Ecuador Amparo (Dependent) Visa — Derivative Residency for Family of Temporary Residents

Ecuador's Visa de Residencia Temporal Dependiente — commonly called the Amparo Visa, from the Spanish word for "shelter" or "protection" — is the country's derivative residency category for the immediate family of temporary residency holders. It allows a spouse, registered partner, minor children, and certain dependent adult children of someone holding an Ecuadorian temporary residency visa (the titular or principal) to live in Ecuador under that person's qualifying status.

Derivative is the key word. The Amparo doesn't qualify you on your own merits — it qualifies you through your relationship to someone who already holds a primary Ecuadorian residency visa. The principal sponsor must have a valid temporary residency (Pensioner, Rentista, Investor, Professional, Worker, Mercosur, or any other temporary category under the Ley Orgánica de Movilidad Humana), and you must prove a recognized family relationship to them.

The duration of your Amparo matches the principal's visa. If your spouse holds a 2-year Pensioner Visa with 18 months remaining, your Amparo gives you residency for those 18 months. When the principal renews — or upgrades to permanent residency at the 21-month mark — you renew or upgrade alongside them. The two visas move in lockstep.

What the Amparo gives you: - Legal residency in Ecuador for the same period as the principal's visa - Right to attend school, access public services, and register a cédula at the Registro Civil - Right to work in most cases under current LOMH rules - Inclusion in the family's path to permanent residency — Amparo time counts toward the 21 months that qualify the dependent for their own permanent residency - Eligibility to transition to Marriage Permanent Residency or another visa category when circumstances change

What it does NOT give you: Independence from the principal's status. If the principal loses their residency, your Amparo is at risk. If the relationship dissolves through divorce or formal end of unión de hecho, the Amparo can be voided. You also don't get a fresh 2-year clock — you match whatever time remains on the principal's visa.

The Amparo is the practical answer for families moving to Ecuador together: the principal qualifies on their own merits, and the rest of the family rides under the same residency framework with relationship documents as the qualifying basis. Each dependent files their own application and pays their own fees, but the underlying entitlement flows from the principal.

This guide covers who qualifies, what to file, how the fees and income requirements work, and — importantly — when the Amparo is the WRONG visa and you should be using Marriage Permanent Residency instead.

Ecuador's LOMH and its Reglamento define a specific set of family relationships that qualify for derivative residency. The categories are narrower than many applicants assume — extended family and unrelated household members do not qualify.

1. Spouse of the principal. A legally married spouse — civil marriage, registered with the relevant civil authority. Religious-only marriages without civil registration are not recognized. Same-sex marriages are recognized as long as legally valid in the country where they were performed.

2. Unión de hecho partner of the principal. A registered de facto partner. The unión de hecho must be formally registered at Ecuador's Registro Civil — informal cohabitation, even of many years, is not enough. Foreign-country domestic partnerships typically need to be re-registered in Ecuador's civil registry. See the family-relationship-proof guide for inscription mechanics.

3. Minor children of the principal. Biological or legally adopted children under 18. The qualifying proof is the child's birth certificate (apostilled and translated for foreign-issued certificates) showing the principal as a legal parent, or the final adoption decree plus the post-adoption birth certificate.

4. Adult dependent children of the principal. Adult children (18+) who are economically or legally dependent on the principal qualify in specific scenarios: - Adult children with a certified disability (typically 30%+ under Ecuadorian CONADIS standards or equivalent foreign certification) who depend on the principal - Adult children who are full-time students under age cutoffs defined in the LOMH and its Reglamento (verify current cutoffs at filing time)

For adult children, the principal must show additional income — +$250/month per adult child amparado — and dependency must be demonstrated through medical certification, student enrollment proof, or financial dependency documentation.

5. Parents of the principal — case-specific. In limited scenarios, economically dependent parents of the principal can qualify. This is less common — expect significantly more documentary scrutiny and verify current LOMH provisions before filing.

What does NOT qualify under Amparo: - Siblings of the principal - Cousins, nephews, nieces, grandparents, grandchildren in standard cases - Stepchildren without legal adoption - Unmarried partners without a formally registered unión de hecho - Adult children who are unemployed but not legally or medically dependent - Household members who don't fit a recognized family-relationship category

For extended family who don't qualify, the correct path is typically their own visa category — Pensioner, Rentista, Investor, Professional, Mercosur, or another category they can independently qualify for.

