Albania has a working permit for remote workers: the unique permit for mobile digital workers under Article 68 of Law 79/2021, and the Interior Ministry’s own procedure page lists it, with the application on e-Albania. You need proof of 32,000 lek a month per person (about EUR 348 on 2 Oct 2026) or a bank deposit certificate of at least 300,000 lek per person, a contract with an employer or client outside Albania, a year of health insurance and a criminal record certificate. The first-time service fee is 4,500 lek. Checked 2 Oct 2026; the Ministry’s details are in Albanian, so the tables below translate them.
What the official sources say
| Item | Official statement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Law No. 79/2021 On Aliens, Art. 68; procedure in Council of Ministers Decision (VKM) 858/2021 | Ministry page, law |
| Who | A foreigner who works remotely for an employer or client outside Albania, with no fixed seat for the work | Art. 68 and Ministry page |
| Income proof | Monthly income certificate of at least 32,000 lek per person, or a bank deposit certificate of at least 300,000 lek per person for one calendar year, in a second-tier bank in Albania (personal or family) | Ministry page |
| Duration | Up to one year the first time, when the foreigner is already lawfully in Albania | Art. 68, Ministry page |
| Fee | 4,500 lek first application, 2,250 lek renewal; the biometric card is paid separately and its price is not on the page | Ministry page (Annex 6 of VKM 858/2021) |
| US, EU and Kosovo citizens | A first permit with a 5-year term, service fee 12,000 lek | Ministry page |
| Processing | Review and issue within 4 to 12 weeks of application; an electronic provisional permit within 5 days of the request being accepted | Ministry page |
| Visa | Citizens who need a visa apply for type D / D/LD; the visa decision takes up to 15 days, extendable to 30 in exceptional cases | Ministry page |
| Insurance | A health insurance policy valid for at least one year | Ministry page |
| Other documents | Passport, application form, photo, proof of accommodation, criminal record certificate from the country of origin; foreign documents translated into Albanian, issued within the last 6 months and legalised | Ministry page |
| How to apply | Online on e-Albania (service 15146) by the foreigner, the employer or an authorised person; from abroad or from inside Albania when staying lawfully | Ministry page |
| After approval | Register the home address at the civil registry within 30 days, post the originals, pay for the biometric card, give fingerprints in person, collect the card | Ministry page |
In euro at a stated date
Converted at the Bank of Albania rate of 2 Oct 2026 (EUR 1 = 91.98 lek; our arithmetic, rounded):
| Item | Lek | About EUR |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly income proof | 32,000 | 348 |
| Deposit alternative | 300,000 | 3,262 |
| First-time fee | 4,500 | 49 |
| Renewal fee | 2,250 | 24 |
| Five-year permit (US, EU, Kosovo) | 12,000 | 130 |
At 32,000 lek a month, this is the lowest official income bar in the tracker; see the ranking of lowest-income visas. The amount is per person, so a couple needs it twice. The statute lets a holder request family reunification when its conditions are met.
Is it really in force? The conflicting claims
| Claim seen on other sites | What the official sources show |
|---|---|
| The proposal “stalled in 2022” and has not been approved | The law has an Art. 68 permit and the Ministry’s current procedure page, with a fee, form annex and e-Albania code, lists it. The claim was not found on any official page. |
| A minimum of about EUR 338 a month | The official figure is 32,000 lek, about EUR 348 at the rate above; the euro figure on aggregator sites is a conversion at some other rate. |
| A 50,000 lek monthly minimum from April 2026 | Not on the Ministry page, which still says 32,000. The amendment decision we could trace (VKM 240 of 1 April 2026) concerns provisional permits and domestic-worker permits and, in its consultation draft, keeps the 300,000 lek deposit. Treat the claim as unconfirmed and re-read the page before filing. |
What the permit does not do
- It is not a tax break. Albania’s tax residency test, per PwC’s summary reviewed 22 July 2026, is more than 183 days in a calendar year or a permanent home; the summary does not describe foreign-income treatment. See the tax residency table. Nothing here is tax advice.
- It is not permission to work for Albanian clients: the permit is for work for someone outside Albania.
- It does not remove the need for a type D visa where your nationality requires one; the Ministry page points to Annex 3 of VKM 858/2021 for the list of countries.
Checklist before applying
- Re-open the Ministry page on the day you file: the amounts and fees sit in a decision that can be amended.
- Get a contract or service agreement with a party outside Albania that shows remote work.
- Choose the income route: a certificate showing 32,000 lek a month per person, or a 300,000 lek deposit certificate from an Albanian bank.
- Buy health insurance valid for at least a year; the insurance comparison sets out three plans.
- Order the criminal record certificate, translate and legalise it, and keep it under 6 months old.
- Plan 4 to 12 weeks, plus the in-person fingerprint step at a regional migration office.
Method
Read from the Ministry of Interior procedure page in a browser on 2 Oct 2026 (Albanian text, translated here), against Law 79/2021 in English from the same ministry. The e-Albania application itself needs an account and was not opened. The biometric card price, renewal limits and tax treatment are not stated on the pages read. Exchange rate from the Bank of Albania, 2 Oct 2026. Re-checked every 30 days. This is general information, not immigration advice.