tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post7898155078929669148..comments2023-12-13T08:03:27.280-08:00Comments on FOCUS ON ECUADOR - Our Adventure in Cuenca Ecuador Through My Lens!: VISA PROCESS IN CUENCA - PART 1 OF OUR VISA ORDEAL! A day of dust turns to diamonds.....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03218571411311922097noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-66559330437424276342014-07-28T22:40:17.317-07:002014-07-28T22:40:17.317-07:00Hello Linda! I was told to contact you by a friend...Hello Linda! I was told to contact you by a friend of yours and I'm not sure how else to do it on here other than leaving a "reply." <br /><br />I was recently accepted into a 7 month long permaculture program on the coast of Ecuador. I am in the process of applying for my volunteer visa which should be valid for a year total. But I have called the Embassy, etc. and keep being referred to websites.<br /><br />Everything I have read online states that if I enter the country on a "tourist" visa then I cannot apply for a different visa without first leaving Ecuador, but several people I have spoken to have assured me that I should wait to apply for the visa after arriving in Ecuador. <br /><br />The thing is that I will be arriving and almost immediately will be needed on the farm for my internship and I feel like anything that would make the process speed up that can be done from within the United States is what I would like to take advantage of. <br /><br />Here is my email: ericaesham at g mail .com<br /><br />I would really appreciate it if we could speak. Thank you for your time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-74239607664656984532014-03-16T19:28:15.105-07:002014-03-16T19:28:15.105-07:00Welcome to our Blog, S Kumar,
There are many facil...Welcome to our Blog, S Kumar,<br />There are many facilitators/lawyers charging different fees - depending on each individual situation. Some people choose to get their visas processed and received in the USA before coming to Ecuador. This facilitator has only 5 star recommendations for accomplish this - http://www.gringovisas.com. Others do it once they get here. You can go to GringoTree under the recommendations column to see who other ex-pats used and recommend. I've heard fees that range from $300 all the way up to over $2,000. So, you will want to research this carefully and make sure you hire someone who knows what they are doing and who will work timely and efficiently for you. We ended up firing our facilitator (not without a cost) and doing the process ourselves in the end. Other testimonies have been that they have had great success with hiring a facilitator or attorney and it was worth the money not to have to deal with it. I hope this helps, and that you find the person you are looking for. Again, look at and/or post your question on GringoTree.<br />Sincerely,<br />Linda<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03218571411311922097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-61672045558454547412014-03-16T19:11:58.210-07:002014-03-16T19:11:58.210-07:00Hi, Just wanted to know if someone can tell us how...Hi, Just wanted to know if someone can tell us how much do the lawyers in Ecuador charge us as a fee for the full CD Residence Visa processing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12649062282639066254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-91548140684156191912013-05-30T21:40:03.062-07:002013-05-30T21:40:03.062-07:00Dear Linda (and Bob)
Thank you very much for your...Dear Linda (and Bob)<br /><br />Thank you very much for your great blog... very interesting information and experiences.<br /><br />We (from Europe) are moving to Cuenca by the end of September. We will also apply for a Residency Visa with the USD 25'000.-- CD. <br />Just wondering what you meant with: nobody wanted to notarize our wire document?<br />Do you need any "wire document" notarized?<br />What kind of wire document?<br />If we initiate the wire by Online banking, do we still need to show any account statements?<br />Sorry I am a little bit confused.<br />Would be nice if you could send me more details: orr2 (at) gmx (dot) net<br />Mary Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-30479546963701112002013-01-27T15:47:04.031-08:002013-01-27T15:47:04.031-08:00Love your comment, Mara!
