---
title: "Andorra residency types: active vs passive (2026)"
url: https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/residency-types
description: "Active or passive residency in Andorra? Employee, self-employed, passive, international professional, digital nomad: what each requires."
updated: 2026-10-11
language: en
publisher: Andorre Fiscal (https://andorrefiscal.fr)
---

# Types of residency in Andorra: active, passive and other statuses

> Markdown version of the page https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/residency-types (Andorre Fiscal), up to date as of 11 October 2026. To cite this page, use its address: https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/residency-types

There are several types of residency in Andorra, and each one serves a specific plan: working for an Andorran company, running your own company, living on your income, serving foreign clients. Here are all the statuses compared at 10 October 2026, followed by a method for choosing yours.

By [the Andorre Fiscal editorial team](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/about#redaction) · Verified on 11 October 2026 · [7 official sources](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/residency-types#sources)

- **900** work permits until 30 April 2027, cross-border workers included
- **90 days** of presence a year for the statuses without work
- **183 days** a year to renew self-employed residency
- **10 years** length of renewals after 7 years

## Key points

- To live in Andorra for more than 90 days, or to work there, you need an authorisation from the Immigration Service, and only one at a time.
- The active statuses (employee, self-employed) give access to the Andorran labour market, within the limit of annual quotas; a self-employed person pays a non-refundable €50,000 to the AFA.
- The statuses without work require at least 90 days of presence a year: passive (€1,000,000 invested), professional with international reach (85% of services outside Andorra), scientific, cultural or sporting interest.
- The digital nomad status and the programme for entrepreneurs require a prior decision from the Ministry of the Economy.
- Almost all authorisations are subject to quotas: choosing the right status from the outset and applying early in the year limits the risk of refusal.

## Do you need an authorisation to live in Andorra?

Yes, as soon as your stay exceeds 90 days or involves work. A foreign national under the “tourist regime” may stay for up to 90 days, but without working (Llei 9/2012, art. 16 and 17). Beyond that, or for any activity, you must obtain from the [Immigration Service](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/glossary#servei-immigracio) an authorisation suited to your actual situation. You can hold only one at a time: obtaining a new one cancels the previous one (art. 20).

> “A foreign national who wishes to stay for more than ninety days and/or work in the Principality of Andorra must apply for and obtain from the Immigration Service an immigration authorisation of one of the types established by this Law.”
>
> — [Llei 9/2012, qualified law on immigration, Article 19.3 (free translation)](https://www.portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2012009)

Andorran law distinguishes three families of authorisations:

- **residence and work**, to work on the Andorran market, as an employee or for yourself;
- **residence without work**, to live in Andorra on your income, or from an activity directed abroad;
- the authorisations linked to the **digital economy**: remote work for employers or clients abroad and the programme for entrepreneurs.

A cross-border worker, by contrast, works in Andorra without residing there; their authorisation lasts one year, then three years: see our guide to [working in Andorra and living in France](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/cross-border-worker). As for the family, they follow the holder, as dependants or through [family reunification](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/family-reunification). The conditions common to all applications and the steps are summarised on our page on [becoming resident in Andorra](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency).

### Residence and tax residency: do not confuse the two

The immigration authorisation gives you the right to live in Andorra. Your [tax residency](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/tax/tax-residency) depends on other criteria: more than 183 days of presence in the calendar year, or the centre of your activities or economic interests in Andorra. An Andorran permit is not enough, on its own, to stop being a French tax resident: a passive resident who is required to be present 90 days a year may remain taxable in France.

## Active or passive residency: every type compared

Here are the six main statuses at 10 October 2026. The rarer authorisations (programme for entrepreneurs, geriatric facility, cross-border work) are described in the other sections.

