If you are going to be moving to the beautiful country of Ecuador, you will soon be enjoying a new culture in a country with seasonal temperatures much of the year. When preparing to move to this country, there are a few tips that will make your transition easier overall. Here are some preparations you will want to make pertaining to your move.

Obtaining Residency

To stay in the country of Ecuador on a more permanent basis, you will need to apply for a visa. After you obtain a visa, there are stipulations for how often and for how long you can leave the country during the year should you wish to eventually retain residency. For the first two years of your stay, you may not leave for longer than 90 days in a calendar year. After these two years have passed, you can leave for up to 18 consecutive months without losing residency.

Should you try to obtain residency by putting money into a bank or by purchasing real estate, you will want to meet the minimum monetary requirements needed. It is a good idea to hire an Ecuadorian immigration attorney to help you with the residency process if you are going to make Ecuador your permanent home.

Hold Off On A Vehicle

When moving to Ecuador, you will want to wait to purchase a vehicle until you are established within the country since you cannot register it without obtaining a license in Ecuador. In the past you needed to take educational courses before getting a license, but recently rules have changed so you can transfer your United States license to an Ecuadorian one with the proper paperwork. You will however, still need to take a written test before obtaining your license. This test is will be given completely in Spanish, so it is recommended to brush up on the questions that may be asked beforehand.

Keep An American Bank

It is difficult to open a bank account in another country until you have been a resident for a while. For this reason, keep an American bank account to handle your funds when you first move to Ecuador. Have any money you have coming in directly deposited into your American account. You may need to have someone in the United States withdraw money on your behalf and wire transfer it to Ecuador when it is needed. Use online banking to pay your bills.

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