Albanian Identity Card

Albanian electronic ID Card 2009

Albanian electronic ID Card (back)

The Albanian Identity Card (Letërnjoftimi) is a national identity card that is issued by the Albanian authorities to their citizens. It is proof of identity, citizenship and residence of the Albanian citizens. The current version is in ID1 format and biometric. The ID Card is compulsory for citizens over 16 years old.

History

Albania issued identity cards to its citizens until 1991, the year of change of the political system. For 18 years, in the absence of such a document, people were obliged to provide birth certificates with photos, which was considered inconvenient. Finally in 2007, in cooperation with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the electronic recording of the population in a central database was made possible. After that, the Albanian authorities have set up an international tender to determine the company that had to produce identity cards. The race was won by the French company Sagem Sécurité (Morfo, Safran Group).^[1]

The process of issuing identity cards started on January 12, 2009.

Appearance

The ID Card is plastic and has the size of a credit card. The front contains the bearer's face the following fields written in Albanian and English:

• Nationality: Shqiptare/Albanian
• Document number
• Full name, including surname and all given names
• Photograph (both printed and processed to watermark)
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Sex
• Personal number
• Authority
• Date of issue
• Date of expiry (normally 10 years after the date of issue)
• Signature

On the photo a micro-holographic reflecting stamp is placed. The back contains the machine readable zone. The microchip, visible on the back contains biometric data such as fingerprints of the holder, the image, signature, etc. The data can be extracted from the chip with wireless RFID technology. The ID card serves as a travel document for international travel between a limited number of countries. The validity of the card is 10 years and is compulsory for citizens over 16.^[2]

Issuing procedure

The identity card is requested at the municipality (after paying the required fee; presently 1,200 lek (ca €10)) at the post office) where a digital picture of the bearer's face and fingerprints are taken. The card should be picked up in person after ca 15 days, where the bearer identifies himself with his fingerprints.

Countries

With Albanian ID Card you can travel to the following countries:

•  Kosovo
•  Macedonia
•  Montenegro ^[3]

See also

• Albanian passport
• Border Crossings of Albania

External links

• Ministria e Punëve të Brendshme / Ministry of Internal Affairs of Albania
• Zyra e Gjendjes Civile / Albanian Civil Registry
• Modernization project helps improve public services in Albania
• Albania's ID cards key to visa regime, elections

References

1. ↑ Albania selects Sagem Sécurité (Safran Group) for secure ID documents
2. ↑ Government act for identity cards (alb)
3. ↑ Agreement ALB / MNE / MKD for citizen border crossing with ID Card only