Albanian Citizenship Applications and Passports
Not sure where to begin or just want further information? Have a read of the below to find out more!
Do you want to apply for an Albanian passport?
We can translate your documents for you. Read some of the information below prior to starting your Albanian citizenship journey.
YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ALBANIAN PASSPORT – FIND OUT MORE!
Why apply for Albanian citizenship?
There are numerous benefits to applying for Albanian citizenship even if you already have an Australian or New Zealand passport. Whether it being pursuing a life as a digital nomad, retaining a close connection to the mother country, ensuring that your own children can one day apply for Albanian citizenship or the various visa free arrangements which Albania and Kosovo have with many countries – the options are endless.
Heritage
Stay close to your roots by taking out Albanian citizenship and retaining a connection with the homeland. Only citizens can take out identity cards and other documents required for life in Albania and Kosovo.
Migration
If you are wanting a change in pace in life or considering life as a digital nomad, an Albanian passport might be just the way to escape the rat race and live a simpler and more fulfilling life.
Travel
Did you know that Albania and Kosovo has visa-free regime arrangements with many countries? This means that if travelling on an Albanian passport you won’t need to apply for a visa prior to travel.
Who can apply for Albanian citizenship?
There are various ways of applying for Albanian citizenship, even if you were born in Australia or New Zealand. We’ve provided summaries from the Albanian Embassy in Australia here to assist you below.
ALBANIAN CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT – ALBANIAN ANCESTORS
You may be eligible to apply for Albanian citizenship by descent if you meet the following criteria:
- One Albanian parent is sufficient condition for the right to immediate citizenship, upon request, regardless of birthplace
- You can prove Albanian origin with ancestors of Albanian origin going back to a maximum of three generations (parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents)
Read more below to find out what you need to do in order to apply!
ALBANIAN CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH
Born in Albania and one parent is Albanian grants automatic access to Albanian citizenship. Additionally, children born in Albania to non-Albanian parents may acquire citizenship under specific circumstances, particularly if they would otherwise be stateless.
Read more below to find out what you need to do in order to apply!
ALBANIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
You may be able to apply for Albanian citizenship if you are married to an Albanian citizen and meet the following criteria:
- Must be legally married to an Albanian citizen for at least 3 years
- Must have legally resided in Albania for at least 1 year after marriage
- Must meet other naturalisation requirements (language, criminal record, etc.)
Read more below to find out what you need to do in order to apply!
ALBANIAN CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALISATION
You can apply for Albanian citizenship through naturalisation after meeting specific requirements including:
- At least 5 years of continuous legal residence in Albania (reduced to 3 years if you can prove Albanian ancestry)
- Adequate knowledge of the Albanian language at an elementary level
- Stable income and housing in Albania
- No threat to the security of the Republic of Albania
Read more below to find out what you need to do in order to apply!
Please note that we are not Migration Agents, nor giving any migration advice, and that we encourage you to contact your local Albanian Embassy or Consulate listed below for more information.
Which documents do I need to apply for Albanian citizenship by descent or through emigration?
Below is the list of documents which our clients are often asked for when applying for Albanian citizenship by descent. We encourage you to contact your local Albanian Embassy or Consulate for advice as requirements do sometimes change.
If your documents are in English, then they will all need to be translated by an official translator into Albanian. We can help translate your documents for you!
All official Australian or New Zealand documents must have an Apostille stamp on them. An Apostille stamp verifies that your document is an official document and the contents of the document are true – only the Australian or New Zealand government can provide this stamp.
All Apostille stamps should be obtained before you send us your documents for translating – as this must be translated into Albanian.
Australia: You can organise an Apostille stamp by contacting Notarial Services via this link and by booking an appointment or sending them your document in the post.
New Zealand: You can organise an Apostille stamp by contacting the New Zealand authorities via this link.
We can help translate all your Australia or New Zealand documents into Albanian for you!
Steps to Apply for Albanian Citizenship by Descent in Australia or New Zealand
If your parents are Albanian, then you may be eligible to apply for Albanian citizenship under the Albanian Citizenship Act!
Step One: Obtain relevant documentation
You will need to gather all of the relevant documents below in order to support your citizenship application.
BIRTH CERTIFICATE WITH APOSTILLE STAMP – TRANSLATED
You will need an original Australian or New Zealand birth certificate with an apostille stamp affixed to the back of it. Both documents must be translated into Albanian by an official certified Albanian translator.
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE WITH APOSTILLE STAMP – TRANSLATED
If applicable, you will need an original Australian or New Zealand marriage certificate with an apostille stamp affixed to it. Both the marriage certificate and the apostille stamp must be translated into Albanian by an official certified Albanian translator.
