The number of Albanians who have applied to renounce their citizenship has dropped significantly this year. Data shows that by June, there were 103 citizens who requested to give up their Albanian passport, compared to 315 applications in the first half of 2024.

A considerable portion of those surrendering their Albanian passports are seeking to replace them with other citizenships—Italian, German, or French—where laws do not allow dual citizenship.

Meanwhile, the pace of renouncing citizenship does not match that of acquiring it, as applications for Albanian citizenship have increased. This year, 400 individuals applied to regain an Albanian passport, marking a slight rise compared to the same period last year.

This trend is mainly linked to Albanians born abroad, especially children of emigrants, who seek to obtain their parents’ citizenship or to hold dual passports.
There are also cases of individuals from neighboring countries who see Albanian citizenship as an opportunity for employment, freer movement, or studies.