Each amparado files their own application. This is structurally important: the Amparo is not one application for a whole family. It's one application per dependent, each with their own passport, photo, background check (for adults 18+), relationship proof, and government fees. If you and your spouse are amparando two children, that's three separate Amparo applications, each with its own $250 government fee.

This is the single most important conceptual distinction in Ecuador's family-based residency framework, and it traps a meaningful percentage of applicants. Amparo and Marriage Permanent Residency are two different visas with two different sets of rules — choosing the wrong one wastes money and produces an inferior status.

The deciding factor: what status does the sponsor hold?

• Sponsor holds a TEMPORARY residency visa (any 2-year category — Pensioner, Rentista, Investor, Professional, Worker, Mercosur) → Amparo Visa is correct. This guide.
• Sponsor holds an INDEFINITE/PERMANENT residency visa OR Sponsor is an Ecuadorian citizen → Marriage Permanent Residency (see the dedicated guide) is correct. Not this guide.

The practical comparison:

Marriage Permanent Residency is structurally better in almost every way — but it's only available if the sponsor is a citizen or permanent resident. You can't choose to apply for it just because it's more attractive. The sponsor's existing status determines which category is open to you.

A timing consideration that matters for some couples:

If your spouse is currently a temporary resident but is approaching the 21-month mark to upgrade to permanent residency, you face a strategic decision: file Amparo now, or wait. There are three paths:

Path A — File Amparo now. You get legal residency immediately, matching your spouse's temporary visa. When the spouse upgrades to permanent residency, you can either progress to your own permanent residency on the 21-month rule, OR switch from Amparo to Marriage Permanent Residency.

Path B — Wait for the spouse's permanent residency, then file Marriage Permanent Residency. Skip Amparo entirely. The trade-off is that you're not legally resident during the wait, which limits how long you can be in Ecuador (tourist visa: 90 days, extendable to 180).

Path C — Hybrid: file Amparo now, convert later. Apply for Amparo as soon as the principal's temporary visa is in place. Live in Ecuador legally. When the principal naturalizes or transitions to permanent residency, convert your Amparo into Marriage Permanent Residency. This is the most flexible path.

The decision usually comes down to: can you afford to be outside Ecuador during the wait? If yes, Path B saves money. If not, Path A or C is the answer.

Do not use Amparo if Marriage Permanent Residency is available to you. If your spouse is already a citizen or permanent resident at the time you're applying, the right answer is Marriage Permanent Residency — not Amparo. Filing Amparo when Marriage Permanent Residency is available leaves you with an inferior status when you could have indefinite status from day one. Confirm your spouse's exact residency category before filing.

The Amparo visa doesn't require the dependent to demonstrate income — the dependent's qualifying basis is the relationship. But the principal sponsor must show sufficient income to support the family unit, and the requirement scales with the number of dependents.

The base requirement is set by the principal's own visa category; adding dependents typically adds $250/month per dependent.

Pensioner sponsor: - Base requirement (principal only): $1,446/month in pension income (3x Ecuador's SBU) - +$250/month per dependent added under Amparo - Examples: Principal + spouse = $1,696/month; Principal + spouse + 1 minor child = $1,946/month; Principal + spouse + 2 minor children = $2,196/month

Rentista sponsor: - Base requirement: $1,446/month in passive income (rental, dividend, investment income) - +$250/month per dependent added under Amparo - Same arithmetic as Pensioner

Professional sponsor: - Base requirement: $482/month (1x SBU) - +$250/month per dependent added under Amparo - Examples: Principal alone = $482/month; Principal + spouse = $732/month; Principal + spouse + 1 child = $982/month

Investor sponsor: - Base requirement: Investment of approximately $48,200 (100 SBU) in qualifying assets in Ecuador (verify this figure with current regulation before relying on it for planning) - The qualifying basis is the investment itself — additional per-dependent income requirements are sometimes interpreted differently for Investor cases. Confirm at filing time whether the +$250/month per dependent applies or whether the investment alone is sufficient.

Worker sponsor: - Base requirement: Active employment in Ecuador with documented work contract and salary meeting the minimum required by the LOMH for the worker category - +$250/month per dependent added under Amparo

Adult dependent children — the explicit +$250/month rule:

For adult children being amparado specifically (as distinct from minor children), the principal must show +$250/month in additional income per adult child. This is the same +$250/month structure used for spouses and minor children, but it's worth calling out: amparando an adult dependent child is not free in terms of income demonstration. Each adult child added requires another $250/month of demonstrable income.

