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🇪🇨 Rentista Remote Work (Nomad) Visa
Ecuador digital nomad visa for Americans
The Rentista Remote Work (Nomad) Visa lets you live in Ecuador while you keep working for clients or an employer outside the country. Income needed: ~$1,350-1,400/mo (3x min wage) or $16,200 savings (about $1,350 a month). Length: 2 yrs.
🛂 Open to applications 🧾 Moderate tax South America
The visa in numbers
📊 At about $1,350 a month, Ecuador's bar is higher than 1 and lower than 40 of the 42 open nomad visas with a set income minimum. Compare all nomad visas →
Requirements and details
| 🛂 Visa | Rentista Remote Work (Nomad) Visa |
| 💵 Income needed | ~$1,350-1,400/mo (3x min wage) or $16,200 savings ≈ $1,350 a month in US dollars at current rates |
| 💳 Fees | ~$450 total |
| ⏳ How long it lasts | 2 yrs |
| 🔁 Renewal | Yes → repeatedly |
| 📍 Where you apply | Both → consulate or in-country (Ministerio de Gobierno) while legal |
| 📆 Time you must spend there | 90+ days/yr to keep the PR pathway alive; max 90 days outside the country in first 2 yrs of PR |
| 🏠 Path to permanent residency | Yes → after ~21 months on the nomad visa |
| 🧾 Tax | 183 days → resident on worldwide income 🟡 Moderate · Worldwide income · top rate 37% |
| 📝 Good to know | ⭐ Uniquely: counts toward PR if you stay 90+ days/yr → a nomad visa that actually builds residency |
| 📄 Documents |
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Not working remotely? The passive-income route
Jubilado (pensioner): ~$1,350/mo pension. USD economy → no currency risk.
Can the income bar cover life in Ecuador?
All-in monthly cost for one person (everyday living costs plus a 1-bedroom city-centre rent), from the cities we cover.
Data last updated · Source: Curated immigration research (confidence: medium)
Ecuador nomad visa: common questions
How much income do I need for Ecuador's digital nomad visa?
~$1,350-1,400/mo (3x min wage) or $16,200 savings. That's about $1,350 a month in US dollars at current exchange rates.
How long does the Rentista Remote Work (Nomad) Visa last, and can I renew it?
2 yrs. Renewal: Yes → repeatedly.
Where do I apply?
Both → consulate or in-country (Ministerio de Gobierno) while legal.
What documents do I need?
Passport, income proof (3x min wage), criminal record (apostilled), health insurance, degree not required. Requirements vary by consulate, so check the current list before you book an appointment.
Can it lead to permanent residency in Ecuador?
Yes → after ~21 months on the nomad visa.
Will I pay tax in Ecuador as a digital nomad?
183 days → resident on worldwide income. As an American you also stay taxable by the IRS on your worldwide income wherever you live; the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and foreign tax credits usually stop you paying twice. Compare taxes abroad for Americans.