Andorra to Expel Families Over Irregular Immigration Status
Government will annul residence permits and deport entire families if any member lacks proper status, under new Qualified Immigration Law amendments.
Key Points
- Expulsion applies if any family member, like children, is irregularly residing.
- 1,290 family reunification apps in 2025: 1,125 approved, 55 rejected (mostly economic fails).
- Spaniards top requests (292), Colombians highest rejections (25 of 115).
- EU winter permits up 21.52%, non-EU down 8.5% due to new rules.
The Andorran government will annul residence permits and expel entire families if any member is found in an irregular immigration status, Justice and Interior Minister Ester Molné stated in a written reply to Concòrdia general councillor Núria Segués.
Molné emphasised that officials will apply the Qualified Immigration Law, as amended by the Law for Sustainable Growth and the Right to Housing, and upheld in the Law on Continuity and Consolidation of Measures for Sustainable Growth. These changes introduced grounds for revoking primary authorisations when holders violate family reunification rules or when linked family members reside irregularly in the Principality. This applies to parents or responsible adults with valid residence and work permits whose children lack proper status. No transitional arrangements are foreseen for affected families.
The policy extends to non-EU nationals affected by the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES). They must demonstrate compliance with updated requirements or pursue regularisation through Schengen procedures, with the onus on the individuals.
Authorities deploy legal mechanisms to identify and address irregularities as they arise, though no precise count exists for minors in irregular situations.
In 2025, the government handled 1,290 family reunification applications, approving 1,125. Among 55 rejections, 40 stemmed from failure to meet tougher economic standards, five involved applicants not living in Andorra, two linked to prior expulsions of the person to be reunified, one cited criminal records, one found the person not dependent, and one lacked documentation. Another 110 requests remain unresolved. Work-linked reunifications numbered 125, with 124 approved and one pending.
Spaniards led with 292 requests (18 rejections), followed by Colombians (115 total, 25 rejections), French (98), Argentines (61 total, 34 rejections), Peruvians (52), and Portuguese (41). Approvals were highest among those with two to four years' residency: 237 with two years, 195 with three, and 138 with four.
New requirements have influenced winter-season permits, boosting EU authorisations by 21.52% year-on-year while non-EU ones fell 8.5%.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: