• Albania’s accession to the European Union will be discussed later this year, according to EU officials. Albanian citizens can continue to travel to Europe without a visa.
  • They will, however, soon be required to apply for ETIAS, the new Schengen Area visa waiver. Learn more about ETIAS and its implications for Albanian passport holders.

21-11-2022

Despite the fact that Albania is not currently a member of the European Union, Albanian residents can travel to any EU member countries without a visa. This will not alter in the future, according to EU authorities.

Albania has filed for EU membership, however even if Albania does not become a member of the European Union, European nations will stay on the list of Albanian visa-free countries.

Nonetheless, because Albania is not a member of the Schengen Area for passport-free travel, Albanians will need to apply for the new ETIAS travel permit to visit Schengen countries beginning in November 2023. ETIAS is not a visa and may be obtained easily online. This article outlines the difference between (ETIAS) and a visa and why Albanians will soon require a visa waiver for Europe.

WHEN DID ALBANIA APPLY FOR EU MEMBERSHIP?

Albania applied for EU membership for the first time in April 2009, with neighbouring Balkan country North Macedonia. In June 2014, it was granted EU candidate status.

Albania was set a few preconditions before beginning EU membership talks, such as reforming its judicial system and improving its human rights record. However, in April 2018, the European Commission gave an unequivocal recommendation to Albania to begin accession discussions.

Nonetheless, these talks were stymied in 2019 by France and the Netherlands due to concerns about Balkan migration. Despite this setback, Albania will continue to receive developmental aid from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, an EU candidate country funding mechanism, until 2020.

IS ALBANIA READY TO JOIN THE EU?

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi indicated in May 2021 that Brussels is contemplating proceeding with membership discussions with Albania. Despite the fact that the nation is still linked to North Macedonia in its membership proposal, and Bulgaria just denied North Macedonia’s request due to a linguistic disagreement,

Várhelyi emphasised that by “decoupling” the Albanian and North Macedonian ascension efforts, this impediment may be overcome. “The question is whether we can go just with Albania. And we will have to think about it “, he explained.

However, EU foreign affairs director Josep Borell quickly contradicted this notion, stressing that both nations’ ascension processes will be expedited. “There was never any intention of detaching both nations from the accession process,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, former Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati has proposed that the timeline for Albania’s EU entry will be considered during an inter-governmental summit in June.

DO ALBANIANS NEED A VISA FOR EUROPE?

Albanians do not require a visa to enter Europe. Albanian passport holders are not required to get a visa for short visits in any of the Schengen Area member states included on the Albania visa-free countries list.

Misinformation on the internet has caused some individuals to assume that the European Union was restoring visa restrictions for Albanian residents and that EU nations will be removed from the list of visa-free countries for Albanian passport holders.

The EU, on the other hand, has quickly dismissed these accusations, assuring Albanians that they may still enter the Schengen Area without a visa.

The source of the mistake appears to be a misunderstanding of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is set to become live in November 2023.

Albanian people could previously enter an external EU border with only a valid passport and stay for up to 90 days. Citizens of all visa-exempt countries, including Albania, will be required to register with ETIAS before travelling to Europe beginning in 2023.

The European Union will not impose visas on Albania or any other third nation. Indeed, the European Union Delegation to Albania has said that “Albania is and will continue to be a visa-free destination for the EU.”

WHAT IS ETIAS FOR ALBANIAN CITIZENS?

Once the system is operational, ETIAS will become a required admission requirement for Albanians. While the existing approach has enabled rapid and simple entry to the Schengen Area for people from outside the EU, it has not achieved the high levels of border security needed.

As a result, the new visa electronic travel authorization was created. ETIAS is a visa waiver programme similar to those currently in effect in the United States and Canada, among other places.

Third-country nationals travelling to Europe without a visa will be prescreened by the new ETIAS system. This allows European authorities to prevent potentially dangerous individuals from crossing an EU border. ETIAS will aid in the fight against terrorism and other serious cross-border crime in Europe.

HOW CAN ALBANIANS APPLY FOR ETIAS?

Unlike visa applications, the ETIAS application is entirely online. Albanian passport holders will not be needed to appear in person at the embassy, and no biometric data will be gathered.

Albanians will instead need to register for ETIAS online by filling out a quick application form. The only document necessary to apply is a valid passport; travellers will be requested to supply their passport data as well as some personal information such as their name, nationality, and date of birth.

A modest processing fee will be charged, which may be paid securely online with a debit or credit card.

HOW ETIAS APPLICATIONS ARE PROCESSED

Albania was subject to the new ETIAS legislation as a visa-free third nation. The goal of ETIAS is to make European countries, including popular tourist sites like France and Italy, safer for people and visitors.

To accomplish this, ETIAS compares the information provided by applicants to international security databases that contain information about known criminals and other potential threats.

There will be no hits in the system in most circumstances, and the ETIAS visa waiver request will be processed within minutes. If something is flagged during the automatic screening process, the application will be reviewed manually by European officials.

Albanians with a criminal past are encouraged to apply. ETIAS is concerned with severe criminality, and prior convictions will not necessarily preclude a visa waiver from being granted.

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ETIAS AND A VISA

There are several key differences between ETIAS and a visa for Europe. Three of the most critical distinctions are processing timeframes, validity, and requirements.

ETIAS IS ONLINE, VISA APPLICATIONS ARE MADE IN PERSON

One of the primary benefits of ETIAS is that an application may be created from any device with an internet connection, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To acquire a visa, visitors must usually arrange an appointment with an embassy or consulate and present their application in person.

Furthermore, upon approval, the ETIAS visa waiver is instantly attached to the traveller’s passport, and an email notice is delivered. Once again, there is no need to get the paperwork from an embassy.

NO BIOMETRIC DATA IS COLLECTED WHEN APPLYING FOR ETIAS

The sole document required for Albanians to apply for ETIAS is a valid passport. There is no need to give biometric information or supporting papers such as medical insurance or evidence of money, as is required when applying for a visa.

ETIAS is intended to enable rapid access to Europe while also making borders more safe.

ETIAS PROCESSING TIMES ARE MUCH FASTER THAN VISA APPLICATIONS

Another significant distinction between a Schengen visa and an ETIAS is the time required to process applications. Because it might take several weeks for applicants to acquire their granted visa, travellers should book an appointment at the embassy well in advance.

ETIAS processing, on the other hand, is quite quick. The vast majority of Albanian applications will be approved almost immediately after passing the automatic screening process. If a hit occurs in the system, a decision will be made within two weeks.

ETIAS IS VALID FOR MULTIPLE TRIPS OVER 3 YEARS

The ETIAS visa waiver is connected to the passport’s electronic chip and is good for three years, or until the passport expires. Albanians will be entitled to travel Europe up to 90 times in each 180-day period until the expiry date of the ETIAS.

This implies that Albanians do not have to reapply every time they want to visit Europe.

Single-entry Schengen visas are given, but multiple-entry visas are only accessible to regular travellers to the Schengen region who have already earned a specific number of Schengen visas.

ETIAS CAN BE USED TO VISIT SEVERAL COUNTRIES

ETIAS will be required to travel from Albania to a Schengen Area nation. Visitors’ travel documentation will be scrutinised as they enter the border.

Albanians can enter any of the ETIAS nations without being checked at checkpoints once they enter the border-free travel zone. Albanians should maintain their passports with them when travelling, but they will not experience any additional border inspections.

Most conventional visas, with the exception of the Schengen visa, are only valid for one nation.