Getting ready to retire. Hope to get some help

Hello Ralph,

Welcome on board 

A new thread has been created from your post on the Ecuador forum so that you may actually be able to interact with members of this forum.

So how can we help you ? What kind of information are you looking for ?

Feel free to post your questions, we will try to guide you 

Maybe the first step should be reading the Living in Ecuador guide so that you grasp the whole expatriation process.

The following threads will also be useful to you :

- retirement visa for Ecuador

- Thinking of Starting A Bar/Pub in Ecuador

All the very best,
Bhavna

Hello,
I'm also moving from Canada, already chose Tonsupa - Esmeraldas as my retiring place. It's a growing town but tranquil enough during the week, filled with "action" during weekends, long weekends and vacationers. It's considered the "cottage" place for most of the Quito residents.  This Coast town is not on the list of "gringo communities" yet, it still have the local flavour ambience.
My advise will be to spend at least a month travelling along the Coast; there are plenty of places to explore before you choose to settle where most convenient for you.
Marco

Thank you Ralph and Marco for starting this thread.  One question I had relates to Canadians and out of province medical health insurance and extended health benefits included in our pensions. Do most Canadians obtain out of prov before heading down there to live (as opposed to simple vacation).?--and aren't we limited to 6 months?  Also, if the stay is longer, do we end up lapsing our prov. extended health benefits?   These are some niggling financial queations I have, and all thoughts appreciated....

Coldcanada,
If you stay longer than six months in Ecuador,  you will no longer qualify for medical in Camada, if you decide to obtain residency in Ecuador , you cannot really be resident of two countries but you can also be deemed resident of Canada, subject to certain rules. We chose to live here full time and get medical coverage here, also there is tax advantage as Canada has tax treaty with Ecuador., Evan with lower Can $ cost of living is still about half. I think when we travel to Canda we simply purchase  travel medical ins and if we decide to stay for more than three months we get medical insurance back as we would re- establish residency in Canada, we have two years to do that as being residents of Ecuador we can only leave the country for three months each year.

EvaCanada wrote:

being residents of Ecuador we can only leave the country for three months each year.

After officially residing in Ecuador for 24 months, an Expat may be outside the country for a maximum total of 18 months in a five-year period.

During the 12 months starting with first obtaining the visa, the maximum time away is 90 days.  Same for Year 2 (the second 12 months of residency.)

Violating these time restrictions is cause for the Ministry to revoke the Expat's residency rights.

cccmedia in Quito