Andorra International Professional Residence in 2026

Andorra has a specific residence category for a professional with international projection. It can be relevant to consultants and other independent professionals whose professional base is in Andorra but whose services are overwhelmingly consumed abroad.

It should not be treated as a generic Andorra freelancer visa. The route has a narrow business model: an Andorran base, a maximum staffing limit and an 85% foreign-use test.

Core business-model requirements

Current government documentation states that:

  • the headquarters or base from which the professional activity is carried out must be in Andorra;
  • the professional can have at most one employee; and
  • at least 85% of the services provided must be used in a country or territory other than Andorra.

That final test is about where the services are used, not merely where invoices are paid. Applicants should be able to evidence the client/service pattern rather than relying on a label such as “international consultant.”

90-day annual residence

This category sits within Andorra's residence-without-work framework and uses the at least 90 days per calendar year principal/effective residence model.

That lighter immigration presence rule distinguishes it from J.1 self-employment, where renewal outside the liberal-professional exception generally requires at least 183 days/year.

AFA deposit

The current D.1 service material states that the principal international professional must make a €47,500 non-remunerated deposit with the Andorran Financial Authority (AFA) and an additional €9,500 for each dependent acquiring residence in this category.

These are route-specific deposits. They should not be confused with:

  • the €50,000 company-route rules discussed for J.1 self-employment;
  • the €1 million investment and non-refundable contribution framework for new passive residents; or
  • any personal financial-means requirement.

2026 quota

The Government's March 2026 quota announcement allocates 10 authorizations to professionals with international projection within the broader 200-permit residence-without-work quota.

Ten is a ceiling, not confirmation that a slot remains open. This small category makes current quota confirmation especially important.

Economic viability

The official documentation requires the applicant to demonstrate the economic viability of the proposed activity and that it will generate sufficient resources for the applicant and dependants to reside in Andorra.

Where the professional already operated the activity in another country, government documentation contemplates evidence of prior financial performance such as income and expenses for the latest closed financial year.

The route therefore requires more than a business-plan assertion. Evidence should connect qualifications, past activity, client demand and financial viability.

Qualifications and experience

Applicants should be ready to document academic background and professional experience relevant to the proposed activity. Regulated professional activity can also trigger separate licensing or recognition requirements.

If the person intends to practise an Andorran regulated liberal profession as a local active professional, J.1 self-employment residence may be the more relevant framework.

International professional versus digital nomad

Both can appeal to people earning from foreign markets, but they are not interchangeable.

D.3 digital nomad residence centers on work that does not require a fixed geographic location and uses telecommunications/technology, with a specific economy-ministry qualification framework.

International-professional residence instead centers on an Andorran professional base, maximum one employee and 85% foreign-use rule, with the published AFA deposit structure.

International professional versus self-employment

J.1 self-employment is active residence and work. It is suited to qualifying owners/managers of local companies and liberal professionals and carries stronger residence/activity expectations.

The international-professional category is legally positioned in the non-work residence framework despite the professional activity model. That technical distinction is why it should not be called J.1 “freelancer residence.”

International professional versus passive investor residence

Both fall within the broad D.1 residence-without-work landscape, but the factual tests differ. Passive/non-lucrative residence focuses on financial independence and the current investment framework; the international-professional category is designed around a specific professional activity with foreign consumption of services.

See passive residence for the 2026 €1 million investment rules applicable to new passive residents.

Housing, insurance and documents

Applicants should expect the standard non-work residence documentation framework, including:

  • valid passport/identity evidence;
  • criminal-record documentation;
  • accommodation in Andorra;
  • civil-status documents;
  • qualifying health/incapacity/other insurance as required;
  • evidence of means and activity viability;
  • professional qualifications/experience;
  • evidence of the Andorran activity base and foreign-service profile;
  • AFA deposit evidence; and
  • apostille/legalization of foreign official documents where required.

Validity and renewal

The non-work residence framework generally starts with 2 years, followed by a 2-year first renewal, 3-year second renewal and generally 10-year subsequent periods subject to treaty exceptions.

Renewal requires continued compliance with the route's activity, residence, insurance, financial and other conditions. Do not assume that a client mix satisfying 85% at filing can later shift primarily to Andorra without immigration consequences.

Government fees

The general fee schedule identifies €3,000 for initial residence without work and €500 for renewal. Applicants should confirm the exact tariff treatment for the international-professional subcategory at filing rather than relying on a private fee summary.

AFA deposits and government application fees are separate amounts.

Processing time

The public service material does not provide one universal guaranteed end-to-end timeline for this category. Quota availability, activity review, financial evidence, legalized documents, housing, insurance and AFA formalities can all affect elapsed time.

Language requirement from 2029

The Government's language-law guidance says that from 2029 A1/A2 renewal requirements extend to residence without work. A new 2026 international professional should therefore plan for that future framework rather than assuming language will remain irrelevant indefinitely.

Tax and establishment risks

Because the activity's base is in Andorra, tax and corporate questions are especially important. Review Andorran IRPF, possible company/establishment issues, IGI, social security and treaties separately. The fact that 85% of services are used outside Andorra does not automatically make all income foreign or tax-free.

Application sequence

  1. Confirm quota availability for the international-professional subcategory.
  2. Test the model against the Andorran-base, one-employee and 85% foreign-use rules.
  3. Prepare financial-viability and professional-experience evidence.
  4. Secure housing and qualifying insurance.
  5. Prepare criminal-record/civil-status documents and legalize them where required.
  6. Arrange the €47,500 principal AFA deposit and €9,500 dependent deposits as applicable.
  7. File the immigration application and complete medical/administrative steps.
  8. Maintain the 90-day residence pattern and qualifying international-service mix for renewal.

Related routes

Compare digital nomad residence, self-employment residence, passive residence, the Andorra hub, and Europe. The freelancer visa hub is useful for cross-country discovery, but Andorra's official category remains “professional with international projection.”

Frequently asked questions

What is the 85% rule?

At least 85% of the professional's services must be used outside Andorra under the official international-projection model.

Can I hire staff?

The category permits a maximum of one employee under the published criteria.

What is the AFA deposit?

The current government material states €47,500 for the principal plus €9,500 per dependent, non-remunerated.

How many places are available in 2026?

The 2026 government quota allocated 10 authorizations to international professionals. Confirm whether any remain before filing.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Andorra