The Republic of Albania is a party to The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention abolishes the requirement of diplomatic and consular legalization for public documents originating in one Convention country and intended for use in another. Instead, officials in the jurisdiction in which the document was issued, issue a certificate called “apostille” in order to make the document valid for international use.
Albanian documents for use in United States
If you have an Albanian civil document (birth certificate, marriage certificate, court decision, etc.) which will be used in United States, you must certify it with an apostille from the Legalization’s Office at the Albanian Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. For information on how to obtain an apostille for your Albanian civil document, please contact your nearest Albanian post office or the Albanian embassy or consulate serving your place of residence abroad.
U.S. documents for use in the Republic of Albania
If you have a U.S. civil document (birth certificate, marriage certificate, court decision, etc.) which will be used in Albania, you must certify it with an apostille affixed by the issuing authority – either the Federal government (including notarials performed at U.S. embassies abroad), the issuing U.S. courts, or the issuing State government (this includes documents notarized in United States as well as most civil documents).
- Federal Executive Agencies and U.S. Embassies Abroad: The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications.
- U.S. Federal Courts: Contact the Clerk’s Office of the issuing court.
- States, Territories and Other Jurisdictions: Each state and territory has its own procedures for issuing apostilles. Often this is done through the state’s Office of the Secretary of State, but the best way to find specific instructions is to perform an Internet search for “apostille [issuing state/territory name].”
Please note that the U.S. Embassy in Tirana does not have the authority to issue apostilles.