not on the Pacific Ocean per se, which is where I suppose you're headed, but the big government offices are right there in Ecuador's largest city, 90 minutes from the ocean.
You'd be working with longtime visa facilitator Dana Cameron.聽 Her new email is Dana.Visas@gmail.com ...
If she doesn't respond immediately, it'd be worth your time to be persistent.聽 After all, she is IMO the hardest-working Expat in Ecuador.聽 Aside from assisting new arrivals with residency visas, she is a university professor, teaches Ecuadorian kids English in the afternoons*, fund-raises for her mission-work*, and is raising daughters as well.
cccmedia in Quito
*According to La Profesora's website:
ecuadormission.tripod.com
I am from Mpls., and went through this process some 2 years ago at the consulate in Mpls. As far as your proof of income : If you are using Social Security as your income, all you need do is go to the SS site, print off your statement. .There is a tab for it. If you are getting it from a retirement fund, you will need to contact the administrator for proof of income. You then MUST get it notarized, as it will not have a state or federal seal on it. If you go to the capital in St. Paul, with any document that does not have a seal, you will NOT be able to get it apostilled. Know this: The only document you need translated by the consulate is your proof of income. All other doc's should get translated in Ecuador. When I went through the process some 2 years ago, they accepted a state criminal background check. Very easy... I just went to the BCA in ST. Paul and obtained it in 15 minutes, and I was only 10 minutes from the capital. Now, as you probably know, an FBI report is required. This will be your biggest hold up and most time sensitive issue. The FBI reports are experiencing a back log at this current time. See if you can go on their site and see what the wait time is.
If there is anything else I can help you with, please feel free to reach out to me.
Best of luck in your process.
Neil
Ps. unless things have drastically changed, don't expect to get results from email correspondence or phone correspondence with the consulate in Mpls. Bring change or a CC. as they don't have parking, so you have to use on street. If you think you're gonna be in there for 15 minutes, plug the meter to the max, cuz there ain't no 15 minute meeting !! Trust me on this.
ZenSPIKE wrote:Now, as you probably know, an FBI report is required. This will be your biggest hold up and most time sensitive issue. The FBI reports are experiencing a back log at this current time. See if you can go on their site and see what the wait time is.
Good "hacks," 'SPIKE. 
A way to speed up the FBI background report is to use an FBI channeler.聽 This is a private company that is authorized by the FBI to provide criminal-background checks such as Ecuador currently requires.
These channelers are located in the Twin Cities, in metro-Cincinnati (where such a company did my report in under one week's time in 2013) and in cities all over the U.S.聽 Just google:聽 FBI channelers Minneapolis St. Paul to find multiple channelers in your area, Dorothy.
I received my FBI report via Internet from the channeler.聽 It was later apostilled by the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., to meet Ecuador's requirements.
cccmedia in Quito
As I mentioned in my post, the FBI report was not a requirement at my time in the process.
I was thinking with the time frame the lady is dealing with, it wouldn't be that big an issue. That being said, I am also one that takes the least path of resistance, I would probably go with your recommendation were I to do it at this time. The less stress the better, and if I recall, I think the fee is like in the fifty dollar range? Pretty cheap for the peace of mind, especially taking the " time frame " from issuance into consideration.
Good Heads Up !!
Zen
Being Canadian my requirements are different.聽 Does anyone from Canada know if I should address the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or some other organization for my federal proof of not being a criminal?
Helen Pivoine
Helen Pivoine wrote:Hi cccMedia,
Being Canadian my requirements are different.聽 Does anyone from Canada know if I should address the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or some other organization for my federal proof of not being a criminal?
The website of the Ecuadorian Embassy in Canada says to check for EC residency-visa requirements with the nearest (EC) consulate, as various consulates have different rules.
There may be a consulate in your city, possibly attached to聽 the Ecuadorian Embassy, that can answer your questions about how to obtain a background check.
Since USA Expats now must submit FBI and state reports, it's conceivable that Canadian Expats would have to submit reports from the Mounties and a provincial authority.
Let us know what you find and what you may still need.
cccmedia in Quito
Just_a_mirage wrote: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
Hi, I have all the paperwork I think I need, apostilled, certified etc...I will be at the consulate in Miami for 2 days before my flight to EC hoping to get them to approve or what ever they must do to my SS award letter.聽 So can they approve my retirement in Miami?聽 Then when I get to Ecuador I know I have to have all my paperwork translated etc...聽 So what visa will I get first and how much will it cost either at the consulate or when I arrive in Quinto?
Then once everything is translated how long will it take and what is the Southern most town I can get my 9-I visa at?聽 Thanks for this information!
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