[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

When my family went through the process two years ago, we were told by the immigration department that as long as our residency paperwork was submitted we did not need to extend our visa. Our 12-9 visas did expire while we waited for our permanent visas to come through and we never encountered any problems. However, because rules tend to change from time to time I would recommend consulting a lawyer or the immigration office to be certain this is still the case.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

I believe the reasoning behind moving to a non-tax state first is because then you won’t have to prove to your new home state that you’ve moved out of country. But, I’m fairly certain that the book I mentioned covers this topic more in depth.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Melanie,

My understanding is that you will pay state income tax for any period of time you lived in that state. After that you will probably need to prove to your state that you are no longer residing there (some states are more adamant on this point than others). I would recommend checking with your state’s income tax department and asking them what they require.

International Living published a book – Expat Taxes Made Easy- which is designed to help expats navigate their U.S. and international tax requirements. You can find the book here.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Melvin,

If your goal is to explore Ecuador’s south coast it will probably make the most sense to fly into Guayaquil. Researching flights from Los Angeles it seems that there are no direct flights into Ecuador, though a popular option is to fly straight to Lima in Peru and from there catch a connecting flight to Guayaquil.

Flight prices can vary greatly depending on what time of year you want to go. If you’re up to researching flights on your own you can use the online travel services such as Orbitz, Kayak, or Expedia and play around with different travel dates and options. Or you can contact a travel agent who can do the footwork for you and potentially find options not available on the internet.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Robert,

Since you’re going to be spending very little time in one place at a time, I’m not sure that mail forwarding would be a very viable option for you. In my own experience with international mail it can take as little as one week and as long as one month (though that is extreme) for mail to arrive. Your best bet will probably be to have a trusted friend or family member collect your mail while you’re away and take care of anything urgent.

Another option is to use a remote control mail service such as Earth Class Mail (www.earthclassmail.com) where your mail will be sent to a processing center, opened and scanned, and accessible by you as long as you have an internet connection.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Ken,

Like Edd mentioned, you cannot import guns into Ecuador. You can however obtain a license to own a firearm, but it will need to be bought in country and that tends to be very expensive as is ammunition. If you’re interested in this option I suggest contacting the local policia when you arrive and they can guide you in taking the steps needed to obtain a license and legal firearm.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Claude,

Here’s what we at IL were told by a Canadian attorney in response to your inquiries.

1. A person can receive both CPP and OAS benefits when living outside of Canada provided that they otherwise qualify. In order to receive CPP benefits, the person must be at least 60 years of age and, of course, must have made contributions to the plan. In order to receive OAS benefits, the person must be at least 65 years or older and have been a Canadian citizen or legal resident on the day before they left Canada. They must have also resided in Canada for at least 20 years after turning 18. The amount of the benefits to which the person may be entitled depends on their income and their length of residence in Canada, amongst other factors.

2. Assuming that the person is resident in Canada, their income and any capital gains from the rental property in Ecuador must be reported on Canadian income tax returns. A person who is deemed to be resident in Canada for income tax purposes is taxable on their worldwide income.

If you are interested in severing your residency ties with Canada you can reach the attorney, Doug Hendler at dhendler@blaney.com and he can fill you in on what that entails. Please be aware however that he does charge for his services and will require a retainer.

For information on what Ecuador’s tax laws require in the way of rental income I suggest contacting the Ecuadorian law firm of Moreno di Donato. Their website is http://www.morenodidonato.com and they should be able to assist you.

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