Immigration
The Foreigners Act with unilateral openness to many nationalities
Albania applies its own Foreigners Act to all non-nationals, issuing residence permits for work, study, family and business. It grants unusually long visa-free stays to citizens of many countries, including a full year for some.
Key rules
- Residence permits are issued by the Border and Migration Police for a stated purpose.
- Work permits are integrated into the unique permit issued to foreign workers.
- Permanent residence is generally available after five years of continuous residence.
Governing law
- Foreigners Act (Ligji për të huajt)
- Act on Albanian Citizenship
In practice
A long visa-free stay does not confer the right to work, so employment still requires the appropriate permit.