Guides · Ecuador
The stakes: Ecuador offers temporary and permanent residency under the Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana (LOMH). Understanding the rules is vital to avoid losing your status.
The facts: Temporary residence lasts up to two years and is renewable. Permanent residence is indefinite, but absence limits can cause automatic revocation.
The context: The October 2025 LOMH reform introduced stricter absence rules and new visa types. Official fees and income thresholds are updated periodically.
Legal Framework: Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana
The Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana (LOMH) is the core law governing migration and residence in Ecuador. This is according to an INEC methodology document from 1 March 2026.
The law defines a resident as a foreign national with a temporary or permanent migratory category. This is stated in the same INEC document.
An October 2025 reform to the LOMH strengthened a rights-based approach. It includes principles like universal citizenship and non-discrimination, per an official government regulation page dated 24 October 2025.
The reform also updated procedures for circular migration, international protection, deportation, and inadmissibility. It strengthened migratory control for internal security, per the same source.
The National Assembly approved the reform with 88 votes in favor on 22 October 2025, as reported by the Asamblea Nacional.
The reform created a transit (transeúnte) visa and introduced biometric controls, according to the Asamblea Nacional coverage on 22 October 2025.
Temporary Residency: Duration and Renewal
Temporary residence authorizes stays of up to two years and is renewable multiple times. This is according to the INEC methodology document from 1 March 2026.
However, a government procedure page for a specific temporary residence route states that the visa is for two years. It is subject to one renewal in that route, as per the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana on 20 January 2026.
The official e-Visa system is the ministry’s online channel for residence visa applications. It is available 24 hours a day, according to the same ministry page.
Applications for temporary residence can be filed online and in person, as stated on the ministry’s procedure page from 20 January 2026.
For tourists, the stay is up to 90 days in a one-year period. It is renewable once for another 90 days upon request and payment of the fee, per the Ministerio del Interior on 31 October 2025.
Permanent Residency: Indefinite Status and Application
Permanent residency is indefinite, according to an official government procedure page from 20 January 2026.
The application fee for permanent residence is USD 50. The grant fee is USD 175, with no VAT, as per the same official page.
To apply for permanent residency, a foreigner must prove 21 continuous months of lawful stay as a temporary resident. They must file before the temporary visa expires, according to the Reglamento a la LOMH, as cited by vLex on 18 November 2025.
The ministry uses the e-VISAS platform and the official citizens’ services portal for visa processing. This is according to the permanent-residence procedure page from 20 January 2026.
Income Thresholds for Pensioner, Rentista, and Professional Visas
No official figure has been published for the pensioner (jubilado) income threshold in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
No official figure has been published for the rentista income threshold in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
No official figure has been published for the professional visa income threshold in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
However, a June 2026 law firm explainer states that both the pensioner and rentista visas require a minimum monthly income of USD 1,446. This is calculated as three times the SBU, according to EcuaAssist Abogados.
The rentista visa accepts passive or investment income. The pensioner visa is tied to pension or Social Security-type benefits, per the same EcuaAssist note.
A March 2026 relocation firm summary reports that the jubilado visa typically requires stable pension income of around USD 1,375 per month. An additional USD 500 per dependent is required, according to Studio Panamà Italia.
Investor Visa Amount
No official figure has been published for the investor visa amount in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
However, a May 2026 source states that the investor temporary residency visa requires a minimum investment of 100 unified basic salaries (SBU). This is according to Lucky Nomads.
Based on the SBU of USD 482 set in December 2025, the 100-SBU threshold equals USD 48,200 in 2026. This is as per the same Lucky Nomads source.
Professional Visa Route
The professional visa allows university graduates to qualify for temporary residency by recognizing foreign degrees. This is according to a February 2026 overview by MyEcuadorVisa.
After 21 months of holding this temporary professional visa, the holder becomes eligible to apply for permanent residency. This is under the same 21-month rule, per the same source.
Visa Fees and Processing Times
No official figure has been published for the pensioner visa processing time in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
No official figure has been published for the rentista visa processing time in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
No official figure has been published for the investor visa processing time in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
No official figure has been published for the professional visa processing time in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
However, a July 2026 report states that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has up to 60 working days to decide a visa application. This is according to Primicias.
