Andorra Active Residency

Any individual forming a company can apply for Andorra active residency. Andorra’s active residency programs are dedicated to self-employed persons owning more than 20% of shares of an existing company; founders of a company, or individuals holding the position of managing director or member of the board of directors.

Directors and managers of Andorran company after incorporation and activation can obtain an active residence permit with the right to work. An active work residence is an option for people who wish to operate as self-employed and spend at least 183 days in Andorra, not counting vacations and business trips. Contact us to register a company and establish your active tax residence in Andorra!

Active Residency Andorra: Requirements

Being able to settle in Andorra with an active visa permit is subject to the required documents:

• Criminal Record 1 – clean police certificate from the country of your residence.
• Criminal Record 2 – if you were born in a country other than your current country of residence, you will also need a clean criminal record certificate from your country of birth.
• Copy of your passport – bring your passport on your first visit to Andorra or remember that you can make a legalized copy in your country of residence.

All documents must be legalized with the Hague Apostille, dated within 3 months.

Active Residency in Andorra: Process

If we speak exclusively of self-employed individuals, the following conditions have to be met to receive a visa confirming Andorra’s active residency:

• Appoint yourself as the company administrator
• Own minimum 20% shares in a company or business
• Reside permanently in Andorra for more than 183 days, which can be interrupted for business trips and vacations
• Be registered in Andorran Social Security (CASS) and contribute about €460 per month, having the right to the Andorra health system (also French and Spanish)
• Deposit of €3,000 company share capital in an Andorra bank
• Have a clean criminal record certificate with no financial or laundering offenses
• Deposit €50,000 as a bond to the AFA, Andorran financial regulator
• Confirm your Andorran habitual residence (rented or purchased)

A work/residence active permit for founders and shareholders of a company (self-employed residency) is the best option for Andorra business owners. This work permit is granted either for company formation in Andorra, acquiring a company, or participating in a local business. An individual may start his own business or acquire more than 20 percent of an existing company, which will allow the shareholder to apply for a work permit. The candidate must maintain the position of managing director or member of the board of directors.

As a director of your own company, you will obtain self-employed active residence immediately after the incorporation and activation of your company, which must have an appropriate business activity (services, trade, etc.). Andorran social security payments to CASS are mandatory when you register as a company administrator. This enables valid insurance coverage in Andorra (health insurance and pension).

A self-employed residency is an option for those who plan to pay taxes in Andorra, actively work, and spend at least 183 days in Principality (excluding vacations and business trips). You must also leave as a bond/guarantee deposit the amount of €50,000 to the government regulatory body/financial authority AFA. While you might be able to spend as little as 90 days in the country if you hold a passive residency permit, this is not possible for an active resident with tax residency in Andorra.

Applicants need to know that dependents can’t become residents until the company shareholder has been a resident of Andorra for 12 months. Tourists are allowed 90 days in Andorra, but if your family wants to stay longer than this, you’ll need to apply for Andorra residency for each member or wait 1 year until the family reunion.

Self-employed in Andorra: Active Residency Types

For all the active residency permits you wish to apply for, you must have the company established in the territory of Andorra or an employment relationship with an Andorran company. We can find two groups of permits, according to the time of residence to which we want to opt:

• Work permanent permit. The first authorization granted by the Andorran government is for a period of one year, renewable 3 times every two years. Once these terms are completed, renewals will be carried out in 10-year terms
• Work temporary residence. The period of the authorization must be specified in advance. This type of permit will be divided into two subgroups: temporary work and residence in Andorra and temporary work and residence in the border area (outside the territory of Andorra).

The first authorization granted by the Andorran government is valid for one year, renewable three times for two-year periods. After seven years, successive renewals are granted for periods of ten years.

If you want to establish your residence in Andorra and apply for an active residence permit, Andorra Partner will advise you without obligation. As experts in immigration in Andorra will accompany you through the process of applying for active residency to establish tax residence in Andorra.

The residency status in Andorra, whether active or passive, grants rights to shareholders such as family reunification or registration of a car in Andorra. You can also apply for validation of your driving license to obtain the Andorran license, buy property in Andorra, open offshore bank account and live with all the economic rights similar to those of an Andorran citizen.

Active Residency in Andorra: FAQ