Relocating to Andorra: Steps and Timeline

Relocating to Andorra takes more than a residency form. Accommodation, taxation in your country of origin, your professional activity, banking, family, healthcare, and wealth all need to be coordinated in the right order.

The timeline varies by profile: employee, entrepreneur, investor, retiree, athlete, or international professional. Some steps can be carried out in parallel; others require prior authorisation.

A clear roadmap reduces delays and prevents you from signing a lease, buying property, or transferring a company before you’ve verified the right status.

The project in eight blocks

Block	Main decision
Residency	Which permit matches your activity and means?
Taxation	When will your centre of life actually move?
Work	Local contract, self-employment, or international activity?
Company	Do you need to set up, keep, or reorganise a business?
Housing	Rent or buy, and in which parish?
Family	Spouse’s status, children, school, and cover
Wealth	Property, shareholdings, pensions, and investments
Administration	Bank, Comú, CASS, vehicle, and paperwork

Six to twelve months before departure

The first phase is strategic.

You need to:

• analyse your current tax residency;
• map out your income and assets;
• identify the right Andorran permit;
• check quota availability;
• determine whether the activity can be carried out from Andorra;
• compare housing and healthcare costs;
• visit several parishes;
• look into schooling;
• plan ahead for any disposals, gifts, or restructurings.

Wealth-related transactions need to be examined early. A business sale or a gift made before or after the change of residency can have very different consequences.

Three to six months before

This phase covers documents and commitments.

Prepare, in particular:

• passports and civil status records;
• criminal record certificates;
• apostilles or legalisations;
• qualifications and CV;
• evidence of means;
• banking documents and the origin of funds;
• an employment contract or business plan;
• private insurance if needed;
• accommodation;
• a file for any dependants.

Documents sometimes have a limited validity period. It’s worth avoiding requesting them too early or too late.

Choosing the permit that matches your reality

The most common situations are:

• residency and employment;
• residency for self-employment;
• residency without gainful activity;
• internationally-focused professional;
• scientific, cultural, or sporting interest;
• other specific categories.

Someone invoicing and working from Andorra needs a status that allows this activity. Passive residency shouldn’t be used to carry out remote employment.

Setting up or keeping a company

An entrepreneur needs to decide whether the activity will be:

• carried out through a new Andorran company;
• maintained within a foreign business;
• split across several entities;
• reorganised under a holding company;
• carried out as a sole trader, where allowed.

An Andorran company requires foreign investment authorisation, a bank, articles of association, a notary, registration, and commercial opening.

Keeping a French, Spanish, or Swiss company remains possible, but its management, functions, and cash flows need to be documented.

Accommodation

Accommodation serves both everyday life and the administrative file.

Before signing, check:

• the length of the lease;
• guarantees;
• service charges;
• parking;
• fixtures and fittings;
• access to schools and work;
• whether the accommodation suits the household;
• the terms for leaving.

An initial rental often makes it possible to test out the parish before buying.

Relocating with your family

The main permit holder’s status doesn’t automatically grant the same rights to every member of the household.

You need to prepare:

• reunification or a joint application;
• additional means;
• parentage documents;
• the spouse’s right to work;
• medical cover;
• school enrolment;
• childcare and activities;
• formalities with the Comú.

The decision needs to be shared. How quickly the spouse and children settle in has a big impact on how sustainable the project turns out to be.

Healthcare and social security

An employee or self-employed person is generally registered with CASS. Residents without an activity need compliant private insurance.

Before departure:

• check when your cover starts;
• prepare medical records;
• identify any treatment needs;
• compare supplementary insurance options;
• plan cover for dependants;
• find out about care in France or Spain.

Tax transfer and obligations in your country of departure

Your departure needs to be documented. Depending on the country, specific tax returns may be required.

It’s necessary to examine, in particular:

• the date of the change of residency;
• income received before and after;
• bank accounts;
• any property retained;
• companies and directorships;
• pensions;
• any exit tax;
• non-resident obligations;
• tax treaties.

The first tax return after departure is often the trickiest. It can require filings in both states.

The month of the move

Prepare an operational checklist:

1. moving into accommodation;

2. registering with the Comú;

3. finalising immigration formalities;

4. CASS or insurance;

5. a current bank account;

6. phone and utility services;

7. schooling;

8. vehicle and driving licence;

9. professional invoicing;

10. keeping records of proof of presence.

The first twelve months

The first year serves to demonstrate the project is genuine.

Keep:

• travel tickets and statements;
• accommodation invoices;
• everyday expenses;
• professional contracts;
• company minutes;
• CASS documents;
• tax returns;
• proof of schooling;
• insurance renewals.

For a company with foreign investment, also track the genuine activity and the stated objectives.

Budget to prepare

The budget needs to include:

• accommodation and deposit;
• immigration fees;
• contributions or investments required by the permit;
• company formation;
• bank and notary fees;
• insurance;
• school;
• a vehicle;
• the move itself;
• taxation in the country of departure;
• a cash reserve for safety.

Tax is only part of the cost of relocating.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to settle in? Several months are often needed, especially for an entrepreneur or a family. No overall timeframe is guaranteed.

Should you start with housing or residency? The two are linked. It’s necessary to check the permit and quota before making a major commitment, while also having proof of accommodation for the file.

Can you move before setting up the company? It depends on your status. The self-employed route requires the company and immigration process to be coordinated.

When do you become a tax resident? The answer depends on the facts, days of presence, economic interests, and the treaty with the country of departure.

To go further: Residency options, Company formation, Taxation, Healthcare.