Open a Company in Albania as a Chinese Citizen

Introduction

Two changes have made Albania noticeably easier for Chinese entrepreneurs. Albania and China have agreed visa-free travel for holders of ordinary passports, and since 7 November 2023 China is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Together they remove two of the steps that used to slow down every project: the visa for a first visit and the consular legalisation of documents.

What has not changed is the difference between visiting and staying. Visa-free entry is for short stays; living in Albania and running a company there still requires a long-stay visa or a residence permit under Albanian law.

This guide is for Chinese citizens who want to open a company in Albania — individual entrepreneurs, partners and Chinese companies planning a subsidiary or branch. It explains:

• entry rules under the visa-free agreement
• the apostille for Chinese documents and what happened to the old legalisation route
• the company forms available to you
• the registration process step by step
• residence permits under Law no. 79/2021
• practical points about banking, accounting and tax
• mistakes to avoid and answers to common questions

We do not publish prices or processing times; both depend on your documents. We send a written quote once we know your case.

Why Chinese Entrepreneurs Choose Albania

A founder from China typically looks for a European company with a simple structure and a clear legal framework. Albania offers several things that fit.

Short visits without a visa

With an ordinary Chinese passport you can visit Albania without a visa under the bilateral agreement. That makes the first trip — meeting partners, viewing offices, signing at the notary — much easier to organise.

Full foreign ownership

Albanian law allows a foreign citizen or a foreign company to own and manage an Albanian company. You do not need an Albanian partner.

A single business register

The National Business Center (QKB) registers the company, assigns its tax number (NIPT) and informs the tax administration and social insurance in one procedure.

Between the EU and the Balkans

Albania is an EU candidate country on the Adriatic coast, close to Italy and Greece. Trading, logistics and service companies use it as a regional base.

Entry and Visa for Chinese Citizens

Chinese citizens with an ordinary passport can enter Albania without a visa under the reciprocal visa-free agreement between Albania and China. How long a visa-free stay may last is set by the rules in force — check the current rules on e-visa.al before you travel.

Working or living in Albania

Visa-free entry covers short stays only. To work in Albania or to live there while you run your company, you need a long-stay (Type D) visa or a residence permit under Law no. 79/2021 “On Foreigners” and Council of Ministers Decision no. 858 of 29.12.2021. The Type D visas include a visa for self-employed persons (D/VP) and a visa for investors (D/I).

In practice, many founders make the first trip visa-free to set up the company and prepare the long-stay application while they are in Albania. We check which route suits your plans.

→ Read our complete guide to Albanian visas

Documents and the Apostille

Since 7 November 2023, public documents issued in mainland China are certified with an apostille by the competent Chinese authority. The apostille replaces consular legalisation for documents used in Albania.

Documents legalised before November 2023

If you already hold documents legalised the old way — through the consular route — they may or may not be accepted, depending on the document and the Albanian institution. Send them to us first; we check each one and tell you whether to obtain a new document with an apostille.

What you will usually need

• a notarised copy of your passport
• a power of attorney if a representative signs for you in Albania
• for a Chinese parent company: its business licence, articles of association and a resolution approving the Albanian company or branch
• for residence: documents about your personal situation

Documents in Chinese need a certified Albanian translation. We arrange this in Albania and tell you in advance which documents require it.

Company Options for Chinese Founders

Three forms are relevant:

Most founders choose an Sh.p.k.. When a Chinese company invests, a subsidiary (an Albanian Sh.p.k. owned by the Chinese company) is often preferred to a branch because liability stays with the Albanian company. Both require the parent company’s documents with an apostille.

Registered address and licences

Every Albanian company needs a registered address in Albania, supported by a lease or a property document. Some activities — for example certain trading, transport or food businesses — also need a licence before they start. We check this when we discuss your activity, so that the registered activity codes match the licences you will apply for later.

→ Read about company setup for foreign companies

Opening the Company Step by Step

This is the sequence we follow for Chinese founders:

1. Consultation. Activity, shareholders, founder (you or your company) and whether you plan to live in Albania.
2. Document review. We check what you already have, including documents legalised before November 2023.
3. Apostille in China. You obtain apostilles from the competent Chinese authority.
4. Translation and notary. Certified Albanian translations, then signature of the founding act before an Albanian notary — in person during a visa-free visit or through a representative.
5. QKB registration. The company is registered and receives its NIPT.
6. Getting started. Bank account, tax portal, VAT where it applies, licences and monthly accounting.

We do not give fixed durations: they depend on complete documents and on the issue of apostilles in China.

→ Our Sh.p.k. and NIPT registration service

Residence Permit Through Your Company

The visa-free agreement lets you visit; it does not let you live in Albania. For that you need a permit under Law no. 79/2021 “On Foreigners”. The type depends on your purpose of stay — work, self-employment, investment or family — and on your role in the company.

We confirm the right permit for your case before you apply and make sure the company is set up to support it. Personal documents for the permit need an apostille too, so we plan them together with the company documents.

→ Read our residence and work permit service

Opening a Bank Account

A bank account is essential for your company, but no one can promise that a particular bank will accept a client. Albanian banks assess every foreign-owned company individually.

• Questions about owners and funds: who owns the company, where the capital comes from and how money will flow between China and Albania.
• Documents with an apostille and certified translations, as for the register.
• A visit in person: many banks want to meet the administrator. Visa-free entry makes this easier to plan.
• Consistent names: the pinyin spelling of the passport across all documents.

We prepare the bank file with you and advise you on where to apply.

→ Read our guide to banking for foreigners

Accounting and Tax After Registration

From registration your company keeps accounts and files declarations in Albania, including months without activity. Filings are made electronically.

We work as your accounting department in Albania:

• bookkeeping and periodic tax declarations
• VAT registration and returns where applicable
• payroll and social contributions
• annual financial statements
• reports in English and coordination with your accountant in China

Managing an Albanian company from China works well when the roles are clear: you decide, your Albanian accountant keeps the company compliant and tells you in good time what is due. We send reports in English and flag any declaration that needs your input before its deadline.

→ Our accounting and tax service

→ Read our guide to taxes for foreigners in Albania

Practical Examples

Two illustrative scenarios (not client cases):

Mistakes to Avoid

Professional Advice

Our recommendations for Chinese founders:

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

For Chinese entrepreneurs, Albania has become simpler: visa-free visits, apostilled documents and full foreign ownership. What needs planning is the move from visiting to staying, the preparation of documents and reliable accounting once the company exists.

If you tell us what you plan, we tell you exactly which steps apply to you.