On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Albania LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Albania country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Albania COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Albania.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Albania is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Since 1992, Albania has been a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and to its 1967 Protocol.
Albania is party to three of the four core statelessness conventions, with the exception of Council of Europe Convention on the Avoidance of Statelessness in Relation to State Succession. More information on Albania’s legal and policy framework on statelessness can be found here.
The 1988 Constitution of the Republic of Albania and the Law on Asylum on the Republic of Albania (no 121/2014) lays down the rights and responsibilities of refugees and asylum seekers in Albania.
Legal aid organisations
Website
Facebook
Address: QSHRT – Rr. Kont Urani No. 10, Tirana, Albania
Tel: 04 2 256 522
Fax: 04 2 239 121
Email: arct@albmail.com
Contact Person: Adrian Kati, Executive Director
The Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma and Torture (ARCT) offers Rehabilitation of torture victims services and Prevention of Torture programs. It provides monitoring, documentation of torture and ill-treatment, focusing both on legal and medical aspects, and individual representation to vulnerable people, including immigrants.
Refugee and Migrant Services in Albania (RMSA) is an NGO that provides social and legal service to refugees and asylum-seekers in Albania. The mission statement of the NGO is to assist refugees and asylum-seekers to integrate locally in the country of asylum.
RMSA provides legal counselling and represents foreigners who seek asylum in Albania during the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedure. They aid asylum seekers throughout all the stages (pre-screening, application, hearing, etc) both in the administrative and judicial instances. RMSA also provides legal representation in other state administrative bodies.
RMSA provides social services and community based assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers of concern to UNHCR and provide appropriate accommodation to the cases granted refugee status in compliance with the law in force. They also support the future self-reliance of refugees and their social capacity to locally integrate into the Albanian society by fully supporting the registration of refugee and asylum seekers’ children at schools and guaranteing their full access to education and provide them with all the necessary school materials.
Website
Address: Bulevardi Bajram Curri, P. Agimi, shk. 18, ap. 322., Tirana, Albania
Tel.: +355 4 22 58 442
Email: rbozo@tlas.org.al
Contact person: Ms Rajmonda Bozo, Executive Director
Tirana Legal Aid Society (TLAS) started its activities in 1999 and in 2006 registered as an Albanian independent local not-for-profit organization. Together with other governmental or non-governmental actors, TLAS works for positive development in Albania. TLAS provides legal services to vulnerable individuals. It increases awareness by publishing information on legal issues and human rights. It also works on law initiatives regarding legal and social problems of people in need. TLAS provides free legal aid services to refugees. It assists refugees by providing legal advice by email, phone, or in the office, as well as direct representation in court.
Website
Email: contact@w2eu.info or w2eu_info@yahoo.com
The Welcome to Europe website is an independent source of information for refugees coming to Europe. It might be useful on their journey to and through Europe by giving access to counseling and useful contacts in different European countries. Their Albania country page provides information on the Albanian asylum application process and provides useful contacts.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Website
Email: info@gay.al
Contact Person: Saimir Hoxha, Manager
Gay.al is Albania’s biggest gay community website and offers a forum for advice and personal stories. The website is available in Albanian and English and is useful for LGBTI+ persons from other countries
Website
Blog
Email: communitypink@gmail.com
Tel: +35542265741
Mobile: +355672075335
Contact person: Amarildo Fecanji, Project Manager
Pink Embassy advocates for the rights and needs of the LGBTI+ community and people still uncertain of their sexual orientation (Questioning). PINK Embassy defends that the LGBTI+ be fully respected and their needs and concerns be appropriately addressed. Pink Embassy aims to improve the attitude and behaviour of the Albanian government and society towards LGBT community individuals and issues, as well as the total integration of this community into the Albanian social, economic and political life. The website is available in English and Albanian and refugees from abroad are welcome.
Albania LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Albania.
Albania COI
Find Albania Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated May 2023