You can get an Albanian family certificate online, free, from e-Albania: log in, search for "Certifikatë familjare", click Përdor and download the e-sealed PDF straight away. There's also a version intended for foreign authorities.
Visas, marriages, citizenship, registering a child, inheritance: abroad, Albanian civil status certificates are asked for all the time, and most can be downloaded in a few minutes.
Which certificate do you need?
- Family certificate (certifikatë familjare): the make-up of your family according to the civil registry, current or historic. Often requested for family reunion and inheritance.
- Personal certificate (certifikatë personale): your own personal details.
- Marriage certificate (certifikatë martese): for having a marriage recognised abroad or for changes to your civil status.
- Birth certificate (certifikatë lindjeje): Albanian embassies issue one as a consular service, applied for through e-Albania. e-Albania lists a fee of €30 or the local equivalent; the Albanian Embassy in London says each certificate with a consular stamp costs €30, paid by card on the day you collect it.
Before applying, ask the authority exactly which certificate it wants, and in what form.
Steps on e-Albania
- Log in to your account on e-albania.al.
- Search for "Certifikatë familjare" (or "Certifikatë personale", "Certifikatë martese").
- Click Përdor (Use).
- Choose "Certifikatë familjare aktuale" (current) or "Certifikatë familjare për regjistrime të mëparshme" (previous registrations).
- For the current certificate, click "Shkarko dokumentin e vulosur" (Download the sealed document). For the version for foreign authorities, click "Shfaq certifikatën në gjuhë të huaj" (Show the certificate in a foreign language).
- You'll find the certificate at any time in Dokumentet e mia (My documents).
Older records
- From 2010 onwards: historic certificates are generated immediately from the 2010 National Civil Status Register.
- Before 2010: fill in the form and send it. The local civil status office handles the request and the certificate arrives in My documents; e-Albania quotes up to 5 working days.
Foreign-language version, apostille and translation
According to e-Albania, e-sealed documents have the same legal value as paper ones with a wet stamp. Abroad, acceptance depends on the authority:
- UK: for a Skilled Worker visa, for example, GOV.UK says documents that aren't in English or Welsh need a certified translation. Other bodies may have their own rules.
- US: USCIS rules require a full English translation of any foreign-language document, which the translator certifies as complete and accurate, along with a statement that they're competent to translate it.
- Apostille: Albania is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and the competent authority is the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Albanian Embassy in London translates Albanian certificates, but only once they've been apostilled.
Before paying for a translation, check which language the foreign-language version is in, and whether the authority accepts it.
Common problems
- The details on the certificate are wrong. e-Albania doesn't change the data: corrections are made at the civil status office.
- You can't log in. Start with our guide to resetting a forgotten e-Albania password.
- You've never had an account. See how to register on e-Albania.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Albanian family certificate free?
Yes. e-Albania lists no fee for the family, personal or marriage certificate. The consular birth certificate has a fee.
Does the certificate expire?
e-Albania lists no expiry date, but the authority you give it to may want a recent one. Check with them.
Can I get a certificate for my parents?
The personal certificate service also lets you generate certificates for the people in your own family record. Otherwise, your parent needs their own account, and you can help them with it.
Will a UK or US authority accept the PDF?
It depends on the authority and the purpose. Ask before you apply, so you request the right version first time.
Need a hand?
If you can't find the right certificate or the details don't match, we can sort it out for you on WhatsApp, at a fixed price.
Sources
- e-Albania: family certificate (for use in Albania or by foreign authorities)
- e-Albania: personal certificate (for use in Albania or by foreign authorities)
- e-Albania: marriage certificate (for use in Albania or by foreign authorities)
- e-Albania: consular application for a birth certificate (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)
- Albanian Embassy in the UK: frequently asked questions (question 5)
- Albanian Embassy in the UK: consular services (5.4, translation)
- e-Albania: help with using the portal
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, documents you must provide
- eCFR: 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), translations submitted to USCIS
- HCCH: Albania, competent authority under the Apostille Convention