Ecuador's citizenship

I obtained citizenship this past Jan in Guayaquil and was not asked to sing the anthem….and the spanish test was the woman at desk talking to me in spanish……just normal conversation…….
The requirements for citizenship vary depending on your status……if you are married to a citizen of Ecuador, you can apply after you obtain a residency visa and are married 3 years regardless of how long you have it.

Unmarried Expats with residency visas may apply for citizenship after three years, provided they meet the days-in-country requirements. For citizenship, that means no more than 90 days total outside Ecuador in the first three years, unless the ministry gives permission for medical or other special needs.

cccmedia in Quito

AMDG wrote:

The requirements for citizenship vary depending on your status.

Most Expat residents of Ecuador do not opt to apply for citizenship.

It takes effort...fees and sometimes an attorney...and enough Spanish to hold a conversation.

Also, it may not be necessary for many.  A pensioner renting an apartment may not own a 25K certificate of deposit that his counterpart 'citizen' might want to cash out at his bank, and thus the pensioner may have little incentive to apply for full citizenship.

A visa-holder who has resided in Ecuador for three years or more is permitted to retain all residency rights even if leaving La República and staying away for up to 18 months at a time.  That may be enough to dissuade him or her from seeking citizenship.

However, beyond the CD scenario, there are other reasons an Expat might consider applying for citizenship.  Poppi and I listed these late last month in the first two reports of a thread titled Top Reasons Why U.S. Expats Would Want to Become Ecuadorian Citizens.

Here is the link to that thread....

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=485847

cccmedia in Quito

CCCMedia, agreed……
There are definite advantages to citizenship…….but I agree it is not necessary….
The cost was under $500 as I recall and I did it myself (with my wife)…….
As with the visa process, the process is clearly spelled out and it is my understanding that the process was intended to be accomplished without facilitators or attorneys. 
And as mentioned above, things can change quickly here.

It seems to me that is one meets the requirements, it would be well worth the effort to obtain citizenship.
Nobody knows what the future holds.

Here is the step by step process for getting your Ecuadorian citizenship per Domenick. I would link to his page, if it were not for that insufferable pop-up window.

here is the exact process you need to follow to get your second Ecuadorian passport. 

1. After at least 2 and a half years of residency (technically they say 3 years but my contact who works in the Quito office told me you can really apply after 2 and a half years from the day you get your Ecuador cedula or ID card) you can apply for the dual citizenship which gets you an Ecuadorian Passport.  You can not be out of the country during those first 2 and a half years a total of more than 90 days, but you can apply for citizenship anyway even if you pass this limit but you'll have to submit a letter stating why you passed the limit and hope they still sign off on it. 

2. Gather the requirements. 
- Birth certificate, apostilled and translated to Spanish.
- Passport color copy of the passport where you have the residency visa stamp.  Your passport must have at least 6 months of validity.
-Color copy of Ecuadorian Cedula(ID card).
- Get document from civil registry (registro civil) that states first date of cedula (tarjeta indice de filiacion que dice la primera fecha de cedulacion)
- Certificate of compliance (Certificado de cumplimiento de obligaciones) from the SRI (IRS of Ecuador) stating you are up-to-date on any taxes. 
- Certificate of compliance (Certificado de cumplimiento de obligaciones) from your local Municipality stating you are up-to-date on any taxes. 
- Certificate of compliance (Certificado de cumplimiento de obligaciones) from the IESS social security system of Ecuador stating you are up-to-date on any payments. 
- Police record from all the countries (including Ecuador) where you've lived the last 5 years. They are currently accepting only federal level checks from countries with a federal government, for Americans, that means an FBI check, apostilled. 
- Migratory movement card, obtained in Ecuadorfrom immigration for $4. (Movimiento Migratorio)
- 4 color passport sized photos.
- Proof of Ecuador solvency:  Like a bank certificate, bank statements last three months, for business owners the monthly sales tax declarations, copies of the title (escritura) of any property or businesses you own in Ecuador or a copy of your rental contract properly inscribed in the rental agency (Juzgado de Inquilinato). 

3. In person, they require you submit your documentation in Quito in the Immigration office (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores) on 10 de agosto. You can also submit in Guayaquil. 

