Jubilado (retiree)
Proof of a foreign pension ≥ 3 SBU/month (2026: SBU about USD 482 → about USD 1,446/month). Health insurance for the visa period; often +USD 250/month per dependent. Temporary typically 2 years.
Immigration & Visa
Temporary residence under the Organic Law of Human Mobility — retiree, rentista, investor, professional, digital nomad; cédula and IESS — overview, not legal advice.
Updated: November 2026
Tourism vs. residency
A tourist stay (often about 90 days, sometimes extendable) is not residency and usually does not allow local work. Temporary residence categories go through Cancillería e-VISAS; the legal basis is the Organic Law of Human Mobility and its regulations. After approval, a cédula and further registrations typically follow.
- Primary sources: gob.ec procedures, Cancillería, regulation articles by category
- Documents often need apostille + Spanish translation; police certificates have validity windows
- Visa fees (orientation): application about USD 50 + grant about USD 270; reductions from age 65 or disability ≥30% — verify current tariffs
Key categories (orientation)
Rentista
Lawful passive income ≥ 3 SBU/month (rents, investments, etc.) per ministerial agreements / gob.ec; insurance and +USD 250 per dependent. Clarify which income types count with Cancillería.
Digital nomad
Work/company abroad; income ≥ 3 SBU/month (often last 3 months) or 36 SBU/year (about USD 17,352 at SBU 482) — Regulation Art. 64 / gob.ec. Insurance required.
Inversionista (investor)
Investment-based temporary residence; minimum amounts and eligible assets change and must be checked in primary sources/regulations (soft: exact thresholds not stated as hard facts here).
Profesional
Stay for recognized professional practice; degree recognition and contract proof per category — checklist on gob.ec.
Cédula de identidad
After residence approval, Ecuadorian ID typically follows (Registro Civil). Needed for banks, contracts and many everyday steps.
Typical process
- Choose a category and load the checklist on gob.ec / e-VISAS
- Documents: passport, photo, police certificate, income/pension proof — apostille/translation
- File in e-VISAS; complete same-day payments (or the filing is deleted)
- After approval: visa/residence card and cédula as instructed
- Arrange health insurance and, if relevant, voluntary IESS affiliation
- Tax registration (RUC) with SRI when needed
Cédula & IESS
The cédula is the everyday ID. Health: visa categories often require private or foreign insurance covering Ecuador. Voluntary IESS affiliation may also matter for social-security access — check contributions and rules on iess.gob.ec.
- Private clinics in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca are widely used by foreigners — no product recommendation
- Keep travel/abroad cover until local cover is active
- MSP (Ministry of Public Health) for public health information
Sources
- gob.ec – Visa Residencia Temporal Jubilado
- Cancillería – e-VISAS
- Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana / Reglamento
- IESS
Disclaimer: This page is for general guidance only and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules and prices change — verify with official sources.