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Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.
Exercise increased caution in Albania due to crime.
Country Summary: Law enforcement’s ability to protect and assist travelers is limited in some areas, especially in remote regions. There has been targeted violence associated with illicit drug networks and organized crime countrywide. Travelers should remain aware of their surroundings and the extent of police and emergency services in their area.
Read the country information page for additional information to Albania.
If you decide to travel to Albania:
Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of 75 countries. President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans. The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.
As noted in our Adoption Notice on National Interest Exceptions for Adoption Visas, in countries where the issuance of immigrant visas is currently limited, children being adopted by Americans can qualify for an exception under the National Interest Exception.
These American families should continue the normal adoption process. They should submit visa applications and attend consular interviews. They do not need to take other additional steps to be considered for a case-by-case exception under the National Interest Exception.
Albania is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention). Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the requirements of the Hague Adoption Convention; the U.S. implementing legislation, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); the IAA’s implementing regulations and U.S. adoption-related immigration policies; as well as the implementing legislation and regulations of Albania. Please see below in the Who Can Adopt, Who can be Adopted, and How to Adopt sections for more detail on the intercountry adoption steps involving Albania.
To bring an adopted child to the United States from Albania, you must meet certain suitability and eligibility requirements. USCIS determines who is suitable and eligible to adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States under U.S. immigration law. For more information, please see USCIS webpages on suitability determinations and USCIS policy guidance on adoptive parent suitability determinations.
Additionally, a child must meet the definition of a Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law in order to be eligible to immigrate to the United States with an IH-3 or IH-4 immigrant visa.
Caution: Although U.S. citizens generally must follow the Hague Convention process to adopt a child from a Hague Convention country, the Family-Based Petition Process (Form I-130) may be an option for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to petition for their adopted child. However, U.S. citizens may file a Form I-130 for a child from a Hague Convention country only if they can establish the Convention does not apply to the adoption. There are significant differences between the Hague and the Family-Based Petition Process. For more information about specific Form I-130 requirements for adopted children, see the USCIS website and the USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 5.
In addition to being found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS, prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) seeking to adopt a child from Albania must meet the following requirements imposed by Albania:
Because Albania is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from Albania must meet the requirements of the Convention in order to be eligible for intercountry adoption. For example, the adoption may take place only if the competent authorities of Albania have determined that placement of the child within Albania has been given due consideration and that an intercountry adoption is in the child’s best interests.
In addition to qualifying as a Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law, the child must also meet the following requirements imposed by Albania:
Eligibility for adoption: Eligibility requirements are set forth in Albanian Law 9695, dated March 19, 2007, on adoption procedures and the Albanian Adoption Committee: Only children who are on the official lists of the Albanian Adoption Committee are eligible for adoption. The Albanian Adoption Committee lists registered Albanian children when:
Relinquishment: According to Article 246 of the Albanian Family Code, the consent of both parents is required for the adoption of a minor. If one of the parents is deceased, is unable to express his or her will, or had his or her parental rights terminated, the consent of the other parent will suffice. When both parents are deceased, or when their capacity to act has been removed, or when the parents are not known, the court decides if the child may be adopted. If the adoptee is over 10 years old the child’s opinion may be considered and if he or she is 12 years of age or above his or her consent is required.
Abandonment: Under Albanian law, a child can be declared abandoned if the parents have not been involved with the child for a period of six months before the request for the declaration of the abandonment was submitted. For a child housed in an institution since birth, the timeframe of one year is reduced to three months.
Caution: Prospective adoptive parents should be aware that not all children in orphanages or children’s homes are eligible for adoption. In many countries, birth parents place their child(ren) temporarily in an orphanage or children’s home due to financial or other hardship, intending that the child return home when possible. In such cases, the birth parent(s) have not relinquished their parental rights or consented to the adoption of their child(ren).
Warning: Do not adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in Albania before: 1) USCIS has approved your Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country, 2) the Central Authority of Albania has determined the child is eligible for intercountry adoption, 3) USCIS has provisionally approved your Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, and 4) a U.S. consular officer has issued an “Article 5/17 Letter” in the case. Read on for more information.
