Ecuadorians are one of the largest Latin American communities in Spain, and many already hold Spanish citizenship. That is why the most common route runs through family, although Ecuadorians need a visa even for a short visit. Here is how people usually make the move and which documents to prepare.
Key facts
- Entry: Ecuadorian passport holders need a Schengen visa even for tourism. That visa does not allow work and is not a way to settle: to live in Spain you need a national residence or study visa.
- Citizenship: as a national of an Ibero-American country you can apply for Spanish citizenship after 2 years of legal, continuous residence. The 1964 dual nationality treaty lets you keep Ecuadorian nationality.
- Documents: Ecuador is party to the Hague Convention, so an apostille is enough and no translation is needed.
- Driving: there is an exchange agreement, updated in 2024. Once resident you can drive for six months on your Ecuadorian licence and exchange it without a test for cars and motorcycles.
- Social security: the Spain–Ecuador agreement lets you combine contributions from both countries for your pension.
How people usually move
- Family of a Spanish citizen. If your spouse, registered partner, father or mother is Spanish, including naturalised Ecuadorians, you can apply for residence as a family member of a Spanish citizen (children under 26 or dependent, dependent parents). Family member of a Spanish or EU citizen
- Family resident in Spain. If your spouse or partner (or your parent, if you are under 18) holds residence, they can sponsor you once they have lived there for a year and their permit has been renewed (or renewal applied for). Family reunification
- Studies. A degree, master’s or vocational course with a student visa; it allows work up to 30 hours a week. Time as a student does not count towards the 2 years for citizenship. Study permit
- Work in Spain. A Spanish employer applies for the work permit and you then request the visa. Employment permit
- If you are already in Spain. After 2 years of continuous stay and with no criminal record, social, socio-labour or socio-training arraigo may become available. Family arraigo (for example, if you are the parent of a Spanish child or a relative of a Spaniard) does not require those 2 years. Arraigo
Documents and apostille
- Criminal record certificate (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales) from the Ministry of the Interior, downloaded online and apostilled. It usually has to be recent.
- Birth and marriage certificates from the Dirección General de Registro Civil, Identificación y Cedulación, apostilled.
- Apostille: issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility (Cancillería). Check its website for which documents can be apostilled online.
- Degrees and academic records, apostilled, if you will study or have your qualification recognised in Spain.
- Driving licence, valid: you will need it for the exchange at the DGT once you are resident.
What to keep in mind
- Spain has consulates general in Quito and Guayaquil. Quito covers Pichincha, Esmeraldas, Carchi, Imbabura, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Chimborazo, Bolívar, Sucumbíos, Orellana, Napo, Pastaza and Morona Santiago; Guayaquil covers the rest of the country (including Guayas, Manabí, El Oro, Azuay, Loja and Galápagos).
- Visa applications, national ones included, are filed by appointment at BLS International, which has offices in Quito and Guayaquil. In Guayaquil appointments are released in batches on the BLS website: follow the consulate’s notices.
- Common mistake: travelling on a tourist visa planning to switch later. Most residence permits are applied for from Ecuador with the right visa.
- In Spain: register at the town hall (padrón) and, if you came with a residence or student visa, apply for your TIE within the first month.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose Ecuadorian nationality if I become Spanish?
No. The Spain–Ecuador dual nationality treaty lets you keep both. You apply after 2 years of legal, continuous residence and pass the CCSE test of the Instituto Cervantes; the DELE language test is not required because Spanish is an official language of Ecuador.
I live in Cuenca. Where do I apply for a visa?
Azuay is not in Quito’s district, so your office is the Consulate General of Spain in Guayaquil. You file the application by appointment at the BLS International office in Guayaquil.
I lived in Spain and lost my long-term residence when I returned. Can I get it back?
There is a specific visa to recover long-term or EU long-term residence, applied for from Ecuador with the consulate for your district. The requirements depend on your situation, so it is worth reviewing your case before gathering documents.