Ecuador · Student
Ecuador Student visa
Visa de residencia temporal — Estudiante (Reglamento art. 75)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Student visa is a student route for Ecuador. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $50 · $80
Cost, time and long term
Government fees$50 · $80
- $50Visa application fee, paid online when the request is filed; no VAT.
- $80Visa grant fee, paid on approval; no VAT. Applicants aged 65 or over get a 50% reduction and applicants with a disability of 30% or more are exempt.
RenewalRenewable
The visa lasts as long as the studies or practice, up to 2 years, and is renewed with updated study documents.
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.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a place at a school or university in Ecuador
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- An enrolment or admission certificate from an accredited Ecuadorian institution proves regular-student status, or a practice placement.
What you must show1
- A fee is payable.
Documents5
- Minors need parental authorisation and an apostilled birth certificate.
- 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.
- 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
Minors need parental authorisation and an apostilled birth certificate
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For regular students in basic, secondary, undergraduate or postgraduate education, official-language courses, or pre-professional and professional practice. 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 $80 · Visa grant fee, paid on approval; no VAT. Applicants aged 65 or over get a 50% reduction and applicants with a disability of 30% or more are exempt. 2
Requirements
- An enrolment or admission certificate from an accredited Ecuadorian institution proves regular-student status, or a practice placement. 2
- A fee is payable. 1
- Minors need parental authorisation and an apostilled birth certificate. 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
- Visa lasts as long as the studies or practice, up to 2 years; renewal needs updated study documents.
- 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.
Family
Minors need parental authorisation.
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 estudiante · Guía Oficial de Trámites — MREMH · checked 2026-10-10
Student visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student visa | – | – | – |
| Student residence Mexico | Needs income of MXN 26k+ a month ≈ $1,410 | – | – |
| Student visa V Colombia | – | 2 yr | Yes |
| Student stay Costa Rica | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Student visa Brazil | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Student visa?
A fee of $50. Visa application fee, paid online when the request is filed; no VAT. A fee of $80. Visa grant fee, paid on approval; no VAT.
How long can I stay on the Student visa?
Visa lasts as long as the studies or practice, up to 2 years; renewal needs updated study documents.
Can I bring my family on the Student visa?
Minors need parental authorisation.
Is there a tax break for Student 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
Study 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 2 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 estudiante · Guía Oficial de Trámites — MREMH · checked 2026-10-10
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.