Albania’s Central Adoption Authority:
Albania’s Adoption Committee
Rr: Mine Peza, Pallati 87/3
Shkalla 2, Tirana
Albania
Tel: +355 (0)4 222 7487; +355 (0)4 222 6465
Fax: +355 (0)4 222 7487
The Process
Because Albania is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, adoptions from Albania must follow a specific process designed to meet the Convention’s requirements. A brief summary of the U.S. Convention adoption process is provided below. You must complete these steps in the following order to meet all necessary U.S. legal requirements. Completing certain steps out of order may cause significant delays or result in the child not being eligible for an immigrant visa to the United States.
1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider to Act as Your Primary Provider to Operate in Albania
The accredited agency or approved person you identify as the primary provider is responsible for:
Only accredited agencies, approved persons, supervised providers, exempted providers, public domestic authorities, and public foreign authorities may provide adoption services in intercountry adoption cases.
Learn more about Agency Accreditation.
2. Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt
In order to adopt a child from Albania, you will need to meet the requirements of the Government of Albania and U.S. immigration law.
After you choose an accredited or approved adoption service provider, you must be found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS by submitting 
Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country. You will need to submit a home study, provide biometrics, and cooperate in a background check as part of this application. Please see USCIS webpages on suitability determinations and USCIS policy guidance on adoptive parent suitability determinations. Unless an exception applies, the home study must be prepared by a person who is authorized under 22 CFR 96 to prepare home studies and who holds any license or other authorization required by the law of the jurisdiction where the home study is conducted (unless a public domestic or public foreign authority). The home study must comply with the requirements in 8 CFR 204.311 and USCIS policy.
3. Apply to Albania’s Authorities to Adopt, and be Matched with a Child
Submit Your Dossier to the Central Authority
After USCIS determines that you are suitable and eligible to adopt and approves the Form I-800A application, your adoption service provider will provide your approval notice, home study, and any other required information to the adoption authority in Albania as part of your adoption application. Albania’s adoption authority will review your application to determine whether you are also suitable and eligible to adopt under Albania’s law.
Receive a Referral for a Child from the Central Authority
If both the United States and Albania determine that you are suitable and eligible to adopt, and Albania’s Central Authority for Convention adoptions has determined that a child is eligible for adoption and that intercountry adoption is in that child’s best interests, the Central Authority for Convention adoptions in Albania may provide you with a referral. The referral is a proposed match between you and a specific child based on a review of your dossier and the needs of the child. The adoption authority in Albania will provide a background study and other information, if available, about the child to help you decide whether to accept the referral. We encourage families to consider consulting with a medical professional and their adoption service provider to understand the needs of the specific child, but you must decide for yourself whether you will be able to meet the needs of and provide a permanent home for a specific child. You must also adhere to the USCIS suitability determination with respect to the number of children and capacity to deal with any special needs of an adoptive child. Learn more about Health Considerations. If you accept the referral, the adoption service provider communicates that to the Central Authority in Albania. Learn more about this critical decision.
4. Apply to USCIS for the Child to be Found Provisionally Eligible for Immigration to the United States as a Convention Adoptee and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption
Submit a Form I-800 Petition to Obtain Provisional Determination on the Child’s Immigration Eligibility
After you accept a match with a particular child, you will apply to USCIS for provisional approval for the child to immigrate to the United States by filing the Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative. USCIS will make a provisional determination as to whether the child appears to meet the definition of a Convention Adoptee and will likely be eligible to be admitted to the United States.
5. Apply for U.S. Visa and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption (Article 5/17 letter)
After provisional approval of the Form I-800 petition, you or your adoption service provider will submit a visa application to the consular section of U.S. Embassy Tirana responsible for issuing immigrant visas to children from Albania. Your child will need an immigrant visa if you intend to reside in the United States with your child. If instead you intend to continue residing overseas with your child but still seek naturalization of your child by application (Form N-600K), you will not need an immigrant visa, but you may need a different type of visa to complete that process. Please discuss this with the consular officer handling your case and consult the USCIS website for more information.
You should receive a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) confirming receipt of the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and assigning a case number and an invoice ID number. Use this information to log into the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to file the Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (DS-260) for your child. An adoptive parent should fill out these forms in your child's name. Answer every item on the form. If information is not applicable, please write “N/A” in the block. Please review the DS-260 FAQs, our Online Immigrant Visa Forms page, or contact the NVC at NVCAdoptions@state.gov if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form. A consular officer will review the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and the visa application and, if applicable, advise you of options for the waiver of any ineligibilities related to the visa application.
