Includes information on business customs, travel advisory, visa requirements, currency, language, health, local time, business hours and holidays, acceptable business etiquette, dress, business cards, gifts, temporary entry of materials and personal belongings, etc.
Business Customs

Albania is a relationship-oriented society that places a premium on friendship, hospitality, and trust. Business discussions are usually preceded by a series of questions concerning health, family, and the general well-being of the parties. Business meetings often take place over coffee, and the time spent partaking in such is considered important to the business relationship and should not be discounted. Albanians frequently exchange gifts.

Appointments should be made in advance of a business visit and exchange of business cards is common. Most Albanian businesspeople speak at least one foreign language, the most common being English and Italian. Computer usage is extensive, and most businesspeople use e-mail and the internet. Summer holidays typically take place in July and August and it can be difficult to reach company personnel during this period.

Business dress is recommended when meeting with government officials. Smart business casual is appropriate for meetings with businesspersons and visits to local companies.
 

Travel Advisory

Business travelers to Albania should remember that the country's transportation network is limited. Despite recent infrastructure improvements in major traffic corridors, roads in rural areas are often in poor condition. Drivers are aggressive and frequently disregard traffic laws. 

Traveling at night outside urban areas is not recommended due to poor road conditions and a lack of adequate street lighting. Rail service is extremely limited and not recommended, as rails and rolling stock is in poor condition. Tirana’s international airport serves the entire country.

As in any country, travelers should take precautions to ensure their personal safety while travelling. Please refer to the State Department's Consular Information Sheet for Albania.
 

Visa Requirements

U.S. citizens do not require a visa for stays of less than one year in Albania. 

Stays of more than one year require a residence permit. Please visit the website of the U.S. Embassy in Tirana for instructions on how to apply for a residence permit.

U.S. Companies that require travel by foreign businesspersons to the United States should be advised that security evaluations are handled
through an interagency process. Visa applicants should visit the following links:
Travel.state.gov (the U.S. State Department)
U.S. Embassy Tirana, Albania 
 

Currency

The national currency is the Albanian lek (ALL). Albania has adopted a free-floating exchange rate regime since 1992. The Bank of Albania publishes the value of the Albanian currency against foreign currencies. For daily official exchange rates, please visit the website of the Bank of Albania.
 

Telecommunications/Electronics

Cellular phones are widely used in Albania. Three companies currently offer mobile services: Telecom Albania, Vodafone, and Eagle Mobile.

All three companies offer 4G. Triple band cell phones (like Treo, Handspring, Blackberries, etc.) can be used in Albania, but since roaming charges are expensive, it is recommended to use prepaid cards offered by local carriers.

Albania’s voltage is 220V and plugs and sockets are those of European types C and F.

Albania’s country code is +355, followed by the local land line or cellular phone number.
 

Transportation

Tirana International Airport Mother Theresa (TIA) is Albania’s only airport and provides flights to major European destinations. Air carriers that operate at TIA can be found at TIA's website.

There are no direct flights from the United States to Albania, and major European transfer points to Albania include Istanbul, Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, and Rome. Public transportation is limited in Albania and most business travelers will want to travel by taxi or hire a car and driver for the duration of their visit. Avis, Hertz and other rental car companies offer services in Albania. A taxi from Mother Teresa International Airport to the center of Tirana costs approximately USD 20. For longer periods of travel or standby use, a car and driver can be rented for approximately USD 5-8 per hour.

Major taxi companies in the capital include:
Green Taxi
Merr Taxi
Speed Taxi
City Taxi


Language

The national language of Albania is Albanian. Many Albanians speak at least one foreign language, including, most commonly, English and Italian. Albania has a large pool of well-trained and talented linguists who can serve as translators and interpreters. Translators generally charge approximately USD 100-200 per day.
 

Health

The quality of medical care at private hospitals and clinics in Tirana has improved in recent years, but does not yet meet western standards.

Medical care outside the capital is limited because of a lack of medical specialists, diagnostic aids, medical supplies, and prescription drugs.

Tirana has four main private hospitals that offer modern facilities and a full range of services, including the American Hospital, Hygeia Hospital, German Hospital, and Albanian-Italian Salus Hospital.

Travelers with previously diagnosed medical conditions should consult their physician before traveling to Albania. As prescription drugs may be unavailable locally, travelers may also wish to bring extra supplies of required medications.

U.S. medical insurance plans rarely covers health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased.

The local emergency phone number is 127. Limited ambulance service is available, but response times are often long, even in urban areas. In rural areas, response times are even longer. The number to dial police is 129, while the number for traffic police is 126.

For more information, please visit the following web sites:
U.S. Passports & International Travel
U.S. Embassy in Albania – Medical Assistance

Resources:
Spitali Amerikan  
Hygeia Group
German Hospital
Salus

 


Local Time, Business Hours and Holidays

EST +6
GMT +1

Most Albanian businesses are open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and occasionally open on Saturday. There is no legislation regulating shop hours and many shops are open seven days a week into late evening.

Government offices generally operate Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and during the summer from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The U.S. Embassy will observe the following Albanian and U.S. holidays in 2019:
January 1                                              New Year’s Day (Albania/U.S. Holiday)
January 2                                              New Year’s Day
January 21                                           Martin Luther King Day (U.S. Holiday)
February 18                                         President’s Day (U.S. Holiday)
March 14                                              Summer Day
March 22                                              Nevruz Day
April 21                                                 Catholic Easter
April 28                                                 Orthodox Easter
May 1                                                     May Day
May 27                                                  Memorial Day (U.S. Holiday)
June 4*                                                  Big Bajram
July 4                                                      Independence Day (U.S. Holiday)
August 11*                                           Small Bajram
September 2                                        Labor Day (U.S. Holiday)
September 5                                        Mother Teresa Day
October 14                                           Columbus Day (U.S. Holiday)
November 11                                      Veteran’s Day (U.S. Holiday)
November 28                                      Thanksgiving (U.S. Holiday)
November 28                                      Albanian Independence Day
November 29                                      Albanian National Liberation Day
December 25                                       Christmas Day (Albania/U.S. Holiday)

When an authorized American holiday falls on a Sunday, the embassy is closed the following Monday. When such a holiday falls on a Saturday, the embassy is closed the preceding Friday.

When an authorized Albanian holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the office is closed the following workday in accordance with local custom.

*The dates of the Muslim holidays of Big Bajram (Eid al-Fitr) and Small Bajram (Eid al-Adha) are subject to the lunar calendar and may change.



Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings

According to Albanian customs regulations, temporary entry of materials and personal belongings is allowed only after submission of the following documents, in addition to an employment contract of more than one year. Only one shipment is allowed under this category: 

•              Request signed by the applicant (in Albanian) and submitted to the Tirana Directory of Customs requesting duty free import of                            belongings;
•              Photocopy of applicant’s passport (notarized);
•              Employment confirmation letter from the applicant’s employer;
•              Photocopy of the employment contract (from which the applicant may delete any confidential information);
•              Photocopy of a residential lease contract in Albania (notarized);
•              Photocopy of a residence permit in Albania (notarized), and;
•              The packing list


Travel Related Web Resources

U.S. Passports & International Travel
U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs, Visas
U.S. Embassy Tirana, Albania

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