Population figures
Total country population
2,826,020
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
6,592
Asylum-seekers:
0
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
2,098
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
334
Country context
Albania is a country located in the Western Balkans, bordered by Montenegro, Kosovo (S/RES/1244 (1999)), North Macedonia, and Greece. It has a diverse landscape consisting of plains, mountainous regions, and a coastline along the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Albania is also subject to natural hazards, including earthquakes and floods.
Albania is considered primarily as a transit country by most refugees and migrants, and the authorities. Due to the general tendency of asylum-seekers to pursue onward movement, few asylum-seekers remain for extended periods in the country. Albania hosts a small population of forcibly displaced persons, including refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced persons (IDPs). The main country of origin for refugees is Ukraine, with smaller numbers coming from Serbia and Kosovo, and Syria, among others. Refugees are mostly residing in urban settlements, particularly the capital, Tirana, while some also reside in temporary accommodation facilities.
...Albania ratified the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol through Presidential Decree 200 in June 1992. A new Law on Asylum no 10/2021 was approved in 2021. This Law is partially in line with the most relevant EU Asylum Acquis. A new Law on Foreigners No 79/2021 was approved in 2021, partially compatible with the most relevant EU Directives regarding the treatment of foreign citizens, including migrants and persons in need of international protection. In 2022, Albania decided to grant refugees from Ukraine the right to enter and stay for up to one year without a residence permit, or to apply and obtain temporary protection.
Albania is a State party to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. At the High-Level Segment on Statelessness, held in October 2019, Albania pledged to fully implement the 2018 legislative amendments that improve access to birth registration for children of Roma and Egyptian national minorities, and for children born outside the territory of the Republic of Albania whose parents are nationals of the Republic of Albania. The new Law on Citizenship No 113 was approved in 2020. This law addresses some of the previous impediments and is aimed at resolving the civil status of persons at risk of statelessness and simplifying the process of naturalisation of foreign citizens including refugees.
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