Do I have to pay to get a criminal record certificate in Albania?
No — today the criminal record certificate (dëshmi penaliteti, the judicial-status certificate) is free and issued online on the e-Albania portal. The belief many still hold — that you must queue at the court or prosecutor's office and pay a fee — belongs to the past. The document is generated with an electronic seal and carries the same legal value as a paper copy with a wet stamp, so institutions inside the country accept it exactly as it comes off the portal. Albanian citizens need no supporting documents; foreigners only need an ID document. Mind the timing: the certificate itself shows no printed "expiry", but most institutions want it freshly issued, within the last 3 months, so don't pull it too early. If you'll use it abroad, you usually also need an apostille stamp on it. So the idea that you "must pay and wait for days" simply no longer holds.
📋 The rules
- The criminal record certificate (judicial-status certificate) is issued through the Ministry of Justice system and obtained free of charge on e-Albania.
- The e-sealed document has the same legal value as a wet-stamped paper copy and is accepted by public and private institutions.
- Albanian citizens need no supporting paperwork; foreign nationals only need a valid ID document.
- You can also apply for a child aged 14-18 as legal representative; the document lands in the "My Documents" area of your account.
- For use abroad you usually need an apostille, added by the responsible institution on top of the certificate.
🔓 Exceptions
- If there are entries in your judicial record, the document reflects them; a "clean" certificate is not guaranteed for everyone.
- Some bodies (employment, visas, court procedures) want the certificate issued within a set window, typically 3 months.
- For a certificate belonging to another person (not yourself or a child in your care), you need authorisation or legal representation.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Here the "consequence" is not a traffic fine but wasted time and money. First risk: falling for a middleman who charges you for a service the state provides free — pay them and you've lost money for nothing. Second: pulling the certificate too early and having the institution reject it because it wants one issued within 3 months, meaning you restart the process and may miss an application deadline. Third and most serious: forging or altering the certificate is a criminal offence, not a mere administrative breach, and using a false document before an institution is prosecuted criminally. Remember too that the certificate mirrors your judicial status: if you have a final court judgment, it shows there and can block jobs or licences until the conditions for legal rehabilitation are met. Always check the name, date of birth and intended use before you hand it in.
📎 Official sources
- e-Albania · "Criminal Record Certificate (Dëshmi Penaliteti)" service →
- Ministry of Justice · judicial-status records →
- QBZ · legislation register on judicial status →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I have to pay for the criminal record certificate?
No. For Albanian citizens the e-Albania service has no monetary value and the document is issued free. If someone asks you for money to "speed it up", you are paying a middleman, not an official state fee.
Is the electronic certificate as valid as a paper one?
Yes. The e-sealed document generated by e-Albania has the same legal value as a wet-stamped paper copy. Public and private institutions accept it exactly as it comes off the portal, without demanding a separately stamped copy.
How long is the certificate valid?
The document itself carries no printed expiry date, but most institutions want it issued within the last three months. So do not generate it long before your application, or it may be refused as out of date.
Do I need an apostille to use it abroad?
Yes, for use outside the country the certificate usually needs an apostille stamp from the responsible institution. Without that legalisation, many foreign authorities will not recognise the Albanian document as valid.
Can I get it for my child?
Yes, as legal representative you can apply for the certificate of a child aged 14-18 through your own e-Albania account. The generated document lands in the "My Documents" area and is used just like an adult's.
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