What "income" looks like in documentation: - Pensioner: Social Security Benefit Verification Letter, pension award letter, or equivalent retirement income documentation — apostilled and Spanish-translated if issued abroad - Rentista: Bank statements showing rental income deposits, lease agreements, dividend statements — typically 6+ months - Professional: Employment letter, recent pay stubs (roles de pago), or income statements; if self-employed, RUC and recent invoicing - Investor: Investment certificates, real estate deeds, business equity documentation — the qualifying $48,200+ investment in Ecuador - Worker: Work contract with Ecuadorian employer, recent pay stubs, IESS registration

The income documentation must demonstrate the total household income is sufficient to cover the base requirement plus the per-dependent additions. The dependent does NOT add their own income to the calculation — it's the sponsor's responsibility.

Beyond the dependent's own identity documents, the Amparo's distinguishing documentary requirement is proof of the legal family relationship to the principal. This is the single most important document category for the Amparo application.

For spouse: The foundational document is the civil marriage certificate. If the marriage took place in Ecuador, the acta de matrimonio issued by the Registro Civil is sufficient. If the marriage took place abroad, the foreign marriage certificate must be: - Long-form, current, certified copy from the issuing civil registry - Apostilled by the issuing country's authority - Spanish-translated by a judiciary-certified translator (the document AND the apostille page) - In many practical cases, also inscribed at Ecuador's Registro Civil — inscription is often the cleanest path and the path of least friction. See the family-relationship-proof guide for inscription mechanics.

EcuadorTranslations.com provides judiciary-certified Spanish translation for marriage certificates — this is the most common single translation Amparo applicants need.

For unión de hecho partner: The unión de hecho must be registered at Ecuador's Registro Civil. An informal cohabitation, a notarized cohabitation agreement from your home country, or even a registered foreign domestic partnership generally needs to be re-registered in Ecuador's civil registry. The safest path is to register the unión de hecho in Ecuador directly, regardless of whether you have a foreign-country registration.

For minor children: The foundational document is the child's birth certificate, showing the principal as a legal parent. For foreign-issued birth certificates: - Long-form, current, certified copy - Apostilled by the issuing country - Spanish-translated by a judiciary-certified translator

Additional requirement for minor children — parental authorization: If both parents are not jointly part of the Amparo application, Ecuador requires an apostilled, Spanish-translated parental authorization (poder especial or notarized consent letter) from the absent parent. This is to prevent international child abduction. If the absent parent is deceased, an apostilled death certificate substitutes. If sole legal custody has been awarded to the principal, apostilled court documents proving sole custody substitute.

For adult dependent children: Two documents are needed: 1. Birth certificate showing the principal as a legal parent 2. Proof of dependency: - For disability-based dependency: apostilled and translated medical documentation, or CONADIS carnet de discapacidad if already issued - For student-based dependency: apostilled and translated student enrollment proof, plus age verification - For other forms of dependency: case-specific documentation

Name matching matters across all relationship types: A marriage certificate listing the spouse's maiden surname may not match a passport showing the married surname. A birth certificate using one transliteration may not match a passport. Whenever the names don't exactly match, include bridging documentation — name-change court order, deed poll, transliteration certification. Reviewers don't call to ask about name mismatches; they reject applications.

Each Amparo applicant needs their own complete document set. This is per-dependent, not per-family.

1. Valid passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity, with empty pages for visa stamps. If the passport is approaching expiration, renew it BEFORE filing.

2. Recent color passport photo (5×5cm, white background, JPG format, ≤1MB). White background, color, recent, neutral expression, no glasses or head covering unless required.

3. Criminal background check (for adults 18+): Apostilled and Spanish-translated background check from the country of origin, issued within 180 days of filing. - For US citizen applicants 18+: BOTH the FBI Identity History Summary (federal-level) AND a state-level background check from any state lived in for 5+ years. The FBI summary is apostilled at the US Department of State (federal level). State-level checks are apostilled at the state Secretary of State. - For other nationalities: A national-level background check from the country of citizenship. See the background-check guides for country-specific processes (UK ACRO, Canada RCMP, Australia AFP, India PCC, Philippines NBI, Nigeria Police Character Certificate, etc.). - For minor children under 18: Typically not required, though some consulates may request one for older minors.

