Ecuador · Retire or live on savings
Ecuador Retiree visa
Income needed: $1,446+ a month
Visa de residencia temporal — Jubilado (Reglamento art. 65)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Retiree visa is a retire or live on savings route for Ecuador. Applicants need income of $1,446+ a month. You can stay 2 yrs, renewable. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Money needed
- $1,446+ a month
- Government fees
- $50 · $270
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fees $320 in total (2 fees); income to show $1,446+/mo. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees$50 · $270
- $50Visa application fee, paid online when the request is filed; no VAT.
- $270Visa grant fee, paid on approval; no VAT.
Shown, not spent$1,446+/mo · $250+/mo
- $1,446 a monthOfficial document from the foreign pension institution certifying a monthly retirement pension equal to or above 3 SBU (3 x USD 482 = USD 1,446 in 2026); apostilled or legalised.
- $250 a monthExtra monthly income for each dependant covered.
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 show3
- A monthly retirement pension equal to or above 3 SBU (USD 1,446 in 2026) is required.
- Each dependant covered needs extra monthly income of USD 250.
- A fee is payable.
Documents7
- An official document from the foreign pension institution certifies the pension, apostilled or legalised.
- Valid national or foreign health insurance for the whole visa period is required.
- A foreign policy must state coverage in Ecuador.
- 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
- Health insurance
Valid national or foreign health insurance for the whole visa period is required
- Certified translation
An official document from the foreign pension institution certifies the pension, apostilled or legalised
- 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
For foreign retirees receiving a pension from a public or private institution abroad. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least $1,446 a month · Official document from the foreign pension institution certifying a monthly retirement pension equal to or above 3 SBU (3 x USD 482 = USD 1,446 in 2026); apostilled or legalised. 1 2 3
- Income of at least $250 a month · Extra monthly income for each dependant covered. 1 2
- 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 monthly retirement pension equal to or above 3 SBU (USD 1,446 in 2026) is required. 1 2 3
- Each dependant covered needs extra monthly income of USD 250. 1 2
- A fee is payable. 1
- An official document from the foreign pension institution certifies the pension, apostilled or legalised. 1 2 3
- Valid national or foreign health insurance for the whole visa period is required. 1 2
- A foreign policy must state coverage in Ecuador. 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
Retirement status; the regulation does not grant a work permit under this category.
Family
Dependants can be covered by the holder ("amparo") by showing an additional USD 250 per month of income for each person 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 jubilado · Guía Oficial de Trámites — MREMH · checked 2026-10-10
- Acuerdo MDH-DM-2026-0005-A (quotes Acuerdo MDT-2025-195: Salario Básico Unificado 2026 = USD 482) · Ministerio de Desarrollo Humano · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-02
- 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
Retiree visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retiree visa | Needs income of $1,446+ a month | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Rentista visa | Needs income of $1,446+ a month | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Retiree permanent residence Mexico | Needs income of MXN 134k+ a month ≈ $7,310 | – | Yes |
| Pensioner visa M Colombia | Needs income of COP 5.3M+ a month ≈ $1,640 | 3 yr | Yes |
| Pensionado residence Costa Rica | Needs income of $1,000+ a month | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Retiree visa?
Income of at least $1,446 a month. Official document from the foreign pension institution certifying a monthly retirement pension equal to or above 3 SBU (3 x USD 482 = USD 1,446 in 2026); apostilled or legalised. Income of at least $250 a month. Extra monthly income for each dependant covered. 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 Retiree visa?
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 Retiree visa?
Retirement status; the regulation does not grant a work permit under this category.
Can I bring my family on the Retiree visa?
Dependants can be covered by the holder ("amparo") by showing an additional USD 250 per month of income for each person covered.
Does the Retiree visa lead to permanent residence in Ecuador?
Time on the Retiree visa counts toward permanent residence in Ecuador, which the rules allow after 21 months of residence. Time on the Retiree visa doesn't count toward citizenship.
Is there a tax break for Retiree visa 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
Retirement and live-on-savings 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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An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 5 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 jubilado · Guía Oficial de Trámites — MREMH · checked 2026-10-10
- Acuerdo MDH-DM-2026-0005-A (quotes Acuerdo MDT-2025-195: Salario Básico Unificado 2026 = USD 482) · Ministerio de Desarrollo Humano · 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.