Ecuador Permanent Residency Guide 2026: How to Convert After 21 Months

The Finish Line Most Expats Are Working Toward

Permanent residency is the finish line for most expats in Ecuador. After 21 months of legal temporary residency, you can convert to permanent status — and everything changes. No more income requirements, no more visa renewals, no more proving to anyone that you belong here. Your cédula says permanent, and that's that.

I went through this process myself. The 21-month mark feels like it takes forever to arrive, but when it does, the permanent residency application is one of the more straightforward interactions you'll have with Ecuadorian immigration. Here's exactly how it works, what it costs, and what changes when you get it.

What Permanent Residency Actually Changes

The biggest practical change is that income requirements disappear. If you came in on a Pensioner Visa proving $1,446 per month, or a Professional Visa at $482 per month, that obligation ends the day your permanent residency is granted. Your status is no longer tied to your income — it's based on your established history in Ecuador. For retirees worried about pension changes or investment fluctuations, this is enormous peace of mind.

The second change is renewals. Under Article 60 of the Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana, temporary residency visas are granted for two years and are renewable only once — meaning you get a maximum of four years on temporary status before you must convert to permanent residency or lose your legal standing. That renewal process requires updated documents, fees, and appointments each time. Permanent residency eliminates all of it. You'll renew your cédula every ten years, but that's an ID card update at the Registro Civil, not a visa reapplication. No more gathering bank statements, no more immigration appointments, no more wondering if something changed in the requirements since last time.

You also gain unrestricted work authorization. Some temporary visa categories already include work rights — the Professional Visa, for instance, authorizes employment in your professional field, and the Investor Visa covers managing your investments. But Rentista and Pensioner Visa holders face restrictions on working for Ecuadorian employers. Permanent residency levels the field: everyone gets the same unrestricted right to work, start a business, or do nothing at all. For a deeper look at how the visa categories compare, including which ones already include work authorization, our comparison tool breaks it down.

The 21-Month Rule and Absence Limits

You become eligible for permanent residency after 21 continuous months of legal temporary residency in Ecuador. "Continuous" doesn't mean you can't leave the country — it means you must respect the absence limits set by the Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana. The law restricts temporary residents to no more than 90 days of absence per year. That's not 90 consecutive days — it's 90 days total in any given year, whether taken as one long trip or several short ones. Exceed that threshold and you risk having your temporary residency cancelled, which would reset the entire clock on your path to permanent status.

Track your travel carefully. Immigration will verify your entry and exit stamps when you apply for the conversion. If you're close to the 90-day threshold in any year of your temporary residency, don't risk it — a denied permanent residency application because you spent a few too many weeks visiting family back home is a painful mistake to recover from. I recommend applying as soon as you're eligible at 21 months rather than waiting. Given that temporary visas can only be renewed once under Article 60, the permanent residency conversion isn't just desirable — it's eventually necessary if you want to stay in Ecuador long-term. Don't leave it until the last minute.

The Application Process

The application goes through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — the Cancillería — which has offices in Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca. You'll prepare a document package that includes your current passport with all Ecuador entry and exit stamps clearly visible, your temporary resident cédula, the Cancillería's application form (available on their website or at the office), recent passport-sized photos, proof of your Ecuadorian address such as a utility bill or lease agreement, and an Ecuador criminal background check from the Policía Nacional. That last item is a local clearance — not the FBI background check or apostilled home-country record you submitted with your original visa application. Budget a few days to obtain it before your appointment.

Submit the complete package at the Cancillería with the application fee, provide biometrics if requested, and collect your confirmation receipt. Processing typically takes four to eight weeks. Your temporary visa remains valid during this period, so you're not in legal limbo — you can travel, work, and go about your life normally. Keep the receipt with you as proof that your conversion is in progress, especially if you'll be crossing borders. When the approval comes through, you'll collect your new permanent resident visa stamp and update your cédula to reflect permanent status.

If you want to make sure your document package is complete before your appointment, we maintain a checklist that covers every item the Cancillería currently requires.

What It Costs

Government fees for the permanent residency conversion total $450 — a $50 application fee plus a $400 visa issuance charge. Add roughly $15 for the cédula update at the Registro Civil, $20 to $50 for the Ecuador police clearance, and minor costs for photos and document copies. All in, you're looking at approximately $500 out the door. If you use professional assistance for the application, that's a separate cost. Compared to the price of renewing a temporary visa every two years indefinitely — including the income documentation, translations, and apostilles that each renewal requires — the permanent residency conversion pays for itself quickly.

