Information on the types of identification documents commonly used in Albania was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

General information

According to a report by the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), the Head of Albania's Central Elections Commission (CEC) announced on 1 July 2005 that in order to vote in the 3 July 2005 national elections, voters would have to present both a birth certificate with photo and another identity document (ATA 1 July 2005). The other valid identity documents named by the Head of the CEC included driver's licences, passports, university and high school diplomas, military record books and private business licences (ibid.).

In February 2006, Transitions Online (TOL) noted that there is a "lack of standardized security features in Albanian identity documents" (27 Feb. 2006). However, further or corroborating information on the general characteristics of Albanian identification documents could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Passports

According to Keesing Reference Systems, the cover of Albania's most recent national passport is red and is described as follows:

Validity

5 years, page 2 entry 'Date of expiry'
A 5-year extension possible

Booklet

c. 125 x 88 mm / 4.9 x 3.5 in.
48 pages, page 1 and 2 not numbered

Laminate

page 2, clear kinegraphic laminate, not sewn in

Photo

integrated, at the right side repeated in smaller size

Numbering

7 digits, preceded by a letter
page 1, printed
page 2, machine-written
page 3 - back cover, laser perforated

Observations

This passport was first issued in 2002. (n.d.)

According to the United States (US) Department of State's Reciprocity Schedule, last updated in August 2005, Albanian passports, as of 15 May 1998, "include a second page with a plastic coating containing four sky-blue double-headed eagles and the words REPUBLIKA E SHQIPERISE (Republic of Albania)" (4 Aug. 2005).

Civil documents, including death certificates

The US Department of State's Reciprocity Schedule noted that, while Albanian civil documents (including birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates) "may appear crude or simplistic," the majority of them are "reasonably reliable" and there appears to be no restrictions on mailing documents overseas (4 Aug. 2005). The Reciprocity Schedule further indicated that there exist villages where records were destroyed in the Second World War (US 4 Aug. 2005).

In 2004, ATA reported that the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization had introduced new civil status certificates (birth, death and two types of marriage certificates), which were to come in four different "patterns" (31 July 2004). The new certificates, which the Ministry said would be more in line with European standards, would have translations in six European languages besides Albanian: English, French, Italian, Greek, German and Spanish (ATA 31 July 2004).

On 29 August 2006, Reuters reported that the municipality of Tirana, governed by the opposition Socialist party, was not issuing birth and death certificates because it had not received the appropriate forms from the Democratic Party government. Information indicating whether the municipality of Tirana resumed issuing these civil documents could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Further information on Albanian civil documents, including death certificates, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Diplomas

Apart from an uncorroborated 18 October 2005 news item by the ATA indicating that Albanian diplomas could not be "unified with those of European countries," recent information on Albanian diplomas could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

The Web site EuroEducation.net, which is appears to be sponsored by Middlesex University (United Kingdom), contains the following information, on the structure of the Albanian education system, which it attributes to the Albanian Ministry of Education and Sciences:

The Dëftesë Limiri (Leaving Certificate) is awarded to students who have completed the basic second stage of education (from age 10 to 14);

The Dëftesë Pjekurie (Maturity Certificate) is awarded to students who have completed their general secondary schooling (from age 14 to 18);

The Dëftesë e përfundimit dhe Çertifikatë e aftësive profesionale për punëtor të kualifikuar certificates, for which no English translation was provided, is awarded to students who have completed prevocational school (from age 14 to 17) or students who have completed vocational school (from age 14 to 19). (EuroEducation.net 2001)

EuroEducation.net also specified that students completing undergraduate studies (diplomë) are conferred a titull (title); students completing the first level of postgraduate studies (Shkollë pas Universitare) receive a Dilopmë e Studimeve te Thelluara pasuniversitare degree or a Kandidat I Shkencave degree; and students completing further postgraduate studies were conferred the title Doktor I Shkencave (doctor in sciences) (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA). 18 October 2005. "Press Review (Part One)." (Factiva)

_____. 1 July 2005. A. Gjonaj. "Persons, Who Would Use Certificates for Voting, Should Present Another Identity Document - CEC Decision." (Factiva)

_____. 31 July 2004. R. Dedaj. "Albanians' New Civil Status Certificates to Be Recognized Abroad." (Factiva)

EuroEducation.net. 2001. "Albania." http://www.euroeducation.net/prof/albanco.htm [Accessed 12 Oct. 2006]

Keesing Reference Systems. N.d. Document Checker. "Albania - P3: National Passports." http://www.documentchecker.com/rdo.dll [Accessed 5 Oct. 2006]

Reuters. 29 August 2006. "Albanians Dare Not Die Until Grave Row Is Resolved." (Factiva)

Transitions Online (TOL) [Prague]. 27 February 2006. Artan Puto. "Albania: Time to Deliver." http://www.tol.cz/look/TOL/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIssue=155&NrSection=1&NrArticle=15841 [Accessed 29 Sept. 2006]

United States (US). 4 August 2005. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. "Albania: Reciprocity Schedule." http://travel.state.gov/visa/reciprocity/Country%20Folder/A/Albania.htm [Accessed 13 Oct. 2006]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources, including: The Embassy of Albania in Ottawa and the Embassy of Canada in Rome.

Internet sites, including: Albanian Department of Public Administration; Albanian Ministry of Defense; Albanian Ministry of Education and Science; Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Albanian Ministry of Local Government and Decentralisation; Albanian Ministry of Public Order; Embassy of Albania in London; Embassy of Albania in Washington, DC; European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI).