Albania
Albania visa and residence permit guide
- 11 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Albania work
Entry and stay in Albania are governed by Law No. 79/2021 "On Foreigners", amended by Law No. 43/2025 of 26 June 2025, and by Council of Ministers Decision No. 858 of 29 December 2021, which lists the visa-free nationalities, the visa fees and the documents for every visa and permit. Visa-free visitors may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Nationals of countries whose citizens enter the Schengen area without a visa, and holders of a used multiple-entry Schengen, EU, US or UK visa or a residence permit of those states, are also exempt for short stays; Iranian nationals always need a visa.
Visas are issued by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs through the e-Visa system at e-visa.al. The airport transit visa A, the short-stay visa C (up to 90 days in 180) and the long-stay visa D are applied for online from outside Albania, no earlier than 90 days before travel. After the fee is paid the assessment normally takes 15 working days and in exceptional cases up to 30. Fees depend on nationality and reciprocity; where no other amount is set the fee is EUR 35.
Stays beyond 90 days require a permit from the State Police Border and Migration authority. Work, self-employment, investment and remote work for a foreign employer fall under the Unique Permit, a single online application on e-Albania that combines the work approval of the National Agency for Employment and Skills (AKPA), the D visa where one is needed and the residence permit. Family reunification, study, pensioners and property owners apply for a residence permit within 30 days of arrival. After five years of lawful, continuous residence a permanent permit can be requested.
Whether a short trip needs a visa depends on nationality. Decision No. 858 lists the states whose citizens enter Albania visa-free with an ordinary passport, among them the EU states, the United States and Türkiye, and it also exempts holders of used multiple-entry Schengen, EU, US or UK visas and residence permits. The same list shows, for each nationality, whether a D visa is needed for a stay over 90 days in 180 that is meant to lead to a residence permit; those who need one apply through the e-Visa system or the Unique Permit procedure, selecting the Albanian embassy or consulate responsible for their country of residence.
Which visa do I need?
Holiday, family visit or short business trip of up to 90 days in 180: check whether your nationality is visa-free or covered by a Schengen, EU, US or UK visa or permit; otherwise apply for a visa C through e-Visa.
Job offer from an Albanian employer: Unique Permit as an employee, with AKPA work approval and, for visa nationals, a D visa.
Remote work for a foreign employer or clients: Unique Permit for digital mobile workers (digital nomads), first issued for up to one year.
Own business or sole trade in Albania: Unique Permit as self-employed, assessed by an evaluation commission; investors have a separate investor permit.
Joining a spouse, parent or child, studying, retiring on a foreign pension or living in a home you own: the matching temporary residence permit.
Five years of lawful continuous residence: permanent residence permit type C.
Visa types for Albania
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Visa-free entry and short-stay visa C for tourism
Many nationalities, including EU, US and Turkish citizens, enter Albania without a visa and may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, both visa-free and with a visa C. A day of entry and exit counts as one day.
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Visa C for professional, commercial and business purposes
Business travellers from visa-free countries visit Albania without a visa for up to 90 days in 180.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period. - Self-employed and freelancer visa Unique Permit as self-employed (Leje unike për të vetëpunësuar) and investor residence permit
Foreigners who want to run their own business or practise a profession in Albania apply for the Unique Permit as self-employed.
Maximum stay: Self-employed: duration of the planned business, at most 3 years. Investor: 2 years, then renewals of 3 years.
Study and training
- Student visa Visa D/ST and residence permit for study purposes (leje qëndrimi për studentë)
Foreigners admitted to a recognised Albanian university, school or training programme receive a residence permit for study, first for one year and renewed yearly until the studies end.
Maximum stay: Permit for one year at first, extended year by year until the end of studies; shorter programmes get a permit for their length.
Work
- Work visa Unique Permit as an employee (Leje Unike si punëmarrës) with visa D/PM
Foreign employees in Albania hold a Unique Permit, a single residence and work permit applied for online on e-Albania by the worker, the employer or a licensed agency.
