Expat Law Group helps clients obtain temporary and permanent residency visas for Ecuador. There is a new type of visa called the Digital Nomad Visa (Rentista for Remote Work) that opens up some more avenues for entrepreneurs, digital nomads & remote workers who want to spend more than 6 months in Ecuador.
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We're providing the law below and some key points you may want to consider when applying for the Digital Nomad Visa in Ecuador.
The Digital Nomad Visa is a sub-category of the Rentista visa category.
The Rentista for Remote Work (aka Digital Nomad Visa) allows foreigners who have a remote job or own their own company, to work in Ecuador for a period of up to 2 years.
The main requirements specific to the Digital Nomad Visa are:
You'll need to show 3 x basic salaries to be eligible. Currently, one basic salary is $460, so the monthly salary you'll need to show is $1,380.
To prove this income, you'll need to provide bank statements for the previous 3 months.
This requirement is designed to prove you're a digital nomad. What you'll need to provide is slightly different depending on your circumstances.
As a remote employee, you'll need to provide a work contract from your employer that states your position and confirms you're allowed to work abroad, it must also describe your financial income. This must be apostilled (or legalized) in the country where the company is headquartered. As a business owner, you'll need to provide documentation that shows you own a business that is registered and domiciled abroad. This must be apostilled (or legalized).
In addition to the contract and very similar, a remote work certification letter is required. (Apostilled or legalized).
Only nationals of countries belonging to a list authorized by the Ministry of Tourism are eligible to apply. This is still being reviewed, but the current status is that citizens of all countries EXCEPT the following can apply:
Afganistán, Angola, Bangladesh, Camerún, Corea del Norte, Cuba, Egipto, Eritrea, Etiopía, Filipinas, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Irak, Irán, Kenia, Libia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistán, República Democrática del Congo, Senegal, Siria, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.
You'll need to obtain health insurance. This can be from an Ecuadorian health insurance provider or suitable cover from abroad.
If you are applying online from abroad:
Once the electronic visa is issued, you have 30 days to provide the original documents to the migration office that issued the visa. If you fail to do so, your visa will likely be canceled.
If you are applying at one of the Ministry's offices in Ecuador, you must present the original documentation.
What is the correct way to present the documents?
If your country belongs to the Hague Convention, you must deliver the apostilled documents, otherwise, you must present them Legalized and certified by the Embassy or Consulate of Ecuador in your country.
All documents must be translated into Spanish and must be notarized.
Once the Digital Nomad Visa has been processed, you'll be eligible to receive an “Orden de Cedulacion” and will then be able to apply for an appointment to obtain your Ecuadorian cedula (or identity card).
If it is your first ID in Ecuador it will be much faster and easier. If you already had a previous ID, obtaining it may take approximately two more weeks.
Applying for the Digital Nomad Visa isn't a straightforward process and you may find yourself requiring professional legal assistance to obtain it.
If you do need help, get in touch to arrange an obligation-free initial consultation with one of our visa experts.