The 180-day clock pauses during visa application processing. Once your Amparo is filed, the background check is locked in.

4. Relationship proof to the principal: Per the prior section — marriage certificate, registered unión de hecho declaration, birth certificate, plus any required parental authorization or dependency documentation.

5. Copy of the principal sponsor's valid Ecuadorian residency visa and cédula: - Copy of the principal's current cédula de identidad (front and back) - Copy of the principal's visa stamp in their passport - Copy of the principal's visa approval letter or document from the Cancillería

6. Proof of the sponsor's income sufficient for the family unit, documented according to the principal's visa category (pension letter, rental income proof, investment certificate, employment letter, etc.).

7. Visa application submitted via Ecuador's Cancillería e-VISAS portal: https://serviciosdigitales.cancilleria.gob.ec/

If you're using EcuaGo to file, you don't interact with the e-VISAS portal directly — EcuaGo handles the upload, formatting, and submission on your behalf.

Documents not required for Amparo: The dependent does NOT submit proof of their own income, professional credentials, investment proof, or (in most cases) independent health insurance. This is what makes the Amparo a relatively streamlined visa filing — the heavy documentary lifting was done by the principal when they qualified for their primary residency.

Official government fees (per dependent): - Application fee: $50 USD - Visa issuance fee: $200 USD - Total government cost: $250 USD per dependent

EcuaGo service fee (per dependent): $49 USD

Total via EcuaGo per dependent: $299 USD

For a family of 4 (principal already has their visa; amparando spouse + 2 minor children): - Spouse Amparo: $299 - Child 1 Amparo: $299 - Child 2 Amparo: $299 - Family total: $897 in Amparo costs

This is in addition to the principal's own primary residency visa. No IVA is charged on the Cancillería fees.

Discounts available: - 50% discount for applicants 65 years of age or older. Uncommon for Amparo. Government cost drops to roughly $125 per dependent. - 100% discount for applicants with a 30%+ certified disability (CONADIS carnet de discapacidad or equivalent). Especially relevant for adult children amparados who qualify on the basis of disability — the discount eliminates the government fee entirely. Total cost: just the $49 EcuaGo service fee.

Additional out-of-pocket costs to budget per dependent: - Criminal background check (for adults 18+): $18 for FBI (US), £55 for ACRO (UK), CAD $25–$80 for RCMP (Canada), AUD $42–$84 for AFP (Australia). Apostille fees: $8–$30 per document. - Spanish translation of background check, relationship documents, apostille pages: $40–$60 per document via EcuadorTranslations.com. - Passport photos (5×5cm, white background): $3–$10 - Apostille fees on relationship documents: $8–$30 per document - Registro Civil inscription (for foreign-married couples): $10–$50 - Notary fees (parental authorizations on minor children): $20–$50 plus apostille

Realistic total budget per dependent: - Minor child Amparo (US-born, both parents involved): $370–$440 per child - Adult spouse Amparo (US citizen, married abroad): $520–$650 total - Adult dependent child with CONADIS carnet: $130–$200

For a typical family of four (US citizen principal already on Pensioner visa, amparando spouse and two minor children, all married/born in the US): - Spouse: $520–$650 - Child 1: $370–$440 - Child 2: $370–$440 - Family realistic total: $1,260–$1,530

The structural simplicity of the Amparo — no per-dependent income requirements, no individual qualifying documentation beyond relationship proof and background check — makes it materially cheaper than each family member trying to qualify for their own independent visa category.

Ecuador's Cancillería processes all visa applications through its electronic portal: https://serviciosdigitales.cancilleria.gob.ec/

The portal in plain terms: A web form where you create an account, fill in personal details, upload supporting documents as PDFs, pay government fees electronically, and submit to the Cancillería's review queue. The document format expectations, field labeling conventions, file size limits, and validation rules combine to create a non-trivial filing experience for applicants doing it on their own.

What goes wrong when applicants file directly: - Document type mismatches — uploading a birth certificate to the wrong slot - Format failures — PDFs that are too large, password-protected, or in incorrect aspect ratios - Apostille and translation pages submitted as separate files when they should be a single combined PDF - Cross-application inconsistencies when amparando multiple family members - Untranslated apostille pages — many applicants translate the document body but forget the apostille certification requires translation too - Stale documents — background checks issued more than 180 days before filing

EcuaGo's role: Three layers of value between you and the e-VISAS portal:

1. Document preparation and validation. Upload your supporting documents to EcuaGo. AI validates each document in 24 hours — checking format, completeness, validity period, translation, and apostille presence. If something is missing, you get specific guidance on how to fix it before submission.

