Andorra (AD)
Andorra is a tiny parliamentary co-principality nestled in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, governed jointly by the French President and the Bishop of Urgell.
Qualification Recognition
Getting your foreign credentials recognised in Andorra.
Andorra has its own qualification recognition framework administered by the Ministeri de Relacions Institucionals, Educació i Universitats (educacio.ad — formerly known as Ministeri d'Educació i Ensenyament Superior). Unlike EU member states, Andorra is not bound by the EU Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC) — recognition is handled bilaterally and case-by-case. Andorra has education and professional recognition agreements with Spain and France, which streamlines recognition for nationals of those countries in many fields. For professionals from other countries (UK, USA, non-EU), full case-by-case evaluation is required and timelines are longer. Regulated professions (medicine, nursing, pharmacy, law, architecture, and others) require formal recognition before practice is legally permitted. Academic qualifications for non-regulated purposes (employment, university admission) are generally more straightforwardly recognised through the homologació (equivalency) process.
Regulated Professions
Process: Step 1 — Submit your qualification documents (original degree certificates, transcripts, professional licence) to the relevant Andorran professional body or the Ministeri de Relacions Institucionals, Educació i Universitats. Step 2 — Documents from non-Catalan/Spanish/French-language countries must be certified translated (traducció jurada) into Catalan or Spanish by a sworn translator. Step 3 — Apostille your documents if from a Hague Convention country (most countries qualify). Step 4 — Pay the evaluation fee and submit the dossier. Step 5 — The evaluating body compares your curriculum to the Andorran standard — they may request additional documentation or aptitude tests. Step 6 — Compensation measures: if your qualification has gaps relative to the Andorran standard, you may be required to complete an aptitude test (prova d'aptitud) or a supervised adaptation period (període de pràctiques) before full recognition is granted.
Authority: Ministeri de Relacions Institucionals, Educació i Universitats (educacio.ad) for academic qualification equivalency (homologació). Professional bodies for regulated professions: Col·legi de Metges d'Andorra (medicine), Col·legi d'Advocats (law), Col·legi d'Arquitectes (architecture), Col·legi de Farmacèutics, Col·legi d'Infermeres. For healthcare professions, the Ministeri de Salut must also approve practice.
Timeline: 3–6 months for EU/Spanish/French qualifications where bilateral agreements exist. 6–18 months for non-EU qualifications requiring full evaluation. Medical specialties: 6–12 months standard. Legal qualifications: 6–18 months (additional Andorran law components often required). Delays are common if documentation is incomplete at submission — submit complete dossiers for fastest processing.
Cost: Academic homologació fee: €50–200. Regulated profession recognition: €150–500 for the administrative evaluation. Translation costs (sworn translator): €30–80 per page. Apostille: €15–50 in most countries. Aptitude test fees (if required): €100–300. Legal advice for complex recognition cases: €500–2,000 (Andorran lawyer). Total realistic cost for a straightforward EU qualification: €300–600. Non-EU complex case: €800–2,500.
Academic Degrees
Authority: Ministeri de Relacions Institucionals, Educació i Universitats (educacio.ad) — contact the Unitat d'Ensenyament Superior: ensenyament.superior@govern.ad or +376 743 300. For qualifications from Spain: prior homologació by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación may be accepted in Andorra. For qualifications from France: French academic equivalency certificates accepted as supporting evidence.
Process: Submit: original degree certificate, official transcripts (certified copy), sworn Catalan/Spanish translation (if original not in those languages), apostille (for Hague Convention countries), copy of your Andorran residence permit or passport, completed application form (available at educacio.ad). The Ministeri compares your qualification to the Andorran framework (MAQ — Marc Andorrà de Qualificacions) and issues a certificate of equivalency (certificat d'homologació). This certificate is needed for: university admission in Andorra, regulated profession applications, and some employment requirements.
Equivalency service: The Andorran qualification framework (MAQ — Marc Andorrà de Qualificacions) is published by the Ministeri de Relacions Institucionals, Educació i Universitats and is aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) at levels 1–8. It was established through Law 14/2018 on higher education (recognition regulations in force from June 2020). For Spanish degrees, the Spanish RUCT (Registro de Universidades, Centros y Títulos) database provides information on degree recognition in Spain which is cross-referenced by Andorra. For recognition enquiries: contact educacio.ad or email ensenyament.superior@govern.ad.
Document Rules
Apostille: Andorra is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (since 1996). Documents from Hague Convention countries (EU, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, etc.) require an apostille stamp from the competent authority in the issuing country before submission in Andorra. Andorra itself issues apostilles through the Arxiu Nacional (Andorra's National Archives) for Andorran documents.
Legalisation: Documents from non-Hague Convention countries (a small number of states) require full legalisation: authentication by the issuing country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then legalisation by the Andorran Ambaixada or Consulate nearest to that country (Andorra's consular representation is limited — in most cases the French or Spanish embassy handles legalisation on behalf of Andorra). This process can take 1–3 months and is advisable to start before leaving your home country.
Sworn translation: Documents not in Catalan, Spanish, or French must be translated by a sworn translator (traductor jurat). Andorra does not maintain its own sworn translator register — translations sworn before a Spanish or French court-certified translator are accepted. Cost: €30–80 per page. Processing time: 3–10 working days. Some translators offer express service. Major language pairs for Andorra: English→Catalan/Spanish (most in demand), Portuguese→Spanish, Arabic→Spanish, Russian→Spanish.
Counselling & Help
- - Ministeri de Relacions Institucionals, Educació i Universitats — Unitat d'Ensenyament Superior (educacio.ad, ensenyament.superior@govern.ad, +376 743 300): official first point of contact for academic qualification homologació questions
- - Col·legi Professional relevant to your field (medicine, law, architecture, etc.) — professional bodies can advise on the specific recognition process for regulated professions
- - SOA (Servei d'Ocupació d'Andorra) — provides advice on qualification recognition for employment purposes; may connect you with the appropriate authority
- - ACUP (Associació Catalana d'Universitats Públiques) — useful for understanding how Catalan/Spanish degrees relate to Andorran frameworks
- - Andorran lawyers (advocats) specialising in administrative law can manage the recognition dossier and handle appeals; recommended for complex non-EU cases
- - Embassy of your home country in Madrid or Paris (or Andorra if your country has direct representation) — can advise on apostille procedures and certification in your home country
Typical Timelines
Spain or France qualification (bilateral agreement): academic degree 2–4 months; regulated profession 3–6 months. EU qualification (non-Spanish/French): academic degree 3–6 months; regulated profession 4–8 months. UK qualification (post-Brexit, bilateral recognition now case-by-case): 4–8 months academic; 6–12 months regulated profession. USA/Canada/Australia: 4–8 months academic; 8–18 months regulated profession. Non-Hague Convention country with full legalisation needed: add 2–4 months to the above timelines. Allow a buffer: the Andorran administration is small and processing can be slower than stated during peak application periods (September–November, when most new residents arrive).
Andorra is not part of the EU, so EU automatic recognition rights (as used between EU member states) do not apply for non-Spanish/French qualifications. However, Andorra's qualification framework is EQF-aligned, making the comparison process structured and predictable. For professionals planning to work in healthcare, Catalan language proficiency (B1 minimum) is effectively required even if not always formally mandated — patient-facing roles require Catalan/Spanish. The Universitat d'Andorra (UdA) has bridging programmes for professionals who need to supplement their qualifications with Andorra-specific knowledge (particularly useful for teachers and social workers). Some professions (IT, software development, marketing, finance) are generally unregulated — your home country qualification is used as a hiring signal by employers, and no formal recognition is needed.
Qualification Recognition
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