living in Andorra guide on residency relocation advice

Why is my service different from other websites that seem to offer the same services on residency?

I am here to act for you, you are taking a serious step in life relocating yourself and possibly your family too to a foreign country. You need to get the right advice, just please be aware that most of the internet sites that you read through are not based in Andorra and are anonymous. My information is publicly available at www.whois.com, try running an IP or website check on most internet sites and you will find complete and intended anonymity! So again my message is beware which website is genuinely based here and who can offer you full up to date and complete advice. this is a small country, my country, and I will not risk my integrity whatsoever. I look forward to meeting you soon.

Can I apply with a friend for passive residency and share an apartment, is this a cheaper option ?

No, unless you are a family member such as spouse, child, sister, or brother you are not allowed to share an address. Each passive resident must have a unique address so you will require two rentals (whether you choose to have one large apartment and a small cheap address and live together in practice is up to you but for the Immigration paperwork it is that separate addresses are required). You will also unless family members be required to each pay the € 30.000 bond.

Can I get an Andorran driving license?

Yes as a passive resident, but this has to be applied for within 12 months of your initial arrival here. Please refer to my page on driving licenses as it does matter from which country your original driving license was issued. In summary what you are doing is to hand in your current license in exchange for an Andorran one, and again depending on the country of issue they will give you back the original one but it will be marked and studded " anul.lat " or cancelled. If you as a resident are intending to buy an Andorran registered car then you will need an Andorran driving license. Please see my page on driving licenses for full information.

How long does it take to obtain residency in Andorra?

That depends on how quickly you can obtain the documents required from your home country, and how long it takes for you to choose a suitable property here. I have recently completed the whole process for a client in under three days, an exception no less, but I would suggest that once the correct paperwork has been obtained, the process can be completed in a week or so, it can be that quick.

I am confused about this bank certificate and the bond, are they the same document?

No, as explained funds are required to be paid to a bank account in Andorra (amount depends on how many persons in the family unit as explained on the applications page). Once the funds are deposited the bank will issue a certificate to Immigration which forms part of your application documents. Once the application is accepted the funds can then be transferred to INAF (The Finance Department of the Government) to pay the bond. The same certificate is required for renewal of residency but no further bond is required to be paid for subsequent renewals.

Can I open a numbered bank account in Andorra as a non-resident ?

Yes, besides you will need to do so to deposit the money for the bond prior to application. All accounts opened by non-residents are numbered and not named. Once you are a resident you may if you wish change the numbered account to a named one. You may also open a company account as a non resident, subject to correct legalised company documents and due diligence by the bank. The bank has more faith for obvious reasons in company accounts belonging to passive residents or at least passive resident applicants. Non residents will also be charged € 155 per quarter to keep an account in Andorra.

If I have Andorran residency, do I still need a Schengen visa to enter Europe?

If you have residency and that includes passive residency you are exempt from requiring a Schengen visa to enter Europe via France and Spain only, the neighbouring countries with whom the Schengen visa accord has been signed. If you try to enter Europe (even on the way back to Andorra ) via Frankfurt for example you will most likely need a Schengen visa. Once you have landed in Europe you are allowed up to 90 days in other Schengen countries but exit from Europe via any other Schengen country other than France and Spain with an Andorran residency card has yet to be tested in my experience. I would like to hear from residents who have had or have not had problems with entry and exit to and from Europe.

I prefer orgnic food, are there anu suppliers there and is organic food available ?

Yes, most supermarkets stock organic food, probably not as wide a choice than in the big hypermarkets of the neighbouring countries, nevertheless it is availbale in Andorra.

Can my mother or mother in law be regarded as the same family unit for passive residency?

It depends entirely on the circumstances of your mother or mother in law. Immigration require you to show that she is dependent on you for support. Therefore if she is married then the answer is no she cannot be within your family unit as Immigration regard her husband as the primary means of support. If she can prove she is a widower or divorced then you can most likely show that she is dependent on you to the satisfaction of Immigration. This is all about the bond that needs to be paid, 30,000 if still married or unable to show financial dependence, or 7,000 if her application is successful.

What happens when my renewal is due?

The renewal procedure is more straightforward but nevertheless documentation is required such as proof of insurance, registration with the Comú, and most importantly a bank certificate similar as the one required during your initial application. This means that you will be required to have funds in the bank at the time the certificate is issued for renewal however to clarify absolutely there is no further requirement to pay a bond to the Government other than at the time of your initial application. The money required for the bank certificate can then after be used as you wish.