1. Portal submission. EcuaGo handles the actual e-VISAS upload — formatting documents, matching them to the right slots, paying the government fees, and submitting for review.

1. Status tracking and resubmission support. Once filed, EcuaGo tracks the application status. If the reviewer requests additional documents (a common occurrence), EcuaGo notifies you immediately and provides resubmission support.

The family bundling advantage: If you and your dependents are applying at the same time, EcuaGo coordinates the filings as a bundle. The principal's primary visa application (if not yet approved) and the dependents' Amparo applications can be submitted together, with shared reference to the principal's qualifying basis and consistent documentation. This is significantly cleaner for the reviewer than separate, uncoordinated filings — and tends to produce faster approvals.

Multi-locale support: EcuaGo's interface is available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin — useful for families where the principal is fluent in one language and the dependent in another. The underlying Cancillería portal is Spanish-only.

Timing: The Amparo, once filed, typically processes faster than the principal's primary visa. The Cancillería has already qualified the principal — the Amparo reviewer is verifying the relationship and standard documents, not re-running the full qualification analysis. Expected processing time: 4–8 weeks for a typical Amparo case. Complex cases (adopted children, non-Hague-country documents, name-mismatch bridging) can take longer.

Best practice — file the principal and dependents together: The ideal sequence is the principal's primary visa application AND all dependent Amparo applications filed in a single coordinated bundle. The entire family is reviewed in parallel, the qualifying analysis is done once for the principal, and the dependents' files reference the principal's pending application by case number. Both visas can be issued within weeks of each other, and the family arrives in Ecuador together with cédulas issued in parallel.

Once your Amparo is approved, Ecuador issues your visa digitally through the e-VISAS portal. You'll receive notification, download the approval document, and proceed to register your cédula at the Registro Civil.

The cédula registration: 1. Visit a Registro Civil office with your approved Amparo visa document, passport, and supporting identification 2. Submit biometrics — fingerprints, photo, digital signature 3. Pay the cédula issuance fee (a few dollars) 4. Receive your cédula de identidad — usually issued same-day or within 1–3 business days

The cédula is the practical day-to-day document of Ecuadorian residency life — banks, hospitals, employers, schools all ask for it.

Your legal rights as an Amparo dependent: - Live in Ecuador throughout the visa term - Attend school — minor children enroll in Ecuadorian schools using the cédula - Access healthcare, including IESS coverage if the principal is enrolled - Open bank accounts, sign contracts, rent property, register a vehicle - Work in Ecuador — under current LOMH rules, most adult Amparo dependents can work without a separate work permit - Travel in and out of Ecuador, subject to LOMH absence limits

The structural tie to the principal:

This is the single most important consequence of Amparo status: your visa is tied to the principal's residency status.

The Amparo expires WHEN the principal's visa expires. If your spouse's Pensioner Visa is valid until November 2027, your Amparo is also valid until November 2027 — not until any independent date from your issuance. When the principal renews, you renew alongside them.

The Amparo can be voided in three scenarios:

1. Dissolution of the qualifying relationship. Divorce or formal dissolution of a registered unión de hecho. The Cancillería typically allows a transitional period for the affected amparado to apply for their own visa or leave, but the right to remain is no longer guaranteed.

1. Loss of the principal's residency status. If the principal loses their residency through revocation, lapse, or failure to renew, your Amparo loses its underlying qualifying basis.

1. Misrepresentation discovered during review. Fraud or material errors in the original application can result in revocation.

The path to permanent residency for Amparo holders:

After 21 continuous months on Amparo (matching the principal's 21-month clock), Amparo dependents are eligible to apply for their own Permanent Residency Visa (see the permanent-residency guide). At this point the dependent becomes a permanent resident in their own right — no longer derivative.

Transition options for spouses specifically:

Option A — Progress to Permanent Residency on the 21-month rule. Apply for permanent residency after 21 continuous months on Amparo. Government fees: $275.