The same report says the average processing time for orders of cédula (foreigners’ ID) is up to 50 days, per Primicias.
A March 2026 update indicates that government charges are USD 50 for the application fee and USD 270 for the visa grant fee. This totals USD 320 per primary applicant, according to MyEcuadorVisa.
Applicants aged 65+ pay a reduced grant fee of USD 135, bringing the total to USD 185. The cédula fee is USD 5, per the same source.
Document Requirements and Apostilles
No official figure has been published for a consolidated apostilled-document list for each residence route. This is in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
However, a 2026 practitioner commentary notes that failing to apostille or properly legalise foreign documents leads to application holds or rejections. This includes birth certificates, marriage certificates, and university diplomas, and obtaining sworn translations into Spanish, according to Studio Panamà Italia.
Health insurance is now explicitly required at the time of application for certain temporary residency categories. This includes the rentista visa, citing Article 63 of the Reglamento, according to MyEcuadorVisa in March 2026.
Absence Limits and Loss of Status
No official figure has been published for route-specific absence limits for temporary residents. This is in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
However, a 2026 practitioner guidance states that temporary residents may not be outside Ecuador for more than 90 days in any calendar year during the temporary residency period. This is according to MyEcuadorVisa.
For the first two years of permanent residency, the allowed absence rises to 180 days per year. The stricter rule applies after that, per the same source.
The October 2025 LOMH reform introduced a rule that permanent residency is automatically revoked if the holder remains outside Ecuador for two or more uninterrupted years. No brief returns are allowed to break the period, according to Betzabeth Jaramillo Abogados on 28 October 2025.
Naturalisation and Citizenship
No official figure has been published for naturalisation eligibility periods in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
No official figure has been published for naturalisation processing times in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
No official figure has been published for citizenship application fees in the official sources reviewed as of 8 September 2026.
Practitioner material aimed at 2026 applicants explains that after holding permanent residency and complying with residence and absence rules, foreigners may apply for Ecuadorian citizenship. They must still meet language, integration and good-conduct criteria, according to MyEcuadorVisa.
Common Mistakes and Practical Tips
A frequent mistake is over-staying outside Ecuador during temporary residency. This can jeopardize eligibility for permanent residence and even lead to visa cancellation, according to MyEcuadorVisa in April 2026.
Applicants often confuse the pensioner and rentista categories. They attempt to use rental or investment income for the pensioner visa, whereas such income is generally channeled through the rentista visa, according to Studio Panamà Italia.
The official contact email for visa queries is [email protected]. The phone line is 02-3933520, according to the permanent-residence procedure page from 20 January 2026.
Local office hours are Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 17:00, as per the temporary-residence procedure page from 20 January 2026.
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary residence duration | Up to two years, renewable | INEC methodology, 1 Mar 2026 |
| Permanent residence status | Indefinite | Gob.ec, 20 Jan 2026 |
| Permanent residence application fee | USD 50 | Gob.ec, 20 Jan 2026 |
| Permanent residence grant fee | USD 175 | Gob.ec, 20 Jan 2026 |
| Investor visa minimum investment | 100 SBU (USD 48,200 in 2026) | Lucky Nomads, May 2026 |
| Pensioner/rentista monthly income | USD 1,446 (3× SBU) | EcuaAssist, Jun 2026 |
| Visa decision time | Up to 60 working days | Primicias, Jul 2026 |
| Temporary resident absence limit | 90 days per year | MyEcuadorVisa, Apr 2026 |
| Permanent resident absence limit (first 2 years) | 180 days per year | MyEcuadorVisa, Apr 2026 |
| Permanent resident absence limit (after 2 years) | 2 continuous years max | Betzabeth Jaramillo, Oct 2025 |
Sources: INEC, Gob.ec, Asamblea Nacional, vLex, Primicias, MyEcuadorVisa, EcuaAssist, Lucky Nomads, Studio Panamà Italia, Betzabeth Jaramillo Abogados
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