Ecuador Investment Visa 2026: $48,200 Minimum - Your Options Compared

The 2026 investment threshold is $48,200.

Ecuador's investment visa - officially the Visa de Residencia Temporal de Inversionista - requires a minimum investment of 100 times the Salario Basico Unificado (SBU). For 2026, the SBU is $482, set by Ministerial Agreement MDT-2025-195 after a rare tripartite consensus between government, employers, and workers.

That puts the 2026 investment minimum at $48,200 - up from $47,000 in 2025 (when the SBU was $470). A $1,200 increase. Not dramatic, but if you're planning to invest, the number only goes up from here.

We've been handling investment visa applications in Cuenca for over 25 years. Here's what each investment path actually looks like in practice.

Three Ways to Qualify

The investment visa accepts three categories of qualifying investment. Each has the same $48,200 minimum. The differences are in liquidity, returns, complexity, and long-term utility.

Option 1: Real Estate

How it works: Purchase property in Ecuador with a registered value of at least $48,200. A visa lien (gravamen) is placed on the property deed, preventing sale until you obtain permanent residency.

What you need: A property deed (escritura) registered with the Property Registry showing an assessed value at or above the threshold. The property must be in your name.

Pros:

• You get a tangible asset - a place to live, rent out, or hold
• Cuenca real estate has appreciated steadily over the past decade
• Rental income can offset your cost of living
• The property is yours once the lien is released after permanent residency

Cons:

• Less liquid than a CD - you cannot sell until you reach permanent residency status
• Property transactions involve notary fees, transfer taxes, and registration costs (typically 3-5% of purchase price)
• Requires due diligence on title, liens, and zoning

Who it's for: Anyone who plans to live in Ecuador, wants a physical asset, or is looking for rental income. This is the most popular path among expats moving to Cuenca.

Our Real Estate Partnership

We work directly with Ecuador At Your Service, Cuenca's top real estate agency - voted Best Real Estate Agency by the Gringo Post for eight consecutive years (2018-2025). Through this partnership, we handle both sides of an investment visa: the property acquisition and the immigration filing.

That means one coordinated process. We identify properties that meet the investment threshold, verify clean title and proper valuation, manage the purchase through closing, place the visa lien, and file the visa application - all without you having to coordinate between a real estate agent, a notary, and a lawyer separately.

This is not a referral arrangement. It is a working partnership built over years of closing deals together.

Option 2: Bank Certificate of Deposit (CD)

How it works: Deposit at least $48,200 in a fixed-term certificate of deposit (poliza de acumulacion) at an Ecuadorian bank or credit union. The CD must have a minimum term of 730 days (2 years).

What you need: A certificate from the issuing institution confirming the deposit amount, term, and your name as the holder. The institution must be recognized by Ecuador's banking regulators (Superintendencia de Bancos or Superintendencia de Economia Popular y Solidaria).

Where to deposit: Major banks and cooperatives accept these deposits. Popular choices among expats in Cuenca include Cooperativa Jardin Azuayo (approximately 8.75% annual interest) and Cooperativa JEP (approximately 8%). Banco del Pacifico and Banco Pichincha are also commonly used.

Pros:

• Simple and fast - no property search, no closing, no title review
• Earns interest (typically 7-9% annually at cooperatives)
• You can legally withdraw the interest without affecting your visa status - only the principal must remain
• Lower transaction costs than real estate

Cons:

• Your $48,200 is locked for the full temporary residency period - you cannot withdraw until permanent residency
• Returns are fixed; no appreciation upside beyond the interest rate
• You don't get a place to live

Who it's for: Applicants who want the fastest, simplest path to residency. Also a good fit for people who are not yet sure where they want to live in Ecuador, or who plan to rent rather than buy.

Option 3: Business Investment (Company Shares)

How it works: Invest at least $48,200 in shares of an Ecuadorian company registered with the Superintendencia de Companias, Valores y Seguros. This can be an existing company or a new one you establish.

What you need: Documentation from the Superintendencia proving your shareholding and the value of your investment. If establishing a new company, you'll need articles of incorporation, a registered office, and proper capitalization documentation.

