Conflicting visa info

Howardofocal wrote:

Well, miracles do happen.  The $48 bucks I sent the Social Security people resulted in a certified benefits letter which has now been apostilled. I'm going to be in Miami in a few weeks and will get it certified at the consulate there.   We may be getting an offer on our house soon and I sold one car and two motorcycles.  We're getting closer to returning to Cuenca.

Mr. Focal, could you please describe in detail the process you used to get the Social Security Administration to issue a Certified Benefits Letter, and then exactly how this letter was apostilled?

I have combed the internet for hours looking for such information without finding the answer.

I would be so grateful if you could enlighten the rest of us as to how this is done. Thanks a million.

OK, here's exactly what I did.

I went to my local Social Security office and asked for a certified copy of my benefits letter.  They said they had never heard of such a letter.  I then asked to speak with the office Supervisor.  I gave her a copy of SSA form SSA-3288 (you can get it off the SSA web site)  Besides all the the standard information,  I wrote on the form the following:

"I require a certified copy of my Proof of Benefits letter which includes an official's signature and raised and/or stamped seal of the agency.  I need to have this copy apostilled by the U.S. Departrment of State which requires such certification."

I gave the form to the Supervisor and she said she would call her regional office.

Six days later I received an invoice from the local SSA office which included the statement:

"The Social Security Administration (SSA) charges a fee for providing information from our records to a third party when the request for information is not directly related to the administration of any program under the Social Security Act."

The invoice was for $48 and the check was to be sent back to the local office.  So I sent them a check.

21 days later I received a call from the local Supervisor informing me that she had my certified SSA statement.  I immediately drove to her office and picked it up.  It was a fancy form with seals and stamps all over it.

I sent the fancy form along with the proper form and another check to the US Department of State authentications office (check the Dept of State web site for the form and instructions)  and soon received my apostilled document.

Once one has the apostilled SSA document it still has to be certified at an Ecuadorian consulate.  I am not willing to part with this thing in the mail so I am going to drive to Miami soon to have it done in person.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Superb my friend, thanks for the description. Extremely helpful. Bookmarked.

You go Howard. It sounds like quite the adventure. Your detailed description of the process was well worth the time for others that may have to "jump the hoop". Without adding it all up myself, what was the total time "start to finish"?.

The visa requirements are driving me crazy!!!  It's my understanding that you are getting your visa before leaving the US rather than going on a 90 day and processing it there?  The embassy in Chicago has assured me there is "no problemo"
to take the documents with me notarized and apostiled by my state's AG and "easily" processing everything while on a 90 day visa.  I can't afford to be travelling back and forth if this is not the case!

I did all my doc's at the Consulate in Minneapolis, and had my Visa & Cedula within 30 days of my arrival in Cuenca. As long as you have all the necessary doc's in hand, you should have no problems. I did use a very good attorney, and it went flawlessly. I didn't spend more than an hour total in both offices, as my attorney actually had appointments.
Don't stress, you'll do fine.
Good Luck!
ZenSpike

I am from Canada, and I don't know, if it is the same procedure as in the USA. I went to Toronto to ask about the visa requirements at the Ecuadorian Consulate there, and I was told, that I could stay here for 8 months, while applying for the Resident Visa for retired people.  Then, when I got here, I was told, that I could only stay 3 mos.  I suddenly noticed, that my Passport was expiring in May this year, so I had to apply for a new one at the Canadian Consulate in Guayaquil, Ecuador. That was the first real hassle. There are no Canadians working there. Now, the passport has arrived and I can try and get an extension on my visiting visa, which has expired by now. Aaarrrggghhh!  I like it here and I would love to stay. I also want to check out Cuenca.  I don't even know, what "apostiled' actually means. I am in trouble already, and I haven't done anything bad.  With my fat luck, I'll have to skip over to Peru for a while. Meanwhile, I have asked my son in Toronto, to help me out getting things done. They say it is better to have all documents translated here. Another hassle. I wished we could all just live, where-ever we like it, without all the expense and Red Tape. Mia culpa. I messed up.

Canada is not a party to the international apostilling agreement, so you can skip that particular headache.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostille_convention

However there are still plenty of humps. The notarized police report from your home country that must be submitted and cannot be issued more than 90 days in advance of visa application. That's going to be hard to come by if you're currently in Ecuador.