The consular officer will send a letter (referred to as an “Article 5/17 Letter”) to Albania’s Central Authority in any intercountry adoption involving U.S. citizen parents and a child from Albania if all Convention requirements are met and the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States. This letter will inform Albania’s Central Authority that the parents are suitable and eligible to adopt, that the child appears eligible to enter and reside permanently in the United States, and that the U.S. Central Authority agrees that the adoption may proceed.
Warning: Do not attempt to adopt or obtain custody of a child in Albania before you receive provisional approval of your Form I-800 petition AND a U.S. consular officer issues the “Article 5/17 Letter” for your adoption case.
Remember: The consular officer will make a final decision about a child’s eligibility for an immigrant visa later in the adoption process.
6. Adopt the Child in Albania
Remember: Before you adopt a child in Albania, you must have completed the above five steps. Only after completing these steps can you proceed to finalize the adoption or a grant of legal custody by Albania for the purposes of emigration and adoption.
The process for finalizing the adoption or obtaining legal custody for purposes of emigration and adoption in Albania generally includes the following:
Role of [Adoption Authority or Competent Authority]: Maintains the list of children eligible for adoption and matches prospective children to prospective parents.
Role of the Court: Reviews the case and determines if the adoption should be granted based on the welfare and best interests of the child.
Role of Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Providers: Coordinates between the Adoption Committee and the prospective parents, prepares paperwork and court documents, schedules the court date, and assists adoptive parents to obtain a new birth certificate and passport for the child.
As noted above, any agency or person providing an adoption service on behalf of prospective adoptive parents in any Convention intercountry adoption case must be accredited or approved or be a supervised or exempted provider.
Adoption service means any one of the following six services, under 22 CFR 96.2 Definitions:
Adoption Application: Handled by the accredited adoption agency.
Time Frame: The timeframe varies depending on the court workload. Currently, the wait time from when the parents are matched with a child until a final court decision is approximately two to three months. This process requires two court sessions, approximately two to three weeks apart.
Adoption Fees: In the adoption services contract that you sign at the beginning of the adoption process, your agency will itemize the fees and estimated expenses related to your adoption process.
We encourage prospective adoptive parents to obtain detailed receipts for all fees and donations paid, either by them directly or through your U.S. adoption service provider, and to raise any concerns regarding any payment that you believe may be contrary to the Convention, U.S. law, or the law of Albania, with your adoption service provider, and, when appropriate, through the Complaint Registry. Improper payments violate applicable law or create the appearance of buying a child and could put all future adoptions in Albania at risk. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, for instance, makes it unlawful to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business. Further, the IAA makes certain actions relating to intercountry adoptions unlawful, and subject to civil and criminal penalties. These include offering, giving, soliciting, or accepting inducement by way of compensation intended to influence or affect the relinquishment of parental rights, parental consent relating to adoption of a child, or a decision by an entity performing functions as a competent central authority, or to engage another person as an agent to take any such action.
Documents Required:
Note: Additional documents may be requested.
Authentication of Documents: You may be asked to provide proof that a document from the United States is authentic. The U.S. Department of State’s Authentications Office has information on the subject.
7. Secure a U.S. Immigrant Visa for Your Child If You Intend to Reside with Your Child in the United States
Once your adoption is complete, there are a few more steps to take before your child can enter the United States. Specifically, the consular officer will need to issue a Hague Adoption Certificate and grant final approval of the Form I-800 petition. Then you will need to obtain three documents before you secure a visa so your child can travel to the United States:
Birth Certificate
You will need to obtain a new or updated birth certificate for your child.
If you have finalized the adoption in Albania, you will need to obtain a new birth certificate for your child with your name on it.
If you have been granted legal custody for the purposes of emigration and adoption of the child in the United States, the birth certificate you obtain will, in most cases, not yet include your name.
The adoption agency will help you obtain a new birth certificate for the child. The final court decision specifies the adoptive parents’ names, which will be entered in the Vital Office's record of the child.
Albania Passport
Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or passport from Albania.