Option B — Switch to Marriage Permanent Residency once the spouse becomes a permanent resident. If the principal upgrades before the dependent's 21-month Amparo time is up, the spouse can file Marriage Permanent Residency at that point — indefinite status from day one. Government fees: $225 (cheaper than Permanent Residency).

For most binational couples, Option B is structurally better when the timing works out — but Option A is always available as a fallback.

A practical example: Maria (US citizen) is married to John (US citizen). John gets a Pensioner Visa to Ecuador. Maria gets an Amparo visa. 24 months later, John applies for and is granted Permanent Residency. At this point, Maria has two choices: she can wait the few additional months until her own Amparo clock hits 21 continuous months and file for her own Permanent Residency (paying $275), OR she can file Marriage Permanent Residency immediately based on her marriage to John (now a permanent resident), paying $225 and getting indefinite status from day one. The second option is cleaner, cheaper, and more flexible.

This section provides concrete decision rules for common family situations.

Rule 1: What status does the sponsor hold AT THE TIME OF FILING? - Sponsor is an Ecuadorian citizen → Marriage Permanent Residency for spouses; other family relationships look at their own visa paths - Sponsor holds a permanent (indefinite) residency visa → Marriage Permanent Residency for spouses - Sponsor holds a temporary residency visa (any 2-year category) → Amparo Visa for all qualifying family relationships

Rule 2: For spouses, take the better visa when both are available. If you're a spouse and Marriage Permanent Residency is available, file Marriage Permanent Residency — not Amparo. It is: - Indefinite from day one (Amparo expires with the principal's visa) - Cheaper ($225 vs $250) - Independent of the spouse's ongoing residency status - Direct path to accelerated naturalization when married to a citizen (2 years as permanent resident)

Rule 3: For children and dependent adults, Amparo is the primary path. Minor children, adopted children, and dependent adult children of any residency holder typically file under Amparo or its permanent-residency analog. There's no Marriage-Permanent-Residency-equivalent for non-spouse family members.

Rule 4: For unión de hecho partners, check the sponsor's status first. Same logic as spouses — partner of a citizen or permanent resident uses Marriage Permanent Residency; partner of a temporary resident uses Amparo.

Common timing scenarios — what to do:

Scenario A: "My spouse is currently a temporary resident, but will upgrade to permanent residency in 6 months. Should I file Amparo now or wait?"

Three paths: - File Amparo now. Get legal residency immediately. When the spouse upgrades, switch to Marriage Permanent Residency. Total cost: ~$573. Live legally in Ecuador throughout. - Wait outside Ecuador for the spouse's permanent residency, then file Marriage Permanent Residency. Skip Amparo. Total cost: $274. Time: 6+ months waiting outside Ecuador. - File Amparo now, ride the principal's path to permanent residency in parallel. Both file for their own permanent residency at the 21-month mark on the standard path. Appropriate if the couple is not married or Marriage Permanent Residency isn't pursuable.

The right answer depends on how much you value being in Ecuador legally during the interim versus minimizing total cost.

Scenario B: "My spouse just got an Ecuadorian Professional Visa. We want to move together immediately." File Amparo. Marriage Permanent Residency isn't available because the spouse is a temporary resident.

Scenario C: "I'm marrying an Ecuadorian citizen and we'll be in Ecuador together." File Marriage Permanent Residency. Permanent from day one, accelerated 2-year naturalization path. No reason to file Amparo.

Scenario D: "My spouse has been living in Ecuador 4 years on temporary visas — about to file for permanent residency. I'm in the US and want to join them." Two paths: file Amparo now while the spouse is still temporary, move to Ecuador, then switch to Marriage Permanent Residency once the spouse's permanent residency is approved. OR wait for the spouse's permanent residency approval and then file Marriage Permanent Residency directly. If you can wait outside Ecuador, Path B is simpler.

Scenario E: "My adult child is disabled and depends on me. I'm a Pensioner Visa holder in Ecuador." File Amparo for the adult child as a disability-based dependent. Required +$250/month income shows on your end. With CONADIS carnet de discapacidad at 30%+, government fees are fully discounted — total cost is just the $49 EcuaGo service fee.

The bottom line: The Amparo Visa is Ecuador's residency framework for the family of temporary residents. It's flexible, relatively affordable, and works in lockstep with the principal's status. But if Marriage Permanent Residency is available to you, it's structurally better — confirm your sponsor's exact status before filing, and choose the right visa for your situation.