The Path to Citizenship

Permanent residency is also the gateway to Ecuadorian citizenship through naturalization. Under the Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana, you can apply for naturalization after three years as a permanent resident. That means the total timeline from your first temporary visa to citizenship eligibility is approximately five years: roughly two years of temporary residency plus three years of permanent residency. If you're married to an Ecuadorian citizen, the timeline is shorter — two years from the date your marriage was registered with Ecuador's Registro Civil.

Citizenship gives you an Ecuadorian passport with visa-free travel to much of South America and parts of Europe, voting rights, and the ability to sponsor family members through additional pathways. Not everyone wants or needs citizenship, and permanent residency alone is a secure, indefinite status. But if citizenship interests you, understand that the clock starts when your permanent residency is granted — not when your temporary visa was issued. Someone who received their temporary visa in January 2025 and converted to permanent residency in October 2026 would be eligible to apply for naturalization around October 2029.

Maintaining Your Permanent Residency

Permanent residency is hard to lose, but it's not entirely without conditions. During your first two years as a permanent resident, you cannot be absent from Ecuador for more than 180 days per year. After that initial period, the rules relax further — you can be absent for up to two consecutive years before your status comes into question. The situations that can actually jeopardize permanent residency are serious: criminal convictions, fraud in the original application, or what immigration considers abandonment — being absent from Ecuador for years without maintaining any ties.

For retirees who split time between countries, the practical advice is straightforward. Keep your cédula current, maintain an Ecuadorian bank account and address registration, and return at least once a year during those first two years. After that, even extended absences of many months won't affect your status as long as you're not disappearing for years at a time. If you're curious about the cost of maintaining a home base in Ecuador while you travel, the numbers are probably lower than you think.

Common Questions

When can I get permanent residency in Ecuador?

After 21 months of continuous legal temporary residency, respecting the 90-day annual absence limit. You apply through the Cancillería, and processing takes four to eight weeks. Most people receive their permanent residency within two years of their original temporary visa grant.

Do I still need to prove income with permanent residency?

No. This is the single biggest relief for most people. Whether you were proving $1,446 per month for a Pensioner Visa or $482 per month for a Professional Visa, that requirement vanishes entirely with permanent residency. Your status is based on your established residency history, not your current income. Pension changes, investment downturns, currency fluctuations — none of it can affect your right to live in Ecuador anymore.

How long until I can get Ecuador citizenship?

Three years after receiving permanent residency, you can apply for naturalization — making the total timeline approximately five years from your initial temporary visa. If you're married to an Ecuadorian citizen, the requirement is two years from the date your marriage was registered with the Registro Civil. Citizenship requires an interview, a clean record, and compliance with Ecuadorian tax and social security obligations.

Can I lose Ecuador permanent residency?

It's extremely difficult to lose under normal circumstances. Normal travel, even extended trips of several months, won't affect your status. The risks are serious criminal convictions, fraud in obtaining residency, or genuine abandonment — being absent from Ecuador for more than two consecutive years (after your first two years of permanent residency) without maintaining ties like a bank account, address registration, or cédula renewal. Keep your cédula current and return periodically, and your status is secure.

What about my original visa category?

Your permanent residency supersedes whatever temporary visa category you held. Whether you came in on a Professional, Pensioner, Rentista, or Investor Visa, permanent residency is the same status for everyone — same rights, same obligations, same cédula. The distinctions that mattered so much during the temporary phase simply cease to exist.

Can I sponsor family members?

Yes. Permanent residents can sponsor a spouse, minor children, and in some cases dependent parents for their own residency visas. Family members receive dependent visas that follow the same path — temporary residency first, then permanent residency after 21 months. This makes permanent residency particularly valuable if you're planning to bring family to Ecuador in the future.

Start Preparing Now

If you're approaching 21 months of temporary residency, don't wait until the last week. Gather your documents, verify your travel history against the 90-day annual absence limit, and budget for the $450 in government fees. The permanent residency conversion is straightforward when you're prepared, and stressful when you're not.

If you want the application handled professionally — or you're not sure whether your travel history qualifies — book a free consultation and we'll walk through your eligibility and timeline together.