The adoptive parents apply for the child’s passport at the passport office, in the same jurisdiction as the civil registry office that issued the child’s revised birth certificate (usually the two offices are co-located). The passport office will keep one copy of the court-issued adoption decree. Most passport offices can process expedited passport applications in three to four business days.
There is a 13-day waiting period after the court date before the decision goes into effect. The child must remain in Albania during these 13 days, although s/he may reside with the adoptive parents during that time. Please remember that your newly adopted child will travel to the U.S. for the first time on his/her Albanian passport. S/he may need to obtain a transit visa in order to be permitted to travel through certain countries (such as the United Kingdom). The transit country cannot issue this visa until the child has a passport. In many cases the transit visa application may take several days or more to process. (Note: this procedure is separate from the U.S. immigrant visa process). Therefore, prospective adoptive parents should be prepared to arrive in Albania a day or two before the court date and to remain in the country for at least three weeks.
U.S. Immigrant Visa
After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child, you will then need to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa for your child from U.S. Embassy Tirana if you intend to bring your child to reside in the United States with you. After the adoption or custody for purposes of emigration and adoption is granted, visit U.S. Embassy for a final review of the case the issuance of a U.S. Hague Adoption Certificate or Hague Custody Certificate, the final approval of the Form I-800 petition, and, if applicable, to obtain your child’s immigrant visa. This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you and be admitted to the United States as your child. Please contact U.S. Embassy Tirana by email at [tiranausconsulate@state.gov] to schedule your child’s immigrant visa appointment. As part of this process, you must provide the consular officer with the Panel Physician’s medical report on the child if you did not provide it during the Form I-800 provisional approval stage. Read more about the Medical Examination.
You will have already completed an Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (DS-260) online at the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) after receiving a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) confirming receipt of the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and assignment of a case number and an invoice ID number. Print and bring the DS-260 confirmation page to the visa interview. Review the DS-260 FAQs, our Online Immigrant Visa Forms page, or contact NVC at NVCAdoptions@state.gov if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form.
Upon receipt of the case, U.S. Embassy Tirana generally notifies the petitioner. Visa issuance after the final interview generally takes 24 hours. It is not usually possible to provide the visa to adoptive parents on the same day as the immigrant visa interview. You should verify current processing times with U.S. Embassy Tirana before making final travel arrangements. Additional information on immigrant visa processing can be found on our website.
If you will reside outside the United States with your child, you should contact the Central or competent authority where you reside for additional information about how to bring your child to that country.
8. Obtain U.S. Citizenship for Your Child
If you obtain an immigrant visa for your child, USCIS will mail your child either a permanent resident card (green card), or a Certificate of Citizenship, after your child enters the United States. If you plan to reside outside the United States with your child (and, therefore, may not benefit from an immigrant visa for your child), please see the relevant section below.
For adoptions finalized abroad before the child’s admission into the United States: A child who was adopted abroad and has satisfied Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 101(b)(1)(E), INA 101(b)(1)(F), or INA 101(b)(1)(G) requirements, who is residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence generally will acquire U.S. citizenship after admission if the child is under the age of 18 when these conditions are met.
Depending on the visa your child receives, their age, and the other INA 320 requirements, you may not need to take any additional action for your child to acquire U.S. citizenship. However, if your child does not meet the requirements of INA 320 at the time of admission into the United States, you may file a Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, once the requirements are met. More information is available on the USCIS website.
For adoptions not finalized until after the child’s admission to the United States:
If the adoption is not finalized before the child is admitted to the United States, the child’s adoptive parent(s) must complete the adoption (or re-adoption or obtain judicial recognition of the foreign adoption) in the United States before the child turns 18 for the child to automatically acquire U.S. citizenship (if the child otherwise meets the requirements of INA 320). You may file a Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, once the requirements are met. More information is available on the USCIS Fact Sheet: Securing U.S. Citizenship for Your Child.
If you reside outside the United States with your child, you may file a Form N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 with USCIS to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship for your child if your child satisfies the requirements of INA 322.
Note: If you are a military service member or U.S. government employee who chooses to seek an immigrant visa for your child versus completing the Form N-600K process, you may need to use Form N-600 to apply for a Certificate of Citizenship. Please note, however, that USCIS cannot mail Certificates of Citizenship abroad for children who acquire citizenship under INA 320.
