Do I Need A Visa For Albania
Albania doesn’t currently have a visa waiver program with the United States. If you are planning to fly to Albania you’ll need to apply for and receive an official visa. There are two types of visas: a short-stay visa and a long-stay one. Consult the information bellow to see which type is the right one for your Albanian trip.
I need a visa for Albania. I promise to be the most dedicated and helpful guide throughout your entire stay in my country. I will put this obligation before anything else that may demand my time, attention and dedication, even before all that I owe to my own family. My life is your life when you set foot in my country. Not because you are above me or that I consider myself inferior. It is simply a fact – an obligation – a duty. It does not come from any higher source. There is no law or regulation which says so. It comes solely from within us – it comes from our common origin, the need to share, to help each other in our endless struggle with life’s hardships, to help each other achieve a sense of security and to value each others’ lives.
Do I Need A Visa For Albania
Do I Need a Visa for Albania? If you’re planning a trip to Albania, it’s highly advisable that tourists apply for an entry visa. The application process takes only a few days and the fees can easily be paid by credit card. A tourist visa is valid for up to 90 days of time spent in Albania. You will be issued a stamp upon entering the country and should not do anything that will jeopardize your entry document.Read on
Other Visa Exemptions
You are also exempt from applying for a visa to Albania in the following instances:
- If you are a foreign citizen who has a valid Schengen visa with multiple entries
- If you are a foreign citizen with a valid multiple-entry UK or US visa who still has a valid visa.
- If you are a citizen from one of the countries listed below, you will travel to Albania visa-free from 20 April 2022 to 31 December 2022:
- Saudi Arabia
- Bahrain
- India
- Qatar
- Oman
- Thailand
- If you are a foreign citizen who has a 10-year validity of the United Arab Emirates residence permit and is still valid for not less than one year after the date of entry in Albania.
- If you are a foreign citizen from the EU and have a valid residence permit in one of the EU countries.
Types of Albanian Visas
Here are all the Albanian visa types:
Short-Term Visa Type (C)
A short-term visa will allow you to stay in Albania for 90 days within 180 days. This visa is issued more for the purposes listed below:
- Visa for tourism.
- Visa for medical purposes.
- Visa for scientific, cultural, sports, and humanitarian reasons.
- Visa for official visits.
Long-Term Visa Type (D)
A long-term visa will allow you to stay in Albania for one year. It is also issued if you plan to obtain a residence permit after entering Albania. Depending on the purpose of your stay, this type of visa is given for the purposes listed below:
- Student visa.
- Family reunion visa.
- Work visa.
- Diplomatic visa or service visa.
- Humanitarian or religious activities visa.
- Seasonal employment visa.
Albania Visa Requirements
Here are all the requested documents you must submit when applying for an Albanian visa:
- Valid passport. The passport must be valid at least three months after the return date and in good condition. Include a copy of your previous visas (if any).
- One passport style photo. The photo must be passport-sized, with colors and a blank background.
- Application form. Make sure you fill out the application form correctly and all the requested information. Do not leave any empty spaces.
- Bank statement. The bank statement document is issued from your bank showing your bank statement for the last six months. This document must prove that you are financially stable and can finance yourself while staying in Albania.
- Travel health insurance. Document proof that you have valid health insurance with a coverage of €30,000 in case you face any medical problems while staying in Albania.
- Invitation letter. This is a letter issued from a family member or a friend in Albania if you are traveling to visit them. If you stay with your friend/family member, they must state that they will host you in the letter.
- Proof of accommodation in Albania. Document confirming that you have a place to stay in Albania. It can be a rental agreement, letter of invitation from a friend or a family member, hotel reservation, etc.
- Booke flight itinerary. A flight itinerary document is a document explaining the route of your flight. This document includes the date and your flight time, the name of the airplane company, etc.
Children under 18 must submit a document signed by both parents or legal guardians, proving that they can legally travel in Albania.
How to Apply for an Albania Visa?
To apply for an Albanian visa, you must follow the following steps:
- Visit the online page of E-Visa and fill out the application online. You have to log in or register a new account before you can proceed with the rest of the application.
- Gather all the requested documents. The documents are listed in the ‘Albania Visa Requirements’ below. You must submit the documents via the website in PDF format. The Consult will process your application. If your application meets all the requested requirements, the consult will send you a message to continue your fee payment.
- Pay the Albania visa fee. Complete the visa application fee payment at the bank, and attach the payment recipe to other requested documents.
- Wait for a response. You must receive an answer by text or email for your visa result from the Consul if your visa has been approved or denied.
How Long Does It Take to Process an Albania Visa?
An Albanian visa takes 15 working days to be processed. However, depending on when you plan to apply, the embassy can extend the processing time to 30 days.
What Is the Validity of an Albanian Visa?
The validity of a tourist Albanian visa is 90 days within 180 days. This type of visa is issued with one, two, or multiple entries. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you can apply for a long-stay or (D) visa. The long-stay visa is issued for one year.
Note: If you stay longer than 90 days with a tourist visa in the Republic of Albania, you will be banned from Albania and not be allowed to enter Albania for five years.
Albania Visa Fees
From March 2020, Albania has made a new rule for its visa fees. Citizens coming from different countries need to pay a visa fee as much as they charge Albanian citizens to pay in their home country. For example, if an Albanian citizen must pay €80 to enter Argentina, then an Argentina citizen must pay the same fee when applying for an Albanian visa.
Can My Albanian Visa Be Rejected?
The embassy can always reject a visa if the visa does not fulfill all the requested requirements, meaning that even an Albanian visa can be rejected. Here are some of the most common reasons why your Albanian visa can be rejected.
- Uncompleted documents.
- False information.
- Not attending your visa appointment on time.
- When your information on the requested documents does not combine with the answer to questions in the interview.
However, if your Albanian visa is rejected, you can reapply or appeal the rejection.
How Can I Request a Residence Permit for Albania?
A residence permit will allow you to stay in Albania longer than 90 days. Depending on your stay purpose, you can apply for a residence permit for work, study, family reunion, etc. You must apply for a residence permit after 30 days of entering Albania. The application procedure is online; you must apply online at the E-Albania. Follow these steps:
- Click on the ‘Residence Permit’ button and complete the application with all the requested information.
- Update all the other requested documents in PDF format.
- An electronic notification arrives at the Police State office, and they start to process the application.
The application must prove that:
- You fulfill all the requested criteria.
- You have all the requested documents.
- Your documents are original, legalized, and translated into the Albanian language.
After finishing all the demanded steps online, you must appear at the Migration Office of Regional in person and apply for a residence permit there. The local Migration Office will process your visa application. It takes 30 days to receive an answer.
After receiving an answer, you can collect your residence permit at the same office where you have submitted your visa application.
Is Albania in Schengen?
The Republic of Albania is not a part of the Schengen Agreement. Citizens of Albania can apply for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) and visit the Schengen countries for 90 days for tourism, business purposes, etc.
However, holders of a Schengen visa are eligible to visit Albania for 90 days.
