ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AMPARO VISA [Dependant Visas]
Changes to Amparo (Dependant) Visas in Ecuador
An amparo visa is granted to dependents as an extension of somebody who already holds a temporary or permanent visa. These visas are also called “Amparo” (Dependant) visas when the person is married or related to an Ecuadorian person.
Due to the new law of Human Mobility which took effect on February 5th, 2021 there are also new changes to the amparo visa:
In the case that the holder of the primary visa (temporary or permanent) dies, the dependant visa holder will not lose their visa.
The range of protection for those who are eligible to hold temporary amparo visas has become more limited.
A common fear of those who hold amparo visas is that they may lose their visa if something were to happen to the primary visa holder.
According to article 65A from the new Human mobility law, in the event of the death of the primary visa holder, the protected person does not lose their visa or their legal status. This also applies to those that are married or in a common-law union and equally for those that are under the protection of a person who becomes a citizen. This change is applicable to both temporary and permanent resident holders.
The other noticeable change regarding amparo visas is that the range of protection categories has become more restricted. In other words, the law has become more strict regarding who is eligible for an amparo visa.
Previously the law granted siblings and grandparents the ability to apply for amparo visas, although with the new changes this is no longer permitted. According to article 60 number 13 the only persons eligible to be covered by the amparo visas are spouses, common-law partners, and children.
The requirements to apply for an amparo visa include:
Apostilled and translated marriage certificate if applicable for spouses
Apostilled and translated certificate of de facto union if applicable for common law partners
Apostilled and translated birth certificate if applicable for children
It is important to understand the changes in this process if you have or had planned on obtaining an amparo visa now or in the future.
In this link you can watch a series of videos about this important changes and how they can affect you.
Or, you can book a 15 minutes FREE OF CHARGE appointment here!
The EcuaAssist Team
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.
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