Are applicants for passive residency from all countries around the world treated as equal?

No! The law itself in Andorra affords "priority" to the neighbouring countries in view of their close co-operation and in view of the status of a Co-Principality. So applicants from France, Spain, and now Portugal are offered priority. Just how this works in practice other than not requiring police reports to be apostillised is not clear. Next, member states of the EU are similarly offered a degree of priority, although Apostille stamps are required. If you are a national of other countries which are not of the former eastern European States, then you seem to be accorded the same terms as that of the EU, regardless of your geographical location.
The interpretation of exactly which countries are listed as former East European States remains firmly in the mind of an Immigration official and is not actually in statute. So if you are a member of these former East European States, and that includes Russia, and you are applying for residency, you will need considerably more documents, the list is long and often confusing, it takes time to obtain the documents, legalise them, translate them, and then return to collect the missing documents that were under the general heading of "etc." on the Immigration guide. Be warned the process is difficult, but not impossible it needs considerable patience.
Finally some countries simply do not issue police reports. In this case we would need to approach Immigration and search for an answer (if any). For those nationals of Burma, and North Korea, they unfortunately succumb to current Government policy, please do not apply !!.

Is there a lot to do in Andorra ?

There are numerous summer sports and winter sports, after all Andorra is a ski resort, and an up and coming mountain-biking resort. It actually hosted the mountain biking world cup for two years running in 2008 and 2009. In addition there are a host of summer activities from hiking to white water rafting, rest assured you will never be bored here if you enjoy the great outdoors.

What is the cost of living in Andorra ?

On the whole, the cost of living is probably on a par with Spain for normal day to day requirements, except of course alcohol and tobacco which are still considerably cheaper. Brand names also enjoy perhaps a 10% discount to France and Spain. Annual community taxes here are incredibly cheap and by the cleanliness of the streets etc probably the best value for money anywhere in the world. Nothing really springs to mind as being excessively expensive, but you will pay a premium for imported delicacies.

How much is a high speed internet connection?

Fibre optic high speed internet is now availble throughout Andorra starting from €15 per month to €69 per month which includes canal+ digital TV. Andorra Telecom now have agood website, the packages are here:-

http://www.andorratelecom.ad/web/guest/som-particulars/-/navigator-detail/familia/1


I am in a same sex relationship and have registered as a Civil partnership, do immigration in Andorra regard this as being married?

Unfortunately not. Andorra does not recognise any other country's legalisation of same sex partnerships without exception. That does not mean you cannot live together here in Andorra as passive residents, it just means that each applicant will be treated as two individuals so each will be required to pay the bond of € 30,000, as opposed to the € 7,000 for each additional family members. However in Andorra you can apply to the Civil Registry for the partnership to be recognised in Andorra. Unfortunately I am told that that takes six months. Whether after it is successfully completed, the authorities here will refund the "over-payment" of the bond remains to be seen.

Can a foreign company own property in Andorra?

The short answer is no, and to my knowledge there are no exceptions to this rule. Only an Andorran company can own property in Andorra.

What is the law on importing cars to Andorra?

All residents can import a car less than 3 years old and pay 8.4% import duty and taxes. However in the case of passive residents they recognise that you are in effect changing your country of domicile and allow a special concession to import a maximum of 2 cars within the first year from arriving in andorra (NOT from the date of residency approval) that are under 5 years old. There is another condition however that you have to prove that you owned and that the vehicle was registered in your name from the country in which you have declared your last residency for a minimum of 6 months prior to your arrival in Andorra. The paperwork is fairly complicated, however I have imported many cars and can do this relatively easily and I can complete the process in a day and a half. There is also the requirement for a local inspection to show that the vehicle complies with local specifications. I am able to get a nod in advance from the person in charge if all the documents are sent ahead of the car. Please contact me if I can be of assistance here.

Do I need a Schengen visa for travel to Andorra?

The Government refused entry for 1,237 nationals from Eastern Europe in 2010, mostly those without the correct entry visas. They have stepped up checks at the border, the majority of which are done on public transport (subtle hint) . If you require a visa to enter the Schengen States then yes and legally to enter Andorra you will require a multiple entry visa. If you become a resident, passive resident or hold a work permit then you are exempt from these requirements. I have compiled a new page which explains the advantages of Andorran residency in as far as the Schengen Agreement is concerned. I have also agreed a way forward with Immigration where an applicant for passive residency may conditionally be allowed to enter Andorra (if caught!) on a single entry visa. Please see this link.

