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Family Reunification Residence - Refugee or Subsidiary Protection Sponsor

AlbaniaFamily

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

Explore pathways in Albania Read the five questions ↓

Which family relationships qualify?

For family members of a refugee who have the right to family reunification, the provisions of the asylum legislation in force apply. After listing the applicant's housing, health-insurance and stable-income conditions, the official page states that the refugee is not required to meet the conditions set in point 3 of the article when the request is lodged within 3 months of receiving status, only for these family members: the refugee's spouse; the children of the refugee and of the spouse, including adopted children; the refugee's children, including adopted children, where the refugee has custody and they are dependent; and the spouse's children, including adopted children, where the spouse has custody and they are dependent. The asylum authority may authorise reunification of children in shared custody if the other party sharing custody has given consent. The official source does not state a complete list of qualifying family members beyond these.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state a complete list of qualifying family members beyond these.

Who may sponsor or bring the family member, and what immigration/citizenship status must that person hold?

The sponsor is a refugee or a person with subsidiary protection status in Albania, who lodges the family-reunification request with the authority responsible for asylum and refugees. The official page also sets a condition on the sponsor's period of lawful stay in Albania before the family joins, but its wording is not clear enough to state the period here.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state the complete answer to this question for this route.

What is important for proving marriage, partnership, parentage, custody, dependency or another qualifying relationship?

The request form must be accompanied by a notarised copy of the family members' travel documents and documented proof of the family link between the applicant and the persons to be reunited. If the refugee or person with subsidiary protection cannot provide officially documented proof, the asylum authority considers other evidence or indications, and a refusal cannot be based solely on the lack of documentary proof.

See recorded sources

What important financial, accommodation, insurance or maintenance responsibilities apply?

The applicant must provide housing in normal living conditions meeting health and safety standards, guarantee health insurance for themselves and their family, and guarantee stable financial income to support themselves and their family without recourse to the social insurance scheme or being a burden on the state budget. After listing these conditions, the page states that, exceptionally, the refugee is not required to meet the conditions set in point 3 of the article when the request is lodged within 3 months of receiving status, only for the following family members: the refugee's spouse; the children of the refugee and of the spouse, including adopted children; and the refugee's or the spouse's children, including adopted children, who are in their custody and dependent on them. The official source does not state a specific income amount.

See recorded sources
  • https://mb.gov.al/procedura-dhe-dokumentacioni-per-pajisjen-me-leje-qendrimi-dhe-leje-unike-residence-unique-permit-al-en/
    Në rastin e paraqitjes së kërkesës për bashkim familjar, kërkuesi duhet të plotësojë kushtet e mëposhtme: a) të sigurojë strehim në kushte normale jetese, sipas standardeve për shëndetin dhe sigurinë; b) të garantojë sigurimin shëndetësor për vete dhe familjen e tij; c) të garantojë burime të qëndrueshme të ardhurash financiare për të siguruar veten dhe familjen e tij, pa iu drejtuar skemës së sigurimeve shoqërore apo pa qenë në ngarkim të buxhetit të shtetit. \*Përjashtimisht, refugjatit nuk i kërkohet të plotësojë kushtet e përcaktuara në pikën 3 të këtij neni kur kërkesa për bashkim familjar dorëzohet brenda një periudhe prej 3 (tre) muajsh pas marrjes së statusit vetëm për anëtarët e mëposhtëm të familjes:
  • https://mb.gov.al/procedura-dhe-dokumentacioni-per-pajisjen-me-leje-qendrimi-dhe-leje-unike-residence-unique-permit-al-en/
    a) bashkëshortit të refugjatit; b) fëmijët e refugjatit dhe të bashkëshortit të tij, duke përfshirë fëmijët e birësuar; c) fëmijët, duke përfshirë fëmijët e birësuar të tij, kur refugjati ka kujdestarinë dhe fëmijët janë të varur prej tij. Autoriteti përgjegjës për azilin dhe refugjatët mund të autorizojë bashkimin e fëmijëve, kujdestaria e të cilëve është e përbashkët, me kusht që pala tjetër që ndan kujdestarinë të ketë dhënë pëlqimin e saj; ç) fëmijët, duke përfshirë fëmijët e birësuar të bashkëshortit, kur ai ka kujdestarinë dhe fëmijët janë të varur prej tij.

How does the application work at a high level, what rights does the family member receive, how long does the status last, and how can it become independent or longer-term where officially stated?

The refugee or person with subsidiary protection status lodges the request with the authority responsible for asylum and refugees. Examination starts within 10 days of filing, and a reasoned decision is issued within 30 days of submission and notified in writing within 5 days; where the request concerns an unaccompanied child, the decision is taken within 20 days. On request from the state authority for citizenship and refugees, the regional border and migration authority issues the refugee's family member a residence permit. For refugee family reunification the residence-permit service fee is free, and the biometric residence card cost is covered by the budget of the state authority handling this category. The official source does not state the permit's duration, the family member's rights, or how the status can become independent or longer-term.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state the permit's duration, the family member's rights, or how the status can become independent or longer-term.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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