Questions About Property Searches and Residency

We will be arriving in May for a week to explore properties around Cuenca and Vilcabamba.

If I have several properties we wish to explore, what is the best means to have someone take us around to look at them? Also, if purchasing property with a municipal value above $25,000 allows you to have residency, what papers would you need in order to have an attorney secure residency?

Great questions!

There are a few people here in Cuenca who can likely show you the properties you find in this area. Although there are very few exclusive listings in Ecuador, sometimes only one agent (or agency) has a house listed. So you may have to deal with that agent or agency.

As for residency, the appraised value of the house must be greater than $25,000 for one person. Add an extra $1,000 for each additional person receiving a residency visa.

To gain residency, you'll need the proper visitor's visa (not the 90 day tourist visa), plus a deed for the property you purchased, showing that it's worth at least $25K.

If you're married, your marriage certificate needs to be apostilled in the state/province where you were married. Each person's birth certificate also needs to be legalized (usually by being apostilled).

You'll likely also need a criminal record check, and a medical report stating that you have no communicable diseases.

A good immigration lawyer will have all the answers you need regarding documentation and requirements.

Jeff