Spanish Police Intensify Border Checks on Andorran Workers Amid Irregular Residency Crackdown
Police at Runer River crossing delay Andorran-plated vehicles to verify Spanish residency, targeting unregistered cross-border commuters, while.
Key Points
- Spanish police check IDs and residency at Runer River during rush hour, causing 1-hour delays.
- Andorra inspected 65 workers since July; 56 Spaniards faked cross-border status while living in Spain.
- 39 permits revoked, 17 pending; 3% irregularity rate, situation contained per govt.
- Ongoing cooperation and checks ensure compliance; appeals in process.
Spanish police continue intensified document checks at the Runer River border crossing into Andorra, stopping vehicles with Andorran plates during morning rush hours. Officers request Spanish national ID cards, residency details, and points of origin to identify workers based in the Principat but living irregularly in Spain, often in Alt Urgell without proper registration. The operations, prompted by repeated complaints from Catalan authorities and nearby counties, cause delays of up to an hour each morning.
Andorran authorities have responded with 1,535 inspections from July 21 to February 2, examining residency and employment for 65 individuals. Nine crossings were deemed legitimate, while 56 cases involved false cross-border workers—Spaniards holding Andorran permits while residing in Spain.
Government spokesperson Guillem Casal provided these figures at a press conference after Thursday's Council of Ministers meeting. Of the 56 cases, 39 have received administrative resolutions revoking their work permits, with 17 still awaiting notification. Four individuals have filed appeals with the government, and one has pursued first-instance proceedings at the Batllia court after exhausting administrative channels.
Casal described the irregularity rate as around 3%—well below 5% overall—and stressed that the situation remains contained. The inspections, he said, have allowed officials to assess the impact of these practices and enforce regulations consistently. "They have achieved what we set out to do from the start: investigate the effects and act according to the law," Casal stated. He added that all 56 cases will conclude with permit revocations for non-compliance, though appeals remain possible via administrative or judicial routes. Authorities plan to maintain checks to ensure equal application of legal requirements.
The measures underscore sustained cross-border cooperation on residency compliance, with further updates expected as appeals advance.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources:
- ARA•
Fins a 56 falsos transfronterers detectats des de l'inici dels controls al juliol
- Bon Dia•
La Policia podrà facturar 35 € per hora i agent en serveis privats
- El Periòdic•
Detectats 56 falsos transfronterers al riu Runer des del juliol, dels quals 39 ja han rebut resolució administrativa
- Altaveu•
Una quarantena de 'falsos fronterers' han rebut la resolució que els cancel·la el permís de treball
- Diari d'Andorra•
Govern ha detectat 56 falsos fronterers des del juliol
- Diari d'Andorra•
Controls de la policia espanyola a l'entrada a Andorra per detectar falsos fronterers