Andorran nationality: what Llei 8/2026 changes

The reform of 7 May 2026: what was passed

On 7 May 2026, the Consell General passed Llei 8/2026, a qualified law amending the qualified law on nationality of 5 October 1995. Published in BOPA No. 56 of 2026, it entered into force on the day after its publication. According to its explanatory memorandum, it pursues three objectives:

• to open new cases of acquisition for children born abroad to an Andorran who was also born abroad;
• to relax the schooling and residence criteria for naturalisation;
• to correct shortcomings while preventing abuse.

Before and after Llei 8/2026

The reform keeps the two principles of the 1995 law, 20 years of residence and renunciation of your original nationality, but it changes almost all of the detailed conditions. Here, point by point, are the wording introduced by Llei 10/2004, in force until the reform, and the current text.

Before: 1995 qualified law on nationality as amended by Llei 10/2004 (Articles 10, 11, 28 and 29); the other earlier reform, Llei 15/2006, did not change these rules. Since: Llei 8/2026, BOPA No. 56 of 2026.

For a long-standing resident, the most tangible change is the counting of interrupted periods. For the spouse of an Andorran, the residence period rises from 3 to 5 years, and the couple must live together until the decision.

Naturalisation: 20 years of residence, interruptions included

The reference period does not change: 20 years of main and permanent residence in Andorra. What is new is the calculation. Article 11.1 now accepts residence that is “interrupted or uninterrupted”: all periods count, provided that you have had your main and effective residence in the country for at least the five years preceding the application.

The applicant must also prove their integration. A conviction for an intentional offence with a sentence of one year’s imprisonment or more, or for at least two intentional offences, blocks the application for as long as it appears on the criminal record.

Schooling, marriage: the other routes

For marriage, the law specifies that a breakdown of the couple’s life together, established before the decision, leads to the rejection of the application. It also creates new cases for children born abroad to an Andorran parent who was also born abroad and, for nationality purposes, treats parentage through surrogacy in the same way as adoption. Children’s schooling is presented in our guide Schools and education.

Integration: Catalan B1 required

The application must contain a Catalan qualification at level B1 for anyone under 70: an official diploma issued by the Govern, or an equivalent qualification it recognises (Article 29). By way of comparison, foreign employees must prove level A1 at the first renewal of their authorisation, then A2 at the second: see our news item on Catalan at renewal.

Beyond this qualification, integration is assessed by the administration’s services, using mechanisms set by regulation that are “as objective and technical as possible”. The law specifies that they must take into account, as an essential element, knowledge of the Catalan language and of Andorran history, geography and institutions (Article 36).

Dual nationality: still ruled out, proof of renunciation within 5 + 2 years

Renunciation remains compulsory: the Constitution provides that acquiring or retaining another nationality entails the loss of Andorran nationality, under the conditions laid down by law. After a favourable decision, the time limits are as follows:

1. 1

   Five years to prove the loss of your nationality

   From notification of the favourable decision, the applicant has five years to prove that they have lost their previous nationalities; this period can be extended by two years at most (Article 28).

2. 2

   Without proof, the decision lapses

   The law now limits further attempts: only one new application is possible, on justified grounds and within six months. A transitional provision offers the same possibility, within six months of the entry into force, to those whose decision had already lapsed.

Finally, the law specifies that an Andorran who has been granted another nationality loses Andorran nationality if they actively exercise that other nationality: voting, or using it to travel, study or work. Renewing a foreign passport or identity document counts as active exercise (Article 23).

Who is affected, and what remains to be clarified

The reform mainly concerns long-standing residents whose residence has been interrupted, young people educated in Andorra and their families, and the spouses of Andorrans. For a newcomer, nationality remains a distant prospect: the intermediate stages are described in our guides on permit renewal and permanent residency and on the conditions for Andorran nationality.

Several arrangements are a matter for regulations, starting with the assessment of integration. The Govern must adopt the regulatory amendments within six months of the law’s entry into force, and submit to the Consell General a draft consolidated text of the law on nationality within six months of its publication. We have not yet verified the publication of these texts: this page will be updated when they appear in the BOPA.