Ecuador Raises Residency-Visa Fee by $200, Says Immigration Attorney

So for 2 adults and 2 children it used to cost $700 and now it will cost $1,600, quite an increase.  Current Canadian dollar exchange rate intensifies the cost for them.

Where do they get this stuff from!  I was at the Machala office about 2 weeks ago and they then informed me that I should bring $500, and NOT in $100 bills (these are suspicious), when I come in to get my authorized visa.  Not $550.

HelenPivoine

HelenPivoine wrote:

Where do they get this stuff from!  I was at the Machala office about 2 weeks ago and they then informed me that I should bring $500, and NOT in $100 bills (these are suspicious), when I come in to get my authorized visa.  Not $550.

HelenPivoine

Perhaps the legal fee increased $50.

What I understand is that there is a $50 fee due when you submit your paperwork, then $500 due when the visa is approved. Total of $550, but not all at once.

I'm travelling on a volunteer visa, and had to pay $270 extra (I had already paid $180USD) because they fixed the final paperwork after jan 2. I really regret not fixing it faster, but it takes time

Exactly you are correct.  I paid the $50 filing fee, which formerly was $30.

HelenPivoine

Hi,

I am really having trouble understanding  why the Ministerio de relaciones exteriors has told me that I cannot get 50 per cent reduction in visa costs, because I am now 65 years old,since Oct 2015.  Legally I think that they must allow this.  At the Ministerio, they told me, that is just for the Ecuadorians - the reduction.  But Ecuadorians do not need residency visas.  I am going to talk to my lawyer again!

HelenPivoine wrote:

Hi,

I am really having trouble understanding  why the Ministerio de relaciones exteriors has told me that I cannot get 50 per cent reduction in visa costs, because I am now 65 years old,since Oct 2015.  Legally I think that they must allow this.  At the Ministerio, they told me, that is just for the Ecuadorians - the reduction.  But Ecuadorians do not need residency visas.  I am going to talk to my lawyer again!

Sounds about right, a great deal for people who do not need it, cannot use it.  Hope your lawyer will not charge you additional fees to investigate a reduction you do not get.

Ecuador's businesses and ministries are under no obligation to provide an Expat with discounts if he or she does not have the national picture-ID card or cédula.

Of course, an Expat may see that as a Catch-22, since you can't get a cédula without first paying for and obtaining a residency visa.

cccmedia in Quito

I confirmed with the Ecuadorian consulate in Toronto that there is no fifty percent discount for Expats over sixty-five. That was just a rumor posted on Facebook.

Consulates are possibly the worst place to get visa information. A law was passed that took effect in January of 2016 that gives seniors a 50% discount on residency and tourist visa fees. I am in the visa service business and am aware of all new regulations.

Seniors get a 50% discount on residency and tourist visas as of January 2016. The discount is not for Ecuadorians, who do not need residency visas.

is that only for spouse or both over 65?

Rockysroad wrote:

A law was passed that took effect in January of 2016 that gives seniors a 50% discount on residency and tourist visa fees. I am in the visa service business and am aware of all new regulations.

Your two posts claiming this to be true are not credible, Rocky, for these reasons....

1.  No checkable source was stated.

2.  It makes no sense that a country with a severe budget crisis would cut fees in half for non-voting Expats.

Surely, being in the "visa service business," you can cite a source that we can verify online.

As for "tourist visa fees" being reduced by half, I don't believe that either.  Tourists from most countries, including the U.S. and Canada, enter Ecuador on tourist stamps good for 90 days at no cost.  This has been the case for years.  While it is conceivable an extension-visa fee could be reduced, I doubt it.  I challenge you to provide a credible source to prove it.

cccmedia

you are suppose to have the same rights at citizens of Ecuador.

kdshelley5 wrote:

you are suppose to have the same rights at citizens of Ecuador.

No one has the same rights as a citizen of Ecuador, otherwise citizenship would be useless.  Anyone with a perm Res visa has more rights than someone with a tourist visa, but cannot be equated with being a citizen.

Actually, yes ...

Residents have the same rights and privileges as a citizen fo the country.

They also have many of the same obligations such as paying SRI and property taxes, licensing for driving a car, and the need to respond to the requests of law enforcement.

Those over the age of 65 are able to have the 50% discount provided to all citizens ...and that includes tourists over 65.

If you are applying for a visa and would like more information, the person I recommend is Dana Cameron.  And just so there is transparency here, I do NOT get a kickback or compensation for suggesting her.

Prof. Cameron began doing visas for the University for which she is employed in Guayaquil over a decade ago and continued to do visas along with her academic work.  She is well known at the Immigration office and is highly respected there.  She is often called in to assist with answering questions at the US COnsulte in Guayaquil.  And while she is the most well schooled in the field, she maintains very reasonable fees and provides responses to initial queries at no cost.

To reach her:  Dana.Visas@Gmail.com

So a resident non-citizen can get an Ecuador passport?

Good question.

They do not have citizenship in the country therefore they do not have a document that would be "proof" of citizenship. That would be fraud.

A passport is neither a right nor a privilege and in fact is just a proof of who you are documented as belonging to for inheritance, among other, purposes.

The carrying of a passport is arguably both a right and a privilege and that issue is often debated.

The answer to your direct question is therefore, no.

So residents don't have the same rights as citizens.  Traveling on an Ecuador passport is cheaper than a USA passport in some countries.

mugtech wrote:

So residents don't have the same rights as citizens.  Traveling on an Ecuador passport is cheaper than a USA passport in some countries.

Residents technically can't vote unless they have lived here 5 years, although expats with cedulas can get away  with it under 5 years, from what I have heard. So maybe a moot point...............

