If you're an Albanian citizen, the simplest way to get an Albanian police certificate from abroad is online: log in to e-Albania and request the certificate of judicial status (certifikatë e gjendjes gjyqësore, commonly dëshmi penaliteti). It's free, carries an electronic seal and arrives in your account; e-Albania quotes 3 to 5 days.
On e-Albania the service is also called "Judicial Records Certificate". It shows whether you have a criminal record in Albania.
Steps on e-Albania
- Log in to your account on e-albania.al. No account yet? See how to register on e-Albania.
- Search for "Certifikatë e Gjendjes Gjyqësore (dëshmia e penalitetit)".
- Click Përdor (Use).
- Choose "Aplikim për veten" (application for yourself). Parents can also apply for a child aged 14 or 15.
- Fill in the electronic form and click Dërgo (Send).
- When it's ready, the e-sealed certificate appears in Dokumentet e mia (My documents), where you can download it as a PDF.
Key facts
- Cost online: free.
- Supporting documents: none for Albanian citizens.
- Time: e-Albania quotes 3 to 5 days from when the request reaches the Judicial Status Sector; the General Directorate of Prisons (Drejtoria e Përgjithshme e Burgjeve, DPBSH), which handles the service, says up to 5 working days.
- Validity: 3 months, according to e-Albania.
- Legal value: e-Albania and DPBSH state that the e-sealed document has the same legal value as a paper one with a wet stamp.
For the US Embassy: a separate option
If the US Embassy has asked you for an Albanian police certificate, note that the e-Albania service has a separate application type, "ambasadë Amerikane / US Embassy". You also choose the country the certificate will be sent to. According to e-Albania, this certificate shows your full judicial history, and a copy is also sent to the US Embassy. Follow the instructions you've been given about which version to submit.
The embassy route: a paper certificate
e-Albania also lists a consular service run by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs through Albanian embassies and consulates: "Aplikim për vërtetimin e verifikimit të gjendjes gjyqësore (Dëshmi Penaliteti)". You apply online. Once the application has been accepted, you pay the consular fee (e-Albania lists €30 or the local equivalent) and post the signed original authorisation, the original payment slip and a stamped addressed envelope to the embassy or consulate. e-Albania says the certificate is then posted to you. The Albanian Embassy in London points people to this service and says the document can be collected at the embassy between 15:00 and 16:00 on weekdays.
Why GOV.UK says something different
GOV.UK's guidance on criminal records checks for overseas applicants (page last updated 31 January 2025) says that Albanian certificates can only be applied for inside Albania, at a branch of the Albanian Post Office, that overseas applications aren't accepted, and that the fee is ALL 100, in cash only. It also suggests contacting the Albanian Embassy in London.
That describes the paper route. DPBSH confirms that a paper certificate with a wet stamp can be requested at Albanian Post counters, and lists this option under foreign nationals. For Albanian citizens, though, e-Albania and DPBSH describe the online route, and the Albanian Embassy in London points to e-Albania. All of these are official sources: they describe different routes, and the GOV.UK entry doesn't mention the online one.
What to do: ask the employer or the visa team which version they accept (the e-sealed PDF from e-Albania, the consular certificate or something else), and keep their answer in writing.
UK Skilled Worker visa: do you need one?
According to GOV.UK, you need a criminal record certificate if you're applying from outside the UK and you work in education, healthcare, therapy or social services. You might need one from each country you've lived in:
- if you're under 28, from any country where you've stayed for a total of 12 months or more since you turned 18;
- if you're 28 or over, from any country you've stayed in over the last 10 years.
Documents that aren't in English or Welsh need a certified translation.
Common problems
- You can't log in. Start with our guide to resetting a forgotten e-Albania password.
- The certificate expires before you submit it. It's valid for 3 months, so plan backwards from your submission date, allowing time for any apostille and translation.
- The authority wants an 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 documents, police clearances included, only once they've been apostilled.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Albanian police certificate free?
Online on e-Albania, yes: e-Albania lists it as free of charge. The embassy route has a consular fee.
Can someone else apply for me?
On e-Albania you apply from your own account, for yourself; parents can also apply for a child aged 14 or 15. A family member or an assistance office can guide you while you do it, but nobody needs your password.
Will my employer accept a PDF?
It depends on the employer or the authority. Ask before you apply, so you request the right version first time.
Do I need to travel to Albania?
Not for the online certificate or the embassy route. The post office route that GOV.UK describes takes place in Albania.
Need a hand?
If you'd rather not deal with it yourself, we can guide you through the request on WhatsApp at a fixed price, and tell you what the authority is likely to need next.
Sources
- e-Albania: certificate of judicial status (dëshmi penaliteti), including the US Embassy option
- e-Albania: consular application for the judicial status certificate (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)
- DPBSH: how to get a criminal record certificate
- Albanian Embassy in the UK: frequently asked questions (question 9)
- Albanian Embassy in the UK: consular services (5.4, translation)
- GOV.UK: criminal records checks for overseas applicants, countries A to F
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, documents you must provide
- HCCH: Albania, competent authority under the Apostille Convention