Get Birth Certificates in Andorra

A birth certificate (acta de naixement / acta de nacimiento) in Andorra is a fundamental civil document required for obtaining Andorran nationality, enrolling in school, applying for a passport or identity document, and many other official purposes. Andorra is a small co-principality nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, with Catalan as its official language. This guide explains how to get birth certificates in Andorra, including in the capital Andorra la Vella and in Escaldes-Engordany.

How Birth Registration Works in Andorra

In Andorra, civil registration including birth registration is handled by the Registre Civil (Civil Registry), which is administered by the Ministry of Justice and Interior (Ministeri de Justícia i Interior). Births must be registered within eight days at the Civil Registry. When a baby is born in the hospital (Hospital Nostra Senyora de Meritxell is the main hospital), the hospital provides a birth notification document that parents take to the Civil Registry to complete the official registration.

Andorra is a very small country with only one main hospital and a centralized civil registry. All birth registrations in Andorra are handled through the Civil Registry regardless of which parish (parròquia) the birth occurred in.

Documents Required for Birth Registration in Andorra

To register a birth and obtain a birth certificate in Andorra, parents typically need:

Medical birth notification from the hospital
Valid identification of both parents (Andorran national document or passport)
Marriage certificate if married
If unmarried: a declaration of paternity recognition before the registrar

Andorra’s Civil Registry can be contacted for the most current list of required documents. Given Andorra’s small size and large expatriate population (many residents are Spanish, French, or Portuguese nationals), the registry handles documentation in multiple languages.

Getting a Birth Certificate in Andorra la Vella

Andorra la Vella is the capital of Andorra and the location of the main Civil Registry office. All births in Andorra are registered here, and birth certificates are issued at this office. Parents with a birth in any part of Andorra must come to the Andorra la Vella Civil Registry to complete registration within eight days.

The Civil Registry is located in the government administrative buildings in Andorra la Vella. Birth certificate extracts (extracte de l’acta de naixement) can be obtained in person at the registry. Andorra has been expanding its digital government services through tramits.govern.ad, which may allow some civil document requests online.

Getting a Birth Certificate in Escaldes-Engordany

Escaldes-Engordany is Andorra’s second-most populous parish, effectively a continuation of the capital Andorra la Vella. Births occurring in Escaldes-Engordany are registered at the same centralized Civil Registry in Andorra la Vella, as Andorra does not have separate parish-level civil registries for births.

Residents of Escaldes-Engordany visit the Civil Registry in Andorra la Vella — which is easily reachable given the country’s small size. Subsequent certified copies of birth certificates can be requested from the same registry in person or by post.

Frequently Asked Questions

What language is used in Andorran birth certificates?

Andorran birth certificates are issued in Catalan, the official language of Andorra. Translations may be obtained if needed for use in other countries.

How many days do you have to register a birth in Andorra?

Births in Andorra must be registered within eight days at the Civil Registry (Registre Civil) in Andorra la Vella.

Can an Andorran birth certificate be apostilled?

Yes. Andorra is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Apostilles for Andorran civil documents are issued by the competent Andorran authority, typically through the Ministry of Justice and Interior.

Can children born in Andorra automatically acquire Andorran citizenship?

Andorra does not grant citizenship automatically by birth (jus soli). Citizenship is typically acquired through Andorran parentage or after a period of legal residency. Contact the Andorran authorities for the current citizenship requirements, as rules can be complex for children of foreign nationals.

Conclusion

Getting a birth certificate in Andorra involves registering the birth within eight days at the Civil Registry in Andorra la Vella. Whether you live in the capital or in Escaldes-Engordany, all birth registrations in this small co-principality are centralized. The acta de naixement issued in Catalan is the foundational civil document in Andorra, needed for citizenship applications, passports, and enrollment in Andorra’s trilingual school system.