Residents may vote in an election once they have acquired their cedula.

If they choose to vote they are then obligated to continue to vote

Residents that have been in the country for 5 or more years are obligated to vote.

This applies to all resident between the ages of 18 and 64 inclusive.  The obligation lifts for Jubilados and becomes voluntary.

It is strongly suggested that you do participate (even to acknowledge None of The Above)as the votacion paper is necessary to the smooth transaction of many things such as acquiring a bank account and applying for benefits.  Yes you can get away with not having it, and yes you can get one for about $35 if you miss the voting cycle, but it does make life simpler to simply vote and have the document when you need it.

Mugtech...

Incorrect.

Residents have the right to a passport.  The passport of their country of origin unless that right is rescinded.

They do not have the right to claim citizenship in Ecuador if they do not, in fact, have citizenship in the country.

Once again, do Residents of Ecuador have the same rights in Ecuador as Citizens of Ecuador.  Yes they do

Can Residents of Ecuador claim to be Citizens?  No they cannot.

Susan_in_Ecuador wrote:

Residents may vote in an election once they have acquired their cedula.

If they choose to vote they are then obligated to continue to vote

Residents that have been in the country for 5 or more years are obligated to vote.

This applies to all resident between the ages of 18 and 64 inclusive.  The obligation lifts for Jubilados and becomes voluntary.

It is strongly suggested that you do participate (even to acknowledge None of The Above)as the votacion paper is necessary to the smooth transaction of many things such as acquiring a bank account and applying for benefits.  Yes you can get away with not having it, and yes you can get one for about $35 if you miss the voting cycle, but it does make life simpler to simply vote and have the document when you need it.

Cite your source Susan.  Here is my source which states voting optional for extranjeros after 5 years.

El voto de los extranjeros es facultativo, tienen derecho a éste las personas desde los 16 años de edad que hayan residido legalmente en el país, al menos cinco años.

http://cne.gob.ec/es/8-noticias/106-en- … xtranjeros

Actually Nards, that does say that the voting is optional for the first 5 years and is also optional for those 16 to 18

It is mandatory after that time.

You are pulling one line out of context from the full law.

Review the following site for more information for 2017

http://www.eleccionesenecuador.com/info … or-49.html

Honestly, I am incredulous that you can read that and conclude that Susan.   However, It isn't worth my time to argue the point further.

I will leave it up to others to decide for themselves.

Actually...

The reason I can tell you this is because it is the same line that has been brought up each year since I started working as a Moderator and Administrator on Ecuador Expat sites... and each year the clarification is also provided. That's every year since 2009

The clarification can be found on the secondary source I cited for your assistance.

It´s a great example that not everything you read about Ecuador on the internet , even from a government source, is correct.

Hope this explains the situation a bit more clearly for you.  Have a pleasant evening.

I read the secondary source Susan you provided, and I stand by comment.

Call it a right or a privilege or perhaps a benefit, but having two passports from different countries makes it easier and cheaper to travel the world.  If I had an Ecuador passport I could obtain a visa to China for $165 less than using my USA passport.  Quite the benefit.  Many countries allow dual citizenship, including USA and Ecuador.

mugtech wrote:

Call it a right or a privilege or perhaps a benefit, but having two passports from different countries makes it easier and cheaper to travel the world.  If I had an Ecuador passport I could obtain a visa to China for $165 less than using my USA passport.  Quite the benefit.  Many countries allow dual citizenship, including USA and Ecuador.

I was in Banco Pichincha recently helping a friend open a bank account. Since I am client of the bank, I presented a letter of recommendation on his behalf which is required and I was told they only accept them from Ecuadorian citizens.  While I am now a citizen, i hadn't yet replaced my cedula so it wasn't indicated.

That isnt new. All fees for everything... 6 mo visa as well, doubled. This happened a year ago.

cuencaecuador wrote:

That isnt new. All fees for everything... 6 mo visa as well, doubled. This happened a year ago.

You are correct, first posted on here in January, 2016.

Seriously this is typical for many things here, and I highly respect Nards as well as Susan_in_Ecuador input on this forum. But I’m confused, and can we vote or not? Do we have to wait 5 years or can we vote after getting our cedula? 

As I said it’s typical here for some reason that information is confused and and here are three examples:

1.)    Baking Soda is not allowed in Ecuador, oh yeah, we’ll tell that to my supermarket that sells a local brand called “Tips”, made in Ecuador.

2.)    You can’t buy beer in tiendas and supermarkets on Sunday, oh yeah, again tell that to my local tienda and supermarket.

3.)    You can’t bring in a monitor that is more than 20 inches, oh yeah I bought in not 1 but two 24 inches monitors without issues, this after customs checked one of the luggage that had one of the monitors, no problema.

And forget asking Ecuadorean friends because they don’t know anything about anything with the exception that’s it’s relevant to their lives and circles.

This is my personal opinion, but I think how people treat us here is far more important than the differences between citizens and residents. Sure, citizenship is great and with privileges, but on a street level it’s a non-issue. This isn’t a racist society, it’s a humanitarian one. You don’t see hatred like other countries where people boast of nationality, and which generation they are. 

Our barrier here isn’t citizenship it’s language. Without the language, we’ll indefinitely be strangers. And rightfully so as Spanish is a great world language, let’s throw away the egos and accept this fact. You may wonder, like I did, how can a doctor not know English, well because they were probably educated locally or Spain, or Argentina, it’s all Spanish.

Admittedly I was ignorant of this fact. If you get this point, then you’ll understand how irrelevant English is here.

Speak and hear their words, and they open up, and this is better than any status.