Moving to Albania

The right to stay

Many nationalities can enter visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180. Albania has also applied longer seasonal allowances to some nationalities in some years. Staying beyond the visa-free period requires a residence permit, applied for through the state e-Albania portal and the border and migration authorities.

Common grounds are employment, self-employment, study, family reunification, property ownership and, since 2022, a specific unique-employee/digital-nomad route. Requirements, fees and processing times change.

Housing

Long lets are usually agreed in euros in Tirana and the coastal towns, often informally and often furnished. Written contracts are not universal and registering a lease matters for residence applications — ask for one in writing regardless of local practice.

Foreigners may generally buy built property; agricultural land is more restricted. See the property guide for the transaction process and the specific cautions.

Banking, utilities, health

Opening a resident account normally requires a residence permit or a registered address, plus your passport and, in practice, patience. Utilities are transferred at the local offices of the electricity and water companies, usually in person.

Public healthcare is available to registered residents contributing to the scheme; most foreign residents also carry private insurance and use private clinics in Tirana. See the healthcare page.

What people underestimate

• Bureaucracy is in Albanian and generally in person. Budget time, or use an agent.
• Water and power interruptions are more common outside Tirana than newcomers expect.
• Winter on the coast is wet and much of the tourist infrastructure closes.
• Documents from abroad usually need apostille and certified Albanian translation.
• Driving-licence exchange rules depend on your country of issue — check early.