Albania's Residence Permit for Investors (Leja e Qëndrimit për Investitorë) allows foreign nationals to reside, work, and conduct business in Albania by establishing or managing a qualifying investment. As of the 2025 reform, the permit is governed by Article 85/1 of Law No. 79/2021 "On Foreigners", a standalone article inserted by Law No. 43/2025 (the investor pathway was previously issued under the older Article 69 unique-permit framework). It is administered by the Directorate General of Border and Migration within the Albanian State Police, with the qualifying investment value fixed by joint ministerial instruction. The permit grants both residence and work authorization and offers an accelerated path to permanent residence.
The permit is issued for an initial 2-year period and renewed once for a 3-year period if the conditions under which the earlier permit was issued have not changed. Renewal must demonstrate ongoing compliance with the investment threshold, the 1:5 employment ratio, salary requirements, and tax obligations. Once the 3-year permit expires with unchanged conditions, the holder is granted a permanent residence permit — an accelerated route reaching permanent residence after roughly 5 years. Citizenship by naturalization is available after 7 years of total legal residence.
A spouse and dependent children may apply for family reunification after the primary holder has maintained legal residence for at least 1 year. Dependants must provide valid passports, proof of relationship, health insurance, and criminal record certificates, all translated into Albanian and properly certified or apostilled.
Albania levies a flat 15% corporate income tax. Personal income tax is progressive: 0% on income up to ALL 50,000/month, 13% on ALL 50,001–200,000/month, and 23% above ALL 200,000/month. Tax residents (183+ days per year in Albania) are taxed on worldwide income.
The applicant registers on the e-Albania portal and selects the "Application for Unique Permit" service under code 15146, choosing "investor" as the ground for the permit, then uploads the fee receipt, fills in the electronic form, and submits all supporting documentation. Applicants outside Albania must first obtain a Type D long-term visa from an Albanian embassy or consulate; EU, US, and Western Balkan citizens may enter without a visa. After arrival, the applicant registers their address at the regional Border and Migration office within 10 days. The Ministry of Finance and Economy's evaluation commission reviews the investment, each responsible institution has up to 2 weeks for its review, and total processing is a maximum of 12 weeks. Upon approval, the applicant attends a biometrics appointment to receive the physical permit card.
The qualifying investment must be at least ALL 10,000,000 directed into an economic activity in Albania, typically by establishing a business or investing in an existing Albanian company. The economic entity must maintain a 1:5 ratio of foreign workers to Albanian employees — including in management and controlling bodies — and pay salaries at or above the Albanian average for comparable roles. Permits may be revoked if the investment drops below the minimum threshold or workforce requirements are no longer met. Foreign citizens cannot purchase land directly unless the investment exceeds three times the land's value.