Do You Qualify For The “Professional” Residency Visa In Ecuador?

Do you have a four year (Bachelors) degree from an accredited university?

Then you qualify for permanent residency in Ecuador if you want it.

Ecuador is one of the few countries in the world that gives away residency to ANYONE with a 4-yr bachelors college degree.  Any degree, any major.

This is how I got my residency.

Its BY FAR a better option than an investors visa if you have a degree, because your residency would be linked to that investment.

But there is one setback though.

You have to register your degree with the Ecuadorian Institute of Higher Learning (SENESCYT) which can take months… not good if you are here on the free 90 day tourist visa stamp you receive upon entry with just your passport. A temporary tourist visa to Saudi Arabia will allow those who have sponsorship to enter and stay within the country. All visitors must follow Saudi law and locals encourage visitors to engage in Saudi customs as well. A tourist visa is the most appropriate visa for coming into the country to visit friends or family. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has a requirement which is uncommon and may be new to many regular travelers. Even with a visa, you may be refused entry into Saudi Arabia if your passport shows before traveling to Israel. Or, if Israel is your birthplace you would also be denied entry. Before launching the Saudi eVisa, tourist visas for entry to the country were non-existent. Would-be travellers to Saudi Arabia were also previously expected to make application in person at the nearest consulate or embassy. It is now much simpler for tourists from eligible countries to enter Saudi Arabia with the visas for Saudi Arabia. The online application process could not be faster or simpler. Applicants must only meet certain basic requirements and complete all sections of the application form as accurately as possible.

The last thing you want is for your tourist visa to expire and become illegal.  But in order to extend the visa you are looking at $250 plus an added complication once given the residency visa of having to cancel the visa extension.

However, usually it takes 3-4 months for the Senescyt to validate and register your degree in Ecuador. But it can take longer.

Only after this validation you can start the visa process. Which can take another 2-4 weeks.

Thankfully, you can validate your degree locally in Ecuador from abroad with the help of someone already in Ecuador.

First check to see if your university is on this list.  If it is, you qualify!  You need to send to your Ecuador contact the following items… (easy!)

1. Color copy of your passport.

2.  Original color copy of your degree apostilled (if from a country that does apostles like the USA).  If you are from Canada or a country that does not do apostilles then you need to get this certified by the Ecuador consulate in your home country.  You do NOT need to translate your degree if it appears in English, French, German or Spanish.

3. A brief letter in Spanish authorizing your contact in Ecuador to help validate your degree.

4. This application form filled out and signed by applicant and snail mailed to Ecuador.

If your university is not on the list the wait time just got a month or two longer as first you have to get your school approved then your degree.  In addition to the above documents, except a different application form, you would need to send a copy of your transcripts showing your hours taken, completed, grades, etc. This needs to be apostilled in your home country AND notarized in Ecuador.