Who qualifies for Albanian citizenship by descent
Child of an Albanian citizen: Albanian, registered through the civil status office. Descendant of a person of Albanian origin up to great-grandchild: acquisition by origin, without residence, through e-Albania. Dual citizenship is allowed.
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Up to great-grandchildren, without residence
Law No. 113/2020 lets foreign nationals of Albanian origin up to the third degree in the direct line acquire Albanian citizenship without living in Albania. In practice: if a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent was of Albanian origin and you can document the line, you can apply. The law covers ethnic Albanians from neighbouring countries too.
Sources: Law No. 113/2020 on Albanian Citizenship (English — GLOBALCIT)
Apply through e-Albania, not the embassy
Albania's embassies state that they don't process citizenship applications: applications are made in Albania or online on e-Albania. Children born abroad to Albanian citizens are registered at the civil status office where the parents are registered, through the embassy or directly in Albania.
Sources: Embassy of Albania (UK) — frequently asked questions · e-Albania — government services portal
Records
Albanian civil-status records from the communist period (1944–1991) can be fragmentary, and families who fled sometimes changed names. Start with the family certificate (certifikatë familjare) from the civil status office, and use the General Directorate of Archives for older records.
Step by step
1. Get the family certificate (certifikatë familjare) and birth record of your Albanian ancestor from the civil status office, or through e-Albania. 2. Collect birth and marriage certificates linking each generation, apostilled and translated into Albanian. 3. Get a criminal record certificate. 4. Apply on e-Albania (or at the relevant office in Albania) for acquisition by origin. The Ministry of Interior decides; you're then registered as a citizen and can apply for an Albanian passport.
Ethnic Albanians from neighbouring countries
The 2020 law speaks of Albanian origin, not Albanian citizenship, so ethnic Albanians whose families came from Kosovo, North Macedonia or Montenegro can use the route if they can document their origin up to the third degree. Kosovo citizens can also hold Kosovo citizenship alongside Albanian.
Worked examples
Drita's great-grandfather was born in Korçë and emigrated to the US in 1915. With the linking birth records, Drita can apply for Albanian citizenship by origin on e-Albania, without moving to Albania.
Leon's Albanian ancestor is a great-great-grandfather. That's beyond the third degree, so Leon would need a closer relative — such as his parent — to acquire citizenship first.
Albanian requirements at a glance
- An Albanian parent — or an ancestor of Albanian origin up to great-grandparent
- Documents proving the direct line and the ancestor's Albanian origin
- Application in Albania or via e-Albania (embassies don't process citizenship applications)
Documents for an Albanian claim
- 1Your birth certificate, apostilled and translated into Albanian
- 2Your ancestor's Albanian civil-status records (birth, family certificate)
- 3Birth and marriage certificates linking each generation
- 4Passport and criminal record certificate
Albanian processing times
Children of Albanian citizens are registered through the civil status office where the parents are registered. Acquisition by origin is decided by the Ministry of Interior after an e-Albania application.
Where Albanian claims go wrong
- Using the old 1998 law's rules — Law 113/2020 replaced them
- Applying at an embassy — citizenship applications go through e-Albania or offices in Albania
- Ancestors further back than a great-grandparent don't qualify on their own
Official Albanian government sources
Albanian citizenship FAQ
Q1My great-grandfather was Albanian. Do I qualify?
Yes, if you can document the line: Law 113/2020 covers people of Albanian origin up to the third degree.
Q2Do I need to live in Albania?
No, not for acquisition by origin.
Q3Can I apply at the embassy?
No. Applications go through e-Albania or offices in Albania.
Q4Can I keep my other citizenship?
Yes. Albania allows dual citizenship.
Q5Do I need to speak Albanian?
Acquisition by origin under Law 113/2020 doesn't require residence; check with the Ministry of Interior whether any language assessment applies to your file.
Albanian nationality law
Law No. 113/2020 'On Citizenship', which replaced Law No. 8389 of 1998.
Dual citizenship in Albania
Albania allows dual and multiple citizenship.
Albanian application costs
State fees are payable through e-Albania; translations and apostilles are extra.