Albania allows visa-free entry for citizens of the European Union, United States, Canada, Australia, and approximately 100 other countries for stays up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains the official list at punetejashtme.gov.al. Citizens of countries not on this list must obtain a visa from an Albanian embassy or consulate before travel. Passport validity must extend at least three months beyond intended departure date. Albania does not participate in the Schengen Area despite being a candidate for European Union membership since 2014.
Border crossings operate from Montenegro at Hani i Hotit and Muriqan, from Kosovo at Morinë and Qafë Thanë, from North Macedonia at Qafë Thanë and Tushemisht, and from Greece at Kakavijë and Kapshticë. Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza, located 17 kilometers northwest of central Tirana, handles the majority of international arrivals. The airport opened in 1957 and was renamed in 2002. Durrës port receives ferries from Bari, Brindisi, and Ancona in Italy, with crossing times ranging from seven to ten hours depending on route and operator.
The lek, subdivided into 100 qindarka, has served as Albania's currency since 1926 with interruption during 1947-1965 when a revalued lek replaced the earlier hyperinflated version. ISO code is ALL. The Bank of Albania, established 1992, maintains monetary policy and issues currency. Exchange rates as of 2024 fluctuate around 92-95 lek per euro and 100-105 lek per US dollar. The National Bank of Albania website, bankofalbania.org, publishes daily official rates.
ATMs disperse lek at nearly all bank branches in cities and most towns, with Raiffeisen Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania, and Alpha Bank maintaining the largest networks. Withdrawal limits typically range from 40,000 to 60,000 lek per transaction. International cards bearing Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, and Cirrus symbols function at most machines. ATMs at Tirana airport operate continuously. Banks open Monday through Friday from 08:00 to 15:30 with some branches extending to 16:00. Currency exchange offices, identified as "këmbim valutor," operate in all cities and tourist areas, often with hours extending to 20:00 or later.
Credit cards see acceptance at hotels, larger restaurants, car rental agencies, and shopping centers in Tirana, Durrës, Vlorë, Sarandë, and Shkodër. Acceptance drops sharply in rural areas and smaller towns. Small businesses, family restaurants, guesthouses, and market vendors operate on cash. Museums and archaeological sites increasingly accept cards at ticket counters, but cash remains necessary at many locations including Butrint National Park and Apollonia.
Carrying cash in lek covers all situations. Exchange rates at banks typically offer better value than airport counters by approximately 2-3 percent. Hotels in tourist areas quote prices in euros but accept payment in lek at their chosen conversion rate, usually less favorable than bank rates.
Three mobile network operators provide service across Albania: Vodafone Albania, Albtelecom Mobile, and One Telecommunications. Coverage reaches all cities and most towns, with signal degradation in mountain valleys including parts of the Albanian Alps and sections of the Accursed Mountains. 4G LTE networks cover approximately 85 percent of the population as of 2023 per the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority.
Tourist SIM cards sell at mobile operator shops in the arrivals hall of Tirana International Airport, at shops on Rruga e Durrësit in Tirana, and at authorized dealers in all cities. Identification via passport is required for SIM card registration under 2020 regulations. Prepaid packages offering 20-50 gigabytes of data with validity of 30 days cost 500-1,000 lek. Vodafone Albania stores concentrate in urban centers. Albtelecom maintains offices in Tirana at Pallati me Shigjeta on Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit and in Durrës, Shkodër, Vlorë, Korçë, and Elbasan.
WiFi functions at hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants in tourist areas and cities. Connection quality varies significantly. Cafes in Blloku district in Tirana and along the waterfront promenades in Durrës and Sarandë generally provide functional speeds. Internet cafes exist but have declined since 2015 with smartphone proliferation.