Albania is located on the west of the Balkan peninsula. Both Montenegro and Greece are nearby and there's a ferry service between the Albanian city of Vlorë and Lecce in Italy. The coastal part of Albania enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with a more continental climate further inland. Winters are mild, the temperature rarely drops below zero, and summers are long, stretching from April to October. In total, there are about 300 sunny days a year in Albania.
Being a citizen of Albania has certain benefits. The country is not in the Schengen Area but the European Union allows Albanians to travel across the EU without a visa. Albanian citizens have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 114 countries outside Europe. They can get an electronic visa to 82 more countries. Based on the freedom of travel, the Albanian passport ranks 51st in the world.
Moreover, Albania allows dual citizenship, so you will not need to renounce your current citizenship. Read on to learn more about how to get Albanian citizenship.
Citizenship by Naturalisation
The Albanian Citizenship Act states that any foreign national wishing to become a citizen of the Republic of Albania must
- be an adult (over 18 years old);
- have lived continuously in Albania for at least seven years on a residence permit;
- have adequate living conditions in accordance with Albanian standards (each person must have a residence of at least 20 square metres and every other family member over five years old must have 10 more square metres);
- have a legal source of income that is sufficient to live in Albania and is not less than the minimum wage;
- have no criminal records in any country for criminal offences for which you can be convicted for three or more years in Albania;
- be able to speak and write in Albanian;
- have basic knowledge of the history of the Republic of Albania;
- not pose a threat to Albanian public order and national security.
If you are a stateless person, you can apply for citizenship after seven years of residency in Albania. You must also provide documents to confirm you have been a law-abiding member of society. You must not have any criminal records or threaten national security in any way.
The residency requirement is less strict for expats with children who already possess Albanian citizenship. In these cases, three years of residency in the country is considered sufficient for citizenship.
If one or both parents become Albanian citizens by naturalisation, their children can obtain Albanian citizenship by the request of the parents. However, if the children are 14 years old or older, you must also submit their written consent to become citizens of Albania.
Ksamil, Albania. Photo: Filip Bartos(Unsplash)
How to Apply for Albanian Citizenship
You must provide the following documents:
- an appeal to the President of the Republic of Albania;
- an original birth certificate, which has been apostilled at an Embassy or Consulate of Albania in your country of residence;
- a marriage certificate, if applicable (must be apostilled in the same way as the birth certificate);
- a valid residence permit in Albania;
- a notarised copy of a title deed or a housing lease for a property in the Republic of Albania;
- a notarised copy of a work contract, if you are an employee, or of a tax form, if you are a self-employed entrepreneur;
- proof of funds, such as bank guarantees, deposits, or income certificates issued in Albania;
- a certificate of no criminal record from your country of origin (with an apostilled original);
- a certificate of no criminal record issued in Albania;
- a certificate from the Albanian Border and Migration Police (Autoriteti i Kufirit dhe Migracionit) proving you have resided in Albania for at least seven years;
- a language certificate from an Albanian educational facility to confirm your knowledge of Albanian language and history;
- a report from the local police department to prove your good character;
- three photos;
- a fee payment receipt.
You must submit your appeal to the President and the documents to the police precinct at your place of residence. The police will then forward your documents to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The application must contain your full name, date and place of birth, permanent and temporary addresses of residence, including a contact address.
In addition, you must clearly state
- why you are applying for Albanian citizenship;
- when you arrived in Albania;
- your profession in your home country and in Albania;
- your employment history and qualifications.
Once the Ministry employees process your application, they will submit a report on your case to the Minister of Internal Affairs, who makes the final decision on granting citizenship.
In the case of a positive outcome, the decision must be approved by the President of the Republic of Albania. The President then issues a decree on granting citizenship to approved candidates. After the decree is published, the ministries and departments involved in the citizenship granting process prepare the candidates for the oath of allegiance. They then register the new citizens in the National Register of Citizens and delete them from the National Register of Foreigners.
Sarande, Albania. Photo: Karol Chomka (Unsplash)
Citizenship by Birth
According to the Albanian Citizenship Act, any person born to an Albanian citizen automatically becomes a citizen of Albania, regardless of their place of birth.
The same rule applies to people born in Albania to foreign parents. Children of unknown parents are considered Albanian citizens if they are located in Albania and cannot become citizens of another state.
Citizenship by Descent
Foreigners of Albanian descent can obtain Albanian citizenship if they meet certain requirements.
Firstly, the applicants must prove their direct connection to an Albanian citizen of no more than the third degree of kinship. In other words, you must confirm you have or had an Albanian parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent.
Secondly, applicants must provide documents to prove that they do not pose a threat to public order and the national security of Albania. You must not have any criminal records in any countries for offences which can get you convicted in Albania for three or more years. An exception to the latter rule can be made if you can prove you were convicted on political grounds.
If you obtain Albanian citizenship by descent, you do not need to reside in the country for a long period. You are also exempt from the Albanian language test and will not need to provide employment or income certificates.
Korcea, Albania. Photo: Abenteuer Albanien (Unsplash)
Citizenship by Marriage
Foreigners who have been married to Albanian citizens for three years or more can apply for citizenship by naturalisation if they have lived in Albania on a residence permit and have not left the country for at least 12 months.
Unlike other candidates for naturalisation, spouses of Albanian citizens do not have to pass a language test or provide a language certificate from an authorised educational facility.
Citizenship by Adoption
Adopted children can become Albanian citizens if their parents also obtain citizenship of Albania. If children are adopted by a couple with only one Albanian citizen, they still become Albanian citizens.
Moreover, any adopted children who risk becoming stateless persons as a result of adoption also receive Albanian citizenship. Such a risk may arise if the child's parents are stateless or citizens of a state which refuses to grant citizenship to the child.
The process of acquiring Albanian citizenship for adopted children has been simplified. The parents only need to submit an appeal to the President, the child's birth certificate, the adoption certificate, and a notarised application form.
The Viosa River in Albania. Photo: Nicolas Jehly (Unsplash)
In a Nutshell
Obtaining Albanian citizenship is not difficult, but it is a rather long process in many cases. It may be faster if you are married or related to an Albanian citizen.
Cover photo: Tirana, Albania; Alli Elder (Unsplash)
