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The Albanian e-Visa is a genuine electronic visa — not a simple travel authorisation — issued by the migration authorities of the Republic of Albania. It replaces the physical submission of an application to an embassy for the vast majority of nationalities subject to a visa requirement. The entire procedure takes place online from your country of residence, but it remains a serious administrative process: a processing time of 15 to 30 working days, specific documents to provide, and consular fees that are non-refundable in the event of a refusal. Submit your application at least 30 to 45 days before your departure.
01 · The essentials
The e-Visa application is completed entirely online from your country of residence — no physical submission to an embassy is required.
Albania does not issue visas on arrival: any traveller subject to a visa requirement must obtain their e-Visa before departure.
Airport transit (type A), short stay single entry (type C) or multiple entries (type C) — three e-Visa types depending on the nature of the trip.
The Albanian e-Visa exists in two main categories: the type A visa (airport transit) and the type C visa (short stay of 90 days). The latter can be issued for single or multiple entries, depending on the nature and frequency of your travel. Accepted purposes include tourism, business, conferences, short-term studies, medical care, family visits, cultural or sporting events, and transit.
The application must be submitted from abroad, before your arrival on Albanian territory. There is no visa on arrival in Albania: presenting yourself at the border without a prior visa, if one is required, will result in immediate refusal of entry.
Albania does not use the euro. The local currency is the Albanian lek (ALL). The exchange rate is approximately 100 ALL per 1 EUR (approximate rate). Plan to exchange cash upon arrival or at currency exchange offices in major cities: most Balkan countries outside Croatia do not accept the euro in everyday transactions.
02 · Eligibility
Albania applies a very flexible visa exemption policy for many nationalities. Before submitting an application, check whether you fall into one of the exempt categories: if so, your passport alone is sufficient to enter the territory.
The following are exempt from a visa for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period:
These "equivalence" exemptions grant the same 90 days in any 180-day period as the nationality-based exemptions. The document you rely on must remain valid throughout your stay and be shown at border control — it is what gets you across the border. Holders of a Schengen, Cypriot, Irish, British or US residence permit may in addition apply to extend their stay on arrival with the Albanian authorities.
Beyond 90 days, the exemption is no longer enough. With the exception of US nationals (1 year) and a few special cases, any stay exceeding 90 days requires a national "D" visa from the Albanian authorities, followed by a residence permit. Exit-and-return trips designed to reset the 90-day counter are not accepted.
Visa-exempt. A valid national identity card or passport is sufficient for a stay of up to 90 days.
Exemption from the e-Visa if the multiple-entry visa has already been used at least once in the issuing country, or if you hold a valid residence permit from one of those countries. A single-entry visa is not enough.
A unique bilateral regime: US nationals may stay 365 days with no visa and no residence permit. After that, 90 days spent outside Albania are required before any return.
It is mainly continental Africa (apart from Mauritius and Seychelles), South Asia and part of South-East Asia that remain subject to the e-Visa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam… A complete application is then required.
Contrary to a common belief, almost all of Latin America, plus China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Türkiye, the UAE and Kuwait enter visa-free for 90 days within 180. Check your nationality before paying for any application.
Exempt from consular fees. Between 6 and 12 years old, fees are reduced by half compared to the adult rate.
Certain countries benefit from temporary exemptions decided each year by Albanian decree, particularly during the summer season (as has been the case for Tunisia in certain years). In 2026, only nationals of Saudi Arabia and Qatar are exempt from the visa requirement for tourist stays, from 15 April to 31 December 2026. Beware: the 2025 round also covered Oman, Thailand and Indonesia — those three nationalities have not been renewed for 2026 and are subject to the e-Visa again. These exemptions are not permanent and may be suspended. Check the situation for your nationality with the Albanian embassy or through your Visamundi account at the time of your application.
03 · Required documents
The exact list of documents varies depending on the visa category and the applicant's nationality. However, a common documentary base applies to the vast majority of applications. All documents not written in Albanian or English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
A photograph that does not meet biometric standards, a poor-quality scan, or a missing supporting document are the most frequent causes of refusal or requests for additional documents — resulting in longer processing times and the risk of a final refusal without reimbursement of consular fees.
Certain nationalities are subject to in-depth review by the Albanian authorities. Additional documents may be requested: criminal record extract, detailed employer certificate, bank statements for the last 3 months, copies of previous Schengen or US visas. A personalised assessment allows these requirements to be anticipated from the very start of the process.
04 · The procedure
Confirm that your nationality is indeed subject to a visa requirement (and not exempt). Identify the visa category suited to your purpose of travel: transit (type A) or short stay (type C, single or multiple entries).
Prepare all the supporting documents listed above. Check the quality of your scans and the compliance of your biometric photograph. Have any documents written in a language other than English or Albanian translated.
The official form is submitted on the portal, in English and Albanian. Each field must be filled in accurately: an incorrect date, an improperly completed field, or a poorly scanned document can lead to a final refusal.
