How to Apply for an Albanian Residence Permit?

TIRANA, February 3

If you’re a foreign citizen planning to live or work in Albania, you should know that the easiest way to start an application for an Albanian residence permit is online through e-Albania. The application goes directly to the State Police.
The online service ‘Application for requiring a residence permit’ provides all international citizens who are legally admitted to Albania to apply for obtaining a residence permit.
To confirm eligibility, the person must provide all the required documents (see below) through the online application. Afterward, the person must apply in person to the regional authorities responsible for border and migration issues in the area where the person resides. A legal representative can apply, but only if the foreign citizen is in Albania during the time of the application.

The submission of applications to the regional authorities responsible for border and migration must be done within the legal deadlines.
First time application for a residence permit – within 30 days from entering Albania
Renewal of residence permit– within 60 days before the existing permit expires

Types of residence permits

Type A
This type of permit is not renewable. The holder of an A-type residence permit can stay in Albania until it expires.

Type B, Blue Card AL – renewable
The holder has the right the leave and enters the country, but he/she can’t stay abroad for more than six months.
Type C, Blue Card AL-C – permanent
The holder cannot stay abroad for more than 12 months.

Maintenance of the 5 years for the issue of a “permanent residence”
The applicant should have resided legally and continuously in Albania for at least five years from the first application for a residence permit. This doesn’t mean that the citizen can’t leave Albania. Short-term stays abroad do not affect the five years. Only a cumulative absence of more than ten months or a one-time absence of more than six months interrupts the five years.
In exceptional cases, an absence of up to the above-mentioned period without interrupting the five years is possible if there are reasons worthy of special consideration. The reason and time of absence have to be communicated to the border or migration authority before departure.

Documents
All the required documents for different types of applications are available here.
The documents are divided into two categories: docs provided by the public institutions and docs provided by the applicant. An English version of the PDF will be uploaded soon

How to Apply?

• Select ‘Application for requiring a residence permit’ (Kërkesë për leje qëndrimi)
• Click Use (Përdor)
• Fill out the online form
• Upload all the documents listed on the form, PDF format
• Click Send (Dërgo)
• The State Police clerk begins the verification of the documents upon receiving a notification for the new application
• If the application is complete the applicant will be notified to submit the original documents in person
• If the application is not complete, the State Police clerk notifies the applicant about inaccurate data and advises on how to reapply.
• The applicant goes to the Office for Citizen Service at the time set by the clerk of the regional office
• The clerk gives the residence permit to the applicant

Residence permit processing time

The residence permit or refusal is handed to or notified to the applicant within 55 days from the initial request.

Residence permit term time

The validity period of a residence permit can be from three to six months, one year, two years, three years, five years, permanent.

Application cost

The application cost depends on the term time of the residence permit

If you have any questions or ambiguity on how to use the online service, please contact [email protected]

Read also: Visa and Residence Permits for Foreigners in Albania

Source: e-albania.al