Albania has moved a great deal of its civil administration onto a single state digital portal, where citizens obtain birth, marriage and family certificates directly. For people abroad, the missions obtain those certificates on request, and the recurring document in every Albanian file is the civil status certificate.
Quick facts
The family certificate is the one that proves relationships across a household, and it is what descent files rest on. Ask for it by name rather than settling for a simple birth certificate.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Civil status certificate | Charged in Albania | Portal or civil registry |
| Certificate obtained through a mission | Published tariff | Embassy or consulate general |
| Apostille for foreign use | Charged in Albania | With the wet seal version |
| U.S. certificate and apostille | $15–$50 plus $3–$25 | State offices |
| Authorised translation | Per page | Ministry of Justice translator |
For a child born in the United States, the U.S. birth certificate is apostilled and translated, and the Albanian record follows from the citizenship file rather than from a consular birth registration.
How to file
- Identify which certificate you actually need, and whether it is for use in Albania or abroad.
- Request the wet seal version where it will leave the country.
- For U.S. documents, order the certificate and have it apostilled.
- Commission the translation from an authorised translator.
- Ask the mission to obtain any Albanian certificate you cannot get yourself.
- Keep certified copies for the citizenship and passport files that follow.
Required documents
- Albanian civil status or family certificate.
- U.S. certificates, apostilled and translated.
- Albanian identity card or passport of the relative in the chain.
- Marriage and divorce certificates covering name changes.
- Proof of U.S. residence.
- Payment of the applicable fees.
Where to file
Through the state portal or the civil registry in Albania, or by asking the mission covering your area to obtain the documents.
Additional notes
Ask for the family certificate
It shows the household and the relationships within it, which is exactly what a descent claim needs to establish.
Electronic seal is not enough abroad
Anything leaving Albania needs the wet seal version. Specify it when you request the document.
Names and spellings
Albanian names lose their diacritics in American records. Reconcile the spellings before a file depends on them.
Order more than one
Each subsequent procedure asks for a current certificate, and requesting them from abroad takes time.