Expat Community > Ecuador

scottlg
Joined 2012
Posts: 14

Updated Timeline - Investor VISA requires additional week of waiting

11 years ago

Further to my message several months ago, I wanted to share that obtaining my investor visa took an ADDITIONAL TWO WEEKS of processing time after:

(a) applying for my visa;

(b) receiving confirmation that my visa had been approved (30 days after (a)); and

(c) paying for my visa and giving over my passport for a visa stamp (10 days after (b)).

After item (c), TWO MORE WEEKS were required to process the visa.

First, ONE WEEK LATER I was told to return to pick up my passport only to be told that my visa was not ready because I was required to go the CENTRAL BANK OF ECUADOR and present both:

(a) an OFFICIAL LETTER from the Foreigners Office confirming that my visa had been approved (with details of my certificate of deposit) and

(b) an official copy of the Certificate of Deposit I had made in Ecuador (which I had already given the Foreign Office for my visa in the first place).

After I went to the Central Bank and presented these documents, the bureaucrat there gave me an "OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION" that my investment in Ecuador had been REGISTERED with the Central Bank.
(Of course, I found that this whole exercise seemed to be completely useless as the Foreign Office could have told them exactly the same thing - and forwarded them exactly the same documents which I had already given them - but, hey, this is Ecuador... and any chance to add some meaningless steps to the bureaucratic process cannot be foregone!)

In any case, I immediately returned to the Foreigners Office, gave them the "CONFIRMATION SHEET," and was told to come back yet again ONE WEEK later when I was - finally - able to obtain the visa.

Hope this information helps those plan ahead how much time they'll need to process their requisite paperwork!

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