Albania
Located just a few miles away from the shores of EU Member State Italy, Albania is a firm cultural and economic ally to EU and Schengen Area Countries. These great bonds between Albania and the Schengen Area Countries have favored the acquisition of Visa Waiver rights for Albanians visiting Europe since the early 2000’s.
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ETIAS for Albanians: core details
Albanian Nationals are eligible for ETIAS starting from 2025
Applicants must possess a valid Albania biometric passport
Electronic application and delivery system
Duration of stay in the ETIAS Member Countries must never exceed 90 days within 6 months.
ETIAS as a necessary prerequisite for trips, towards a total of 34 countries across Europe, whose purpose is either commerce and trade, tourism and family/friends visit, transit or medical therapy
EU-Albania relations
Located just a few miles away from the shores of EU Member State Italy, Albania is a firm cultural and economic ally to EU and Schengen Area Countries. Geographically situated in Europe but not belonging to the European Union itself Albania has been both in ancient and recent times a gateway for commercial and cultural exchange from the East and the West of the world.
One of the youngest and fastest growing countries in the world Albania proved itself to be a dynamic and yet reliable power.
These great bonds between Albania and the Schengen Area Countries have favored the acquisition of Visa Waiver rights for Albanians visiting Europe since the early 2000’s.
On the verge of ETIAS System becoming fully operational the diplomatic ties between the two sides are expected to become even more deep-rooted and mutually beneficial.What will change with ETIAS?
Beginning from 2025, Albania Nationals will indeed be eligible for ETIAS as long as their trip to the Schengen Area will be for either tourism, business, transit or medical treatment and with a stay never exceeding 90 days out of every 6 months.
Same as other ETIAS Eligible Countries, Albanians will have to digitally input a series of data to forward their applications. Such data include personal information, contact details, information about the first planned trip to ETIAS Area and background questions.
To proceed with the final application submission all inputted data will have to be re-checked and confirmed to finally proceed to the payment of the due ETIAS taxes.
The outcome of the ETIAS request will then be available, in most cases, within 3 days and directly sent via e-mail to each of the candidates.Validity of ETIAS Visa Waiver
Once issued the ETIAS Visa Waiver to Albanian passport holders is valid for 3 years and allows for multiple entries in any of the 34 countries that participate in the scheme.
In case of application made with a passport with less of 3 years of remaining validity the ETIAS will cease to be valid on the same date as the passport.
It is very important to notice that applicants from Albania must be in possession of a valid biometric passport in order to submit an ETIAS application.
Those who do not hold such kind of passport are required to apply for a Visa at the relevant Consulate of the Schengen Country they wish to visit.
Also, it is important to remember that upon travelling the passport must always have at least 3 months of remaining validity counting from the date they plan to leave the ETIAS Area.ETIAS – active destinations
Citizens of Albania whose travel meets with all the duration, purpose and passport type eligibility criteria are required to hold a valid ETIAS regardless of the place of origin of their journey provided that they do not already possess a valid Schengen Visa, or a Permit of Stay issued by any of the current 27 Schengen Member Countries or any of the 4 de facto Members (Andorra, San Marino, Vatican City State and Monaco).
At this link is available the full list of countries that require Albanian eligible visitors to have a valid ETIAS.
It must be highlighted that not all European or European Union Member Countries are part of the Schengen Area and that European Countries not belonging to such area have different immigration rules that might imply the need to obtain a Consular Visa.ETIAS Area entering procedures
Obtaining the Visa Waiver will simplify but not eliminate border controls upon arrival in the ETIAS Area for Albanian visitors. Upon arrival at the land, air or sea external borders all ETIAS travelers from Albania will indeed be subject to passport control and security check. Although such procedure will, in the majority of cases, be swift, in some case border officers can decide to verify the genuine intentions and journey plans of the Albanian visitors. To this extent all travelers are recommended to be always prepared to answer basic questions about their travel schedule and to have available additional documents such as proof of having sufficient funds to support the entire trip in the ETIAS Area, return ticket to the country of origin or any other paper that would help officers in assessing the purpose of the trip.