Moving guides
From Germany to Andorra
What changes in tax when you move from Germany to Andorra: what you pay today, what you would pay there and the rules Germany applies when you leave.
What you would save
With €150,000 a year in dividends or foreign income, compared as a genuine resident of each country.
Leaving Germany
- Residence (Wohnsitz, s. 8 AO). You are resident if you have a home in Germany that you keep and can use, owned or rented. Even a room kept available for you can count. Days spent are not decisive.
- Habitual abode (gewoehnlicher Aufenthalt, s. 9 AO). You are resident if you stay in Germany for more than six months in a row. The six months can span two calendar years, and short trips away do not break the period.
Rules that can follow you after leaving
- Extended limited tax liability for 10 years (s. 2 AStG). German nationals resident at least 5 of the last 10 years who move to a low-tax country and keep substantial German economic interests stay taxable on a wider range of German income for 10 years after the year they leave.
- Inheritance and gift tax follows German nationals for 5 years. German nationals remain fully liable to German inheritance and gift tax for 5 years after leaving; s. 4 AStG can extend this to 10 years for moves to low-tax countries.
Exit tax in Germany
Wegzugsbesteuerung (s. 6 AStG) and fund units (s. 19(3) InvStG)
- Shareholding in a company of at least 1% at any time in the last 5 years (s. 17 EStG), held privately, wherever the company is.
- Unlimited German tax liability for at least 7 of the last 12 years before leaving (rule since 2022).
- Since 1 January 2025, also investment fund units held privately if you hold at least 1% of a fund or the fund units cost at least EUR 500,000 (tested per fund).
Deemed sale at market value. The gain on company shares is taxed under the partial income method: 60% of the gain is taxed at personal income tax rates (up to 45% plus solidarity surcharge).
Arriving in Andorra
Personal income: 10% · Company tax: 10%
Active residency (start a company or work) or passive residency (investment of about €600,000).
Active: more than 183 days. Passive: at least 90 days.
Income tax 0% up to €24,000 and 10% at most. Savings income at 10% after €3,000 exempt. Expensive housing and a mandatory deposit.
Living there
Steps to residency
- 8 weeksIncorporate company and obtain foreign investment authorisation
- 4 weeksSign lease or buy home and register with the comu
- 8 weeksSubmit active (self-employed) or passive residence application to Immigration
- 2 weeksRegister with CASS social security and tax office
About 22 weeks in total
Official websites: Tax authority · Immigration
Approximate figures that change often; check them before deciding.