Still need contact for Dana Cameron, Visa Specialist in Guayaquile

Captains JJ wrote:

The new green member is back...Still need an email or telephone contact for Dana Cameron in Guayaquil...I have been given an email address as follows of:  Aqua.Plata@hotmail.com...The above email address does not work.

Green Captain,

It appears you substituted a "q" for a "g" and a "dot" for an underscore in transcribing visa specialist Dana Cameron's email address.

Try reaching the highly regarded Prof. Cameron at agua_plata@hotmail.com

agua plata = silver water (Silverwater is her online name.)

Hi silver water. Thank you for your reply about Prof.Cameron...sorry that I put the q in this blog...I have tried the one you suggested   Agua_Plata@hotmail.com....and still got the mailor Daemon note of failure could not send...If you could try to send one for Julie and I to see if we can reply to here email...have Prof. Cameron send an email to the following.... palmleafarms@yahoo.com  or if you have a telephone number for her....it has been very frustrating.  If you have time check out our resort website at  palmleafarms.com   Many Many thank you's, Muchas    gracias..adios Joe and Julie

She's also on Facebook.

El Capitan:

As we continue our quest to track the elusive profesora and reknowned visa specialist, here are two new leads:

On October 16th, a gringotree poster named Nancy offered this cell phone number for Prof. Cameron:  09-80590930.

La Profesora also has participated in the Ecuador section of expatexchange.com forum.  Go there, look up one of her posts and click on the link to send her a PM  (private message).

Happy hunting.

She is on Facebook.  I tried sending her a message through there, she does comment at times.  No word back.  Tried another message tonight.  No response so far

I did hear back from her, she said she would be happy to help me.  I sent her a list of basic but specific questions germane to my situation (only about 3) and have not heard back from her.  Uneasy feeling that she is not timely.  Think I am going to start looking for someone more responsive, despite her glowing reviews.

Heidijenny wrote:

I did hear back from her, she said she would be happy to help me.  I sent her a list of basic but specific questions germane to my situation (only about 3) and have not heard back from her.  Uneasy feeling that she is not timely.  Think I am going to start looking for someone more responsive, despite her glowing reviews.

I'm also interested in visa representation in Guayaqui and the topic gets scant discussion here.

Kindly post and successful leads and experiences for the rest of us looking to apply for visas through the Guayaqui ministry offices.

I'm grateful for any kind of info you would share.

Heidijenny wrote:

I did hear back from her, she said she would be happy to help me.  I sent her a list of basic but specific questions germane to my situation (only about 3) and have not heard back from her.  Uneasy feeling that she is not timely.  Think I am going to start looking for someone more responsive, despite her glowing reviews.

You have a lot to learn about the pace of getting things done in Ecuador.

Mugtech makes a good point, Top Cat.

However, it may also be true that Dana is extremely busy since she has a strong track record, has been assisting Expats with visas for ten years, and -- as far as I can tell -- there's not a lot of other folks known for doing visa assistance successfully in that geographical area.

I asked my Quito immigration attorney, Sebastian Cordero, for a referral in Guayaquil, and he told me that HE is there often and can assist my "friend."

Three reasons to consider Sebastian:

1.  He's top-notch and worth the extra couple hundred dollars over what a non-attorney visa specialist might charge.

2.  An attorney typically provides more services than a non-attorney specialist.  An arriving Expat shouldn't underestimate the convenience this fact implies.

3.  In my experience, he responds to emails in a day or less -- sometimes within minutes.

Bonus reason:  He also goes to Salinas on the coast frequently, and you don't really want to live or spend a lot of time in Guayaquil, do you....

Sebastian Cordero, email:  scordero@gcabogados.com

cccmedia in Quito

Thanks for that, media. I'll certainly keep it in consideration.

I just hadn't wanted a Quito representative because I really don't want to spend time in Quito. I liked it, but the altitude was exhausting. I'm getting to be an old straggler. And if I had a Quito attorney no doubt documents etc. would have to go back and forth and the Ecuador mail system doesn't seem very functional from what I can tell.

But I will absolutely consider your recommendation. Can you tell me what the approximate charge per person is?

Mugtech,

I get you-and do understand Ecuadorean time.  In fact, it's one of the reasons I want to be there.  However, I am not there yet, and for those who have made the move, you understand the huge number of moving pieces that need to happen in a certain order to make the move.

I have a rough time line for moving, and some pretty big things to accomplish-leave my job-sell my house and possessions, make arrangements for moving a pet, tie up all the loose ends.  For me, I need to get a handle on the visa stuff before I can move forward.  Lots of domino needing to fall just so.

gardener1 wrote:

the Ecuador mail system doesn't seem very functional from what I can tell.  Can you tell me what the approximate charge per person is?

As far as moving documents, you could ask Sebastian if he uses the mails;  it's a good bet he has some more secure method as your assessment of Correos del Ecuador's lack of functionality is valid.

I paid a basic attorney fee (including discount) of $700 in 2013, for obtaining a residency visa and cedula (Ecuadorian ID, obtainable the week after getting the visa.)

Sebastian honored a $200 discount based on my then-active membership in Gary A. Scott's Ecuador Living program.

The attorney fee, of course, is in addition to EC government visa fees and the various translations and other costs normally pertaining to obtaining a visa.

cccmedia in Quito