Albania Digital Nomad Visa 2023: Application and Requirements

The Albania Digital Nomad Visa is an immigration long-term permit that allows you to work remotely from the Republic of Albania for a foreign worker, either company or client, for the long term. 

The application is completely online as the government has a top-notch system that not many other countries have. The system has the following advantages:

• It eases remote applications 
• It prevents the waste of paper
• It secures your information online

Read more in this article about the Albania Digital Nomad Visa 2023: Application and Requirements. 

What are the requirements to apply for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

For the Albania Digital Nomad Visa and the majority of the Digital Nomad Visas, you need to comply with three requirements:

1. Be of a nationality that can acquire a long-term visa in the country
2. Be able to work remotely for a FOREIGN employer using information technology
3. Have the minimum income requirements fulfilled

Note: There is yet no announcement of the minimum income requirement for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa. 

What documents do I need to apply for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

These are the documents that you need to gather in order to apply for Albania’s Digital Nomad Visa:

• You must fill in the visa application form. It is available for free, and it must be completed on the online system. 
• You need a photograph of yourself with the sizes 47 mm x 36 mm.
• You need a photocopy of your passport or any other valid travel document.
• You need to show a valid employment contract with a foreign employer, a service contract with a contractor, or a client. It must state that you are allowed to work with information technology equipment. 
• You must show documentation that you have accommodation secured in Albania.
• You need to show a document that proves your professional activity and commercial ability in your country. It must be related to the motives of your visa application if it is a Type D (long-term) visa. 
• You must have a residence permit of more than 12 months from your country of residence, with a validity period of at least 3 additional months than the duration period of the required visa. 
• You need to show the full bank statement showing the money transactions in your account in the last 12 months.

Note: Governments can always ask you for proof of health insurance to cover any unfortunate events or repatriation. See an option here and stay covered in Albania. 

You can learn more about which documents to submit on the official e-visa application site from Albania.

How do I apply for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

These are the steps to apply for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa:

1. You must submit the online application here. 
2. Your documents (list above) need to be translated into Albanian or English, and any official documentation needs to be legalized.
3. Your application will be pre-verified by the consulate. If it is correct, you will receive a payment fee request. If it has irregularities, you will be able to resubmit, but if you do not fulfill the criteria, your visa will be rejected. 
4. Once you pay the visa fee, you will be notified via email that the application is in the “evaluation stage”.

Note: Remember that government fees are not refundable.

If your visa is approved, the system will generate your e-visa, and you will be able to enter the Republic of Albania.

How long is the Albania Digital Nomad Visa for?

The Unique Permit or Digital Nomad Visa for Albania is issued for foreign citizens who want to stay in the Republic of Albania for more than 90 days within 180 days. Such a visa is issued with one-year validity, for a residence period of 90 days, but not for more than 180 days, calculated from the day of first entry, with one, two, or more entry-exit. The visa gives the Digital Nomad the right to obtain a unique residence permit in Albania, which can be renewed.

The authority responsible for the border and migration may extend the period of stay specified in the issued visa, if the foreigner requests an extension of the stay before the end of the valid period of stay, only for serious personal reasons, motives that are evaluated of particular importance, force majeure or humanitarian, when the foreigner did not have the opportunity to leave the territory of the Republic of Albania before the end of the allowed period.

On 07.07.2023, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania adopted the Decision "On the determination of entry, residence, and employment in the Republic of Albania of foreign nationals, employees of an IT company". The Decision, which implements the provisions of Law no. 79/2021 “On foreigners” determines the entry, stay, and employment of foreigners in the Republic of Albania, who are employees of an Information Technology Company. According to this Decision, a foreign national who, at the time of crossing any of the border crossing points during entry into the territory of Albania, proves that will be employed by an IT company through a declaration issued by the company itself has the right to enter without a visa and stay without a unique permit in the Republic of Albania for a period of up to 1 year.

