Knowing how to get your Andorran residency card (permís de residència) is essential if you plan to live in Andorra for work, business, retirement or family reasons. The card is issued after your residence application has been accepted by the immigration authorities, but the process starts earlier with the correct residency category, accommodation, documents and registration with your parish.
Choose the right type of Andorran residency
Andorra generally distinguishes between active residency, for people who work or operate a business in the country, and passive residency, officially linked to residence without employment in Andorra. Your route affects the documents, financial requirements and authorisations you need.
- Active residency: usually applies to an employee with an Andorran employment contract, a person managing an Andorran company, or another applicant authorised to work or conduct professional activity in the Principality.
- Passive residency: is designed for people who establish their main home in Andorra without taking local employment, such as investors, certain professionals, retirees and people with international income. It involves demonstrating sufficient resources, accommodation and private health cover, together with the investment or other conditions required by the current rules.
Requirements can change, particularly for passive residency and investment-based applications. Check the latest information from the Govern d’Andorra, Immigration Service and an authorised professional before committing funds or ending your existing residence elsewhere.
Prepare your documents
Although the exact checklist depends on your nationality and application, most applicants should expect to provide a valid passport or identity document, civil-status documents, proof of accommodation in Andorra, financial information and a criminal-record certificate from relevant countries. Foreign documents may need an apostille or legalisation and an official translation into Catalan.
Active applicants will normally need an employment contract, company documents or evidence of the professional activity supporting the application. Passive applicants should prepare evidence of income or assets, health insurance and any required investment documentation. Family members applying with you may need marriage, partnership or birth certificates.
Do not assume that a rental contract alone completes the housing requirement. The immigration authorities may examine whether the accommodation is suitable for the household. Ask your chosen parish’s comú about local registration requirements and obtain written confirmation of the documents it expects.
Register with your parish and submit the application
Once you have suitable accommodation, contact the comú of your parish—such as Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, Encamp, La Massana, Ordino, Canillo or Sant Julià de Lòria—to ask about registration on the parish census, known as the comú registration or padró. This local step is separate from the national immigration application, so allow time for both.
Applications are handled through Andorra’s immigration administration under the Govern d’Andorra. Follow the current appointment and filing procedure, submit complete originals or properly certified copies, pay the applicable administrative fees and respond promptly if officials request additional information. A missing apostille, outdated criminal-record certificate or inconsistent address can delay the file.
Complete the health and identification formalities
After approval, you will need to complete the formalities connected with the CASS, Andorra’s social security system, where your category requires affiliation. Active workers are commonly registered through their employment or company arrangements; other residents should confirm their applicable health-cover obligations. Keep copies of contracts, insurance policies and CASS correspondence.
You will then receive instructions for the residence card, including identification and, where applicable, a medical examination or other checks. The card is your practical proof of legal residence, but it does not replace your passport. Check its expiry date and renewal conditions, and report changes such as a new address, employer or family situation to the relevant authority.
Practical steps after receiving the card
- Confirm that your address and parish registration are correct and update the comú if you move.
- Arrange utilities with FEDA for electricity and Andorra Telecom for telecommunications, checking whether the property already has active contracts.
- Understand your tax position before your first filing. Andorra’s IGI is an indirect tax, while personal income tax and tax residence are separate questions. Time spent in Andorra alone is not the only factor, so obtain advice from a qualified adviser.
- Keep a digital and paper file containing your card, passport copies, lease, certificates, insurance and government receipts.
- Start renewal well before the card expires and verify current deadlines with Immigration rather than relying on an old guide.
The smoothest applications are organised around the correct residency category and consistent evidence of where you live, how you support yourself and why you qualify. For help settling in, compare local services and browse businesses in our Andorra directory.
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