Visa policy of Albania explained

The visa policy of Albania allows citizens of certain countries to enter Albania without a visa. Citizens of certain other countries must obtain a visa from one of the Albanian diplomatic missions. Alternatively, they may obtain an electronic visa.

All visitors must have a passport valid for at least 3 months. However, citizens of certain countries or territories are entitled to visa-free entry with an ID card in lieu of a passport.

The visa policy of Albania is based on the by Law Nr. 108/2013 On foreign citizens, amended and the Decision of the Council of Ministers Nr. 513/2013 On criteria and procedures for entry, stay and treatment of foreign citizens, amended.

The visa policy of Albania is similar to the visa policy of the Schengen Area. It grants 90-day visa-free entry to all Schengen Annex II nationalities, except for Dominica, East Timor, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. It also grants visa-free entry to 8 additional countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Guyana (suspended), Kazakhstan, Kuwait and Turkey.

Visa exemption

Ordinary passports

Holders of ordinary passports of the following countries and territories may enter Albania without a visa for the following period:^[1]

1 year United States 90 days All European Union countries^ID Andorra Antigua and Barbuda^3 ^4 Argentina Armenia^3 Australia Azerbaijan^3 Bahamas^3 ^4 Barbados^3 ^4 Bosnia and Herzegovina^ID Brazil^3 ^4 ^3 ^4 Canada Chile^3 ^4 China^3 Colombia^3 ^4 Costa Rica^3 ^4 El Salvador^3 ^4 Georgia^3 ^4 Guatemala^3 ^4 Guyana^6 Honduras^3 ^4 Hong Kong^ID2 ^3 Iceland^ID Israel Japan Kazakhstan^ID ^5 ^ID Kuwait^3 Liechtenstein^ID Macao^3 ^4 Malaysia Mauritius^3 ^4 Mexico^3 ^4 ^3 ^4 Monaco^ID Montenegro^ID New Zealand Nicaragua^3 ^4 ^ID Norway^ID Panama^3 ^4 Paraguay^3 ^4 Peru^3 ^4 Saint Kitts and Nevis^3 San Marino^ID Serbia^ID1 Seychelles^3 ^4 Singapore^ID ^ID Switzerland^ID Trinidad and Tobago^3 ^4 Turkey^3 Ukraine^3 United Arab Emirates^3 United Kingdom^ID Uruguay^3 ^4 ^ID ^3 ^4 30 days, 90 days within any 1 year Belarus

_{ID - May enter Albania using a national ID card or an Irish passport card in lieu of a passport.
ID¹ - May enter Albania using a biometric national ID card in lieu of a passport.
ID² - May enter Albania using a permanent identity card in lieu of a passport.
3 - Citizens of these countries or territories staying for more than 90 days within any 180-day period are required to obtain a type "D" visa.
4 - Countries whose citizens can enter without visas for maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period due to "visa liberalisation with the Schengen area".
5 - Countries whose citizens can enter without visas the 90 days within any 365-day period.
6 - Visa waiver currently suspended (July 2024).}

Temporary visa-free access

Until 31 December 2024, nationals of the following 6 countries may also enter without a visa for tourist purposes, for a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180 days, provided they present a valid passport.

Bahrain Indonesia Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Thailand

Substitute visa

Any visitor who holds a valid, multiple-entry and previously used visa or a residence permit issued by a Schengen area country, United States, Cyprus, Ireland or the United Kingdom can enter Albania without a visa for 90 days.

Visa must have been used at least once before arrival to Albania. The visa exemption also applies to valid Green Card holders, holders of resident permits issued by a Schengen country, or holders of refugee and stateless travel documents issued by an EU or EFTA member state. (And there are some more visa exemptions.)^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Visitors of Albanian ethnicity do not require a visa to enter Albania for a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period.

Non-ordinary passports

In addition to countries whose citizens are visa-exempt, holders of diplomatic, official or service passports from Algeria, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Mongolia, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Vietnam and holders of diplomatic passports of Tunisia do not require a visa to visit Albania.

Reciprocity

See main article: Visa requirements for Albanian citizens.

Albanian citizens may enter without a visa some of the countries whose citizens are granted visa-free access to Albania but require a visa for Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Brunei, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Mauritius (grants visa on arrival), Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Changes

1992:

EEC (European Econmomic Community) and EFTA were waived from needing visas, also,

USA, Canada, Turkey, Bulgaria citizens were waived from needing visas^[6]

1993:

Visa on arrival:

Egypt (Revoked), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait (Revoked), Oman, Qatar, Baharian, United Arab Emeriates (Now visa exempt)

Visa on arrival for these nationalities was later revoked, though some of the VOA countries are on the current tempary visa exempt list.

March 6, 2024

Visa Exempt (Tempary)

Qatar, Oman, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain

Future changes

Albania has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet entered into force:

Electronic Visa (eVisa)

Citizens of other countries may obtain an eVisa.^[7]

See also

• Visa requirements for Albanian citizens
• Visa policy of the Schengen Area

External links

• Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Notes and References

1. Web site: VISA REGIME FOR FOREIGN CITIZENS.
2. Web site: Visa regime for foreign citizens . punetejashtme.gov.al . en . 2022-10-23 . CAN ENTER ALBANIA WITHOUT A VISA: — Foreign citizens who have a valid, multiple-entry Schengen visa, which has been previously used in one of the Schengen states, or foreign citizens who have a valid permit of stay in one of the Schengen states; — Foreign citizens who have a valid, multiple-entry US or UK visa, which has been previously used in the respective country of issuance, or have valid permit of stay in the US or UK..
3. Web site: Regjimi i vizave për të huajt . punetejashtme.gov.al . sq . 2022-10-23.
4. Web site: VISA REGIME FOR FOREIGN CITIZENS . punetejashtme.gov.al . en . 2022-10-11 . 2022-10-23 . 4.
5. Web site: REGJIMI I VIZAVE PËR SHTETASIT E HUAJ . punetejashtme.gov.al . sq . 2022-10-11 . 2022-10-23 . 5.
6. Web site: Albania: Decree No. 7393 of 1990 on the Issue of Passports and Visas . 2024-05-16 . Refworld . en.
7. Web site: Albania eVisa.