4. You'll be called in within a few months to take a written exam in Spanish on basic Ecuadorian history.  it is not pass/fail, it is just to put in your file, and they would like to see some effort.  It is not verbal in anyway but they reserve the right to do some verbal questions if they wish (but they usually don't according to  my contact).

5. Upon acceptance of application you must publish an ad in local paper announcing your new citizenship. 

6. You will then be called in with all the others that day accepted into Ecuadorian citizenship to sing the national hymn (together, not solo) and confirm your new citizenship.  You will need to bring three Ecuadorian witnesses.  You can then go get your Ecuadorian passport. 

Duration: about 6 months. 

Cost: $200 application fee, $500 acceptance fee, approx $403 publication fee, $285 Civil Registry fee.  All fees are one-time-only, but Ecuador citizenship is for life unless you renounce it.   These costs are the cheapest you can do it for without using an attorney. 

Total: Appox $1300.

So according to Dom, the application process needs to take place in Quito or Guayaquil.  You also need to bring 3 Ecuadorian citizens with you when you go to sing the national anthem.

This past Jan when I obtained citizenship, I was not requested for a few of the listed items;
None of the 3 certificates of compliance, did not need to publish in a paper, did not sing anthem, did not take any written test but was tested orally in spanish but nothing on history.
Since I submitted my citizenship request immediately after obtaining my visa (again), the documents I submitted for the visa were sufficient…..
Perhaps they have different requirements depending on  the path to citizenship….mine was for marriage (need to be at least 3 years married and does not need to be in Ecuador).
First came citizenship, then you can apply for a passport….

AMDG wrote:

This past Jan when I obtained citizenship, I was not requested for a few of the listed items;
None of the 3 certificates of compliance, did not need to publish in a paper, did not sing anthem, did not take any written test but was tested orally in spanish but nothing on history.
Since I submitted my citizenship request immediately after obtaining my visa (again), the documents I submitted for the visa were sufficient…..
Perhaps they have different requirements depending on  the path to citizenship….mine was for marriage (need to be at least 3 years married and does not need to be in Ecuador).
First came citizenship, then you can apply for a passport….

Congratulations. Did you do it through the Guayaquil office?

Affirmative, I did it in Guayaquil

Nards Barley wrote:

So according to Dom, the application process needs to take place in Quito or Guayaquil.  You also need to bring 3 Ecuadorian citizens with you when you go to sing the national anthem.

If true, the latter seems like a helpful idea for any citizenship candidate who is singing-challenged and needs some cover for selected lip-synching moments.

Even if only three candidates attend the citizenship confirmation ceremony, that's a dozen people singing the anthem, most of them anthem-savvy citizens.

cccmedia in Quito

There is an article in El Commercio that I thought might be pertinent to getting a Ecuadorian police report. 

However, then there was statement in the article that distinguishes between the "El certificado de antecedentes judiciales" and the "récord policial o antecedentes penales"

Los antecedentes no son lo mismo que el récord policial o antecedentes penales, que también se obtiene por Internet a través de la página del Ministerio del Interior.

That seems to indicate that you can get your Ecuadorian Police report online from the following site:

http://www.mdi.gob.ec/minterior1/antecedentes/

However, that same article says that if you require a certification, you still need to go to a notary.  I will be looking into this in the future since it may save me the hassle of going to the police to get my report.

Senor Nards, yes, you can get your Ecuadorian police report online and that was all that was needed.
And it did not need to be notarized.

Domenick  buonamici  sent out a new posting this week titled "Confessions of an immigration lawyer in Ecuador!

In it he asked a number of questions to an immigration lawyer about obtaining residency visas, including the following

2. Do you need both the local police record check and the federal FBI or will one suffice?

Need both

Of course this is a recent change since the last I heard it was just the FBI report that was required.

This raises the question as to whether or not both a local police record and FBI report will also be required for the application for citizenship.   Anyone know? Dom, you out there?

Nards Barley wrote:

Domenick  buonamici  sent out a new posting this week titled "Confessions of an immigration lawyer in Ecuador!