And of course the notarized proof of income. Which is for you, up in Canada.
You may be making an unplanned trip home.

I thought the police report was within 30 days.

thank you so very much for the advice about that "apostiling" - what-ever that is. Sorry, I just don't know yet. I guess, I'll find out. I sincerely hope that I don't have to make a trip back to Canada, 12 hours -  why would they ask senior citizens to go through that, when they know, we want to retire here.  I will call the necessary government offices and ask for the documents to be sent to my son in Toronto, who will send them to me here. Same with the Police record, I have the one from October 2013 and all the ones I had to have every year for the school board, so that should not be a big hassle either, just another $50 again. I was told it is preferred to have all documents translated here, at the cost of $10 a page, I am not looking fwd. to all of this, but once it's done, I will be able to relax and hopefully enjoy the next few years with decent health and some sort of happiness. In the meantime, I am learning Spanish and making new friends, teaching English and perhaps German at a future date.

I think your police report has to be within 30 days.  One from 2013 won't make it. If you overstay you visa, you will not be able to re-enter the country for a period of time.

One important fact to know is this, once you begin your resident visa process, even if this process takes you two years to complete, you never have to leave Ecuador, or you can come and go as you please.  Simply beginning the process overrides your tourist visa and you can stay in Ecuador and complete your resident visa process here.  Much easier than most people think.

louisb333 says: One important fact to know is this, once you begin your resident visa process, even if this process takes you two years to complete, you never have to leave Ecuador, or you can come and go as you please.


Knowing this takes some of the stress off!  I thought the process had to be completed within your 90 days!!  It's much easier to be patient when a time line isn't looming

of course!  it is so natural for North Americans to expect things to be complicated and difficult, as this is what we experience in our culture...and of course the predatory lawyers will be happy to fuel your fear and confusion...it's how they make their money!  just remember that basically this culture is a lawless culture, so "rules" and "laws" about immigration, like anything else, appear muddled, complicated, ever-changing...the best attitude to have here, in my experience and opinion, is a positive, "wow!  I love your country, where everything is so easy!" one and you will find things flowing very easily for you....just do your best to avoid lawyers and other gringos who carry a much different perspective.  I have traveled for six years in various Latin countries, now making my home in Cuenca, and I have had great success renting houses/apartments, starting a business, by dealing only with locals!!!

ZenSpike,
Obviously, you were in the U.S. when you processed your paperwork.  Did you use an American attorney or one from Ecuador?
Cathie

thank you so much for your advice. It came in very handy. I knew that Canada does not have the same International Agreements, if any, with Ecuador, that the USA have. My son lives in Toronto, and I was told that he can gather up all the documents, that I will ask for, he can bring the stuff then to the Ecuadorian Consulate there -  have everything notarized, etc. and send it all here. They prefer to get the documents translated in Ecuador. It was great to find out, that once I start the process for the permanent Resident Visa, I will not be asked to leave. What a relief. I really like it here where I live. Not everybody's bag, but then, I do not care, as long as I am able to start my new life here. Thanks again, your post was one of the more uplifting ones.

really liked your positive post, it gives me hope. Just got an extension on my visiting visa for another 6 mos. I am like you, if I can avoid lawyers and attorneys,  I will.  Since I am Canadian, I was told, things will be a little different anyhow. I have muddled through life since I was born in 1945, next to a house that was bombed in Berlin, when I came into the world. It left me with an anxiety disorder, that I have kept in check with some meds, and now more with natural products. I have been here for 3 mos. and I really like it where I live. So, now I am getting started on my permanent Resident Visa, and I know, I will be able to get it done. Canada does not have the same International Agreements with Ecuador [if any], as the USA has, so I am contacting the Ecuadorian Consulate in Toronto for the correct information, as to which documents I need. Basically fairly simple for retired peeps, from what I have gathered so far. I am an eternal optimist, which makes life a lot more fun, so I am not going to let anything or anybody with negative remarks get to me. Same goes for every country, really, "don't like it - leave", unless you are in a place like North Korea and you cannot just leave. Take care Travelin' Man, and be well.