First of all, it is important to clarify that it is not necessary to obtain Andorran citizenship to reside in Andorra. Residence and citizenship are two different concepts: you can be a resident without being an Andorran citizen, but you must be a resident to apply for citizenship.

If you are only interested in obtaining residency, we recommend our article on Andorran active residency (the most common) and passive residency (intended for high net worth individuals). If you are interested in understanding how to obtain Andorran citizenship, in this article we will explain it in detail, but here you can find the key takeaway: Andorran citizenship can be obtained only from birth or through naturalization (after 20 years of residence or 10 years with education).

There is no such thing as a direct citizenship-by-investment program.

How to obtain Andorran citizenship

The first requirement to become Andorran is to be willing to renounce any other citizenship, as it is not possible to hold any other citizenship apart from Andorran citizenship. Dual nationality is strictly prohibited.

Any person wishing to initiate this process must expressly renounce any other citizenship or citizenships held.

There are other requirements for obtaining citizenship (we will discuss them in the next section), and if these are met the applicant will have a period of five years to pass an exam in which their knowledge of the Catalan language will be assessed, as well as the history and geography of the Principality.

Who can apply for citizenship?

The requirements are different for adults and for minors. Below, we explain, in each case, who can obtain citizenship.

Adults

May make the application those who:

• Have resided at least fifteen years in Andorra and have a natural grandparent from the Principality.
• Have resided for at least three years in Andorra and married an Andorran (regardless of whether the three years of residence were completed before or after the marriage took place).
• Have lived at least twenty years in Andorra and can prove it.
• Have lived at least ten years in Andorra and have completed their compulsory schooling in Andorran educational institutions.

Minors

Eligible for citizenship shall be minors who:

• Were born in Andorra, of Andorran father and/or mother.
• Were born in another country but are children of an Andorran father or mother, born in Andorra.
• Are under fourteen years of age, adopted by a person with Andorran citizenship or who has resided at least ten years in the territory (if less time of residence, a provisional passport will be granted).
• Born in the Principality and either of their parents is a resident, even if they do not have citizenship. In this case, the parent must have at least ten years of residence, otherwise the child may only have a provisional passport.

Upcoming reform of the nationality law

The Government presented in May 2025 a reform of the Llei Qualificada de la Nacionalitat that is currently in parliamentary process. While the core requirements remain unchanged (20 years of residence, renunciation of other nationalities), several notable changes are being introduced:

• Discontinuous residence: the 20 years of residence will no longer need to be consecutive. All periods of legal residence will count, as long as the applicant has resided continuously during the five years immediately prior to the application.
• Broader schooling route: the education path will accept 10 years of schooling between ages 3 and 18 (not limited to compulsory education), including up to 12 months of study abroad.
• Stricter conduct requirements: amendments introduced by the Democrata group require applicants to demonstrate good civic conduct and have no criminal record, both in Andorra and in their country of origin.
• Marriage route refined: applicants must maintain cohabitation with the Andorran spouse at the time of application.
• Filiation expanded: children born abroad will have broader access to Andorran nationality, including cases where a parent is Andorran but was not born in Andorra, provided a grandparent was born in the Principality or the parent has resided at least 10 years in the country.

These changes are expected to be approved in the coming months and, once in force, will be of immediate application.

Benefits of being a citizen

Being an Andorran citizen has the clear advantage of being able to live in the country freely whenever you want. This is a very valuable right, especially if we take into account the entry route to the Principality for non-residents:

• Active residency (“residencia activa”): this residency permit requires working in Andorra, either as an employee or as an entrepreneur setting up a local business. The resident is required to spend at least 183 days per year in the country. Self-employed residents must make a non-refundable payment of 50,000 euros to the Andorran Financial Authority (AFA).
• Passive residency (“residencia passiva”): this permit is geared toward individuals who do not necessarily need to work in Andorra. Following the approval of the Llei de continuitat i consolidacio (January 2026), passive residents must now invest a minimum of 1,000,000 euros in Andorran assets (with a minimum of 800,000 euros if invested in real estate), plus a non-refundable payment of 50,000 euros to the AFA.

The Andorran national is exempt from all these requirements:

• No financial payments or investment obligations to obtain the right to reside in the country
• No risk of losing the right to reside in the country if they do not spend enough days there: an Andorran citizen will always have the right to return to live in Andorra

Among the drawbacks is the fact that Andorra does not have the most powerful passport in the world, and that you may need visas to visit certain countries.

Are you interested in residing in Andorra?

If you are considering moving to Andorra, Andorran citizenship is a very distant horizon, and we recommend starting by reading the “The definitive guide to living in Andorra” report, with complete information on Andorran taxation, residence and society.

And, of course, if you have any questions, please contact us. AndorraInc’s team of specialists can help you.

Sources:

• Llei Qualificada de la Nacionalitat – Text refos (Consell General)
• Govern d’Andorra – Demanda de nacionalitat (e-Tramits)
• Govern d’Andorra – Modificacio de la Llei de la Nacionalitat (May 2025)
• Altaveu – Reforma de la Llei de la Nacionalitat (May 2025)