Bo always calls these cha...Love your comment, Mara!<br />Bo always calls these challenges we face, "Opportunities to Grow!" Are we ever growing - in patience, acceptance, and AMAZEMENT! We will definitely update our Visa saga - and we will cheer if and when we finally obtain them! You are wise to arrive here knowing there will be challenges and detours along the way.<br />We'll let you know when the Expat Best Seller is on the shelves (LOL).<br />LindaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03218571411311922097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-51541206548918575252013-01-27T15:43:23.494-08:002013-01-27T15:43:23.494-08:00Hi Kathy,
Remember, we're just sharing our per...Hi Kathy,<br />Remember, we're just sharing our personal visa experience. Perhaps opening an account will go swimmingly for you. So don't come scared, but come knowing there is going to be a process for obtaining your visa. Yes, they do accept a driver's license for a 2nd ID, but that is today. Things change all the time here, and one never knows what tomorrow's requirements will be.<br /><br />Glad you are enjoying our journey and blog. <br />More to come,<br />LindaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03218571411311922097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-51393188958094617642013-01-27T08:33:06.563-08:002013-01-27T08:33:06.563-08:00Hi Bo and Linda,
I'm sorry for your troubles ...Hi Bo and Linda,<br /><br />I'm sorry for your troubles but of course, the rest of us benefit because we will know to expect every delay that could happen and then add a couple more. Thanks for making your unfortunate story entertaining and well written. We look forward to the final chapter of the Expat Best Seller "Opening a Bank Account" or also known as "Dancing with the Civil Servant Shufflers". MaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-13509877646097642442013-01-27T06:02:48.321-08:002013-01-27T06:02:48.321-08:00Hi Linda,
My oh my, this is scary. I was so hopef...Hi Linda,<br /><br />My oh my, this is scary. I was so hopeful that at least putting money in an Ecuadorian bank would be easy! After all we're not taking anything out, we're bringing it in!<br /><br />Could you tell me what you used as 2nd form of ID? Do they accept US drivers license?<br /><br />Thanks, and keep blogging please!!<br />KathyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-1740637571061624082013-01-26T06:54:15.451-08:002013-01-26T06:54:15.451-08:00Yes, Shadley,
We are learning as we go - and our ...Yes, Shadley, <br />We are learning as we go - and our personal journey as ex-pats is teaching us patience and wisdom for living here with a smile! We hope to learn to go through the process of life with joy and peace - we just haven't arrived YET! I think we're both doing quite well though! Most legal and government dealings are an ordeal no matter where one lives!<br /><br />I'm not sure, on my end, how to change your address. I have it in my personal file. I think you have to go into Google and change it yourself. Let me know. <br /><br />Glad you're enjoying our writings and story.<br />More to come....<br />Linda<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03218571411311922097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-71903917248748059182013-01-26T06:47:30.993-08:002013-01-26T06:47:30.993-08:00Hi Donna,
Just bring lots of patience with you whe...Hi Donna,<br />Just bring lots of patience with you when you come - and big smiles! Mostly, this is a very loving and helpful culture - they just have a "way" of doing things that we are adjusting to and figuring out along the way. Remember, every ex-pat will have their own personal experience - so we're just sharing ours. <br /><br />The process we did for our documents was to get State-certified documents and have them apostilled by the Secretary of State of origin, and then we brought them here to get translated and NOTARIZED. Just make sure you get the proper documents (for example: some birth certificates need to be a LONG form not short form). I'm sure you will research this and figure it out - if we did, anyone can (LOL). You can always call the Cuenca Immigration office and talk to someone there to get accurate updated information (there are bi-lingual staff there).<br /><br />Keep in touch.<br />We look forward to your arrival and meeting you.<br />Linda (and Bo)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03218571411311922097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-23591762325008716462013-01-25T18:06:58.078-08:002013-01-25T18:06:58.078-08:00What a nightmare!!!!! You have a lot of quickly le...What a nightmare!!!!! You have a lot of quickly learned wisdom to share with others thinking of expatriating. Both of you are super writers! And your readers feel like we are getting to be friends of Senor Diaz.<br /><br />BTW, my new email address at the top of this page is correct, but this was delivered to my old email address. I don't want to start missing these!! Shadley Wiegmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06506347384293456999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831951504205975496.post-88398435915086841112013-01-25T16:02:04.722-08:002013-01-25T16:02:04.722-08:00Another great post - it's nice to hear about t...Another great post - it's nice to hear about the real side of all this. We will be doing a pensioner's visa so that should be a little easier. It's the figuring out what documents we need, where we get them notarized and apostatized (something we'd never heard of) and then getting them translated and apostatized (is that a word?) all over again.<br /><br />Keep up the great work and LOVED the positive end to the day.Donna B. McNicolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15209611782116113024noreply@blogger.com