Bringing my 2012 vehicle from Canada to Ecuador

Hello,

I think you can bring your car to Ecuador. Your wife is a permanent resident in Canada and if she has been living out of Ecuador for more than 3 years she can bring a car and personal belongings without taxes but the rules are not very clear about visiting the country.

When is only personal belongings moving there's no problems with visiting Ecuador but is not quite clear if you include a car.

If you can wait until Monday I can find out for sure.

Regards
Vinny

Good Morning Vinny,

Yes that is the information we were also given, my only worries were with her spending so much time in Quito since receiving her permanent residency in Canada.  She has resided outside Ecuador for just over three years but not if you consider he vacations.

Thanks for the quick reply

Chris

Have personal experience bringing a car in from Colombia (with Colombian plates).  You can enter for 2 months, get an extension for one month more, then you must export the car.  This can be done twice in any calendar year.  So technically you can import your car for 180days per year, as long as you are on a visitor's visa.
They DO NOT stamp your passport for the car, they merely stamp your passport with the place of entry.   you may leave the country freely by air, sea, or land in the meantime, provided your tourist visa is valid.    As I say that's my personal recent experience.  (I'm English, have just obtained permanent residency status.)

as far as I know, you can permanently import a car when you move here, without paying customs duty, provided it is a model from the current year.  Otherwise, forget it!  (This is info obtained both from the government's website, and confirmed by the head of customs in Manta.)


As you no doubt know, all of these rules can change from one day to the next - without prior notice!

Thanks for the info Mike, unfortunatley leaving it in Colombia for 6 months out of the year isn't an option.  I have decided to drive it back to Canada and sell it and buy another vehicle here.

Hello,

As Ecuadorian you can bring a car to Ecuador free of taxes if you have been out of the country for 3 or more years BUT if you visit Ecuador and stay for more than 60 days a year  in the last years you can't import a car. 
If you have been out of Ecuador for more than 30 years you can visit Ecuador for less than 90 days a year and import a car.

Vinny

Vinnie66 the voice of the experience, knowledge and wisdom in Cuenca, I need to get hold of you... I will PM you.