Job Discussion Forums

[lapd08]

Is it just me or is this a new thing? I see no mention made of the HELL of dealing with Ecuadorian (possibly all South American) immigration authorities.

I have gotten visas for China, Kurdistan, KSA, Thailand (extended tourist) and lived in Mexico for a year without any great hassles. But I'm seriously considering scrapping the whole plan to work in Ecuador. I got my papers from the school and went down to the consulate in New York, thinking it would be like China-you know, hand in your papers, pay your money, pick up your visa, except I knew they would not mail it to me like the Thais, thus requiring two 4 hour trips. When I got there, I found (a) They refused to take my papers because it was Friday, and they only accept applications for visas on Mon.-Thurs. (no mention of this on their website) and (b) I would have to make two more trips-one to drop off the papers and one to PICK UP THE PASSPORT [sic] ONLY-with or without a visa "no guarantees".

Another teacher got his visa in Boston in 15 minutes. Another also had a fun experience with the New York office, but eventually got it. A third went through a hellish experience in Miami and has been refused the visa until the day her flight leaves-actually a few hours AFTER her flight leaves.

It seems that perfectly legitimate papers do not guarantee one a visa-unlike other countries. It's all kind of like going to see the Wizard in Oz-an exercise in macho posturing-or the Ecuadorian equivalent of Montezuma's revenge-instead of giving you diarrhea they engage in petty sadism with visas.

It bodes badly for a year in this country. Does anyone have any experience getting this type of visa? (12-VIII). What really cheeses me off is that you could make more money working in Walmart's than teaching in Ecuador, so where do they get off playing these head trips?

[expatella_girl]

I have no experience with cultural exchange visas.....

But I have had a host of other visa problems, including China and others.

What bothers me about your post is the tirade against Ecuador. There are some [many] countries who don't give a flying fkuc whether they let you in or not, what your qualifications are, who you are, your personal feelings, or what day it is.

Why pick on Ecuador? You could easily be treated as badly or worse, almost anywhere in the world.

If you can make the same salary working at Walmart (as you mentioned) without the Ecuadoan bureaucracy headaches, then some of us would wonder why you are not working at Walmart? Because they suck too but the paperwork is probably easier.

But if you're just feeling frustrated, we understand--living and working internationally has many difficulties and some days you've just had enough of the BS and can't takes it no more. Yep.

[lapd08]

The point I was making is that everything in life is a trade off. Thus, while the visa process maybe difficult for let's say a Saudi iqama (permanent resident card), the pay off is a high salary.

What I objected to with the process of getting an Equadorian visa, was not the paper work, which was minimal, but the number of times I had to go to the consulate (3, which is 3 more than the Saudi visa which was handled by an agent) and the expense incurred by people who do not live near a consulate. Also, the capriciousness of various consulate personnel as reported to me by others and the "maybe we'll give you a visa, maybe we won't" policy-or quoting literally "No guarantees". If my paper work is in order, why are this cat and mouse game and all those trips necessary?

I am trusting the reports that the trade off here, which as we both know is not money, will be something worthwhile.