If you are planning a trip to Albania, you will need the following documents:
- Valid passport (must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave)
- Visa (depending on your citizenship)
- Proof of booking or hotel rental agreement, or tour program if you are traveling as a tourist
- Booked round-trip tickets
Visa to Albania: who needs it and how to get it
To enter Albania for tourist purposes, you may need a visa. Albania's visa policy depends on the country you are coming from.
You do not need a visa to visit Albania if:
- Foreign nationals holding a valid multiple entry Schengen visa previously used in one of the Schengen states or foreign nationals holding a valid residence permit in one of the Schengen states;
- Foreign nationals who hold a valid multiple-entry visa of the United States or the United Kingdom, which was previously used in the respective country of issue, or who have a valid residence permit in the United States or the United Kingdom.
- Foreign nationals of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, India, Qatar, Oman, Thailand - they can enter Albania without a visa for a short stay with a passport document from April 20 to December 31;
- Foreign citizens of Egypt - they can enter Albania without a visa for a short stay with a passport from May 1 to September 30.
- Foreign nationals who have a 10-year residence permit issued by a competent authority of the United Arab Emirates, valid for at least one year from the date of entry.
- Foreign nationals who have the right to enter and stay in the Schengen area without a visa.
Citizens of other countries need to obtain a visa to enter Albania.
To find out more about whether you need a visa to Albania, how to get one, or how long you can stay in the country without a visa, depending on your citizenship, use the
search engine on the page by entering your citizenship.
In order to visit Albania for tourist/business purposes, visit relatives, attend a conference or undergo a medical examination, you should apply for a short-stay visa type C.
The visa allows you to stay in Albania for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days.
Tourist visa through an embassy/consulate
To apply for a visa to Albania, follow these steps:
1. The first thing you need to do is apply online for a visa to Albania. In order to apply for a visa, you need to go to the
website of the Electronic Visa of the Republic of Albania
It is extremely important that the information entered in the visa application exactly matches the data specified in the applicant's passport or travel document. Any discrepancies may result in delays or refusal of the visa.
2. Applicants are required to upload all required documents through the appropriate online platform for obtaining a tourist visa.
Required documents:
- A visa application form filled in by the applicant, which is available online for free (the form is filled in online at the time of application, generated and uploaded by the system)
- Proof of employment from the country of birth or country of residence. If this criterion is not met, the foreigner must provide sufficient evidence that he/she will return to his/her country of birth or country of residence.
- A 47 mm x 36 m photo of the applicant
- Documents confirming the reservation of a place in the accommodation facility, in accordance with the legislation on tourism, or an invitation from a natural or legal person where the foreigner will be accommodated
- Documents confirming that the applicant has sufficient financial means for living, both for the duration of the stay and for returning to a third country to which he/she can safely enter or which can use such financial and legal means in the Republic of Albania, in accordance with the provisions of this decision
- A document confirming the reservation of a round-trip ticket or a document confirming the possibility of using personal transportation.
- A residence permit for more than 12 months issued from the country of residence, with a validity period of at least 3 additional months longer than the validity period of the required visa.
- A complete bank statement showing all deposits and withdrawals from your account for the last 12 months.
- A copy of a valid travel document and previous or current visas (Schengen, US, UK, etc.) or Albanian e-visa/sticker
3. Pay the visa fee. Methods of payment of the visa fee may vary depending on the embassy/consulate to which you apply. You must pay the fee in accordance with the rules set by the embassy/consulate that will process your application.
4. After paying the visa application fee, you can send the originals of the required documents and the payment receipt by mail to the relevant embassy or consulate.
5. After successful submission of documents, expect a response within 14 working days. Please note that the application review process may take longer.
6. If your application for a tourist visa with a stamp is approved, you will receive an email with information about the date and time when you can collect your visa. It is important to arrive at the embassy/consulate on the specified date and time.
Electronic visa
The e-Visa is an online application system developed by the Albanian government to pre-screen travelers wishing to visit Albania.
Applicants have full access to the e-Visa system. They must complete the e-Visa process before traveling to Albania by air, land or sea.
To apply for an e-Visa for Albania, follow these steps:
1. Applicants must fill out the Albanian tourist visa application form on the
official website. It is very important that the data entered exactly matches the data in your passport. It is also necessary to upload all the documents required to obtain a visa to the website. This simplifies the application process and allows officials to process your application quickly and efficiently.
2. After you submit your visa application online, you will receive a confirmation email with a tracking code. You can use the code to check the status of your application while it is being processed.
3. Pay the visa application fee
4. If your application for a tourist visa is approved, the visa will be sent to you by email. You must have this electronic document with you when entering and leaving the Republic of Albania.
If your visa application for Albania is rejected, you have several options:
Write a letter of appeal to the embassy/consulate that denied your visa. The deadline for submitting the appeal letter is 15 days after receiving the visa refusal decision.
Reapplying. You can re-apply for the same visa to Albania.
Applying for a Schengen visa in another Schengen country. If you are issued a Schengen visa in another Schengen country, you will be able to visit Albania without an additional visa.
The reasons for visa refusal can be different: false information when filling out the application form, lack of documents, late arrival at the visa appointment, invalid or damaged passport, lack of travel insurance or unconfirmed financial solvency.
Once you have received your visa, it is important to remember that it can be canceled at any time if you do not notify us of any changes to your travel itinerary.
Travel insurance to Albania
As mentioned above, to travel to Albania, you must have a health insurance policy with a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros. You can purchase insurance on the Visit World website
here. Remember that a reliable insurance policy is the key to your confidence while traveling. Do not risk your own finances and health, choose the right insurance package and let your trip leave only pleasant memories!
