Need recomendations for a good Immigration Lawyer

Hello,

I don't have info about attorneys in Quito but this is Gabriela Espinosa's web page:www.migrationecuador.com.

I don't know if she's good or not I just give you the info.

Vinny

Vinny66
Thank You for the contact info.

Hi leonard,
I was recommended that lawyer also. I hope you are a patient man. I sent her an email February 17....I am still waiting...well...sort of . Good luck. Mitri

Sorry to hear that, But usually they're really busy I can recommend you one in Cuenca that I know but I don't know any other one in Quito.

Thank you Vinny,
I might take you up on your offer. I haven't had promising results from my lawyer contact in Cuenca. I will contact you just before we arrive in Cuenca (sometime in the second half of  April).

Hi Mitri:

Vinni's contact info for Gabriele was spot on. Thanks Vinny.

I arrived in Quito late Tuesday 03/27/12, had sent an email to her from Houston. When I got to my room in Quito and checked my mail, she had responded with an 11 o'clock appointment on Thursday 03/28/12. When I met with her, yes she and her staff were very busy, but she looked over what I had from the Consulate office in Houston, noticed one minor error with the entry stamp and sprung in to action. Her assistant spent the next 4 hours escorting me to the various Government offices correcting the error and processing various documents. I am this evening back in my room a very happy and relieved soon to be resident of Ecuador. She said I will have my final residency card in 90 days or less.

My personal experience with Gabriele and her staff is at this time very favorable. My recommendation to you is keep trying to contact her, she is worth the effort. Her US number rings right in to her Quito office. Try it and keep up with the emails. The minute I said she was hired, she started making things happen.

Best of luck to you.  Love to share a beer and trade immigration war stories.

Leonard

Hello Leonard,

Really glad to know you visa process is already on the right track and so quick.

good luck and enjoy Ecuador !!

Vinny

Thank you Leonard for your comments. I'll give you a shout when we're in Quito and we'll get together. Mitri

[Moderated]

Just came across your post RE:need a "good" immigration lawyer.
Possibly you have a recommendation?? Would appreciate any information you might have ~ Jerry

another great law firm in Quito is Paz Horowitz (I used them for my residency visa). Here is their website:  http://www.pazhorowitz.com/

Thanks Amy

While I'm here, might as well carry on.

Last yr we spent 3 wks in EU and loved it ... to the point of considering relocation. However, we do have a few probs. Namely my wife has RA and requires I give her an injection each 2 wks of Enbrel. The appox mo.retail cost without US insurance is 1K. With insurance $0. She's 65 and I'm 70+. Any ideas as to health insurance including meds??? Many thanks ~ Jerry

Hello,

Hubby and I are planning to move to Ecuador beginning of next year. Would you be so kind tell us how much was the attorney's fee? Thank you in advance for a kind reply.

While I have nothing against using immigration attorneys, it seems like now, once you are actually in Ecuador, you could probably avoid the fees and do it yourself as long as your Spanish is decent.  From my experience, the issues I have run into with obtaining visas have been stateside, at the embassy and consulates.  The service I have received outside of Ecuador has been at least ten-times worse than the service inside of the country. 

My suggestion would be to just find out what original documents you need, bypass doing the 'tramites' in the consulates, and just do them yourself once you arrive to Ecuador.  Immigration issues are now managed by both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior, so the coordination seems to be much better inside than outside the country.  And I have found that the service and attitude in general of those working in the country instead of the diplomats outside of the country, are much better.

oceanescapes wrote:

Hubby and I are planning to move to Ecuador beginning of next year. Would you be so kind tell us how much was the attorney's fee?

Welcome to the Ecuador forum, Ocean Escapes.

8 percent of arriving Expats have the skills and disposition to obtain a residency visa without professional help while maintaining a degree of sanity.  The rest of us need an attorney or a visa facilitator.

The exception is Cuenca where the EC government has made a point to accommodate the zillions of new Expats by providing dual-language agents .. so ability to speak Spanish there may be unnecessary for most.

Attorney fees vary from $500 to $1,000 based on my experience last year and anecdotal reports.

Nion-attorney visa facilitators charge less.

The $400 or so in government fees are additional, as are translations and other incidental charges.

cccmedia in Quito