Kosovars' interest in receiving Albanian passport grows

Year after year, demand for Albanian citizenship is increasing. Official data shows that compared to the period before pandemic, applications have doubled this year.

“There is an increase in demands for gaining Albanian citizenship. From 2019 where we have had 485 applications for the benefit of Albanian citizenship, in 2022 so far we have 834 requests. So we have a double the number of demands of foreign citizens for gaining Albanian citizenship”, Albanian Deputy Interior Minister Andy Mahila told TV.

Most of the requests for Albanian passports come from Kosovo, followed by the applications of Turkish citizens.

The greatest number of requests come from the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, even here has numerous reasons. They are Turkish citizens with smaller numbers. Citizens of other states demanding Albanian citizenship are those who have married Albanian citizens, in short, are EU citizens living and working for years in Albania”.

But what are the reasons for increasing the requirements for receiving Albanian citizenship?

The citizenship law has given the benefit of Albanian citizenship even of origin. So those citizens, whose parents have been with Albanian citizenship, today take on a simpler Albanian citizenship procedure”.

For a foreign citizen to obtain Albanian citizenship, he must have remained for 7 years without secession in Albania. In the case of marriage to one Albanian citizen or citizen, it should stay three years in the country to have the opportunity to apply for citizenship.