Ecuador · Spouse visas
Ecuador Spouse of a citizen
Permanent Residence Visa by Marriage or Registered Union (spouse or partner of an Ecuadorian or of an indefinite-visa holder)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Ecuador. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $50 · $175
Cost, time and long term
Government fees$50 · $175
- $50Visa application fee; 50% discount from age 65, waived for disability of 30% or more.
- $175Fee for granting the visa; 50% discount from age 65, waived for disability of 30% or more.
CitizenshipAfter 3 years as a permanent resident
Naturalisation needs at least 3 years of regular domicile holding a permanent residence visa, which this route gives directly.
Presence rulesStay rule
After the first two years, a permanent resident who is away from Ecuador for 2 continuous years loses the visa.
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Married to, or in a registered union with, an Ecuadorian or a holder of an indefinite visa.
- Intends to settle in Ecuador and carry out lawful activities.
What you must show2
- Visa application fee USD 50 and grant fee USD 175.
- Lawful means of subsistence shown under Ministerial Agreement No. 70 of 28 June 2024.
Documents4
- Passport valid at least six months and a recent colour photo.
- Criminal record certificate for the last five years of residence, apostilled or legalised (applicants over 18).
- Marriage certificate from the Ecuadorian Civil Registry; a marriage abroad must be registered in Ecuador.
- Union de hecho registered with the Civil Registry.
Steps3
- Apply online on the e-VISAS platform and pay the first fee the same day.
- Attend an interview at the Zonal Directorate or Ecuadorian consular office.
- An applicant inside Ecuador must show regular status through a tourist authorisation or a valid visa.
What happens at day 183
How Ecuador decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a same fiscal period, or 12 months across two fiscal periodsPresence in Ecuador, including sporadic absences, consecutive or not (art. 4.1 a and b)
- Foreign-source income
Ecuador taxes Ecuadorian-source income and also income obtained abroad by natural persons domiciled in the country (LRTI art. 2), on a 2026 scale of 0% up to USD 12,208 rising to 37% above USD 109,956; an individual is a fiscal resident after 183 days or more in the country in a fiscal period, with a credit for tax paid abroad under art. 49.
- Special regime
Residencia fiscal temporal · Tax relief
New arrivals who qualify may pay income tax only on Ecuadorian-source income for 5 years.
All tax rules for Ecuador Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Certified translation
Criminal record certificate for the last five years of residence, apostilled or legalised (applicants over 18)
- Police certificate and civil documents
Criminal record certificate for the last five years of residence, apostilled or legalised (applicants over 18)
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For a foreigner married to, or in a registered de facto union with, an Ecuadorian or a foreigner holding an indefinite visa. It gives permanent residence. 1
What you must show and pay
- A fee of $50 · Visa application fee; 50% discount from age 65, waived for disability of 30% or more. 1
- A fee of $175 · Fee for granting the visa; 50% discount from age 65, waived for disability of 30% or more. 1
Requirements
- Married to, or in a registered union with, an Ecuadorian or a holder of an indefinite visa. 1
- Intends to settle in Ecuador and carry out lawful activities. 1
- Visa application fee USD 50 and grant fee USD 175. 1
- Lawful means of subsistence shown under Ministerial Agreement No. 70 of 28 June 2024. 1
- Passport valid at least six months and a recent colour photo. 1
- Criminal record certificate for the last five years of residence, apostilled or legalised (applicants over 18). 1
- Marriage certificate from the Ecuadorian Civil Registry; a marriage abroad must be registered in Ecuador. 1
- Union de hecho registered with the Civil Registry. 1
- Apply online on the e-VISAS platform and pay the first fee the same day. 1
- Attend an interview at the Zonal Directorate or Ecuadorian consular office. 1
- An applicant inside Ecuador must show regular status through a tourist authorisation or a valid visa. 1
Stay
- Permanent residence visa.
Work
Lawful activities are allowed.
Official sources
- Concesión de visa de residencia permanente por matrimonio o unión de hecho con ecuatoriano o extranjero titular de una visa indefinida o permanente · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (gob.ec) · checked 2026-10-11
- Obtención de la nacionalidad ecuatoriana por carta de naturalización · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (Ecuador) · checked 2026-10-11
- Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana (consolidated text) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (Ecuador) · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Mexico | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Partner of a citizen Colombia | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Costa Rica | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Spouse of a resident Brazil | – | – | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a citizen?
A fee of $50. Visa application fee; 50% discount from age 65, waived for disability of 30% or more. A fee of $175. Fee for granting the visa; 50% discount from age 65, waived for disability of 30% or more.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Permanent residence visa.
Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen?
Yes. Lawful activities are allowed.
Is there a tax break for Spouse of a citizen holders in Ecuador?
Residencia fiscal temporal (LRTI, Ley Orgánica de Eficiencia Económica, RO 461-S of 20 Dec 2023): New arrivals who qualify may pay income tax only on Ecuadorian-source income for 5 years. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Residencia fiscal temporal (LRTI, Ley Orgánica de Eficiencia Económica, RO 461-S of 20 Dec 2023)
Tax relief
Details
- On: Ecuadorian-source income only, taxed on the ordinary scale
- Who: Not previously a fiscal resident of Ecuador
- Limit: $150k
New arrivals who qualify may pay income tax only on Ecuadorian-source income for 5 years.
Taxed on
Ecuadorian-source income only, taxed on the ordinary scale; foreign-source income is outside the base.
Who it applies to
- Not previously a fiscal resident of Ecuador.
- Either invest at least USD 150,000 in Ecuadorian real estate or productive activities and keep it at least 5 years, or prove non-Ecuadorian-source monthly income of at least USD 2,500 and affiliate to social security.
- Conditions must be met between day 1 and day 120 after entering Ecuador.
Exclusions
- Ecuadorian-source income remains taxable.
Limits
- $150,000 · Minimum investment in real estate or productive activities in Ecuador, kept at least 5 years.
- $2,500 a month · Alternative: proven monthly income not of Ecuadorian source; holder must join social security.
Tax residence
Lasts 5 years from the fiscal year the conditions are met.
Visas
The law links the regime to temporary residence.
Other taxes
Social-security affiliation is required under the income route; VAT is unaffected.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Ecuador
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Concesión de visa de residencia permanente por matrimonio o unión de hecho con ecuatoriano o extranjero titular de una visa indefinida o permanente · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (gob.ec) · checked 2026-10-11
- Obtención de la nacionalidad ecuatoriana por carta de naturalización · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (Ecuador) · checked 2026-10-11
- Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana (consolidated text) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (Ecuador) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.