Can I use the money deposited in the bank in Andorra to pay for the bond?

The answer is actually yes you can, but not if you choose now to bank with Credit Andorra Bank it would seem. They recently told an applicant for passive residence that he could not use the deposit and that they required 70,000 Euros to be held in the bank on deposit for them to issue a bank certificate. I can personally refer you to the Manager of Andbanc where you should have no problems with you doing whatever you choose with the money. Furthermore, internet banking with Andbanc is more flexible than that of Credit Andorra and doesn’t require a digital certificate installed on a unique computer, so beware if you are travelling and want account access.


I am a national of a country that recently signed the exchange of information treaty with Andorra (double taxation treaty), does this mean I will be taxed in Andorra if I am a resident?

Absolutely not. Treaties have recently been signed between the following countries and Andorra:-

France, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco, Argentina, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

It is reported that treaties are being "negotiated" also with Australia, the US and Britain. In reality the use of "double taxation treaty" is not correct as there is no income tax in Andorra. The agreements involve only a partial lifting of banking secrecy, and most importantly that tax information can only be exchanged when there is solid evidence of the perpetration of a tax crime, and not in so-called "fishing expeditions" and not on a retrospective basis. This procedure involves a specific judicial request to Andorra laying out the proof of such tax crimes in the originating country. Andorra is under no obligation whatsoever to divulge any information about anyone or anything without such judicial request. How amenable Andorra will prove to be upon receipt of these judicial requests remain to be proven. The latest news is that exchanges of information via the judicial process will not start until 2012, and under no circumstances are the requests allowed to be retrospective.

Are there local community taxes ?

There is a local tax here called the "foc i lloc", probably equivalent to council tax in the UK, but that is where the similarity ends ! Our bins are emptied 362 days per year, there is no litter problem, flowers are proudly hanging from each lamp post in summer, and Christmas decorations hang in winter, the roads are snow ploughed before you get up in the morning and are kept open at all times, each village has a summer festival, and generally the Comù ( town council ) responds quickly to complaints and suggestions.

The annual foc i lloc bill for all this? ...................About €70 per property !

I have children, is it a problem to relocate the family?

No, not at all, in fact the education system here is wonderful for children who will grow up at least trilingual. There are great skiing activities in winter and outdoor activity camps in summer. The downside is that there is no discount on the bond for children. Under the government policy here as soon as a baby is born he or she is counted as ONE and the bond requirement of € 7,000 will be required to be paid (for each baby or child). Also for documentation purposes you will also be required at the time of the residency application to produce the birth certificate which MUST be apostillised/legalised. You will also need a letter from the child's paediatrician and the vaccination history to show that everything is up to date, minor additional documentation but well worth it for the education and lifestyle for your children.

Can I work in Andorra if I have passive residency?

Passive residency does not allow you to work in Andorra. However in practice it does not stop you from operating your business from home (although strictly legally you may be in breach of your passive residency status, but many people work from home), nor travelling in and out to work outside Andorra. Many passive residents have internet businesses or are consultants etc. It is only if you start to do business in Andorra, hire an office and staff, or work for an Andorran based company will you need to have a work permit. Income earned from overseas business is not accountable here in any way.

Will I have an Andorran passport?

The short answer is NO. You will receive a residency card which allows all the rights and privileges of residency without the travel document.
A foreigner generally will have had to reside here for 20 years before being eligible for an Andorran passport, and with a requirement to renounce his previous citizenship; there are exceptions to this rule for French, Spanish and Portuguese citizens.

I have an old conviction in my country of residence, can I still apply?

Yes probably, your police report will need to be translated into Catalan (best done quite quickly in Andorra) and then Immigration will discuss your case with the police. From personal experience I can say that the authorities here are quite tolerant of previous convictions, unless of course they are serious. Each case will be decided per se, so I cannot offer detailed guidelines on this area.

Is much English spoken here?

There are communities of expats from most countries in the world, and there are organised help groups to assist people in settling here. As far as the authorities are concerned you will find that most is in Catalan, Spanish or French, but again there is plenty of help available. I know people who have lived here for many years and speak not one word of either language, nothing to be proud of but that is a fact!