**The main residency statuses in Andorra at 11 October 2026**

| Status | Permitted activity | Investment or payment | Minimum presence | Quota in force |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Residence and work (employee)](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/work-permit) | Employment with an Andorran company | None; fee of €190.96 paid by the employer | Permanent and effective residence | 702 until 30 April 2027 (general quota) |
| [Self-employed](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/self-employed-residency) | Running your own Andorran company (more than 34%) or practising a liberal profession | €50,000 non-refundable, except where exempt (company route) | 183 days a year (liberal professions: permanent residence) | 200 (Decree 75/2026) |
| [Passive residency](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/passive-residency) | None, apart from managing your own assets | €1,000,000 invested and €50,000 non-refundable (€12,000 per dependant) | 90 days a year | 163 (Decree 74/2026) |
| [Professional with international reach](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/international-professional) | Based in Andorra, at least 85% of services abroad, one employee at most | Refundable deposit of €47,500 (€9,500 per dependant) | 90 days a year | 10 (Decree 74/2026) |
| Scientific, cultural or sporting interest | International recognition; activity possible if at least 85% of services are abroad | Refundable deposit of €47,500 (€9,500 per dependant) | 90 days a year | 17 (Decree 74/2026) |
| [Digital nomad](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/digital-nomad) | Employee of a foreign employer, or self-employed person serving non-resident clients | None provided for by law; favourable decision from the Ministry of the Economy | 90 days a year | 50 out of a quota of 100 shared with entrepreneurs (Decree 11/2023) |

Durations: 1 year, then 2 + 2 + 2 years, then 10 years for employees and the self-employed; 2, then 2, then 3 years, and 10 years after 7 years for the other four statuses (2 years, then 3 years, then 10 years after 5 years for French, Spanish and Portuguese nationals). Quotas: Decrees 74/2026, 75/2026, 388/2026 and 11/2023, published in the BOPA.

## Active residency: employee or self-employed

The two “active” statuses are the only ones that allow you to work for Andorran employers or clients.

**Employee — A job with an Andorran company**

- The employer first shows that the post cannot be filled on the local labour market (art. 36)
- [General quota](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/glossary#quota) set by the Govern on 7 October 2026: 900 authorisations until 30 April 2027, including 702 for residents and 198 for cross-border workers, minus the 250 already granted in June
- Priority for nationals of states linked to Andorra by an agreement, such as France, Spain and Portugal, then for those of the European Union (art. 40)
- [Catalan](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/glossary#catalan) required on renewal: level A1, then A2

**Self-employed — Working for yourself**

- An Andorran company in which you hold more than 34% and which you actually run
- €50,000 paid to the [AFA](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/glossary#afa), the Andorran Financial Authority (formerly INAF), non-refundable since 13 February 2026
- At least 183 days of residence and work a year
- Liberal professions: a separate route, with authorisation to practise and registration with the professional body

Each status has its own guide: the [work permit in Andorra](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/work-permit) and [active (self-employed) residency](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/self-employed-residency).

## Passive residency and the other residences without work

The law’s three residences “without work” (passive, professional with international reach, scientific, cultural or sporting interest) share a common core (art. 90 and Decree 407/2025):

- **resources** above 300% of the annual minimum wage, plus 100% per dependant, i.e. about €56,500 a year for a single person in 2026;
- **insurance** covering 100% of medical costs in Andorra, incapacity and old age (illness only for minors and people over 60);
- **housing**, owned or rented, or a purchase in progress to be completed within the year;
- an undertaking to have your **main residence** there for at least **90 days** per calendar year;
- a **fee** of €3,000 for the initial authorisation, plus €1,000 per dependant (art. 154).

What sets them apart is the activity permitted. Passive residency permits none, apart from managing your own assets: see the [conditions for passive residency](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/passive-residency). The professional with international reach (see the [international professional status](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/international-professional)) carries on from Andorra an activity of which at least 85% of the services are used abroad. Residence for scientific, cultural or sporting interest is intended for people who enjoy international recognition, which the Govern assesses at its discretion (art. 100).

Finally, a one-year authorisation, renewable for one-year periods, covers people admitted to a private geriatric or care facility (10 places, Decree 74/2026).

### And students?

Studies fall under a separate authorisation, which is neither active residency nor passive residency: it allows you to reside in Andorra for the duration of studies that require your presence there, for one year, renewable year by year (Llei 9/2012, art. 30). You need insurance, sufficient means and suitable housing; the fee is €22.61 (art. 154). A student enrolled at a recognised Andorran institution may work up to 20 hours a week, in a job related to their studies or in a sector declared a priority, with the agreement of their institution.

## Digital nomad (“digital nomad visa”) and the programme for entrepreneurs

Created by Llei 42/2022, these two authorisations begin with a favourable decision from the ministry responsible for the economy. Despite the expression “digital nomad visa”, the [digital nomad](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/glossary#nomade-numerique) status is not a visa but a residence authorisation, subject to a quota. It covers employees of an employer established abroad and self-employed people who work for non-resident clients, or for a foreign company of which they are a partner or director (art. 23.5 bis); any other gainful activity in Andorra requires another authorisation. You need sufficient resources, insurance, housing and 90 days of presence a year; the initial fee is €224.61, and the law provides for no payment to the AFA. Conditions, duration and procedures: see our guide to [digital nomad status in Andorra](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/digital-nomad).

