Visa Question

dwanderer wrote:

My initial entry date into Ecuador was June 2016.  I traveled in and out of Ecuador on my original T3 Visitor Visa. When my 90 Day Tourist Visa expired at the end of January 2017, I successfully obtained a 180 day extension which expires at the end of July.  This extension therefore ends one month after the anniversary of my initial entry date last June.  When I return to Ecuador in September, will Immigration deduct the extra 30 days I stayed in July under my extension from the new 90 day tourist visa I hope to receive when I re-enter?

Dear Wanderer,

Welcome to the Ecuador forum.

It is not predictable with certainty what an immigration officer will do in this case.  The border/airport-based officials have too much discretion to be certain in advance how one of them will handle your case.

It is within the realm of possibility -- although I am not predicting this -- that you will not be re-admitted to Ecuador in September because you overstayed a tourist permit.  There have been anecdotal reports of overstay violators being told as they exited Ecuador not to come back for nine or 12 months.

It might be best to safer to wait a full nine months since your last exit before coming back to Ecuador, which would be in late October.

It's possible, however, that due to the arcane nature of the 2016 rules, the subsequent changes in the rules and the combination of ways you used to stay in Ecuador .. that border agents will simply stamp your passport with a new T-3 and wave you onward.  That scenario is possible although I'm not predicting that either.

cccmedia

Thank you for your response.  I have not overstayed my tourist permit.  My visa extension expires on July 30th.  The question I raised was whether these extra days that fall after my initial entry date anniversary would be deducted from any future T3 90 day tourist visa.

T-3 permitted time in Ecuador is valid until the 365th day after the permit is stamped regardless of how many entrances and exits one does.  Up to 90 days total is permitted.

There is no carry-over after that day.

You may ordinarily get a fresh T-3 tourist stamp after that day if you have not created any overstay issues.

Saying you obtained a 90-day tourist visa is confusing because the 90-day stamp is not technically a visa.

cccmedia

As an update to my initial question - I returned to Ecuador on September 8th without any problems.  Upon entry, I received a fresh T-3 stamp, allowing me to stay another 90 days in this wonderful country.

dwanderer wrote:

I returned to Ecuador on September 8th without any problems.  Upon entry, I received a fresh T-3 stamp, allowing me to stay another 90 days....

If that's your second T-3 stamp that has been valid during the past 12 months, you may have been issued that second one in error.

The problem could show up when you attempt to exit Ecuador next time.

I highly recommend that you contact (such as email) an immigration attorney.  Otherwise, if my understanding is correct, you could be liable for a future penalty, such as not being allowed to re-enter Ecuador for at least nine months next time.

cccmedia

It's my first T3 stamp within a new 12 month period that began in June 2017.  So, no it wasn't issued in error, no I don't need to contact an immigration attorney, and no I'm not liable for a future penalty.  If you were to read my posts thoroughly from the beginning, you would see that at no time did I violate any immigration laws or overstay my visas.

For persons like myself who are wondering what happens if you leave legally before your visa extension expires - once you re-enter after your initial entry anniversary date, you are eligible to receive a new 90 day stamp.

I just re-read your posts .. and I believe you are correct on all counts.

In your latest post, you did a good job of explaining what folks who repeatedly enter and exit Ecuador can expect in terms of getting a fresh tourist stamp after 365 days.

Good job entering, exiting and re-entering Ecuador legally.

cccmedia

Hi cccMedia,

I got a Professional visa and am retired.  It was the best option for me as I was not certain at the time that my pension was sufficient to pass the bar, also seemed difficult to get the govt in Cda to sign anything.  Did not want to invest the $25,000 and keep it in a bank here either.  Worked out fine, I am not working and they know that I am retired.  But I am doing my secondary profession which I did also in Canada, but theynever asked me anyway.

HelenP