Moving to Albania

Law No. 79/2021, consolidated text of 14 July 2025 (as amended by Law No. 43/2025). Art. 56(1): a foreigner may be employed in Albania by obtaining a unique permit, unless the Law, an international agreement or a Council of Ministers decision provides otherwise. Art. 57: the employee's permit is granted where the foreigner meets the criteria for temporary stay and the special criteria set by Council of Ministers decision, after approval by the National Agency for Employment and Skills, for the duration of the employment contract or job offer. Art. 33(1): a type D visa holder, or a foreigner who needs no visa, applies online. Art. 33(4) permit terms: 3 months, 6 months or 1 year (a 1-year permit can be renewed no more than 5 times in a row), 2 years (renewable once) or 5 years, and permanent after 5 consecutive years of lawful stay with lasting ties or activity in Albania; Art. 33(5): citizens of the United States and of Kosovo receive a 5-year permit on their first application. Art. 56(4): when the criteria are met, the application is examined and the permit issued within 4 weeks of applying. EU citizens who work or are self-employed in Albania need no residence permit for stays beyond three months and register online instead (Art. 33/1). The document list is set by Council of Ministers decision (Art. 56(7)), which this pathway does not cite.

Law No. 79/2021 Art. 68, as amended by Law No. 43/2025. The applicant must be lawfully in Albania and (a) prove, by a valid employment contract with an employer abroad or a service contract with a contractor or client abroad, that they will work without a fixed place of work, in work that can be done with information technology; (b) prove income sufficient to support themselves and their dependants during the stay; (c) hold proof of accommodation and an address in Albania; (ç) hold health insurance valid for at least 1 year; and (d) hold a criminal-record certificate from their country of origin and from the country where they are resident. The permit is issued for up to 1 year the first time. The Law itself sets no income figure; the amount is set in the Council of Ministers' implementing decision, which this pathway does not cite, so no income floor is applied here. Art. 56(4): when the criteria are met, a unique permit is examined and issued within 4 weeks of applying.

Property (Art. 84): the foreign national proves ownership of immovable property in Albania, which they must own throughout the permit; the owner of a half share qualifies (Art. 84(3)). The permit is issued for up to 1 year the first time and renewed each year while the criteria are met. The Law sets no minimum property value and leaves procedures and criteria to a Council of Ministers decision (Art. 84(4)). Investor (Art. 85/1, added by Law No. 43/2025): a first permit for 2 years where the foreigner (a) makes an investment in Albania; (b) the business employs five Albanian citizens for every foreigner, a ratio that must also hold on its board and other management or control bodies; (c) pays them at least the average wage paid in Albania for those posts in the previous year; and (ç) holds proper documents showing that the business is not loss-making and is registered and up to date with the tax authorities. The permit is renewed for 3 years if the conditions have not changed, and a permanent residence permit follows the end of the second, 3-year permit. The investment amount is set by joint instruction of the ministers for public order and for the economy (Art. 85/1(5)), which this pathway does not cite, so no minimum investment is applied here.

Family of an Albanian citizen (Art. 40): a permit of no more than 1 year the first time, then renewed for 2 years at a time; the same applies to an unmarried minor for whom the foreigner is legal guardian; it is refused or cancelled if the marriage is proved fictitious (Art. 44). Family of a foreign resident (Art. 41): the sponsor applies to the local border and migration authority and must (a) have the family members outside Albania (inside only exceptionally, for humanitarian reasons), (b) hold a residence permit valid for at least 1 year that can be renewed, (c) provide housing in normal living conditions, (ç) hold health insurance for themselves and the family, and (d) guarantee stable income for themselves and the family without recourse to economic aid; the permit is 1 year the first time, renewable. Unmarried children may apply up to age 30 if the sponsor covers all their living costs (Art. 41(5)); unmarried children and ascendants who objectively cannot meet their own needs for health reasons may receive permits as exceptional cases (Art. 41(4)). Family members of a seasonal worker cannot get this permit (Art. 41(8)). The holder may work without prior approval from the employment agency (Art. 41(7)). After 5 years on family permits a spouse, partner or adult child may obtain an autonomous permit (Art. 42). Spouses of Albanian citizens can acquire citizenship sooner under Art. 8/a of Law No. 113/2020, added by Law No. 49/2026: four years after the marriage, resident in Albania or not, where the marriage is registered in Albania's civil register; three years of marriage with at least one year's residence; or two years of marriage where a child has been born of it.