Reply to MnUS-
You can come to Ecuador as a regular tourist for a limited time and not have to worry about medical certification. Certification becomes an issue only when you are seeking to stay in country for longer periods of time. Mainly, they are interested in preventing the spread of HIV-AIDS. In fact, even though both of us had certificates of good health from our physician in the US, people here insisted we be retested in their facilities to be doubly certain this was not a problem. Unfortunately medical/ health insurance is not usually available to people over 70 years of age- which both my husband and I are. Medicare coverage is generally not available outside the US, so if anything serious happens to us here, we are on our own. While it is true that excellent medical care is available in Ecuador at costs far below those in the US, still, these costs will have to come out of your pocket. As for "standards", we mentioned you must have a letter from a licensed MD (do not tempt fate by getting something from a naturopath or chiropractor). Beyond telling the truth, whether your letter satisfies the examiner is somewhat a matter of luck. It is the imprecise nature of the government that causes so many problems for Americans seeking what you are seeking. Look at all the correspondence regarding getting visas. Each of us tells a different story because the requirements change so rapidly, not just day-to-day, but also from official to official.
Glad you asked. Nanberger
You can come to Ecuador as a regular tourist for a limited time and not have to worry about medical certification. Certification becomes an issue only when you are seeking to stay in country for longer periods of time. Mainly, they are interested in preventing the spread of HIV-AIDS. In fact, even though both of us had certificates of good health from our physician in the US, people here insisted we be retested in their facilities to be doubly certain this was not a problem. Unfortunately medical/ health insurance is not usually available to people over 70 years of age- which both my husband and I are. Medicare coverage is generally not available outside the US, so if anything serious happens to us here, we are on our own. While it is true that excellent medical care is available in Ecuador at costs far below those in the US, still, these costs will have to come out of your pocket. As for "standards", we mentioned you must have a letter from a licensed MD (do not tempt fate by getting something from a naturopath or chiropractor). Beyond telling the truth, whether your letter satisfies the examiner is somewhat a matter of luck. It is the imprecise nature of the government that causes so many problems for Americans seeking what you are seeking. Look at all the correspondence regarding getting visas. Each of us tells a different story because the requirements change so rapidly, not just day-to-day, but also from official to official.
Glad you asked. Nanberger