CERTIFIED COPY OF YOUR ID
You will need to present a Certified Copy of a valid Australia, New Zealand or other passport or Certificate of Citizenship to prove which country you are currently a citizen of.
All of the information on this document must match the names in the birth and marriage certificates as well as the police check.
CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK – TRANSLATED
You will need a Criminal Record Check, which is typically a National Police Certificate issued by the AFP (if from Australia, see link here) or a Criminal Record Check from the Ministry of Justice (if from New Zeland, see link here).
This will need to then have an Apostille stamp affixed to it and both the Police Check and Apostille translated into Albanian by an official certified Albanian translator.
This document must not be older than 6 months from the date of issue.
If you were not born in Australia or New Zealand, then you will also need a second Criminal Record Check from the country of your birth. This is also to be Apostilled and translated into Albanian by an official certified Albanian translator.
PROOF OF ALBANIAN ANCESTRY
This is the most crucial part of your application. You must provide documentary evidence of your Albanian heritage through your direct lineage (parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent). Required documents include:
- Albanian birth certificates or other official Albanian civil registry document of your Albanian ancestor
- Albanian passports or national identity cards (if available)
- Certificates of Albanian citizenship
- Marriage certificates for each generation to establish the family connection (with apostilles and translations if issued outside Albania)
APPLICATIONS INCLUDING MINOR CHILDREN
If you are applying for Albanian citizenship by descent and wish to include your minor children as well (under 18), you will need to provide the following additional documents for each child:
- Child’s birth certificate (with apostille and Albanian translation)
- Certified copies of both parents’ passports
- Custody documentation (if parents are divorced/separated)
- Parental consent (both parents must consent to the child’s citizenship application)
- Children aged 14-18 must also provide their own consent in addition to both parents consenting to the application
We can help translate all your Australia or New Zealand documents into Albanian for you!
Step Two: Complete the Application Form
If you are applying for Albanian citizenship by descent then you must fill out this form: Formular i kërkesës për dhënien e shtetësisë shqiptare për personin me origjinë shqiptare
This form must be filled out in the Albanian language. If you are unable to do so, then we can translate them for you and assist with completing the forms in Albanian.
Step Three: Pay Money Order and Send Documents to the Albanian Embassy
You will need to pay the money order and any and all relevant consular fees, as specified by the Embassy of Albania in Australia.
Once done, all of your documents including the application form, originals, translations and money orders must be posted to the Albanian Embassy.
Please note: Albanian citizenship by descent laws were updated in 2020, and administrative procedures may still be developing. We recommend consulting with Albanian consular services for the most current procedural requirements before beginning your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although it may seem daunting at first, applying for Albanian citizenship is a fairly straightforward process for most. Here are some of the questions which we commonly get asked by our clients.
Do I need a lawyer or migration service?
No! Most our clients apply for citizenship on their own without engaging any lawyers or citizenship services. It is entirely possible, and cheaper, to follow the steps on the Albanian government website and apply on your own.
How do I get the required documents?
You can ask family in Albania and Kosovo, or email/call civil registry offices in Albania and Kosovo yourself and request that they provide official documents such as birth certificates from your ancestors.
Do I need paper or digital translations?
The Albanian Embassy seems to prefer printed and ‘wet stamped’ certified translations, so we always mail copies out to clients when we know that they are applying for Albanian citizenship.
Looking for a NAATI Certified Albanian translator?
Just send us a message!
Where is my closest Albanian Embassy or Consulate?
All of the information provided on our website is general in nature and we recommend contacting your nearest Albanian Embassy or Consulate below to find out more information on how to apply for Albanian citizenship.
Canberra
Embassy of Albania and Kosovo
Serves as the Albanian Embassy for Australia and New Zealand
- 13 Culgoa Circuit, O’Malley Canberra, ACT 2606
- embassy.canberra@mfa.gov.al
- +2 6290 2332 & +4 5097 7145
- https://ambasadat.gov.al/australia/
Adelaide
Albanian Honorary Consulate General in Adelaide
- 24 Flinders Street, SA, 5000
- info@bihconsulatesydney.com
- (+61) 8 8204 0221
- https://albania-evisa.org/consulate/albanian-honorary-in-adelaide-australia/
Canberra
Embassy of Albania and Kosovo
Serves as the Albanian Embassy for Australia and New Zealand
- 5 Beale Crescent, Deakin ACT 2600
- embassy@bihembassy.org
- +61 2 6232 5664
- https://bihembassy.org/index.php?lang=en