Job Discussion Forums

[jeffersont]

I'm looking to start a second career teaching English in a Latin American country where my mother can retire. The income requirement seems to be easiest in Ecuador, where I understand a retiree needs an income of $800 per month, plus $100 per dependent. Our needs are simple; we both like Ecuador and would be very comfortable there.

My plan is to volunteer (probably teaching, but not necessarily) until I get a proper job and change visa status. Can we enter Ecuador and get settled as a retiree and dependent adult child until I get a job? Though for tax purposes my mother is actually my dependent, and I will have adequate savings, an Ecuadorean visa for us both seems the most flexible option.

I am a US native. I would be arriving in Ecuador with an old university degree and a brand new CELTA.

Many thanks for your insights.

[HLJHLJ]

I'm a little confused as to what you are trying to do. Are you planning for your mother to retire and you to be her dependent, or are you planning to retire and be her dependent?

Your mother can be your dependent and as long as the $900/m is coming from your pension (there are exceptions), then $800+$100 should be sufficient for you both to get visas. You are allowed to work on a retirement visa now, so there would be no benefit to changing visa status once you found work.

If you are planning to be dependent on your mother, it would be possible, but it would make more sense for you to apply independently for a professional visa on the basis of your bachelors degree. Otherwise, if anything happens to your mother, you would lose your visa.

Also, it sounds like you wouldn't actually be planning to live on just the $900/m pension income. Which is a good thing, because it would generally be quite tight to support two people on that (although possible with the right lifestyle in the right area).

[jeffersont]

Retire my mother and be her dependent so I can volunteer until I find a job, HLJHLJ. I will check out the professional visa, though. I thought the retirement scheme might be a comfortable way to get us both into Ecuador and give me plenty of time to find work.

Thanks for your response.

[just_a_mirage]

You can, as an adult child retire as your mother's dependent. Unless the unthinkable happens and your mother passes away, then there is no reason to switch visas. I would recommend that you register your degree with SENESCYT, so that should something happen to your mother, or she decides to leave the country and you want to stay, you would be able to immediately switch the visa.

I am a visa facilitator in Guayaquil. Currently, a pension visa takes about 3 weeks to process. The Professional visa 2-3 months. It is a bit more expensive, because you have to be on the 12-IX visa to register your degree. This costs $230 dollars, and then another $50 to cancel when the resident visa is approved. Then another $354 for the resident visa. If you come in on a tourist stamp, then you would only need to pay the $354 dollars, and a fee to someone like me if you need someone to do translations of your documents, etc.

[jeffersont]

Superb, just_a_mirage. Thank you.