After submission, the authorities carry out an initial admissibility review. Only once this step is completed will you be asked to pay the consular fees. The processing time begins from the date of payment.
Consular fees vary depending on nationality and visa category. They are collected directly by the Albanian administration and are non-refundable, even in the event of a final refusal. Consult the official fee schedule on the website.
The Albanian authorities process the application within 15 to 30 working days. This period may be extended during peak season (spring-summer) or if additional documents are requested. It is prohibited to contact the administration on your own initiative: any communication must come from the embassy.
In the event of a favourable decision, the e-Visa is sent in digital format. Print it out and keep it with your passport. Present it at check-in and at border control upon your arrival in Albania.
Submit your application at least 30 to 45 days before your departure, to accommodate any additional delays caused by requests for supplementary documents.
Unlike most visa procedures, Albanian consular fees are payable after an initial admissibility review of the application by the authorities. You will only be invited to pay once this preliminary check has been completed. However, the fees remain non-refundable in the event of a refusal during the in-depth processing stage: the quality of the initial application is therefore decisive.
05 · Fees & validity
The cost of an Albanian e-Visa is made up of two independent components. On one hand, the consular fees, set by the Albanian government and collected directly via the official portal — the amount varies depending on the applicant's nationality and the visa category. On the other hand, the service fees of a specialist agency that assists the traveller throughout the process.
As a guide, the consular fees shown on the available application forms are €25 for transit (type A), €25 for the 90-day single-entry visa (type C), and €80 for the 90-day multiple-entry visa. These amounts correspond to an average schedule: the definitive fee applicable to your nationality is set out in the official Albanian documentation.
Once issued, the e-Visa is valid for 180 days from the date of issue. This means you have a six-month window in which to make your first border crossing. The effective length of stay remains limited to 90 days maximum over any rolling 180-day period — in line with the international commitments made by Albania as part of its European integration process.
An issued visa does not automatically guarantee entry to the territory: border police retain a discretionary power at the checkpoint. Always present your proof of accommodation, your return ticket, your insurance certificate and your proof of financial means at every border crossing.
Main entry points:
The Albanian e-Visa is only valid for the Republic of Albania. It does not authorise entry into Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or any other neighbouring country. For neighbouring countries, check the entry requirements applicable to your nationality separately. Note that Kosovo accepts, for certain nationalities, Schengen, US and UK visas in lieu of a national visa.
06 · Before you leave
Albania is one of Europe's most contrasting and least visited destinations. Its coastline stretches for nearly 450 kilometres between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea. Its mountain ranges reach over 2,700 metres in the Albanian Alps. Its historical heritage bears the traces of successive civilisations: Illyrian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman.
Tirana is known for the colourful architecture of the Blloku quarter, its national history museum and the Bunk'Art memorial dedicated to the legacy of communist dictatorship. Berat and Gjirokastër, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, offer a striking panorama of Ottoman architecture. The Albanian Riviera — from Vlorë to Sarandë, with its turquoise beaches at Ksamil, Dhërmi and Himara — now rivals the Croatian coast, at prices that are still very affordable.
Albanian lek (ALL). Approximately 100 ALL per 1 EUR. The euro is not accepted in everyday transactions. Use official currency exchange offices.
Albanian. French is rarely spoken; English and Italian are more widely understood in tourist areas.
Berat and Gjirokastër (historic towns) and Butrint National Park (a unique archaeological site with 2,000 years of history) are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Albania lends itself to a regional itinerary with Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia. Plan the necessary visas for each country separately.
The Albanian e-Visa is a full electronic visa subject to substantive administrative processing. The official processing time of 15 to 30 working days makes it essential to apply well in advance. The distinctive feature of the Albanian procedure is that consular fees are payable after an initial admissibility check — but these fees remain non-refundable in the event of a final refusal. Documentary rigour is therefore essential from the very first submission. Once the e-Visa is obtained, it opens access to a remarkably diverse country: sea, mountains, UNESCO-listed sites and Mediterranean cuisine, in one of Europe's most affordable destinations.
Safety
The vigilance level recommended by five foreign ministries, on a shared scale.
Average level
Crime is the only risk cited; France limits heightened vigilance to certain areas, with no specific threat elsewhere in the country.
US Department of StateAdvice dated August 26, 2026
Increased caution · Albania - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Global Affairs CanadaAdvice dated September 9, 2026
Normal precautions · Albania — Exercise normal security precautions
German Federal Foreign OfficeAdvice dated August 21, 2026
Normal precautions · Albania: Travel and Security Advice
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Advice dated August 13, 2026
Normal precautions · Albania travel advice
France DiplomatieAdvice dated June 30, 2026
Normal precautions · Albania: Travel Advisory
Levels published by the ministries cited, reproduced unchanged. Visamundi is a private agency with no ties to these administrations.
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