EC
Ecuador · Visa de Inversionista · Investor visa · apply online · processing 30–60 days
Temporary residence for a foreign national who places at least 100 times Ecuador's basic salary in an Ecuadorian bank deposit, property or company, or who signs a qualifying contract with the state. A legal representative of a company with that much capital can use the same category. For 2026 the money floor is USD 48,200.
| Type | Tier / zone | Min amount | USD equivalent | Holding | Returnable | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank deposit | — | USD 48,200 | $48,200 | 2 yr | Yes | Optional |
| Real estate | — | USD 48,200 | $48,200 | 2 yr | Yes | Optional |
| Company capital | Shares or participations | USD 48,200 | $48,200 | 2 yr | Yes | Optional |
| Company capital | Legal representative or director | USD 48,200 | $48,200 | — | No | Optional |
The 2026 basic salary is USD 482, so 100 times that salary is USD 48,200. Ecuador uses the US dollar, so the local and USD amounts are the same. The floor moves every January with the basic salary. The deposit, property and share routes, and the representative route, all use that floor. A current investment contract with the state, a delegated-management contract, or another administrative contract with the state is also a route. Those contracts have no published minimum, so they are not stored as investment options. The deposit must be dematerialized and last at least 730 days. Property and shares cannot be sold while the visa is in force. The investment can be substituted within 60 days if the replacement still meets the minimum. Dropping the investment cancels the visa. Renewal asks for proof that the assets are still held. The government fee is USD 50 to file and USD 270 to issue, with no VAT. Applicants aged 65 or older pay half. A disability of 30 percent or more, with the health-ministry card, pays nothing. A sponsored relative files a separate amparo visa at USD 50 plus USD 200. The investor checklist does not add USD 250 of income per dependent. The identity card is extra. Each grant is up to two years and can be renewed more than once. A representative's visa instead lasts for the appointment, from 181 days to two years. The temporary visa allows multiple entries and does not limit time abroad. Permanent residence needs 21 continuous months as a resident, requested before the temporary visa expires, and absences during the whole temporary visa cannot exceed 90 days. Naturalisation needs three years of permanent residence, Spanish, and an interview. The three years do not run from this visa. A spouse or legally recognised partner, and children of any age, can be included. Parents cannot. The category covers productive and commercial activity, legal representation and administrative posts, and residents have the right to work. The investor checklist does not ask for a health policy. The mobility law still says a resident needs public or private insurance. This is not a territorial tax visa. Tax residence is generally 183 days, and residents are taxed on worldwide income at 0 to 37 percent. An optional five-year election limited to Ecuador-source income needs either a USD 150,000 investment held for five years or foreign monthly income plus social security. It is a separate tax filing, not this visa. Published texts do not agree on whether that foreign-income test is USD 2,500 or USD 2,510. Apply only on e-VISAS and pay the same day, by 23:55 Ecuador time, or the draft is deleted. Someone already in Ecuador needs a regular tourist stay or a current visa. Consulates and zonal offices issue the visa. They are not a separate filing channel. Language: Must speak and write Spanish; no CEFR level stated.
Ecuador also offers a digital nomad visa for remote workers
Last verified Oct 9, 2026 Last changed Oct 10, 2026 Source
application channel set to online and filing from abroad set to allowed (https://serviciosdigitales.cancilleria.gob.ec/).
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