If you are in Ecuador and want to regularize your migration status, you must apply for any of the temporary or permanent residence visas. For this, you will need a number of requirements including valid passport, criminal record, payment of fees for visa application and issuance, and some specific requirements for each visa.
If you need more information or legal counseling, contact the Defensoría Pública (Public Defender’s Office) or the Consejo Noruego para Refugiados (Norwegian Refugee Council). For cases of infringement of rights, contact the Defensoría del Pueblo (Ombudsman’s Office).
Below you can find information about the visas people generally apply for:
Mercosur
? Requirements
- Color photograph
- Valid and current passport
- Original criminal record of the country of origin or in which you have resided for the past five years, translated (if applicable), apostilled or legalized. One hundred and eighty (180) days of validity shall be taken into account, from the issuance date of the certificate until the last entry of the interested party into the country. Certificates issued by federal governments shall be valid as long as they include the criminal record at the national level. Document required only for people over 18 years of age.
- Other documents required by the authority if the case may be.
? Costs
- Payment of the Consular Fee (Visa Application Form: USD 50; Authorized Visa: USD 200)
Visa de Amparo
? Requirements
- Updated photograph, with white background.
- Valid and current passport: original document and photocopy
- Regular stay in the country from which the visa application is made.
- Original criminal record of the country of origin or in which you have resided for the past five years, translated (if applicable), apostilled or legalized. Document required only for people over 18 years of age.
- Demonstrating lawful livelihoods to allow payment of their stay in the country, equivalent to a worker’s unified basic salary (SBU, in Spanish) for each month of stay. This can be demonstrated by means of an affidavit before a clerk.
- Fee Payment (Consular and Diplomatic Fee).
- Other documents required by the authority if the case may be.
- Minors (under 18 years old):
- In the case of minor applicants, the minor’s birth certificate, duly apostilled or legalized and translated (if applicable), shall be attached.
- Passports photocopies updated migratory movement certificates and regular stay of the applicant’s parents are required. In the event that both or one of the parents is not in the country, a special power of attorney or authorization, duly apostilled or legalized and, if applicable, translated, must be submitted.
? Costs
- The visa application costs US$50.
- The issuance of the visa costs US$ 200.
- There is a 50% exemption for seniors (over 65 years of age) and for people with 30% or more disability.
Work visa
? Requirements
- Photograph
- Valid and current passport: original document and photocopy
- Regular stay in the country from which the visa application is made.
- Original criminal record of the country of origin or in which you have resided for the past five years, translated (if applicable), apostilled or legalized. One hundred and eighty (180) days of validity shall be taken into account, from the issuance date of the certificate until the last entry of the interested party into the country. Certificates issued by federal governments shall be valid as long as they include the criminal record at the national level. Document required only for people over 18 years of age.
- Demonstrating lawful livelihoods to allow the subsistence of the applicant and his/her dependent family group.
? Costs
- The visa application costs US$50.
- The issuance of the visa costs US$ 200.
- 100% national exemption applies to persons with disabilities equal to or greater than 30% by presenting the card acknowledging them as persons with disabilities, issued by the Ministerio de Salud Pública (Ministry of Public Health) of Ecuador.