Ecuadorian Citizenship Benefits of the Permanent Residency

 

To begin, a Permanent Residency or Ecuadorian citizenship in Ecuador lasts for a lifetime. However, this is contingent upon the visa holder not departing Ecuador for over 90 days during their initial two years of Permanent Residency, or leaving the country for more than 18 months in a single trip after completing the first two years of Permanent Residency (this can vary based on when you obtained your Permanent Residency, so the rules may not apply the same way to everyone).

 

An important point to keep in mind is that according to the current guidelines for applying for Ecuadorian Citizenship, an individual is ineligible to apply if they leave Ecuador for more than 90 days in either of the first two years after receiving their Permanent Residency Visa stamp in their Passport, or for over 180 days in their third year of Permanent Residency.

 

Dual Ecuadorian citizenship

 

Contrary to popular belief, Ecuadorian citizenship laws have consistently allowed Dual Citizenship, regardless of the citizenship held from another country. Although some countries might express concerns, in my experience as an immigration attorney, this is generally quite uncommon.

 

American and Canadian citizens will have no issues relating to their home countries, as they can apply for Ecuadorian citizenship. Thus, the decision to seek Ecuadorian Citizenship after the first three years of Permanent Residency is a personal one. The aforementioned rules apply equally to foreigners who are married to an Ecuadorian Citizen (meaning they also need to wait three years since their Cedulazation to apply for Ecuadorian Citizenship). In the past, an Expat could marry an Ecuadorian Citizen and quickly, or within just a few months, attain Ecuadorian Citizenship. However, that is no longer the situation.

It’s worth noting that any individual born in Ecuador, or to an Ecuadorian Citizen, will automatically qualify for Ecuadorian Citizenship by Birth or through their Parents.

 

It is important to clarify visa requirements Ecuador and also know that there is no process to acquire Ecuadorian Citizenship by Investment. First, you must achieve Permanent Residency in Ecuador and wait the previously mentioned three years.

The primary advantage of securing citizenship lies in the ability to apply for an Investor Visa using an Ecuadorian Bank CD or Ecuadorian Real Estate Property. An important point to keep in mind is that according to the current guidelines for applying for Ecuadorian Citizenship, an individual is ineligible to apply if they leave Ecuador for more than 90 days in either of the first two years after receiving their Permanent Residency Visa stamp in their Passport, or for over 180 days in their third year of Permanent Residency.  Once you become an Ecuadorian Citizen, you have the freedom to liquidate or sell your asset and use the funds as you wish.