Pros:

• Allows you to operate a business in Ecuador
• Potential for higher returns than a CD if the business performs well
• Demonstrates economic contribution to the country

Cons:

• Most complex of the three options - requires corporate registration, accounting, tax compliance, and ongoing regulatory filings
• Higher risk if the business underperforms
• Requires active management or trusted local partners
• Government audits of company financials are possible

Who it's for: Entrepreneurs who intend to run an active business in Ecuador. Not recommended solely as a visa strategy unless you have real business plans.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Government Fees and Costs

The visa application itself carries standard government fees set by the Cancilleria:

• Application fee: $50 (non-refundable, paid at submission)
• Visa grant fee: $270 (paid upon approval)
• Total government fees: $320 per applicant
• Applicants 65 and older: Reduced grant fee of $135, total $185

Dependents (spouse, children under 18) can be included. Each dependent requires their own application and fees. Expect approximately $500-$600 per dependent depending on age, plus their own document preparation.

Required Documents

Regardless of which investment path you choose, every applicant needs:

1. Valid passport with at least 6 months remaining validity
2. Apostilled criminal background check from your country of origin (FBI background check for US citizens), issued within the last 6 months
3. Health insurance valid in Ecuador covering the full 2-year visa period - this is required before the cedula (national ID) is issued. Private plans from insurers like BMI or Saludsa are commonly accepted. IESS enrollment requires a cedula first, so private insurance is necessary at the application stage.
4. Proof of investment - property deed, bank CD certificate, or company share documentation
5. Passport-size photos meeting Ecuadorian specifications
6. Completed E-Visa application - as of 2026, all applications must be submitted through the E-Visa system. In-person submissions at immigration offices are no longer accepted.

Timeline: Investment to Citizenship

Here is the realistic timeline from start to finish:

Months 1-2: Investment setup. Identify and execute your investment. For real estate, this includes property search, due diligence, closing, and lien registration. For a CD, this means opening the account and making the deposit. For a business, corporate registration and capitalization.

Months 2-4: Visa application. Gather documents, obtain apostilles, secure health insurance, and submit via the E-Visa portal. Processing averages 60 days but can stretch longer depending on document completeness and system delays. With proper legal representation, expect the shorter end.

Month 4-6: Visa approval and cedula. Upon approval, you receive your visa stamp and apply for your cedula (Ecuadorian ID card). The cedula is essential - it is your proof of legal residency for banking, healthcare enrollment, and daily life.

Year 2: Permanent residency eligibility. After 21 months of temporary residency, you can apply for permanent residency. At this point, the investment lien on your property is released, or you can withdraw your CD principal. You must not have been absent from Ecuador for more than 180 days per year during the qualifying period.

Year 3-5: Citizenship eligibility. After three years of legal residency (temporary plus permanent combined), you can apply for Ecuadorian citizenship through naturalization. Requirements include demonstrating basic Spanish proficiency and knowledge of Ecuadorian civics and history.

What Changed from 2025 to 2026

The core structure of the investment visa has not changed. What changed is the number:

• 2025 minimum: $47,000 (SBU $470 x 100)
• 2026 minimum: $48,200 (SBU $482 x 100)

That is a $1,200 increase. If you were on the fence in 2025, the cost of waiting goes up every January when the SBU is recalculated. The SBU has increased every single year for over a decade.

The other significant 2026 change: the E-Visa system is now mandatory for all applications. The system is stricter about document formatting, file sizes, and completeness. Errors are harder to correct after submission. This makes professional preparation more important than it was under the old paper system.

Common Mistakes We See

After 25 years of processing these visas, these are the errors that delay or derail applications:

• Property valued below the threshold. The assessed value on the deed must meet or exceed $48,200. Market price is not the same as registered value. We verify this before closing.
• CD term too short. The certificate must be for at least 730 days. Some banks default to shorter terms.
• Missing or expired apostilles. Background checks and other documents must be apostilled and current. US apostilles now go through the Department of State, not individual states.
• No health insurance at application. You cannot get your cedula without it, and you cannot enroll in IESS without a cedula. Private insurance must be arranged first.
• E-Visa submission errors. Incorrect file formats, missing fields, or documents that don't match the system requirements. Once submitted, corrections require a new application and another $50 fee.

Why Work With Us

Grace and Nelson Attorneys at Law has been handling Ecuador immigration for over 25 years from our office in Cuenca. We are licensed Ecuadorian attorneys, not visa facilitators or relocation consultants.

For investment visas specifically, our partnership with Ecuador At Your Service gives clients a single point of coordination for property acquisition and visa filing. We handle the legal due diligence, the closing, the lien, and the immigration application as one integrated process.

We also maintain relationships with the major banks and cooperatives in Cuenca for clients choosing the CD path, and can advise on corporate formation for those pursuing business investment.

Keep reading:

• Legal Checks Buying Property Ecuador
• Investor Visa vs Pensioner Visa Ecuador
• Ecuador eVISA Online Application

Considering an investment visa for Ecuador? Schedule a consultation or call 651-621-3652.