The programme for foreign entrepreneurs, for its part, grants a one-year authorisation, renewable for one-year periods (art. 33 ter).

## Which residency status should you choose for your profile?

Start from your actual activity, not from tax considerations: a status that does not match what you do exposes you to refusal of renewal, or even cancellation (art. 73).

**Which status for your profile**

| Your situation | Status to consider first | Point to watch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| An Andorran company is recruiting you | Residence and work (employee) | General quota and prior employment contract |
| You are setting up or taking over a business in Andorra | Self-employed | €50,000 non-refundable, 183 days a year |
| You are a freelancer with foreign clients | Professional with international reach or digital nomad | 85% of services abroad; 10 places in 2026 for the former (Decree 74/2026) |
| You are an employee of a foreign company, working remotely | Digital nomad | Prior decision from the Ministry of the Economy |
| You live on your income or your assets | Passive residency | €1,000,000 invested and 90 days of presence |
| You are retired | Passive residency, if your resources and assets allow | Resources above three times the annual minimum wage |
| A member of your family already lives in Andorra | Dependant or family reunification | Sufficient resources and housing for everyone |

An employee who is already resident and retires keeps their residence and work permit, without being subject to the conditions of passive residency (art. 60 and 97). Detailed pathways exist for each profile: [employee](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/profiles/employee), [entrepreneur](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/profiles/entrepreneur), [freelancer](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/profiles/freelancer), [investor](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/profiles/investor) and [retiree](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/profiles/retiree).

Once you have chosen your status, see [the procedures for obtaining residency](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/application-process). In the long term, only [Andorran nationality](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/andorran-citizenship), available in principle after 20 years of residence, removes the need for any authorisation: the immigration law applies only to people who do not have Andorran nationality, and acquiring it cancels the authorisation in force (Llei 9/2012, art. 1 and 79).

## Common misconceptions about the statuses

> **Common misconception**
>
> “Buying a flat gives you the right to residency.”
>
> **In fact.** A foreign investment does not, in itself, give any right to residency (Llei 5/2025, art. 6.6). Property can only count towards the investment for passive residency, provided that each property is worth more than €800,000.

> **Common misconception**
>
> “Setting up an Andorran company is enough to become resident.”
>
> **In fact.** The company is only one of the conditions for self-employed residency, along with effective management, the payment of €50,000, an active registered business within 3 months, a place in the quota and 183 days of presence a year.

> **Common misconception**
>
> “A digital nomad can also work for Andorran clients.”
>
> **In fact.** They may work only for a foreign employer or non-resident clients; any other gainful activity in Andorra requires the corresponding authorisation (Llei 9/2012, art. 23.5 bis).

> **Common misconception**
>
> “There is no limit on the number of places.”
>
> **In fact.** Most authorisations are subject to annual quotas. In 2025, the quota for passive residency was exhausted as early as 22 January, according to the press. Only family reunification is exempt from the quota (art. 42). The 2026 figures are detailed in our news item on the [immigration quota in Andorra](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/news/andorra-immigration-quota-2026), and the sums to plan for in [AFA deposit and the cost of residency](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/costs-afa-deposit).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between active residency and passive residency?

Three criteria set them apart. Activity: active residency allows you to work on the Andorran market, as an employee or for yourself, whereas passive residency only permits the management of your own assets. Presence: permanent residence for employees, 183 days a year for the self-employed, 90 days for passive residents. The sums to plan for: no payment for employees, €50,000 non-refundable for the self-employed, €1,000,000 invested and €50,000 non-refundable for passive residency.

[Read: Active or passive residency: every type compared](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/residency-types#tableau)

### Can you hold two residence authorisations at the same time?

No. The law lays down a single-authorisation principle: a foreign national may hold only one immigration authorisation. If they obtain one of another type, the first is cancelled without further formality (Llei 9/2012, art. 20).

### Which status allows you to work remotely for a French employer from Andorra?

The digital nomad status expressly covers employees of an employer established in another country. It requires a favourable decision from the Ministry of the Economy, sufficient resources, insurance, housing and 90 days of presence a year. The social security and tax consequences of this arrangement should be checked with a professional.

