Asylum-seekers are entitled to a number of key rights from the moment they request asylum in Albania, including:
- Right not to be returned to their country of origin, or any other country in which they could be threatened on account of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of a particular social group
- Right to reception arrangements including accommodation, food, clothing and non-food items, information and counselling, and health care
- Right to be assisted by a qualified interpreter during the asylum procedure
- Right to free legal representation by a lawyer or expert on refugee matters
- Right to contact UNHCR or UNHCR’s partner organisations at any time
- Right to have the information you provide to authorities kept confidential
- Right to be issued identification documents and residence permits while asylum procedures are ongoing
- Right to education
- Right to work, not later than nine months from the submission of the asylum application
- Right to appeal and other forms of judicial instances
- If you are a child under 18 travelling without a parent, you have the right to have an appointed legal guardian.
These rights cease if your asylum claim is finally rejected.
In return, as an asylum-seeker in Albania you are, among other things, obliged to:
- Provide accurate and true information about yourself to authorities
- Attend interviews and meetings related to your case, as scheduled by the Directorate for Asylum and Citizenship
- Present all relevant documents that aid identification
- Inform authorities of your current address and any changes to your circumstances
- Undergo a medical examination, upon the request of the relevant health care authority, where there is a risk to public health.
The full list of rights and obligations related to asylum-seekers in Albania can be found in the 2021 Law on Asylum, available at: Refworld | Albania: Law No. 10/2021 on Asylum in the Republic of Albania