Open a Company in Albania as an Israeli Citizen

Introduction

Israeli founders tend to arrive with a clear idea: a European company for a technology or service business, a vehicle for a real-estate or tourism project, or a base for selling into the region. Albania can serve all of these, and for Israeli citizens the entry and document rules are relatively simple.

You can visit Albania without a visa for short stays, and Israel has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 14 August 1978, so Israeli documents are used with an apostille. What deserves careful planning is the company structure, the residence permit if you intend to live in Albania, the bank account and your accounting obligations.

This guide is for Israeli citizens and Israeli companies that want to open a company in Albania. It explains:

• entry for short visits and the rules for living and working in Albania
• preparing Israeli documents with an apostille
• company forms and how to choose
• registration step by step
• residence permits under Law no. 79/2021
• banking, accounting and tax
• mistakes to avoid, professional advice and answers to frequent questions

We do not quote prices or durations here; they depend on your documents. We send a written quote for your case.

Why Israeli Entrepreneurs Look at Albania

For founders from Israel, Albania’s appeal is usually practical rather than sentimental — although the warm relationship between the two countries helps.

Simple first steps

Visa-free short visits and apostilled documents mean you can organise the notary signature, bank meetings and office viewings without a visa procedure.

Full ownership, one register

A foreign citizen or company can own and manage an Albanian company without a local partner. The National Business Center (QKB) registers the company, assigns its tax number (NIPT) and notifies the tax administration and social insurance.

A European base for remote-friendly businesses

Albania is an EU candidate country on the Adriatic, close to Italy and Greece. Software, design, marketing and consulting companies can work with European clients from an Albanian company.

English-language support

We work with foreign founders in English; the Albanian-language filings are handled locally.

Entry and Visa for Israeli Citizens

Israeli citizens can enter Albania without a visa for short stays. The permitted length of stay is set by the rules in force — check the current rules on e-visa.al before you travel.

Living and working in Albania

To live in Albania or work there 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).

You can keep living in Israel and visit Albania when needed, or move. Both are possible — the company structure and the permit should match the choice you make.

→ Read our complete guide to Albanian visas

Documents and the Apostille

Israeli public documents are certified for Albania with an apostille from the competent Israeli authority. Albanian notaries, the QKB, banks and the migration authorities then accept them without further legalisation.

Typical documents

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

Documents in Hebrew need a certified Albanian translation; English documents usually do as well. We tell you which ones before you start.

Company Options for Israeli Founders

Three forms are relevant:

Most Israeli founders choose an Sh.p.k.. For a real-estate or tourism project it is common to create a dedicated Sh.p.k. per project, so that each project has its own accounts and liability. An Israeli company expanding into Albania should compare a subsidiary with a branch.

Registered address and licences

Each company needs a registered address in Albania backed by a lease or property document. Activities such as tourism accommodation or construction require licences — we align the activity codes with them.

→ Read about company setup for foreign companies

Opening the Company Step by Step

The sequence for Israeli founders:

1. Consultation. Activity, shareholders, founder (you or your company) and whether you will live in Albania.
2. Document list. Which Israeli documents to apostille and translate.
3. Apostille in Israel. You obtain apostilles from the competent Israeli authority.
4. Translation and notary. Certified translations, then the founding act signed 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. Operational setup. Bank account, tax portal, VAT where it applies, licences and accounting.

We do not give fixed durations; they depend on complete documents and the authorities involved.

Before your first visit

A visa-free trip is most useful when it is prepared. Before you fly, make sure you have:

• the apostilled documents and their scans, checked by us in advance
• a decision on the founder — you personally or your company
• the proposed company name and a short description of the activity
• a registered address in Albania, or viewings arranged
• appointments with the notary and, if possible, with a bank

With these in place, one trip is usually enough for the signatures and meetings that need you in person.

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

Residence Permit Through Your Company

An Albanian company does not by itself allow you to live in Albania. Residence is a separate permit under Law no. 79/2021 “On Foreigners”, and the type depends on your purpose of stay — work, self-employment, investment or family — and on your role in the company.

If you plan to move, we confirm the right permit before you apply and structure the company so that it supports it. Family members joining you have their own applications, which we can plan at the same time.

→ Read our residence and work permit service

Opening a Bank Account

Albanian banks decide on each foreign-owned company individually; no one can promise an account in advance. A complete and consistent file is what helps.

• Ownership and source of funds: prepare a clear explanation, especially when funds come from several countries or from a parent company.
• Apostilled and translated documents, as for the register.
• A meeting in person: many banks want to meet the administrator; plan it into a visa-free visit.
• Consistent names in Latin script across every document.

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

→ Read our guide to banking for foreigners

Accounting and Tax After Registration

From the day of registration the company keeps accounts and files declarations in Albania, even in months without activity. Filings are electronic.

• 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 Israel

For project companies we keep each project’s accounts separate, so that you can see its results clearly and report to partners or investors.

If your Albanian company invoices clients in other countries or works with an Israeli parent company, we document the transactions between the companies and keep the Albanian records ready for your auditors and advisers in Israel.

→ 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 Israeli founders:

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Albania offers Israeli entrepreneurs a straightforward route to a European company: visa-free visits, apostilled documents, full foreign ownership and a single register.

The planning goes into the structure — one company or several, subsidiary or branch — the residence permit if you move, the bank file and accounting from day one. We are glad to help you plan it.