English 
Français The short version
- Ecuador grants a longer initial stay (24 months vs 6), and it is renewable.
- Only Ecuador offers a direct path to permanent residence on this permit.
- Tax treatment differs: Ecuador — special tax regime; Uruguay — territorial taxation. Tax outcomes depend heavily on personal circumstances.
| Criteria | Ecuador Visa Nómada (Rentista) | Uruguay Nómada Digital permit |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | €1,245 | No fixed threshold |
| Income basis | Salary / employment contract | Savings accepted |
| Initial duration | 2 years (better) | 6 months |
| Renewable | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum total stay | No fixed limit | 1 year |
| Path to permanent residence | Yes (better) | Indirect (switch required) |
| Path to citizenship | Via permanent residence | Via permanent residence |
| Family inclusion | Yes (better) | No |
| Working for local clients | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Tax treatment | Special tax regime (Residencia fiscal temporal (temporary tax-residency regime for new residents)) | Territorial taxation (Sistema de fuente territorial (IRPF/IRNR); optional new-resident tax holiday for those who become tax residents) |
| Health insurance | Required (explicit) | Not required |
| Insurance duration required | Full visa period | — |
| Application fee | ≈ €276 | ≈ €8 (better) |
| Where to apply | Embassy / consulate, In country, Online | Online, In country |
| Processing time | 1–16 weeks | 2–4 weeks |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Ecuador Visa Nómada (Rentista) →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
Uruguay Nómada Digital permit →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Don't forget insurance
Both programs have their own health-insurance rules — we match plans against each one's published requirement, with the evidence shown.
Sources
- Government Concesion de visa de residencia temporal rentista para trabajo remoto (Visa Nomada) - Guia Oficial de Tramites y Servicios (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government gob.ec - Visa Nomada: income (3 SBU/mes o 36 SBU/ano), fees (USD 50 + USD 270), duration (hasta 2 anos), dependent surcharge (USD 250/mes), insurance requirement, discounts (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Ministerio del Trabajo - Salario Basico Unificado 2026 fijado en USD 482 (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Ecuador fija el Salario Basico Unificado para 2026 en USD 482 (Acuerdo Ministerial MDT-2025-195) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Ecuador: Temporary Residence Visa for Digital Nomads Available - Fragomen (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Residencia temporal rentista para trabajo remoto (Visa Nomada) - Sperber & Alvarez (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- International organisation Ecuador - Individual - Residence (183-day test, temporary tax-residency regime, Jan 2024, 5-year term) - PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Expat Tax Guide for Ecuador - worldwide income for tax residents, 0-37% rates (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Ecuador Permanent Residency: Eligible After 21 Months - EcuaPass (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media IESS Healthcare for Expats in Ecuador: Enrollment, Costs & Coverage - EcuaPass (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media How to get an Ecuador digital nomad visa: A complete 2026 guide (income USD 1,446, PR path) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media USD to EUR exchange rate history 2026 (0.8612 on 2026-06-15) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Hoja de identidad provisoria - Tramites - gub.uy (Direccion Nacional de Migracion: includes 'nomada digital' category, cost 55.71 U.I., sworn declaration, vaccination cert per Decreto 136/2018, Decreto 394/009 / Decreto 353/23, document covers a period under 180 days) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Nomades digitales podran vivir y trabajar legalmente en Uruguay - Uruguay XXI (official: scope, 6 months renovable por 6 meses adicionales, Decreto 238/022, sworn declaration of means, no salary requirement at launch) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Permiso especial de residencia legal - gub.uy / AGESIC (official announcement: digital-nomad provisional-identity permit, 6+6 months, sworn declaration of means, criminal-record + vaccination cert for renewal, no income figure) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Residencia Legal - Temporaria - Tramites - gub.uy (ordinary temporary residence: issuing authority, 6 months-2 years duration, cost 557.30 U.I., for transition after the nomad permit) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Unidad Indexada - Direccion General Impositiva (DGI), gub.uy: official daily U.I. value table; 15/06/2026 = 6.5781 UYU, used to convert the 55.71 U.I. fee (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Uruguay llama a nomadas digitales a residir y trabajar con un permiso especial - El Observador (cost 55.71 U.I., 'actualmente no hay requisitos de sueldo' / no salary requirement, 6+6 month renewal, launch context) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media EUR/UYU exchange rate (~46.8 UYU per EUR, June 2026), used to convert the application fee to EUR (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Uruguay Tax Residency - Complete 2026 Guide (183-day residency trigger with DGI substance test, territorial system, foreign-income treatment, new-resident holiday, Law 20.446) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Uruguay Raises Tax Holiday Threshold to US$2 Million and Introduces 12% Tax on Foreign Income (Law 20.446, effective 2026-01-01) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Uruguay - Healthcare (US ITA): SNIS / FONASA structure, ASSE public hospitals and private mutualistas (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15