Have you ever thought about moving to Ecuador? Perhaps you have already made the decision that you want to leave Switzerland and build a new life in this country in South America.
We assume that you have already gathered some information beforehand. Spontaneous relocation decisions without adequate preparation almost always turn out badly. Nevertheless, it can’t hurt if we gather some useful information for you here.
In this article, we would like to continue to encourage you to make your desire to move to Ecuador come true. In the following article you will learn about the advantages of living in Ecuador and what the weather is like there. Furthermore, we will tell you what requirements you need to meet in order to become a permanent resident.
Reasons for moving to Ecuador
Ecuador offers one of the highest qualities of life on the South American continent. It doesn’t matter if you prefer to live in the countryside, in the city or by the sea. You can experience all this after your move to Ecuador. There is a suitable place to live for every taste in Ecuador.
Especially in the bigger cities, first of all Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, you can enjoy the comforts of the western world. You can get a car as well as a cell phone and internet without any problems.
In addition, Ecuador is quite cheap. Even if you go out to eat in a restaurant as a couple, you rarely have to pay more than 40 CHF for the whole bill.
But not only the Ecuadorian big cities are suitable as a place to live. Even in the smaller towns, everything feels lively. Particularly popular places to live among expats are the cities of Baños, Cotacachi and Vilcabamba.
In addition, Ecuador has excellent medical care. Especially in the big cities you will find numerous modern equipped hospitals and lots of medical specialists. If you pay for a doctor’s visit out of your own pocket, expect to pay about 18 CHF. For a specialist you will pay about 4 to 5 CHF more.
Ecuador also convinces with its diverse nature. On the one hand, there is the coastal region, where you will find beautiful sandy beaches. The Andean highlands have imposing mountains, some of which are more than 6,000 meters high. In the Amazon region, on the other hand, you will encounter tropical forests and numerous animal species that live only here. By the way, the Galapagos Islands also belong to Ecuador.
The climate in Ecuador
Ecuador is located on the equator, which also gave the South American country its name. How the climate is exactly depends on where you want to live after moving to Ecuador.
The location on the equator ensures that the weather in Ecuador varies only slightly. There are no seasons like we have. However, there is a distinction between the dry season and the rainy season. The first falls on the period between May and October.
It is coolest on the Pacific coast and at the foot of the Andes. Temperatures there average between 20 and 30 °C. A little further up in the high mountains, the temperatures are of course a little lower and you may even encounter snow above a certain altitude.
The right visa for your move to Ecuador
Without a visa, you are allowed to stay in Ecuador for a maximum of 90 days. So, if you are considering a move to Ecuador, you will definitely need a visa.
There are two different types of visas. One entitles you to stay in Ecuador only temporarily, while the other grants you a permanent residence permit.
The temporary visa entitles you to stay in Ecuador for a maximum of 180 days. These are the visas 12-VII, 12-IX and 12-X. However, you have the possibility to have your visa extended before it expires. You can find the authority responsible for this at the following address:
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana
Dirección General de Extranjería
Av. 6 de Diciembre
Quito
Getting a visa for permanent residence is a bit more difficult. You must be either an entrepreneur or investor in Ecuador. Alternatively, you must be married to an Ecuadorian citizen. The permanent residency visas are the 9-I, to 9-III and 9-V to 9-VII visas.
In this article, we have provided you with a number of helpful information that will surely make your move to Ecuador easier. You know the advantages of living in Ecuador and where you can settle down everywhere. In addition, you now know the visa requirements for immigration to Ecuador.
Nevertheless, it can happen that one or the other question has not been answered yet. If this is the case for you, we will be happy to help you with advice and support. All you have to do is to send us a message.