Albania
Albania
UNHCR continues to support Albania’s efforts to strengthen its asylum and statelessness frameworks by assisting legislative reforms, improving reception conditions, and promoting alignment with international and EU standards.
Are you a refugee, asylum-seeker or stateless person looking for help? Visit the HELP site to find support and services from UNHCR.
UNHCR in Albania operates under the coordination of the Representation for Central and South-East Europe (RCSEE). The RCSEE is based in Budapest and supports operations in the region through a range of field presences and operational modalities.
Albania has a long-standing history of hosting people seeking safety, with UNHCR working alongside national institutions for over three decades to respond to protection needs, since establishing its office in 1991. The country acceded to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol in 1992, and signed a Branch Office Agreement with UNHCR on 13 April 1994.
UNHCR collaborates with the Ministry of Interior and other institutions to strengthen the asylum system, improve decision quality, and enhance reception conditions. It also promotes refugee inclusion, supports skills development, and helps address the risk of statelessness.
In 2024, 1,388 arrivals were recorded through UNHCR and partner monitoring, while 205 individuals were registered as stateless in the 2023 census.
UNHCR, in close partnership with the International Organization for Migration and the Government of Albania, is working to strengthen Albania’s asylum and migration systems as part of the EU4Migration four-year initiative (January 2025–December 2028).
The operations in Albania are coordinated by the Hungary multi-country office.
