Skip to content
Aerial panorama of Quito's dense cityscape with snow-capped Andean peaks rising behind it in Ecuador
Ecuador · Visa Nómada (Rentista)

🇪🇨 Ecuador Digital nomad visa

Ecuador Visa Nómada (Rentista) requirements: income, duration, taxes, health insurance — from official sources.

Photo: Evan Wise / Unsplash

Minimum income
€1,245/mo
Proof required
Initial duration
2 years
Renewable
Health insurance
Required (explicit)
Full visa period
Tax treatment
Special tax regime
Residencia fiscal temporal (temporary tax-residency regime for new residents)
Path to residence
Yes
Family can join
Government fee
≈ €276
Plus processing time
Verified data Last verified June 15, 2026 Reviewed by Henry van de Vorming
12 official sources cited →
On this page

All requirements in detail

Official name
Visa de residencia temporal rentista para trabajo remoto (Visa Nómada)
Visa type
Digital nomad visa
Status
Active
Income requirement (original currency)
1,446 USD / month
Income basis
Salary / employment contract
Legal basis
Requirement = 3 x SBU (Salario Básico Unificado) per month, proven over the 3 months preceding application, OR 36 x SBU per year. SBU 2026 = USD 482 (Acuerdo Ministerial MDT-2025-195; confirmed by Ministerio del Trabajo), so 3 x 482 = USD 1,446/month (36 x 482 = USD 17,352/year). Income must come from a foreign source (foreign employer, foreign clients or own company based abroad), evidenced by international bank statements. EUR conversion at USD->EUR 0.8612 on 2026-06-15: 1,446 x 0.8612 = ~1,245 EUR.
Family surcharges
Additional USD 250/month of demonstrated income per dependent (spouse/partner or child) included in the application, per the gob.ec tramite page.
Working for local clients
Not allowed
Path to citizenship
Via permanent residence
Where to apply
Embassy / consulate, In country, Online
Processing time
1–16 weeks
Tax residency trigger
183 days

Insurance requirement, verbatim intent: The gob.ec tramite page explicitly requires a valid national or foreign health insurance covering the same period as the visa ('seguro de salud nacional o extranjero vigente por el mismo periodo del visado'); if contracted abroad it must provide coverage in Ecuador. No minimum coverage amount is published by the Cancilleria. Once a cedula is obtained, residents may also enrol voluntarily in the public IESS social-security health scheme.

Tax notes: Two layers to keep distinct. (1) Immigration rule: the Visa Nomada only authorises foreign-source income; visa holders may not work for or earn from Ecuadorian persons/companies, and the visa itself does not create a tax on that foreign income. Many guides therefore say 'income earned abroad is not taxed'. (2) General tax law: Ecuador taxes its tax residents on worldwide income at progressive rates (0-37%); a person becomes a tax resident after presence greater than 183 days in a 12-month period (including sporadic absences). To shield foreign income, a newcomer without prior Ecuadorian tax residency can elect a temporary tax-residency regime (in force since January 2024) and be taxed only on Ecuadorian-source income for a 5-year term (confirmed by PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries). Bottom line: foreign income can be effectively exempt, but typically via this special regime rather than automatically once you cross 183 days. Individual tax advice recommended.

Insurance requirement

Insurance that meets the Ecuador Visa Nómada (Rentista) requirements

Required (explicit), for: full visa period. These plans match the published requirement:

#1

Nomad Insurance (Essential and Complete plans)

Likely qualifying

SafetyWing (underwritten by SafetyWing Insurance I.I., Puerto Rico; Complete health portion by VUMI Group I.I.) · Nomad subscription

SafetyWing Nomad is a worldwide travel-medical plan that runs the full stay and covers Ecuador, matching the visa's accepted 'travel' type with no published minimum to clear; sold globally with no residency restriction.

  • Subscription model: Essential auto-extends every 28 days (5-364 days per policy) and can be bought while already abroad; coverage in 170+ countries
  • No deductible on either plan; Essential also includes travel benefits (lost checked luggage, trip interruption, evacuation from local unrest)
  • Complete is full health insurance (USD 1.5M/year) including routine and preventive care, mental health, cancer treatment and limited maternity; renewable for life if enrolled before age 64

from €54.36 /mo

View plans (opens in a new tab)
#2

Genki Traveler (successor to Genki Explorer, which was retired)

Likely qualifying

Genki UG (policyholder/agent); underwritten by Squarelife Insurance AG, Liechtenstein · Long-stay travel insurance

Genki Traveler is a worldwide long-stay travel policy (EUR 1,000,000/yr) that covers Ecuador for the visa period and is buyable globally regardless of nationality, satisfying the accepted 'travel' insurance type with no minimum threshold.

  • Up to EUR 1,000,000 medical coverage valid in every country for up to 12 months, with monthly billing and cancellation possible after the first month
  • Sign-up is possible while already abroad and up to age 69; insurance certificate for visa applications and border checks is issued immediately after the first payment
  • 24/7 emergency assistance (MCI Assist) with direct payment for inpatient hospital stays and no deductible on inpatient treatment

from €63.90 /mo

View plans (opens in a new tab)
#3

Cigna Global Health Options – International Health Plans (Silver / Gold / Platinum)

Likely qualifying

Cigna Healthcare (Cigna Global Insurance Company Limited) · International health insurance

Cigna Global is a worldwide international health plan (Silver $1M and up, no upper age limit) covering Ecuador, cleanly matching the visa's accepted 'international_health' type for someone relocating long-term.

  • Three core tiers with annual maximums of $1M/€800k (Silver), $2M/€1.6M (Gold) and paid-in-full with no overall cap (Platinum)
  • No upper enrollment age (18+); insurer states it does not terminate policies based on age
  • Modular design: outpatient, evacuation & crisis assistance, health & wellbeing, vision & dental can be added; deductibles ($0-$10,000) and cost shares (0-30%) reduce the premium

from — /mo

View plans (opens in a new tab)
Full insurance guide for the Visa Nómada (Rentista) → How we earn (affiliate disclosure)

Beyond the visa

Ecuador — the rest of the move

The visa is step one. Here is the rest of what it takes to live here — each researched and sourced.

🩺 Health Insurance 🧾 Taxes Abroad 💶 Cost of Living 🛡️ Health System 🏡 Housing & Relocation 🏦 Banking & Money 📶 Connectivity & eSIM

Sources