Ecuador digital nomad visa

Visa requirements

Foreign nationals employed by a company outside Ecuador, or freelancers whose clients are mostly based abroad, can apply for this visa.

Requirements and conditions

• Visa term: up to 2 years.
• Minimum income: at least $1,446 per month - 3× Ecuador's basic salary (SBU, $482 in 2026). The income must come from sources outside Ecuador and is verified for the last 3 months; the threshold is adjusted every January. Add roughly $250 per month for each dependent.
• Taxes: personal income tax of 0-37%.

Cost of living

Estimated monthly expenses for a family of four are around $1,800 excluding rent. For one person - around $550 excluding rent. Renting a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre costs around $400.

How Ecuador's nomad visa works

It is a temporary residence visa for digital nomads under the Organic Law on Human Mobility, issued by Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility. It allows living in the country for 2 years and can be renewed once, up to 4 years in total. Income must come from abroad: work for a foreign employer or foreign clients. Local employment is not allowed on this visa.

The income threshold is tied to Ecuador's basic salary: three basic salaries a month. In 2026 the basic salary is $482, so the threshold is $1,446 a month. Ecuador's national currency is the US dollar, so there is no conversion or currency risk.

What it costs in 2026

• Review fee - $50.
• Visa issuance fee - $400.
• Foreigner ID card - issued after the visa by the Civil Registry, for a small fee.
• Health insurance - national or international, valid in Ecuador for the whole visa term.
• Certificates, apostille, translations - police clearance, family certificates, Spanish translation.
• Our support - quoted after a consultation.

Steps and timeline

1. Income check - proof of at least $1,446 a month from abroad, usually for recent months.
2. Documents - 2-4 weeks: apostilled police clearance, insurance, contracts and statements, Spanish translation.
3. Filing - online via the foreign ministry portal, paying $50.
4. Review - usually a few weeks; the ministry may ask for clarification.
5. Visa issuance - paying $400 and receiving the electronic visa.
6. Foreigner ID - in Ecuador, at the Civil Registry.

Russian citizens enter Ecuador visa-free for up to 90 days and can also apply from inside the country within that time.

Documents

• Passport valid for at least 6 months.
• Police clearance from your country of residence for the last 5 years, apostilled and translated into Spanish.
• Proof of work - a contract with a foreign company or contracts with foreign clients.
• Proof of income - bank statements with regular credits from abroad.
• Health insurance valid in Ecuador.
• For the family - marriage and birth certificates, apostilled and translated.

Requirements and common refusals

• Income below $1,446 or coming from Ecuador.
• Police clearance without an apostille or older than the ministry accepts.
• Insurance not valid in Ecuador or not covering the whole term.
• Irregular credits - one-off payments instead of stable income.

Taxes

• Tax residence - if you spend more than 183 days a year in Ecuador you become tax resident and are taxed on worldwide income.
• Income tax - progressive from 0% to 37%.
• VAT - 15% since April 2024.
• Currency outflow tax - 5% on transfers abroad and cash withdrawals abroad from Ecuadorian accounts, so it is convenient to keep income in a foreign account.

Details: Ecuador taxes.

Path to permanent residence and citizenship

After 21 months of temporary residence you can apply for permanent residence. Citizenship by naturalisation comes after 3 years of permanent residence, with an exam on Spanish, Ecuadorian history and the constitution.

Life in Ecuador: what to know

• US dollar - the national currency; salaries and prices are in dollars.
• Cities - Quito at about 2,800 metres altitude, Cuenca with a mild climate popular with foreigners, Guayaquil as the coastal business port.
• Language - Spanish; few people speak English outside tourist areas.
• Healthcare - private clinics in major cities are affordable; choose visa insurance that covers them.
• Cost of living - about $550 a month per person excluding rent, a central one-bedroom flat about $400.

How to prove income

• Employee of a foreign company - an employment contract stating remote work and statements showing salary credits.
• Freelancer or business owner - contracts with foreign clients, invoices and statements with regular credits.
• Regularity - the ministry looks at stable income in recent months; one-off large payments do not replace it.
• Source abroad - money must come from foreign employers or clients.

If income is close to the $1,446 threshold, show a margin: credits are counted after bank charges.

Other Ecuadorian residence categories

• Retiree - for recipients of a lifetime pension of three basic salaries a month, i.e. from $1,446 in 2026.
• Investor - an investment of at least 100 basic salaries, about $48,200 in 2026, in a deposit, securities or property in Ecuador.
• Professional - for specialists with a degree recognised in Ecuador.

All of them are also 2-year temporary permits leading to permanent residence after 21 months. The nomad visa suits those who work and do not want to invest in Ecuador.

Alternatives to compare

• Colombia nomad visa - 2 years, with a threshold also tied to the local minimum wage.
• Costa Rica nomad visa - higher threshold, no tax on foreign income.
• Panama nomad visa - dollars, a convenient hub, higher threshold.
• Mexico nomad visa - via temporary residence, threshold depends on the consulate.

How we work

1. We check income and documents against the ministry's requirements.
2. We obtain the police clearance, apostille and translation.
3. We file online and handle correspondence.
4. We help with the foreigner ID, bank account and rental.
5. We prepare renewal and the move to permanent residence.

We fix our fee in writing after a consultation.

Benefits of the digital nomad visa

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