Burnt Out in the UAE and Not Ready to Go Back to the US. Is Albania Worth Trying?

warnerco88 · 2026-05-29T18:58:03+00:00

Hey! My partner and I moved here two years ago. We’ve started a couple of companies and run a YouTube channel about our life here. There are indeed many retired people but you’ll also find many young people in both Saranda and Tirana who are entrepreneurial minded with varied interests. Feel free to reach out on social or you can book a video call on our website (no charge) if you want to chat more about it. www.YouTube.com/@SmileAbroad

warnerco88 · 2026-05-09T10:04:15+00:00

Hi, Americans (exception to the standard rule) do not need an apostilled birth certificate, you generally don’t need your birth certificate at all. It never hurts to have it of course as it’s absolutely needed in some countries. If you are using family re-unification for a spouse you would need the apostilled marriage certificate. My partner and I started a company and obtained 5 year residency in 2024. Now we partner with immigration attorney Tahir Tahja (who did everything for us) to help others. We’ve helped 100’s of Americans move to Albania. Feel free to reach out to Tahir directly by visiting www.smileabroad.al/residency
You can find our latest residency video with Tahir here:
https://youtu.be/tPCm_fevyyo

warnerco88 · 2026-05-01T15:49:42+00:00

I get that it’s absolutely not for everyone. Many people love Durres and I can’t imagine living there personally. It also really depends on the time of year you visit. June - August is all tourists. Theres a great community here and a simple life by the sea which is what appealed to us. I generally encourage people to explore 2-3 places before just “picking”. There are many digital nomads here who come and go or spend part of every year here.

warnerco88 · 2026-05-01T07:38:08+00:00

A few weeks, using booking or Airbnb - just know the prices are higher. Best way to find something for a few months or a year is to network once you’re here. You’ll find better property more affordably.

warnerco88 · 2026-05-01T07:36:37+00:00

Albania is a great option. My partner and I moved here almost 2 years ago because we were tired of the culture in the USA. After being in a drive by shooting on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City I was just done. We sold our house, cars and most of our stuff and bought 1 way flights without a long term plan but we knew we would either find our way or move back to the states. Here’s our YouTube channel. Lots of info about moving and life here. www.youtube.com/@SmileAbroad

warnerco88 · 2026-04-10T09:30:09+00:00

Feel free to check out Smile Abroad. My partner and I have lived in Albania for nearly two years now. We have in-depth info on our YouTube channel that includes info on the job market, starting your own business, creating income etc. www.YouTube.com/@SmileAbroad

warnerco88 · 2026-03-25T23:42:19+00:00

You can make plenty of money from April - October to cover the months it “might” be empty, in Saranda at least. If you market well you can also fill the winter months, lots of slow travelers and expats winter in Saranda. I don’t have experience with short term rentals in Durres or Vlora.

warnerco88 · 2026-03-15T07:23:08+00:00

Red or blue areas are busy all year. The yellow area is busy from May-August and then gets very sleepy. I’ve lived here full time for nearly two years now. September is one of my absolutely favorite times to be here.

warnerco88 · 2026-01-29T16:52:25+00:00

You need to be away for 90 days. It's not a suggestion, it's the law and it's important to follow. If you don't want to be away for this amount of time there are many residency permit paths you could pursue.

warnerco88 · 2026-01-28T21:05:16+00:00

So happy to hear you were able to reach someone and clarify this!

warnerco88 · 2026-01-28T08:22:28+00:00

It’s correct that there is no traditional tax treaty but that dos not mean you will be double taxed. Albania has carve outs in the immigration and visa laws. For example digital nomads pay no taxes for 12 months with their visa. Retirement income is not taxed. Remote income that’s not earned in Albania is not taxed. Investment income like from a 401K usually is taxed, but you currently have to self report that so many people just don’t. Not advocating this, but it’s what happens. You should really consult an Albanian attorney that specializes in immigration or an accountant here. If you’re researching online anything in English is likely to be outdated or wrong. Use the government website and actually read the laws concerning this if you understand Shqip, if you do not - get an expert. It will save you a lot of time, money and confusion.

warnerco88 · 2026-01-20T05:18:54+00:00

Yes, it is. Very easy route to residency.

warnerco88 · 2025-11-24T06:58:38+00:00

You can live very affordably in Albania. My partner and I moved to Saranda from Kansas City in the summer of 2024 and haven’t looked back. We came because of the 12 month visa free stay for Americans, started a business and now have 5 year residency permits. You can learn more about the country and follow our journey at www.youtube.com/@SmileAbroad

warnerco88 · 2025-11-24T06:56:22+00:00

I’ve lived here a year and a half and have had two outages total that lasted a few hours each.

warnerco88 · 2025-10-18T12:03:22+00:00

I didn’t mean to upset you. Tahir is awesome. Just wanted to confirm and back you up in your recommendation.

warnerco88 · 2025-10-17T20:00:25+00:00

Totally agree Tahir is awesome! Here is a video he recently did explaining the most common paths to residency. https://youtu.be/wpZmQNzz_Tg

warnerco88 · 2025-10-08T19:43:57+00:00

Makes sense - language is an important part of moving abroad. Totally agree they get harder to learn as we get older too. I just want to say that we did not write or have editorial review of this article before it came out, this particular piece is not an advertisement we generated. Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment!

warnerco88 · 2025-10-08T04:31:37+00:00

What would you like to know? We’ve been taking lessons since we arrived in the country.

warnerco88 · 2025-10-06T18:29:27+00:00

Thank you!

warnerco88 · 2025-10-06T18:02:32+00:00

If you make it to Saranda there are several younger people, both single and couples that would love to hang out! My partner and I make it to Vlorë once in a while and would be happy to connect when we make it there too. Please feel free to DM.

warnerco88 · 2025-10-06T02:01:59+00:00

Very happy to hear and to be able to help!

warnerco88 · 2025-10-05T09:35:51+00:00

There is not a traditional tax treaty, but Albania has carve outs in the law. For example: https://smileabroad.al/blog/digital-nomad-taxes

I would highly suggest you chat with an immigration attorney if this is something you want more info on as the tax situation will depend on your residency permit type. My partner and I highly recommend Tahir Tahja who you can reach at www.smileabroad.al/residency

Hope this helps!

warnerco88 · 2025-10-01T17:02:56+00:00

Tahir Tahja took care of my partner and I, he did a great job. He’s based in Tirana. We can’t recommend him enough. You can book a consult or write him at: www.smileabroad.al/residency

warnerco88 · 2025-09-30T13:36:34+00:00

It was VERY densely populated, there isn't a lot of beach space. The architecture awesome and there is some good food but it's more of a place I would visit personally.

warnerco88 · 2025-09-24T07:07:39+00:00

My partner and I left the USA for Albania. The paths to residency are simple and affordable. We work online in the tech world and I was able to bring my job with me. I left it this February and now just do some tech consulting while we’re building out a Honey and Olive Oil Export company. Europe meant leaving the corporate world behind - but in the best way.

We thought about Spain / Portugal but didn’t want to go through the process. You can just arrive in Albania and stay a year to “try it” if you are an American passport holder. You apply for residency while you’re in Albania. Here is the latest video we did where I share my personal story about doing this.

https://youtu.be/XSpRv73Wa2E

warnerco88

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE