There is one reason the Albanian passport cannot be renewed online or by post, and it explains the whole procedure: the biometric chip stores fingerprints, a facial image and a signature, and those have to be captured live. The mission takes them and transmits the data to Tirana, where the document is produced.
Quick facts
Albania has allowed biometric passports and identity cards to be requested at its consulates abroad since 2011, which is why a trip home is not necessary. But honorary consulates cannot capture biometrics: that is done only at the embassy in Washington and the consulate general in New York.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport, standard application | 7,500 lek | Charged in dollars abroad |
| Passport, priority application | 18,000 lek | Expedited processing |
| Identity card | Published tariff | Also issued at missions |
| Apostille on U.S. documents | $3–$25 per document | Secretary of State |
| Authorised translation | Per page | Ministry of Justice translator |
Fees abroad vary by region and are converted into local currency, so confirm the dollar amount and the accepted payment method when you book rather than relying on the lek figure.
How to renew
- Identify whether the embassy or the consulate general covers your state, and confirm if you are between the two.
- Book the appointment early: slots commonly run two to eight weeks ahead.
- Bring your previous Albanian passport even if it expired long ago.
- Bring proof of identity: the Albanian identity card, or a civil status or birth certificate.
- Attend for fingerprints, photograph and signature, which cannot be supplied remotely.
- Pay the fee and allow roughly four to ten weeks from the appointment.
Required documents
- Previous Albanian passport, expired or not.
- Albanian identity card, or a civil status or birth certificate.
- Two photographs to Albanian specification.
- Proof of U.S. residence.
- Citizenship decree if you obtained citizenship recently and have never held a passport.
- Documents recording any change of name, apostilled and translated.
Where to apply
At the embassy in Washington or the consulate general in New York. Honorary consulates elsewhere assist with other services but not with biometric capture.
Additional notes
Children
Both parents must consent, the child must attend, and fingerprints are taken from age 12. Children’s passports run for five years rather than ten.
If you are not yet documented as a citizen
Where you qualify by descent but hold no Albanian papers, the citizenship file comes first and the passport second. See the citizenship page.
Lost or stolen
Report it to your local police and obtain a report, then contact the mission with the report, your civil status certificate and any record of the previous passport number.
Name changes
A U.S. document recording a name change must be apostilled and translated by a translator authorised by the Ministry of Justice. An ordinary translation will not do.