--- title: "Albania Open Balkan requirements 2026: 2-year stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/albania/free-movement-open-balkan/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-10 --- Albania # Albania Open Balkan **First stay:** 2 yrs Open Balkan free access to the labour market (Serbia and North Macedonia) First checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026, some details partly verified [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 2 yrs (Up to 2 years; the approval can be re-submitted.) - **Renewal:** Renewable - **Who can apply:** 2 nationalities (Citizens of Serbia and North Macedonia.) ## Key facts Open Balkan is a long-stay route for Albania. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source. - **First stay:** 2 yrs ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Only for passports from Serbia, North Macedonia ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - The applicant is a citizen of Serbia or North Macedonia covered by the Western Balkans free access to the labour market Agreement. - The applicant needs an Open Balkan identification number issued by their home country e-government portal. #### Steps 1. The request for approval is made through the Albanian national e-government portal. #### After you arrive - The approval allows stay and work for up to 2 years, with the possibility of re-submitting the request. - Citizens who do not use the Agreement remain subject to Albanian law on the stay and work of foreigners. ## What happens at day 183 How Albania decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **2 years at first, renewable** - **Tax residence:** - **More than 183 days in 365 days** Staying constantly or intermittently in Albania for more than 183 days in a period of 365 days makes a person a tax resident. - **Income tax:** Albanian tax residents pay personal income tax on income from all sources; non-residents pay only on Albanian-source income. [All tax rules for Albania](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/albania/tax/) Tax records checked 11 Oct 2026 **Full official text** Under the Western Balkans labour market Agreement, citizens of Serbia and North Macedonia can obtain approval to stay and work in Albania for up to 2 years. (sources 1, 2, 3, 4) #### Requirements - The applicant is a citizen of Serbia or North Macedonia covered by the Western Balkans free access to the labour market Agreement. (sources 3, 1) - The applicant needs an Open Balkan identification number issued by their home country e-government portal. (sources 4, 1) - The request for approval is made through the Albanian national e-government portal. (source 2) - The approval allows stay and work for up to 2 years, with the possibility of re-submitting the request. (source 1) - Citizens who do not use the Agreement remain subject to Albanian law on the stay and work of foreigners. (source 1) #### Stay - Up to 2 years; the approval can be re-submitted. - Initial permitted stay: 24 months. - Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal. #### Nationality Citizens of Serbia and North Macedonia. Open to: Serbia, North Macedonia. #### Work Registered citizens may enter, stay and work in Albania under the Agreement. Checked 2026-10-10 · partly verified ## Official sources 1. [Open Balkan portal: questions and answers on the Agreement](https://openbalkan.euprava.gov.rs/en-US/Help) · Government of the Republic of Serbia (Open Balkan eGovernment portal) · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Open Balkan: free access to the labour market (national portals)](https://openbalkan.euprava.gov.rs/en-US/start) · Government of the Republic of Serbia (Open Balkan eGovernment portal) · checked 2026-10-10 3. [Open Balkan agreements and dates of entry into force](https://punetejashtme.gov.al/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Aktet-e-Open-Balkan.pdf) · Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania · checked 2026-10-10 4. [Open Balkan: notice on the free access to the labour market service](https://av.gov.mk/content/%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B8/2%20%D0%90%D0%92%D0%A0%D0%9C-%D0%98%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D1%83%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B5%20%D0%9E%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%20%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD.pdf) · Employment Service Agency of North Macedonia · checked 2026-10-10 ## Open Balkan and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Open Balkan | – | 2 yr, renewable | – | | [Visa-free stay (12 months)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/albania/visa-free-365d/) | – | 1 yr | No | | [EU free movement](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/portugal/free-movement-eu/) Portugal | – | – | Yes | | [Free movement by treaty](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/free-movement-andorra/) Spain | – | 5 yr | Yes | | [Visa-free stay (12 months)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/georgia/visa-free-365d/) Georgia | – | 1 yr | – | ## Questions people ask ### How long can I stay on the Open Balkan? Up to 2 years; the approval can be re-submitted. ### Can I work on the Open Balkan? Registered citizens may enter, stay and work in Albania under the Agreement. ### Who can apply for the Open Balkan? Citizens of Serbia and North Macedonia. Open to: Serbia, North Macedonia. ### How are Open Balkan holders taxed in Albania? No special regime in our records is tied to the Open Balkan. The standard rules apply: Albanian tax residents pay personal income tax on income from all sources; non-residents pay only on Albanian-source income. ## Similar visas elsewhere [🇫🇷 EU free movement](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/france/free-movement-eu/) [🇬🇧 Visa-free stay (6 months)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-kingdom/visa-free-180d/) [🇭🇺 Visa-free stay (4 months)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/hungary/visa-free-120d/) [🇷🇸 Open Balkan](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/serbia/free-movement-open-balkan/) [🇦🇲 Visa-free stay (6 months)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/armenia/visa-free-180d/) [🇨🇭 EU free movement](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/switzerland/free-movement-eu/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-10 against 4 official sources.** Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm. Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out. 1. [Open Balkan portal: questions and answers on the Agreement](https://openbalkan.euprava.gov.rs/en-US/Help) · Government of the Republic of Serbia (Open Balkan eGovernment portal) · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Open Balkan: free access to the labour market (national portals)](https://openbalkan.euprava.gov.rs/en-US/start) · Government of the Republic of Serbia (Open Balkan eGovernment portal) · checked 2026-10-10 3. [Open Balkan agreements and dates of entry into force](https://punetejashtme.gov.al/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Aktet-e-Open-Balkan.pdf) · Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania · checked 2026-10-10 4. [Open Balkan: notice on the free access to the labour market service](https://av.gov.mk/content/%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B8/2%20%D0%90%D0%92%D0%A0%D0%9C-%D0%98%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D1%83%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B5%20%D0%9E%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%20%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD.pdf) · Employment Service Agency of North Macedonia · checked 2026-10-10 Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.