Open a Company in Albania as a Turkish Citizen

Introduction

Turkish entrepreneurs rarely need convincing that Albania is a familiar place. The two countries share a long history, close cultural ties and frequent travel between Istanbul and Tirana. What founders usually need is something more practical: a clear picture of the steps between the decision to open a company and the moment it can trade.

For Turkish citizens several of those steps are simpler than for many other nationalities. You can visit Albania without a visa for short stays, and Turkey has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention for decades, so Turkish documents travel with an apostille. The parts that still need attention are the company structure, the residence permit if you plan to live in Albania, banking and accounting.

This guide is written for Turkish citizens and Turkish companies that want to open a company in Albania. It covers:

• entry for short visits and the rules for longer stays
• preparing Turkish documents with an apostille
• the company forms and how to choose
• registration step by step
• residence permits under Law no. 79/2021
• banking, accounting and tax after registration
• mistakes to avoid, professional advice and a detailed FAQ

We do not publish prices or processing times; they depend on your documents. We prepare a written quote for your case.

Why Turkish Entrepreneurs Choose Albania

The reasons Turkish founders give are a mix of familiarity and strategy.

Familiar ground

Shared history and culture make it easier to build relationships with Albanian partners, landlords and employees, and many everyday habits will feel familiar.

Full ownership and one register

A foreign citizen or company can own and manage an Albanian company without an Albanian partner. Registration happens at the National Business Center (QKB), which assigns the tax number (NIPT) and notifies the tax administration and social insurance.

A European location

Albania is an EU candidate country on the Adriatic, next to Italy and Greece. For Turkish companies selling into Europe or the Western Balkans, an Albanian company can be a practical regional base.

Short visits without a visa

Being able to visit without a visa makes the practical side — notary, bank, office viewings — much easier to organise.

Entry and Visa for Turkish Citizens

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

Longer stays and work

A visa-free stay is enough to set up the company, but not to live in Albania or work there. For that 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 one for self-employed persons (D/VP) and one for investors (D/I).

Employees you send from Turkey to work in your Albanian company also need the appropriate permit — plan this before they start.

→ Read our complete guide to Albanian visas

Documents and the Apostille

Albanian notaries, the QKB, banks and the migration authorities accept Turkish public documents with an apostille issued by the competent Turkish authority. Because Turkey has been part of the Convention since 1985, there is no need for embassy legalisation.

Typical documents

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

Turkish documents also need a certified Albanian translation. We tell you in advance which ones, so you obtain every apostille in one go.

Company Options for Turkish Founders

Three forms are relevant in practice:

The Sh.p.k. is the usual choice. Turkish companies that expand into Albania often compare a branch with a subsidiary: the subsidiary is a separate Albanian company, so liability stays in Albania, while a branch is part of the Turkish company.

Registered address and licences

Every company needs a registered address in Albania with a lease or property document, and regulated activities — construction, food, transport and others — need licences. We align the registered activity codes with the licences you will need.

→ Read about company setup for foreign companies

Opening the Company Step by Step

For Turkish founders the sequence is:

1. Consultation. Activity, shareholders, founder (you or your company) and residence plans.
2. Document list. Exactly which Turkish documents to apostille.
3. Apostille in Turkey. You obtain the apostilles from the competent Turkish authority.
4. Translation and notary. Certified Albanian translations and the signature of the founding act before a 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 quote fixed durations: they depend on complete documents and on 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

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

We confirm the right permit for your case before you apply and set up the company accordingly. If you plan to bring managers or staff from Turkey, we plan their permits in the same project.

→ Read our residence and work permit service

Opening a Bank Account

Albanian banks review every foreign-owned company individually, and no one can guarantee an account. A complete, consistent file makes the difference.

• Ownership and source of funds: be ready to explain who owns the company and where the capital comes from.
• Apostilled and translated documents, the same as for the register.
• An in-person meeting: many banks want to meet the administrator — easy to arrange during a visa-free visit.
• Consistent spelling of names with Turkish characters across all documents.

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

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

For a subsidiary of a Turkish group, we also prepare the information your group needs for its own reporting and keep intercompany transactions documented.

→ 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 Turkish founders:

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

For Turkish entrepreneurs, Albania combines familiarity with a straightforward legal path: visa-free visits, apostilled documents, full foreign ownership and a single business register.

The steps that need planning are the structure of the company, permits for anyone who will live or work in Albania, the bank file and accounting from day one. We are happy to plan them with you.