Unique Permit for Digital Nomads

Albania's unique permit combines residence and work authorisation for people working remotely for employers or clients outside Albania. It is issued for one year and can be renewed annually, up to five years. The law requires sufficient income rather than a fixed published threshold, and the figures quoted by consultancies are modest by European standards. You need health insurance, a clean record and proof of accommodation, and you cannot work for Albanian employers.

Broadly open, but consulates assess each application case by case.

• Remote work for employers or clients abroadRequiredYou must work remotely, using telecommunications technology, for an employer or clients registered outside Albania.
• Sufficient incomeInfoYou must show sufficient income from remote work for the stay. No fixed amount is published in the law; consulates assess it case by case, and bank statements for the last year are standard evidence.
• Employment or service contractRequiredA contract with a foreign employer, or service agreements with foreign clients, showing the remote nature of the work.
• Health insurance covering the stayRequiredHealth insurance valid in Albania for at least one year.
• Clean criminal recordRequiredA criminal record certificate from your country of residence, apostilled and translated.

• Passport
• Employment contract or client agreements with foreign entities
• Bank statements
• Proof of accommodation in Albania
• Health insurance
• Criminal record certificate
• Passport photograph

1. Apply on e-Albania

   ~1 day

   File the unique permit application online, from abroad or within the visa-free period.

   1

2. Biometrics and approval

   ~45 days

   Attend the regional border and migration office for biometrics once the file is reviewed.

   2

3. Collect the permit card

   ~14 days

   Collect the residence card and register your address.

   3

Renewable each year, up to five years in total, while the conditions are met.

• Apply before your visa-free period runs out
• Open an Albanian bank account early, as some offices ask for it
• Income expectations vary between offices because no fixed amount is published
• Processing can take longer than advertised

• e-Albania government services portalGovernment of Albania2026-10-12
• EY digital nomad and remote work guide, July 2026EY2026-10-12