Rruga Stavro Vinjau, 14
Tirana, Albania
Telephone: +(355) (0) 4-2247-285
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(355) (0) 4-2247-285
Fax: +(355) (0) 4-2374-957; +(355) (0) 4-2232-222
Email: ACSTirana@state.gov
For information concerning travel to Albania, including information about the location of the U.S. Embassy, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, entry/exit requirements, safety and security, crime, medical facilities and health information, traffic safety, road conditions and aviation safety, please see country-specific information for Albania.
The U.S. Department of State reports statistics and compliance information for individual countries in the Annual Report on International Child Abduction. The report is located here.
Albania is not a signatory to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention), nor are there any bilateral agreements in force between Albania and the United States concerning international parental child abduction.
Albania acceded to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) on August 1, 2007; however, the United States and Albania are not yet treaty partners. Until Albania and the United States establish a treaty relationship per Article 38 of the Convention, parents whose children have been abducted from the United States to Albania or wrongfully retained in Albania are unable to invoke the Convention to pursue their children’s return or to seek access to them.
Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country. The government of Albania maintains information about custody, visitation, and family law on the Internet here.
Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in Albania and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.
The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, Directorate for Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children’s Issues provides assistance in cases of international parental child abduction. For U.S. citizen parents whose children have been wrongfully removed to or retained in countries that are not U.S. partners under the Hague Abduction Convention, the Office of Children’s Issues can provide information and resources about country-specific options for pursuing the return of or access to an abducted child. The Office of Children’s Issues may also coordinate with appropriate foreign and U.S. government authorities about the welfare of abducted U.S. citizen children. Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance.
Contact information:
U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20522-1709
Telephone: 1-888-407-4747
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Website: travel.state.gov/
Email: AbductionQuestions@state.gov
Parental child abduction is a crime in Albania. Per Article 127 of the Albanian Penal Code, it is illegal to take a child from the person exercising parental authority or who has been entrusted to raise and educate the child. It is also unlawful for one parent to keep a child during visitation beyond the time allotted by a court order. Noncompliance by one party constitutes a criminal act and is punishable by a fine or up to six months of imprisonment.
Parents may wish to consult with an attorney in the United States and in the country to which the child has been removed or retained to learn more about how filing criminal charges may impact a custody case in the foreign court. Please see Possible Solutions - Pressing Criminal Charges for more information.
Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from Albania to the United States. Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in Albania and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.
The Office of Children’s Issues may be able to assist parents seeking access to children who have been wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States. Parents who are seeking access to children who were not wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States should contact the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Albania for information and possible assistance.
Neither the Office of Children’s Issues nor consular officials at the U.S. Embassy or Consulates in Albania are authorized to provide legal advice.
The U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania, posts a list of attorneys, including those who specialize in family law.
This list is provided as a courtesy service only and does not constitute an endorsement of any individual attorney. The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the persons or firms included in this list. Professional credentials and areas of expertise are provided directly by the lawyers.
We are unaware of any Mediation services available in Albania at this time.
Exercising Custody Rights
While travelling in a foreign country, you are subject to the laws of that country. It is important for parents to understand that, although a left-behind parent in the United States may have custody or visitation rights pursuant to a U.S. custody order, that order may not be valid and enforceable in the country in which the child is located. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to speak to a local attorney if planning to remove a child from a foreign country without the consent of the other parent. Attempts to remove your child to the United States may:
- Endanger your child and others;
- Prejudice any future judicial efforts; and
- Could result in your arrest and imprisonment.
The U.S. government cannot interfere with another country’s court or law enforcement system.
To understand the legal effect of a U.S. order in a foreign country, a parent should consult with a local attorney in the country in which the child is located.
For information about hiring an attorney abroad, see our section on Retaining a Foreign Attorney.
Although we cannot recommend an attorney to you, most U.S. Embassies have lists of attorneys available online. Please visit the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate website for a full listing.
For more information on consular assistance for U.S. citizens arrested abroad, please see our website.
Country officers are available to speak with you Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. For assistance with an abduction in progress or any emergency situation that occurs after normal business hours, on weekends, or federal holidays, please call toll free at 1-888-407-4747. See all contact information.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this flyer is provided for general information only, is not intended to be legal advice, and may change without notice. Questions involving interpretation of law should be addressed to an attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction.
