Albania visas
Albania's Long-Stay Visa (Type D), explained
The visa that turns a long visit into a residence permit, and why most Americans get a year in Albania without it.
Albania's Type D is the long-stay visa that opens the door to a residence permit. Here's the catch: if you hold a U.S. passport, you can already stay a year without one. This page explains which door is yours.
Start here
Americans usually skip this visa
The US Embassy in Tirana is blunt about it: Americans need no visa for Albania and can stay up to one year without a residence permit. No application, no income proof, no consulate appointment.
So the Type D matters in two situations. Your passport is not visa-exempt, so anything past 90 days needs a visa first. Or you want your status settled before you fly rather than after. Either way, it's not the finish line. The Type D gets you in; the Unique Permit is what lets you stay and work.
365 days
Visa-free for U.S. citizens
no permit needed
$90
Type D government fee
confirm on e-visa.al
30 days
Typical visa decision
apply from outside Albania
5 years
To permanent residence
1 + 1 + 5 permit ladder
Who it fits
The people who really need a Type D
A non-US passport in the household
Albania gives Americans a full year. Many other nationalities get 90 days and a Type D after that. In a mixed-nationality family, one of you may be filing a Type D while the other just walks in.
A job, a school, or a business
Working or studying in Albania needs a permit no matter how long you plan to stay. The embassy says so plainly. The free year covers living there, not earning there.
You want certainty before you sell the house
Some people would rather land with status in hand than sort it out from a rented flat in Tirana. That alone is a fair reason to file.
Long-Stay Visa (Type D)
Required for stays longer than 90 days for purposes such as work, study, or family reunification. After arrival, this visa can be converted into a residence permit.
- Government cost
- $90
- Processing time
- ~30 days
- Timeline
- Over 90 days (convertible to residence permit)
- Difficulty
- Easy
Key requirements
- Completed visa application form
- Valid passport
- Passport-sized photos
- Proof of purpose (work, study, family reunification)
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of financial means
- Health insurance
- Police clearance certificate
- Additional documents depending on purpose
The paperwork
What actually slows people down
Three U.S. documents, all stamped
You need a birth certificate with an apostille from the state that issued it, translated by a licensed Albanian notary. You need a U.S. criminal record certificate. Finally, you need an Affidavit of Eligibility for a Residency Permit, notarized by a consular officer at the embassy in Tirana on their own form, for $50. It's only good for 90 days, so don't get it early.
Then you show up in person
The Unique Permit is filed on e-Albania, but you finish it at the Regional Border and Migration Police office for your address. Bring a real lease. Offices differ on the details, so ask yours.
Renew early, and stay put
File renewals at least 60 days before your permit expires. A renewal can be refused if you spent more than six months outside Albania that year.
Line these up before you file
Proof of purpose
A remote work contract, a job offer, a school letter, or a family tie.
Proof of income
Bank statements or contracts. There is no single published floor, so more is safer.
Health insurance
Real residency cover, not a travel policy. Plans often ask for 30,000 euros of cover.
A notarized lease
A 6 to 12 month rental contract. An Airbnb booking usually gets sent back.
Police clearance
A criminal record certificate from your country, apostilled and translated.
A local lawyer
Regional offices interpret the rules differently. This is where a partner earns their fee.
Retirees and remote workers
Two ways Americans land here
If you work online, the permit you want is the digital mobile worker category. It covers people paid by employers or clients outside Albania, and it bars you from taking Albanian clients without extra permission. Published income floors are all over the map, from about 450 euros a month to roughly $815, because Albania has never set one number in law.
If you're retired, Albania has a separate retirement permit for people drawing a pension. Both routes lead to the same card and the same clock: one year, a one-year renewal, then a five-year permit, then permanent residence after five straight years.
One number worth knowing. Pass 183 days and Albania treats you as a tax resident on worldwide income. Albania's rates are low, but there is no US-Albania tax treaty, so talk to a cross-border accountant before you file anywhere.
You don't have to guess at this
Albanian immigration rules changed in 2021 and again in 2025. Know that the fee schedules move, and regional police offices don't all read the file the same way. The good news is that Albania is small and the people who do this work are easy to reach.
JBC & Associates
Albania Visa Services
A law firm with offices in Tirana and Vlore that handles immigration work, including residence permits and visas for individuals. They file the paperwork so you are not translating forms at a police counter.
Kelly McCoy
Albania Local Guide
Kelly moved to Durres in 2024 with a large restricted-breed dog and a cat. She helps with what to handle before you leave the States, finding a place to land, and getting plugged into the expat groups once you arrive.
Albania Type D questions, answered
What happens if I just overstay the free year?
The embassy lists removal, a five-year entry ban, fines and detention as possible outcomes, and notes that dual-national families have been fined for overstays. To restart the clock legally you must leave Albania and stay out at least 90 days. Short trips out do not reset it.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Albania's schedule puts the Type D fee at about $90, though published figures run from roughly 50 to 150 euros depending on nationality, so check e-visa.al before you pay. Decisions usually land within 30 days. The residence permit that follows is commonly cited at 30 to 60 days, with a legal ceiling of 12 weeks.
What income do I need to show?
Albania has never fixed one figure in law. For the remote work category, published guidance ranges from about 450 euros a month up to roughly $815 a month, and some offices simply compare your income to the national minimum wage. Show steady, documented income from outside Albania and budget more than the floor. Sources disagree on the figure, so confirm what your regional office expects before you file.
Do Americans need Albania's Long-Stay Visa (Type D)?
Usually not. The US Embassy in Tirana says US citizens need no visa and may stay up to one year without a residence permit. You need the Type D route if you are not visa-exempt, or if you want to arrive with long-term status already approved. Working or studying still requires a permit, no matter how short your stay.
Does it lead to permanent residency or citizenship?
Yes, slowly. Permits run one year, then a one-year renewal, then you can apply for a five-year permit. Permanent residence comes after five continuous years of legal residency. Naturalization is a longer road, generally seven years of continuous legal residence plus the usual language and integration tests.
Will I owe Albanian tax if I move there?
Spend more than 183 days in Albania and you are a tax resident on worldwide income. Employment income is taxed at 13 percent up to about 2 million lek a year and 23 percent above it. Self-employed people and commercial individuals earning up to 14 million lek a year pay 0 percent until the end of 2029. There is no US-Albania tax treaty, so Americans still file at home and lean on the foreign earned income exclusion or the foreign tax credit.
Can I work in Albania on this visa?
Only with the matching permit. The Unique Permit combines work and residence in one biometric card, and the remote work category limits you to employers and clients based outside Albania. Taking on Albanian clients or a local job means a different permit category and, for most employers, a labour market test.
What is the Type D visa actually for?
It is Albania's long-stay visa for stays over 90 days, and it is the legal prerequisite for a residence permit if your passport needs a visa. Purposes include work, study, family reunification, remote work and retirement. It does not by itself let you settle. You still file for the Unique Permit after you arrive.
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