Retire in Ecuador: The Jubilado Visa, Step by Step

Most people never get as far as reading what Ecuador's jubilado visa actually asks of a retiree. This page is for people with a pension who want the official rules and paperwork in one place, not for anyone planning a short holiday.

Imagine you are holding your pension letter and a map of the Andes. You have heard that Ecuador is cheap and uses the dollar. The visa cares about neither. It cares about one number on that letter.

The short answer: As of November 2026, Ecuador's temporary residence visa for retirees (jubilado) asks for a monthly pension from abroad of at least three Salarios Básicos Unificados (SBU), plus US$250 a month for each family member you bring (Cancillería, jubilado visa page, November 2026). The 2026 SBU is US$482 (Ministerio del Trabajo, November 2026). So a single retiree needs US$1,446 a month, and a couple needs US$1,696. You also need health insurance that covers you in Ecuador. The visa lasts two years.

The jubilado visa at a glance

The SBU changes every January. So the jubilado bar moves with it. Check the new figure each year before you renew.

The money test: what counts as a pension

The law describes the jubilado category as being for a person who receives a retirement pension from abroad that is big enough to cover their stay (LOMH, Art. 60, November 2026). The Cancillería page makes this precise. You need an official document from the body that pays you. It must show a monthly retirement payment in your name of at least three SBU (Cancillería, November 2026).

The pension can come from a public or a private institution abroad. For many Americans, that means a Social Security benefit letter, a government pension or a company pension. Ask the consulate which document it accepts for your type of pension.

What if your income is rent, dividends or savings? That is a different category. Ecuador has a separate rentista route for people who live on their own resources or income from abroad (LOMH, Art. 60, November 2026). Do not file as a jubilado if you do not have a pension.

Bringing a spouse or family

You can include other people on your visa as dependants. For each one, you must show an extra US$250 a month (Cancillería, November 2026). A couple therefore needs US$1,696 a month. Two dependants add US$500, for a total of US$1,946.

Fees and paperwork

The whole process is online, on the Ministry's e-VISAS platform. You register, fill in your details, upload documents and pay (Cancillería, November 2026). The page lists:

• US$50 to apply, paid at the start.
• US$270 when the visa is granted.
• A 50% discount for people aged 65 and over.
• A full exemption for people with a disability of 30% or more, with an Ecuadorian disability card.

The page also warns that if you do not pay on the same day, the request is deleted and you must start again.

The documents you need

1. Your pension certificate. It must be apostilled if your country is in the Hague Apostille Convention, as the United States is. If not, it must be legalised (Cancillería, November 2026).
2. A criminal record certificate from your home country, or from wherever you lived in the last five years. It must be translated and apostilled or legalised. It counts as valid for 180 days from the date it was issued (Cancillería, November 2026).
3. A valid passport. The law lists a valid passport as an essential requirement for any residence visa (LOMH, Art. 64, November 2026).
4. Health insurance, explained below.

The law also says you must not have a final conviction for serious crimes, such as those punished with more than five years in prison (LOMH, Art. 64, November 2026). If you have any record at all, talk to a licensed Ecuadorian lawyer first.

Health insurance: required from day one

Ecuador's migration law says every resident needs public or private health insurance (LOMH, Art. 52, November 2026). For the jubilado visa, the policy must be valid for the same period as the visa. It can be Ecuadorian or foreign. If it is foreign, the policy must say that it covers you in Ecuador (Cancillería, November 2026).

IESS: the public option

Once you live in Ecuador, you may look at the public social security system, the IESS. Its voluntary scheme (Seguro Voluntario) is open to Ecuadorians and foreigners, and the sign-up is online (IESS on gob.ec, November 2026). The only listed requirement is a cédula, which is the Ecuadorian ID card. So you join after you have your residence and ID, not before. You declare a monthly amount and the system calculates your contribution. Get your own quote from the IESS rather than relying on figures from forums.

What about Medicare?

Medicare usually does not pay for care outside the United States. Our guide to Social Security and Medicare when you retire abroad explains what to keep. If you are already in your late seventies, read our guide to health insurance for retirees over 75 abroad before you buy a policy.