[Read: Digital nomad](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/digital-nomad)

### Is a cross-border worker an Andorran resident?

No. The law expressly excludes cross-border workers from resident status (art. 34). They must normally sleep outside Andorra and, since Llei 2/2026, prove their legal residence in the country where they are domiciled.

[Read: Cross-border worker](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/cross-border-worker)

### How many days do you need to spend in Andorra, depending on the status?

At least 90 days per calendar year for the statuses without work, the digital nomad and the programme for entrepreneurs. At least 183 days a year to renew self-employed residency, except for the liberal professions. Employees, for their part, must reside and work in Andorra permanently and effectively.

[Use: 183-day counter](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/tools/183-day-counter)

### Do French nationals benefit from special conditions?

In part. Nationals of states linked to Andorra by an agreement, including France, have priority in the allocation of authorisations (art. 40). For the statuses without work, they obtain the 10-year permit after 5 years instead of 7. A convention of 2000 also grants French and Spanish nationals who work in Andorra the longest permit after 5 years of residence and activity. The sums to be paid are the same for everyone.

[Read: Renewal › Permanent residency: the 10-year permit](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/renewal-permanent-residency#dix-ans)

### Can you change status once you have settled?

Yes, by applying for a new authorisation, which must meet all its own conditions and find a place in the quota. During their first year, however, employees may neither change sector nor work for themselves (art. 28). Sums paid definitively for the former status are not returned.

[Read: Work permit › What the first year prohibits](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/work-permit#premiere-annee)

## Sources

1. [Llei 9/2012, qualified law on immigration, consolidated version](https://www.portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2012009) — Types of authorisation (art. 24 to 34), authorisation for studies (art. 30), priorities and quotas (art. 23, 35 to 42), statuses without work (art. 89 to 101 septies), fees (art. 154).
2. [Llei 2/2026 of 22 January 2026, BOPA No. 15 of 12 February 2026](https://bopadocuments.blob.core.windows.net/bopa-documents/038015/pdf/CGL_2026_02_12_10_11_12.pdf) — Passive residency at €1,000,000, non-refundable payments, obligations of cross-border workers.
3. [Decree 407/2025, regulation on residence without work](https://www.portaljuridicandorra.ad/R20251112A) — Resources above 300% of the minimum wage, insurance, housing.
4. [Govern d’Andorra: general quota approved on 7 October 2026](https://www.govern.ad/ca/w/el-govern-aprova-una-quota-general-de-900-autoritzacions-de-residencia-i-treball-i-de-treball-fronterer) — 900 authorisations, including 702 residence and work permits and 198 cross-border work authorisations, until 30 April 2027.
5. [e-tràmits: residence for digital nomads (D.3)](https://www.e-tramits.ad/tramits/ca/d3-residencia-per-a-nomada-digital/p/GV001311) — Conditions, place in the quota, durations (2, 2, 3 then 10 years) and fee of €224.61.
6. [Decree 11/2023 of 11 January 2023 (quota for digital nomads and entrepreneurs)](https://bopadocuments.blob.core.windows.net/bopa-documents/035007/html/GR20230112_11_11_49.html) — 100 authorisations, including 50 for digital nomads and 50 for the programme for entrepreneurs (art. 2).
7. [Llei 5/2025 for sustainable growth and the right to housing](https://www.portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2025005) — Foreign investment with no right to residency; fees for residence without work.

Consolidated texts on the Portal jurídic d’Andorra have no official value: only the version published in the BOPA is authentic. [How we verify](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/methodology).

**General information, not advice.** This guide sets out the rules in force on 11 October 2026, based on official texts. It is no substitute for a professional review of your situation (lawyer, tax adviser, gestoria). Spotted an error or a change? [Write to us](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/contact).

## Further reading

- [Which permit to live in Andorra?](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/tools/which-residency-permit): The 4-question test
- [Work permit](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/work-permit): Employee of an Andorran company
- [Self-employed residency](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/self-employed-residency): Working for yourself or through your company
- [Passive residency](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/passive-residency): No gainful activity in Andorra
- [International professional](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/international-professional): Freelance, clients abroad
- [Costs and AFA deposit](https://andorrefiscal.fr/en/residency/costs-afa-deposit): What each status really costs