In it he asked a number of questions to an immigration lawyer about obtaining residency visas, including the following

2. Do you need both the local police record check and the federal FBI or will one suffice?

Need both

Of course this is a recent change since the last I heard it was just the FBI report that was required.

This raises the question as to whether or not both a local police record and FBI report will also be required for the application for citizenship.   Anyone know? Dom, you out there?

It would seem logical that if you have been in Ecuador for 3 years, and your passport indicates you have not left Ecuador, then your police record for those 3 years should be checked in Ecuador.  Of course there are many governments and  agencies that have no use for logic when it interferes with their power or their ability to be arbitrary.  Hope you get the current correct answer soon.

There's a saying here in the US....

"Government and logic don't mix."

Maybe that can be said worldwide?

Can anyone give me the address I need to go to in Guayaquil to apply for citizenship?

cccmedia wrote:

Pensioner visa status:
Disadvantage:
Must remain in EC except for 90 days per year for two years...and all but 18 months during every five years.cccmedia in Quito

Are you sure that is correct?  I have heard that it is a total of 90 days for the whole 2 year period.

MikeGB wrote:

cccmedia wrote:

Pensioner visa status:
Disadvantage:
Must remain in EC except for 90 days per year for two years...and all but 18 months during every five years.cccmedia in Quito

Are you sure that is correct?  I have heard that it is a total of 90 days for the whole 2 year period.

I think it is 90 days for the entire 3 year period.

mindstorm wrote:

You cannot apply for citizenship until 3 years after you get that residence visa.

Is it 3 years after you get your Visa or 3 years after you get your cedula?

Also, I have heard from one other source that it is possible to apply for citizenship after 2.5 years of residency. What is the general opinion on that?

MikeGB wrote:

mindstorm wrote:

You cannot apply for citizenship until 3 years after you get that residence visa.

Is it 3 years after you get your Visa or 3 years after you get your cedula?

Also, I have heard from one other source that it is possible to apply for citizenship after 2.5 years of residency. What is the general opinion on that?

After you get your cedula.

I was in Cuenca's immigration office after a failed trip to Guayaquil.   They told me 3 years is mandatory in their office.  The employee in Guayaquil told me with respect to this process of naturalization, each office has their own criteria. Therefore, it wouldn´t surprise me if 2.5 years if you go to Quito, since Domenick who spread the 2.5 criteria spoke to someone who worked in Quito.

P.S.  When I took my trip to Guayaquil, I was under the impression that I couldn't apply in Cuenca. Well I was told I could apply here in Cuenca, and will be trying to submit my application again in month or two in Cuenca.

You can get an Ecuadorian ID card (cedula) within a year of moving to the country providing you have a visa that lets you live in Ecuador indefinitely. That is the first step. You can apply for Ecuadorian citizenship (passport, etc) after living or being based in Ecuador for 5 years (provided you already have a cedula). You won't have to relinquish your existing nationality.
Hope that helps
Russell
deliveredonline.com

Your 5 year reference contradicts everything out there and what has been said on this thread.  I don't have problem with you contradicting me, but at least recognize that you are doing so.

Right, Nards, there has been no official change from the three-year requirement.

Dom Buonamici of the Ecuador Real Estate site recently posted that the application process can (in some cases) be initiated after 2-1/2 years.

cccmedia in Quito

Yes, it is 3 years from the date of obtaining the cedula (not the 5 years I mentioned). Sorry for mistake (I haven't been following your thread).
All the best, Russell

Since this Citizenship thread has been dormant since early January, here is an update from an Ohio Expat named Mike who has lived in Cuenca for five years and just obtained his citizenship/dual EC passport. 

Total government fees were raised slightly this year to $750.

The Spanish-language test that Mike took was a 20-question test.  The questions are selected from 300 multiple choice questions, which are available to be studied -- questions and answers -- before taking the test.

Mike took the test at the foreign relations ministry in Quito.  He did not discuss whether it was available in Cuenca.

Mike paid $421 to publish his citizenship intention in a local newspaper.  (This sounds high, but is in line with an earlier post on this thread.)

After being approved for EC citizenship, Mike participated in a 45-minute group ceremony for new EC citizens.  The group sing of the himno nacional involved the first verse of the anthem and the chorus.