What is the minimum income for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

The law provides that at the moment of application for a unique residence permit, the digital nomad must possess at least 408,000 ALL, approximately EUR 4,000. As for the minimum income, to the best of our verified experts' knowledge, such income must not be less than the minimum salary in Albania (currently 213.50 EUR).

Can I get visa help for my Albania Digital Nomad Visa application?

Yes. Visadb has the best immigration experts to help you stay in Albania for the long term. You can chat with them to book a consultation below.

Melisa Panariti

Register Business

Business Incorporation in Albania for Foreigners

Consultation

Free

,

Administrative fees (translation, notary, government fees etc)

$ 50 - $ 150

,

Professional Fees

$ 850 - $ 1200

Melisa Panariti

Immigration & Residency

Albania Residence Service for Digital Nomads

Govt. fee

$ 50 - $ 200

,

Consultation Call

Free

,

Professional Fees

$ 450 - $ 700

Melisa Panariti

Immigration & Residency

Albania Work Permit Service (Approval from AKPA)

Consultation Call

Free

,

Administrative expenses

$ 100 - $ 150

,

Professional Fees

$ 120 - $ 240

Jene Sheraj

Immigration & Residency

Apostille documents in Albania

Consultation Call

Free

Do I have to pay taxes on the Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

To the best of our verified Experts' knowledge, Digital Nomads are taxed for all income generated in the territory of Albania. Tax levels vary based on personal income.

How far in advance should I apply for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

You must apply for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa at least 90 days before your intended date of travel.

How long is the processing time for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

The processing time for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa goes from 15 to 30 days.

Can I apply for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa inside of Albania?

No. You need to apply for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa from outside of Albania. 

What other information should I need about applying for the Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

• If you were invited by an Albanian Host, you can download the invitation letter here.
• If you do not pay the visa fee within 15 days, your application will not be valid anymore.
• You can reapply for the Digital Nomad Visa for Albania if you got a rejection after three months, or immediately if you exhausted all the appeal procedures. 
• If you have double citizenship, the passport with which you enter Albania must be the same passport you used for your visa application. 

What can I do if they reject my Albania Digital Nomad Visa?

You have the right to appeal against the decision of refusal or annulment with the relevant arguments and evidence. You need to contact the following address: [email protected]. 

What you need to know about living in Albania as a digital nomad

Where is Albania located?

Albania is located in the Mediterranean Sea below Montenegro and above Greece. You can easily access Italy by the ferry lines that take from Vlöre and Dürres. You can also easily access Kosovo and North Macedonia.

Do US and Canadian citizens need a tourist visa to enter Albania?

Several countries do not need any extra permit to enter Albania under 90 days, including the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and several other nations.

What are the best cities to live in Albania as a digital nomad?

Albania has everything from beach towns to castles to mountains and much more. There are five popular cities that digital nomads love in Albania:

• Tirana: The capital city of Albania is a vibrant city with museums, attractions, and castles. 
• Vlöre: Vlöre is an incredible coastal town with Miami vibes with an incredibly affordable cost of living. It is the starting point of the Albanian Riviera.
• Sarandë: The summer months cover Saranda in an incredibly vibrant scene because of its beaches.
• Korça: If you are looking for a cultural scene, set off for Korca. It has a cultural and aristocratic scenery for you to discover. 
• Durres: Durrës is the biggest seaport in the country of Albania, and also the most ancient city in the Republic. It is really close to Greece, so if you have the visa permits, you could do a quick weekend getaway.

Albania has everything that digital nomads love: community, beach sceneries, mountains, accessible locations for weekend getaways, cheap cost of living, and much more. 

What currency is used in Albania?

In Albania, they use the Albanian Lek (ALL) which is divided into 100s. 100 Albanian Leks are approximately 1.05 USD.

Is there a good digital nomad community in Albania?

Yes! The nomad hubs are Tirana, Vlöre and Dürres. Get in touch with other digital nomads in Albania in the biggest digital nomad community on Facebook, Digital Nomads Around the World.

References: You can learn more about which documents to submit on the official e-visa application site from Albania.