Visitors to Albania must obtain a visa from one of the Albanian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or are qualified for visa-free entry.[1][2]
Entering with a passport is required. Citizens from certain countries or territories, however, are eligible for visa-free travel with only their ID cards in lieu of their passports.[3] Passports must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of arrival.[4]
The visa policy of Albania is based on the by Law Nr. 108/2013 “On foreign citizens”, amended and the Decision of the Council of Ministers Nr. 513/2013 “On criteria and procedures for entry, stay and treatment of foreign citizens”, amended.
Holders of passports (or in certain cases ID cards) of the following 88 jurisdictions can enter Albania without a visa for a maximum stay of 90 days (unless otherwise noted):[5][1]
1 - may enter using a national ID card or Irish passport card. 2 - allowed to stay for 30 days without a visa. [6] 3 - citizens of these countries or territories staying for more than 90 days within 180 days are required to obtain a type "D" visa. 4 - countries whose citizens can enter without visas due to the "visa liberalization
with the Schengen area". 5 - allowed to stay for 1 year without a visa.
Substitute visas
Any visitor who holds a valid, multiple-entry and previously used visa or a residence permit issued by a Schengen area country, United States, or the United Kingdom can enter Albania without a visa for 90 days. Visa must have been used at least once before arrival to Albania. The visa exemption also applies to valid Green Card holders, holders of resident permits issued by a Schengen country, or holders of refugee and stateless travel documents issued by an EU or EFTA member state. (And there are some more visa exemptions.)[1][7][8][9][10]
Visitors of Albanian ethnicity do not require a visa to enter Albania for a maximum stay of 90 days within 180 days.
Recent and future changes
• A visa waiver agreement for all passports was signed with Kazakhstan, September 2022 and it is yet to enter into force. [11]
• A visa waiver agreement for ordinary passports was signed with United Arab Emirates, February 2023 and it is yet to enter into force. [12]
Citizens of the countries requiring visas should apply at the following diplomatic missions of Albania (citizens of countries without an assigned embassy should contact the geographically nearest diplomatic mission):[13]
^"Visa regime for foreign citizens". punetejashtme.gov.al. Retrieved 2022-10-23. CAN ENTER ALBANIA WITHOUT A VISA: — Foreign citizens who have a valid, multiple-entry Schengen visa, which has been previously used in one of the Schengen states, or foreign citizens who have a valid permit of stay in one of the Schengen states; — Foreign citizens who have a valid, multiple-entry US or UK visa, which has been previously used in the respective country of issuance, or have valid permit of stay in the US or UK.
1British Overseas Territories.
2 These countries span the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia.
3 Partially recognized.
4Unincorporated territory of the United States.
5 Part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
6Egypt spans the boundary between Africa and Asia.
Albania • 
