Russian Federation to Albania visa requirements

Russian ordinary passport holders need a visa to enter Albania for tourism. The simplest route is the official Albanian e-Visa (Type C short-stay) applied online at e-visa.al. The seasonal visa-free window Albania granted Russians in 2022 was suspended in April 2023 and remains suspended as of 2026. As of 2026, citizens of Russia holding an ordinary passport require a visa to visit Albania for tourism or a short visit. Albania is NOT part of the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply to entry into Albania; however, Albania mirrors the Schengen short-stay concept with its own Type C visa (up to 90 days within any 180-day period). Albania briefly operated a seasonal unilateral visa-free regime for Russian tourists in 2022 (roughly April-September), but the Council of Ministers suspended this for Russian (and Belarusian) citizens from 20 April 2023 in the context of EU alignment, and it has not been reinstated for the 2024, 2025, or 2026 seasons. Russian travelers should therefore obtain a visa in advance. The most convenient channel is the official Albanian electronic visa system at e-visa.al, where applicants select the C-type (short-stay) visa for tourism. The standard government visa fee is approximately EUR 60. Applications can also be lodged at the Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Moscow. Note also that holders of a valid multiple-entry Schengen, UK, or US visa (already used at least once) can in many cases enter Albania visa-free for up to 90 days within 180 days under Albania's reciprocity rule; a Russian holding such a visa may use that route instead of applying for an Albanian visa. Travelers without such a visa must obtain the Albanian e-Visa or an embassy visa before departure. Passports should be valid for the duration of stay and issued within the last 10 years.