Mike was not formally tested on his ability to speak Spanish, just some chatting with the ministry staff who were assisting him.

source:  an email to subscribers of ecuadorrealestate.org by Mike's friend Dom Buonacami

-- cccmedia in Quito

I just took the citizenship test this past month in Quito. It was quite difficult and you can only miss 5 questions. I missed 6 but was allowed to write out the national anthem for an extra credit point. I also had a formal interview (I am applying through a civil union so my partner was also interviewed separately). I should be attending the ceremony within next couple of months.

amyf:  What did you find difficult on the exam?  It might be nice to have some idea of what the questions are like

Although CCMedia posted that the 300 questions are available for study beforehand. Can you point us at a website where these questions can be viewed?

amyf wrote:

I just took the citizenship test this past month in Quito. It was quite difficult and you can only miss 5 questions. I missed 6 but was allowed to write out the national anthem for an extra credit point... I should be attending the ceremony within next couple of months.

Apparently, you passed, Amy !  Congratulations.

Did you have pre-test access to the pool of questions from which your multiple-choice questions were chosen?

What type(s) of questions -- for instance, the history of Ecuador -- did you find most difficult?

cccmedia in Quito

At the ministerio they give you a two page handout of topics to study. I have not found the list of actual questions anywhere. Questions like nicknames of cities, provinces and capitals, presidents, etc. I have heard there are different versions of the test.

Below are the list of the topics for the exam:

While using "the google" came across this thread which had a link to this download which consists of 2 pdf files with 3000 question on Ecuador which seems to cover the topics on the exam. I am still going through the questions but seem very pertinent.

A much better selection of questions on Ecuadorian history and culture than those in my prior post. 

http://documents.mx/documents/banco-de- … df61e.html

And of course... Singing the National Anthem Himno Ecuador

...here´s your practice link for that...just in case they ask...

... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgjJEmbwGuk

Now for me I must admit, I would be disappointed NOT being asked...but I love a stage and an audience and the tune sounds so much like Gilbert & Sullivan I  keep waiting for the patter verse ...

Here is a link to the only bloggers I have read that blog on their experience with obtaining citizenship in Ecuador.

http://grimmsecuadortraveltales.blogspo … itizenship

I went through the questions in the prior link and pulled and created flash cards at cram.com  Ideally this is a work in progress, since I think there is probably content missing as well as questions that are highly unlikely to appear on the exam.  I have also added a lot of questions based on my readings of various wikipedia articles.

All of the sets I created can be cloned and modified as you see fit. If you do modify and add content I would like to suggest that you share your flash cards for others to use in the future.

https://www.cram.com/dashboard#flashcar … ers=124235

P.S. You will probably need to create an account at cram. com to read the flashcards. Cram also has  mobile apps you can install on your apple or android devices.

Hi Nards,

Thank you for the link. I seem not to have access in cram.com. Getting error You do not have access to this folder. Would it be possible to share?

Thank you

godon1234 wrote:

Hi Nards,

Thank you for the link. I seem not to have access in cram.com. Getting error You do not have access to this folder. Would it be possible to share?

Thank you

Hi, Not sure what is going on since I checked the status of the folder and it shows as being shared to the public.  I tried logging in with a second account and accessing the folder and I had the same problem as you.

I sent an email to techical support to ask them to check on it. I will post an update once they get back to me.

While Cram.com is not sharing the top level folder, it seems the sets of flashcards I created are available. I am providing the links below:

https://www.cram.com/flashcards/capital … or-7748870https://www.cram.com/flashcards/comida- … or-7748825https://www.cram.com/flashcards/constit … 16-7748773https://www.cram.com/flashcards/cultura … or-7748671https://www.cram.com/flashcards/cultura … or-7748762https://www.cram.com/flashcards/etapa-p … or-7748841https://www.cram.com/flashcards/feriado … or-7748844https://www.cram.com/flashcards/geograf … or-7748797https://www.cram.com/flashcards/histori … or-7748860https://www.cram.com/flashcards/miscela … or-7748868https://www.cram.com/flashcards/nombres … es-7748735https://www.cram.com/flashcards/parque- … or-7748755https://www.cram.com/flashcards/preside … or-7748816

Thank you! I can access the links.