Albania entry requirements for US citizens

How long you can stay

Up to 365 days per visit.

What you need

• Passport valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure from Albania and issued within the last 10 years
• Return/onward ticket (may be requested)
• Confirmation of accommodation (may be requested)
• International certificate of vaccination if arriving from a country affected by an epidemic disease

Good to know

The U.S. Embassy in Tirana states directly: "U.S. citizens do not need a visa to enter the Republic of Albania; U.S. citizens generally are allowed to stay in Albania for up to one year without a residence permit." This is a long-standing bilateral arrangement, far more generous than the 90/180-day rule most other nationalities get. To "restart the clock" on the one-year limit you must leave Albania and stay out for at least 90 days; shorter trips abroad do not reset it. Staying beyond one year, taking a job, or enrolling in school requires a residence permit. Passport validity: Albania's own visa rules for foreigners (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, "Regjimi i vizave për të huajt", section II: https://punetejashtme.gov.al/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/II-NR.3-REGJIMI-I-VIZAVE-PER-TE-HUAJT-INFO-PER-TE-HUAJT.pdf, checked 2026-10-18) require at least 3 months after the date you leave, and issue within the last 10 years. The U.S. Embassy says "at least three months of remaining validity" and recommends six months from your planned departure.

Source U.S. Embassy in Albania — Entering and ResidingChecked against the source on 2026-10-18