🛂 Can I hold dual citizenship as an Albanian citizen?

Yes

Quick answer

Yes — Albania allows dual (or multiple) citizenship; it does not force you to choose a single one. The most common myth, especially among emigrants, is that “if I take the citizenship of the country where I live, I lose the Albanian one”. No. Under Law no. 113/2020 on citizenship (which replaced the old Law no. 8389/1998) and the Constitution, an Albanian citizen who acquires another citizenship does not lose Albanian citizenship. No one can lose Albanian citizenship against their will: renunciation is done only on request of the person and with approval. Conversely, a foreigner who naturalises as Albanian is not required by Albanian law to give up their previous citizenship. The only thing to watch is the law of the other country: some states ban dual citizenship and may require renouncing one. So for Albania the answer is clear; the limit, when there is one, comes from the other country, not from the Albanian side.

📋 The rules

Law no. 113/2020 on citizenship (which replaced Law no. 8389/1998) allows dual or multiple citizenship for Albanian citizens.
An Albanian citizen who acquires another citizenship does not automatically lose the Albanian one; both can be held at once.
No one can lose Albanian citizenship against their will; renunciation is done only on request of the person and with the relevant approval.
A foreigner who naturalises as Albanian is not required by Albanian law to give up their previous citizenship.
The real limit can come from the law of the other country: some states do not accept dual citizenship and require renouncing one.

🔓 Exceptions

Some procedures (e.g. naturalising in a country that bans dual citizenship) may require renouncing Albanian citizenship because of the foreign law, not the Albanian one.
Children born to an Albanian parent acquire Albanian citizenship by descent, even when they hold the citizenship of the country where they are born.
Renouncing or re-acquiring Albanian citizenship goes through a special procedure before the competent authorities, not automatically.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There is no fine here, but there are costly misunderstandings. Many emigrants renounce Albanian citizenship needlessly, believing the new country requires it, and lose rights to property, inheritance and the vote in Albania — then have to go through the re-acquisition procedure. Conversely, whoever holds two citizenships must know the obligations of both countries: some states have rules on taxing residents abroad, on military service or on entering with the “right” passport, and a mismatch causes problems at the border. To enter and leave Albania, an Albanian citizen is expected to use the Albanian document. The biggest risk is not an Albanian penalty, but decisions taken on a myth — needless renunciation or the assumption that one citizenship cancels the other. Getting informed from the competent authorities before any step is the best protection.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Do I lose Albanian citizenship if I take another?

No, under Law 113/2020 an Albanian citizen who acquires another citizenship does not lose the Albanian one. No one can lose Albanian citizenship against their will, so renunciation is done only on your request and with approval.

Does Albania require me to give up my previous citizenship?

No, a foreigner who naturalises as Albanian is not required by Albanian law to give up their old citizenship. The limit can come only from the law of the other country, if that country does not accept dual citizenship.

Do my children born abroad get Albanian citizenship?

Yes, a child with at least one Albanian parent acquires Albanian citizenship by descent, even when born abroad. So they can hold both Albanian citizenship and that of the country where they were born, under the relevant rules.

Which passport should I use to enter Albania?

An Albanian citizen is expected to enter and leave Albania with the Albanian document, even when holding another citizenship. Using the right passport in each country avoids the border problems that arise when two citizenships clash.

Can I re-acquire Albanian citizenship if I gave it up?

Yes, re-acquiring Albanian citizenship is possible, but it goes through a special procedure before the competent authorities. That is why needless renunciation is a costly mistake, because getting it back takes time and documentation.

🔎 Common searches

What people search to land here:

“dual citizenship albania”
“do i lose albanian citizenship”
“citizenship law 113 2020”
“dual citizenship emigrant”
“re-acquire albanian citizenship”
“child albanian citizenship born abroad”