Maximum stay: For the length of the employment contract, within the permit periods of the law: 3 or 6 months, 1 year (renewable up to five times in a row), 2 years (renewable once) or 5 years. - Digital nomad visa Unique Permit for digital mobile workers (Leje unike për punonjës lëvizës digjital) and visa D/LD
Albania's digital nomad route is the Unique Permit for digital mobile workers under Article 68 of the Law on Foreigners.
Maximum stay: First permit up to 1 year; renewable while the conditions are met.
Family
- Family reunification visa Visa D/BF and residence permit for family reunification (bashkim familjar)
Spouses, civil partners, children and in some cases parents of Albanian citizens or of foreigners holding an Albanian residence permit of at least one year can obtain a family reunification permit.
Maximum stay: First permit up to 1 year; for family of Albanian citizens renewed for 2 years.
Residence
- Retirement visa Visa D/P and residence permit for pensioners (leje qëndrimi për pensionistë)
Foreigners who are retired in their own country can live in Albania on a residence permit for pensioners.
Maximum stay: Up to 1 year per permit, renewable every year. - Residence permit Temporary residence permit (leje qëndrimi), including the permit for owners of real estate
Any stay in Albania beyond 90 days in 180 requires a residence permit from the State Police Border and Migration authority.
Maximum stay: 3 months, 6 months or 1 year (renewable up to five times in a row), 2 years (renewable once) or 5 years; first permits usually up to 1 year. - Permanent residence Permanent residence permit type C (leje e përhershme qëndrimi)
After at least five years of lawful and continuous residence, foreigners can apply for a permanent residence permit type C at the regional Border and Migration office where they live.
Maximum stay: Unlimited; the card is replaced every 10 years by automatic approval.
Online travel permits
- e-Visa Electronic visa (e-Visa) issued through the e-Visa system
All Albanian visas, from airport transit to long-stay, are applied for in the government's e-Visa system at e-visa.al.
Maximum stay: Visa C: up to 90 days in 180. Visa D: issued with a one-year validity and a stay of 90 up to 180 days, used to apply for a residence permit or Unique Permit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Albania?
It depends on your nationality. Citizens of the states on Albania's visa-free list, and holders of a used multiple-entry Schengen, EU, US or UK visa or a residence permit of those states, stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa; others apply online for visa C. For a longer stay leading to a residence permit, many nationalities need a D visa, which costs EUR 35 where no reciprocal amount is set.
Can I enter Albania with a Schengen visa?
Yes, if it is a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa that you have already used in a Schengen country, or if you hold a valid Schengen residence permit. The same applies to used multiple-entry visas and residence permits of EU states, the United States and the United Kingdom. You must leave Albania at least three days before the document expires. Iranian nationals are excluded.
Where do I apply for an Albanian visa?
Online in the e-Visa system at e-visa.al, from outside Albania, choosing the Albanian embassy or consulate responsible for your country. If the visa is approved as an electronic visa it is emailed to you; a sticker visa is collected at the mission.
How long does an Albanian visa take?
The law caps the assessment at 15 days from the application, extendable to 30 days by reasoned decision. The e-Visa system states 15 working days from payment of the fee as the rule and up to 30 working days in exceptional cases. Unpaid applications are refused automatically after 15 days.
What is the Albanian Unique Permit?
It is a combined residence and work permit (Leje Unike) for employees, seasonal workers, intra-company transferees, highly qualified workers (Blue Card AL), self-employed people, investors and digital nomads. You or your employer apply once on e-Albania; AKPA approves the job where required, the foreign ministry issues the D visa where one is needed, and the Border and Migration Police issue the permit, within 12 weeks at most.
Do I have to register after arriving in Albania?
Yes. Foreigners notify the local Border and Migration authority of their address within 10 days of entry, either themselves or through their employer, host or accommodation provider. Holders of a residence permit must also register their address with the civil registry office within 30 days of receiving the permit, or the permit is cancelled.
Can a refused Albanian visa be appealed?
Yes. You can appeal within 5 working days of receiving the refusal to the Directorate for Consular Affairs of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. If the appeal fails, you may reapply three months after the refusal decision. Visa fees are not refunded.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.