Read more about INA 320 and 322 in the USCIS Policy Manual and USCIS website U.S. Citizenship for an Adopted Child.
Applying for Your U.S. Passport
U.S. citizens are required to enter and depart the United States on a valid U.S. passport. Once your child acquires U.S. citizenship, s/he will need a U.S. passport for international travel. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue, or verify U.S. passports.
Getting or renewing a passport is easy. The Department of State’s Passport Application Wizard will help you determine which passport form you need, help you to complete the form online, estimate your payment, and generate the form for you to print—all in one place.
Obtaining a Visa to Travel to Albania
In addition to a U.S. passport, you may also need to obtain a visa. Where required, visas are affixed to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation. To find information about obtaining a visa for Albania, see the Department of State’s country page.
Staying Safe on Your Trip
Before you travel, it is always a good practice to investigate the local conditions, laws, political landscape, and culture of the country. The Department of State provides country information for every country in the world about various issues, including health conditions, crime, currency or entry requirements, and any areas of instability.
Staying in Touch on Your Trip
When traveling abroad during the adoption process, we encourage you to enroll with the Department of State through our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important information from the U.S. Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country. Enrollment makes it possible for U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Albania, to contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency. Whether there is a family emergency in the United States or a crisis in Albania, enrollment assists the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in reaching you.
Enrollment is free and can be done online via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Post-Adoption/Post-Placement Reporting Requirements
Adoption service providers must provide the Albanian Adoption Committee with three post-placement reports during the first year after the adoption and two additional reports during the second year. We strongly urge you to comply with Albania’s post-adoption requirements in a timely manner. Your adoption agency may be able to help you with this process.
We urge you to comply with Albania’s post-adoption/post-placement requirements in a timely manner. Your adoption service provider may be able to help you with this process. Your cooperation will contribute to Albania’s positive experiences with U.S. citizen adoptive parents.
Post-Adoption Resources
Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption. There are many public and private nonprofit post-adoption services available for children and their families. There are also numerous adoptive family support groups and adoptee organizations active in the United States that provide a network of options for adoptees who seek out other adoptees from the same country of origin. You may wish to take advantage of all the resources available to your family, whether it is another adoptive family, a support group, an advocacy organization, or your religious or community services. Your primary provider can provide or point you to post- placement/post-adoption services to help your adopted child and your family transition smoothly and deal effectively with the many adjustments required in an intercountry adoption.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains a website, the Child Welfare Information Gateway, which can be a useful resource to get you started on your support group search.
Complaints
If you have concerns about your intercountry adoption process, we ask that you share this information with U.S. Embassy Tirana, particularly if it involves possible fraud or misconduct specific to your child’s case. The Department of State takes all allegations of fraud or misconduct seriously. Our Adoption Comment Page provides several points of contact for adoptive families to comment on their adoption service provider, their experience applying for their child’s visa, or about the Form I-800/A petition process.
The Complaint Registry is an internet-based registry for filing complaints about the compliance of U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers with U.S. accreditation standards. If you think your provider's conduct may not have been in compliance with accreditation standards, first submit your complaint in writing directly to your provider. If the complaint is not resolved through the provider's complaint process, you may file the complaint through the Complaint Registry.
U.S. Embassy in Albania
Rruga Elbasanit
No. 103
Tirana
Albania
Tel: +355 (0)4 224 7285
Fax: +355 (0)4 237 4957
Email: TiranaUSConsulate@state.gov
Internet: Tirana.usembassy.gov
Albania’s Adoption Committee
Rr: Mine Peza
Pallati 87/3
Shkalla 2
Tirana
Albania
Tel: +355 (0)4 222 7487; +355 (0)4 222 6465
Fax: +355 (0)4 222 7487
Embassy of Albania
2100 S Street, NW
Washington DC 20008
Tel: (202) 223 4942
Fax: (202) 628 7342
Email: embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al
Internet: ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en/embassy-services
Albania also has a consulate in New York.
Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20522-1709
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
Email: AdoptionUSCA@state.gov
Internet: adoption.state.gov
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about filing a Form I-800A application or a Form I-800 petition:
USCIS National Benefits Center (NBC):
Tel: 1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax: 1- 913-214-5808 |
Email: NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov
For general questions about immigration procedures:
USCIS Contact Center
Tel: 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov
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