What documents does a foreigner need to buy property in Albania?

A passport is the only document the law requires from a foreign buyer at the notary (Law 110/2018); a married buyer also declares the marital property regime, and any document issued abroad needs an apostille and a certified Albanian translation. After signing, the contract is registered at ASHK with the ownership certificate and property card, for a fee of 5,000 ALL (VKM 462/2025).

Data compiled by Fedir AlpatovUpdated

What the buyer brings

Buyer's documents
DocumentRequired?Basis
Sources · 7
  • DATA-LEGAL-0002The notary establishes the identity of every party with an identity card or another identity document recognised by Albanian law; the type of document is named in the deed and a copy is attached. The cadastre records the owner's ID or passport number as a mandatory field. For a foreign buyer this document is the passport.Identity document at the notary: passport for a foreign buyer
    Confidence: HIGHPeriod: Law 110/2018 Art. 101(1); ASHK Instruction 1557/2024 §II.2verified 2026-09-09Law No. 110/2018 "Për noterinë" (On the notary), official text
  • DATA-LEGAL-0007A deed transferring immovable property must declare the marital property regime, stating the presumption of legal co-ownership for property acquired during marriage. Registration at the cadastre requires the buyer's family or marriage certificate.Marital status: family or marriage certificate of the buyer
    Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: Law 110/2018 Art. 105(5); ASHK KP1 document list as reportedverified 2026-09-09Law No. 110/2018 "Për noterinë" (On the notary), official text
  • DATA-LEGAL-0003Notarial deeds are drawn up in Albanian. When a party does not know Albanian, the whole deed is translated — by the notary if certified as a translator, or by a translator accepted by the notary and the parties — and the deed records that the party understood and accepted its content.A buyer who does not speak Albanian needs the deed translated
    Confidence: HIGHPeriod: Law 110/2018 Art. 100verified 2026-09-09Law No. 110/2018 "Për noterinë" (On the notary), official text
  • DATA-LEGAL-0005Albania is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (accession 2003-09-03, in force 2004-05-09), so a public document issued in another member state — such as a power of attorney notarised abroad, or a civil-status certificate — is accepted with an apostille instead of consular legalisation.Documents issued abroad: apostille, not consular legalisation
    Confidence: HIGHPeriod: in force since 2004-05-09; status table updated 2026-06-30verified 2026-09-09HCCH — Apostille Convention status table
  • DATA-LEGAL-0006Practitioner guidance: a power of attorney issued abroad must be apostilled and translated into Albanian by a certified translator. Consistent with the law's rule that notarial acts are in Albanian and that translations of foreign documents are made or certified by translators on the Ministry of Justice list.Foreign documents are translated into Albanian
    Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2026-02 guidance; Law 110/2018 Art. 100(1)verified 2026-09-09Shërbime Kontabiliteti — Buy property in Albania as a foreigner 2026
  • DATA-LEGAL-0011Agency guidance lists an Albanian tax identification number (NIPT) among a foreign buyer's documents. The official sources found do not require one for a private individual buying an apartment: the cadastre records a passport number for individuals and a NIPT only for legal entities and traders. A tax registration is needed later to declare rental income (DATA-TAX-0004).Albanian tax number: claimed by agencies, not found as a legal requirement
    Confidence: LOWPeriod: 2026verified 2026-09-09Shërbime Kontabiliteti — Buy property in Albania as a foreigner 2026
  • DATA-LEGAL-0012Practitioner guidance lists proof of funds or bank statements and a bank account among a foreign buyer's documents. Notaries are reporting entities under the anti-money-laundering law and check the parties before the deed; no official list of the funds evidence they ask for was found.Proof of funds and a bank account: practitioner guidance
    Confidence: LOWPeriod: 2026verified 2026-09-09Shërbime Kontabiliteti — Buy property in Albania as a foreigner 2026

What the seller and the notary provide

The notary checks the seller's ownership in the electronic property register and attaches the result to the deed. After signing, the registration file at ASHK holds the sale contract, the ownership certificate, the updated property card and the receipts for taxes and fees; the notary usually submits it.

Registration at ASHK
ItemDetailBasis
Registration fee5,000 ALLVKM 462/2025
Late registration10% of the fee a day, max 300,000 ALLVKM 462/2025
Sources · 4

Questions and answers

Agencies often list one, but we found no legal requirement for a private buyer. Ask the notary before you open one.

Sources

  1. Law No. 110/2018 "Për noterinë" (On the notary), official text, 2018-12-20 (accessed 2026-09-09)
  2. HCCH — Apostille Convention status table, 2026-06-30 (accessed 2026-09-09)
  3. Ekofin — Regjistrimi i kontratës së shitjes në Kadastër, procedura dhe dokumentet e nevojshme, 2026-09-15 (accessed 2026-09-09)
  4. Council of Ministers Decision (VKM) No. 462 of 31.07.2025 on ASHK service fees, amending VKM 389/2020. State Cadastre Agency (ASHK), 2025-07-31 (accessed 2026-10-19)
  5. Shërbime Kontabiliteti — Buy property in Albania as a foreigner 2026, 2026-02-27 (accessed 2026-09-09)

What is missing

Gaps we know about: questions we have no reliable data for yet.

  • Whether a private foreign buyer needs an Albanian tax identification number: agencies say yes, no legal basis found.