Life in a dollar economy

Ecuador adopted the US dollar as its legal currency on 9 January 2000 (Banco Central del Ecuador, November 2026). For an American retiree, this removes one big worry. A Social Security payment in dollars stays the same size when it arrives. There is no exchange rate to watch, and no currency fees each month.

Prices can still rise. But your visa test and your budget are in the same currency, which makes planning simpler.

Staying, leaving and permanent residence

How long you can be away

Under the text of the migration law as reformed in 2021, temporary residence allows multiple entries and exits. The law says your time outside the country is not limited while you hold temporary residence (LOMH, Art. 65, November 2026).

Be careful here. Ecuador reformed the same law again in October 2025 (Registro Oficial 151, 24 October 2025), and the government has published an updated consolidated text. If you plan long trips home, ask the consulate how the current text applies to you.

Moving to permanent residence

You can apply for permanent residence after at least 21 continuous months as a resident. You must file before your current visa expires (LOMH, Art. 63, November 2026). The word "continuous" matters. Long trips abroad during your first two years could make this harder to prove.

The permanent residence fee is US$50 to apply and US$225 when granted, again with 50% off from age 65. You need an Ecuadorian criminal record certificate and proof of your lawful means of support (Cancillería, permanent residence, November 2026).

Once you are a permanent resident, the 2021 text says you may not spend more than 180 days a year abroad during your first two years. After that, an absence of two continuous years ends your residence (LOMH, Art. 65, November 2026).

Tax basics in one paragraph

You become an Ecuadorian tax resident if you spend 183 days or more in the country in a tax year (Ley de Régimen Tributario Interno, Art. 4.1, November 2026). The same law counts income earned abroad by people domiciled in Ecuador (Art. 2). If that income was already taxed in another country, you can generally use the foreign tax as a credit against Ecuadorian tax (Art. 49). How this works for a US pension depends on your exact income. Talk to a regulated tax adviser who knows both countries. For context, see our list of countries that do not tax foreign pensions.

Seniors' benefits

Ecuador's law on older adults applies to Ecuadorian and foreign older people in the country (Ley Orgánica de las Personas Adultas Mayores, Art. 2, 2019 text, checked November 2026). Article 13 of that law gives a 50% discount on air, land, sea and river transport fares. It also gives 50% off tickets to public, cultural and sporting events, and free entry to museums. It also lists discounts on some electricity, water and phone bills, up to set limits. The law says you show your identity card to claim them, so expect to need your cédula. Ask locally how each company applies the rules.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

How much income do I need for the Ecuador retirement visa?

In 2026 you need a pension from abroad of at least US$1,446 a month. That is three times the 2026 SBU of US$482. Add US$250 a month for each dependant, so a couple needs US$1,696.

Can I use US Social Security for the jubilado visa?

The Cancillería asks for an official document from the body that pays your pension, showing a monthly retirement payment. A Social Security benefit letter is the usual proof for many Americans. It must be apostilled. Confirm the exact document with the consulate before you apply.

Do I need health insurance to get the visa?

Yes. You need public or private health insurance that is valid for the whole visa period. A foreign policy must state that it covers you in Ecuador.

Is there a minimum age for the jubilado visa?

The Cancillería page does not set a minimum age. What matters is that you receive a retirement pension from abroad that meets the income rule. Fee discounts start at age 65.

When can I apply for permanent residence in Ecuador?

You can apply after at least 21 continuous months as a resident, and before your visa expires. The fee is US$50 to apply and US$225 when granted. People aged 65 and over get 50% off.

Can I join the IESS as a foreign retiree?

The IESS voluntary scheme is open to foreigners. You need an Ecuadorian cédula to sign up, so it comes after your residence. The IESS calculates your contribution from the monthly amount you declare.

Your next step

Ecuador asks two fair questions: is your pension big enough, and are you covered if you get sick? If you are still comparing countries, see our guide to the best countries to retire abroad. Or read how the rules work next door in Colombia's pensionado visa and further north in Panama. You can also check your own figures in our retirement visa finder.

When you are ready to see which options fit your income and family, take our free migration assessment.

This article is general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice. Rules and figures change. Always confirm with the official source and a regulated adviser before you act.