Albania · Retire or live on savings
Albania Pensioner permit
Income needed: ALL 1.2M+ a year ≈ $15k
Residence permit for pensioners (type D/P visa)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Pensioner permit is a retire or live on savings route for Albania. Applicants need income of ALL 1.2M+ a year ≈ $15k. You can stay 1 yr, renewable. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Money needed
- ALL 1.2M+ a year ≈ $15k
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
Shown, not spentALL 1.2M+/yr ≈ $15k
- ALL 1,200,000 a year (≈ $14,700)Minimum annual pension income from the country of origin, shown by a pension certificate.
RenewalRenewable
The permit is valid for up to one year and renewable every year.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
You can apply for a permanent residence permit after 5 consecutive years of legal residence, with lawful income, health insurance, housing and taxes paid. Absences must stay under 6 months at a time and 10 months in total.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Enter on a long-stay type D visa, or visa-free where eligible, then apply for the residence permit within 30 days of entry.
Presence rulesAway max 6 months in a row
Absences from Albania over 6 consecutive months, or over 10 months in total within 5 years, break the residence period for permanent residence.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work isn't allowed on this route
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicant is retired in the home country and receives a pension from abroad.
- Applicant stays legally in Albania when applying for the first permit.
What you must show1
- Annual pension income of at least ALL 1,200,000, (≈ $14,700) shown by a pension certificate.
Documents1
- Pension document from the country of origin or residence.
After you arrive2
- The permit renews every year while the conditions are met.
- The permit gives no right to any economic or professional activity in Albania.
What happens at day 183
How Albania decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in 365 daysStaying 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 Tax records checked
Full official text
One-year renewable residence permit for foreign pensioners with a minimum annual pension income, without the right to work. 1 2
What you must show
- Income of at least ALL 1,200,000 a year (≈ $14,700) · Minimum annual pension income from the country of origin, shown by a pension certificate. 2
Requirements
- Applicant is retired in the home country and receives a pension from abroad. 1
- Applicant stays legally in Albania when applying for the first permit. 1
- Annual pension income of at least ALL 1,200,000, (≈ $14,700) shown by a pension certificate. 2
- Pension document from the country of origin or residence. 2
- The permit renews every year while the conditions are met. 1
- The permit gives no right to any economic or professional activity in Albania. 1
Stay
- First permit valid for up to one year; renewable every year.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Foreign nationals; visa-exempt nationals apply for the permit in Albania and others first need a type D visa.
Work
No economic or professional activity allowed.
Family
The holder may request family reunification for a spouse or partner who is not retired.
Official sources
- Law No. 79/2021 On Foreigners, updated text with Law No. 43/2025 · Albanian State Police, Border and Migration Department · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2025-06-26
- Council of Ministers Decision No. 858/2021 on criteria, procedures and documents for entry and stay of foreigners, as amended · Albanian State Police, Border and Migration Department · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2021-12-29
- Law No. 79/2021 On Aliens, English translation · Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Albania · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2021-06-24
Pensioner permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pensioner permit | Needs income of ALL 1.2M+ a year ≈ $15k | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| D7 passive income visa Portugal | Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Non-lucrative visa Spain | Needs income of €2,400+ a month ≈ $2,680 | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| Elective residence Italy | Needs income of €31k+ a year ≈ $35k | – | No |
| Independent means permit Greece | Needs income of €3,500+ a month ≈ $3,910 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Pensioner permit?
Income of at least ALL 1,200,000 a year (≈ $14,700). Minimum annual pension income from the country of origin, shown by a pension certificate.
How long can I stay on the Pensioner permit?
First permit valid for up to one year; renewable every year.
Can I work on the Pensioner permit?
No. No economic or professional activity allowed.
Can I bring my family on the Pensioner permit?
The holder may request family reunification for a spouse or partner who is not retired.
Does the Pensioner permit lead to permanent residence in Albania?
Time on the Pensioner permit counts toward permanent residence in Albania, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
How are Pensioner permit holders taxed in Albania?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Pensioner permit. The standard rules apply: Albanian tax residents pay personal income tax on income from all sources; non-residents pay only on Albanian-source income.
More in Albania
Retirement and live-on-savings visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
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.
- Law No. 79/2021 On Foreigners, updated text with Law No. 43/2025 · Albanian State Police, Border and Migration Department · checked 2026-10-11
- Council of Ministers Decision No. 858/2021 on criteria, procedures and documents for entry and stay of foreigners, as amended · Albanian State Police, Border and Migration Department · checked 2026-10-11
- Law No. 79/2021 On Aliens, English translation · Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Albania · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.