Ecuador · Investing
Ecuador Investor · State contract
First stay: 2 yrs
Visa de residencia temporal — Inversionista: contrato con el Estado (Reglamento art. 66 d-f)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Investor · State contract is an investing route for Ecuador. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $50 · $270
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
Government fees$50 · $270
- $50Visa application fee, paid online when the request is filed; no VAT.
- $270Visa grant fee, paid on approval; no VAT.
RenewalRenewable
Temporary residence lasts up to 2 years and can be renewed once.
Permanent residenceAfter 21 months of residence
You can request permanent residence after 21 continuous months as a resident, filing before the temporary visa expires.
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad HumanaMinisterio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana
CitizenshipTime here doesn't count
Naturalisation needs at least 3 years of regular domicile holding a permanent residence visa, so time on a temporary visa does not count directly.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply online through the foreign ministry's e-VISAS platform, from inside Ecuador or through an embassy or consulate abroad.
Presence rulesAway max 90 days in total
To keep the 21 months continuous, you cannot be away from Ecuador more than 90 days in total during the temporary visa.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route doesn't count toward citizenship
What you'll need
What you must show1
- A fee is payable.
Documents6
- A copy of the public deed of the investment contract with the State, the delegated-management deed, or an administrative contract is required.
- The authority may check validity with the investment agency or contracting entity.
- A passport valid at least 6 months is required.
- An original criminal-record certificate from the country of origin and places of residence in the last 5 years is required (adults only).
- The certificate is apostilled or legalised, translated, and valid 180 days to the last entry.
- Lawful means of livelihood are required under Acuerdo Ministerial 70 of 28 June 2024.
What happens at day 183
How Ecuador decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
2 years at first, renewable
- 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
The certificate is apostilled or legalised, translated, and valid 180 days to the last entry
- Police certificate and civil documents
An original criminal-record certificate from the country of origin and places of residence in the last 5 years is required (adults only)
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Investor residence for holders of a current investment contract with the Ecuadorian State, a delegated-management contract with central or local governments, or any administrative contract with the State. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of $50 · Visa application fee, paid online when the request is filed; no VAT. 2
- A fee of $270 · Visa grant fee, paid on approval; no VAT. 2
Requirements
- A fee is payable. 1
- A copy of the public deed of the investment contract with the State, the delegated-management deed, or an administrative contract is required. 1 2
- The authority may check validity with the investment agency or contracting entity. 1 2
- A passport valid at least 6 months is required. 1
- An original criminal-record certificate from the country of origin and places of residence in the last 5 years is required (adults only). 1
- The certificate is apostilled or legalised, translated, and valid 180 days to the last entry. 1
- Lawful means of livelihood are required under Acuerdo Ministerial 70 of 28 June 2024. 1
Stay
- Temporary residence authorises a 2-year stay, renewable once; permanent residence can be requested after 21 continuous months as a resident.
- Initial permitted stay: 24 months.
- Visa validity: 24 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Productive and commercial activities are covered by the investor category.
Family
Spouse or partner and children can be covered by the holder ("amparo"); the holder shows an additional USD 250 per month of income for each adult child covered.
Official sources
- Reglamento a la Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana (arts. 60-76, 83-84) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana · checked 2026-10-12
- Concesión de visa de residencia temporal inversionista · Guía Oficial de Trámites — MREMH · checked 2026-10-10
- Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana (consolidated text) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (Ecuador) · 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
Investor · State contract and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investor · State contract | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Investor · $48k shares | Needs an investment of $48k+ | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Investor · $48k property | Needs an investment of $48k+ | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Investor · $48k deposit | Needs an investment of $48k+ | 2 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Investor residence Mexico | Needs an investment of MXN 5.4M+ ≈ $294k | 4 yr | With a permit |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Investor · State contract?
A fee of $50. Visa application fee, paid online when the request is filed; no VAT. A fee of $270. Visa grant fee, paid on approval; no VAT.
How long can I stay on the Investor · State contract?
Temporary residence authorises a 2-year stay, renewable once; permanent residence can be requested after 21 continuous months as a resident.
Can I work on the Investor · State contract?
Productive and commercial activities are covered by the investor category.
Can I bring my family on the Investor · State contract?
Spouse or partner and children can be covered by the holder ("amparo"); the holder shows an additional USD 250 per month of income for each adult child covered.
Does the Investor · State contract lead to permanent residence in Ecuador?
Time on the Investor · State contract counts toward permanent residence in Ecuador, which the rules allow after 21 months of residence. Time on the Investor · State contract doesn't count toward citizenship.
Is there a tax break for Investor · State contract 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
Investment visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 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.
- Reglamento a la Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana (arts. 60-76, 83-84) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana · checked 2026-10-12
- Concesión de visa de residencia temporal inversionista · Guía Oficial de Trámites — MREMH · checked 2026-10-10
- Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana (consolidated text) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (Ecuador) · 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
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.