Albania: Description of valid birth and marriage certificates, including the general paper quality of original documents; register numbers and register years; description of family certificates; whether an individual with power of attorney who is applying for a birth certificate on behalf of an applicant may provide the applicant's photo to the authorities
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 3 October 2007 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ALB102600.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Albania: Description of valid birth and marriage certificates, including the general paper quality of original documents; register numbers and register years; description of family certificates; whether an individual with power of attorney who is applying for a birth certificate on behalf of an applicant may provide the applicant's photo to the authorities, 3 October 2007, ALB102600.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/474e89541e.html [accessed 28 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the United States (US) Visa Reciprocity and Country Documents Finder, civil documents in Albania "may appear crude and simplistic, but that is what is in use within the country" (4 Aug. 2005).
An official from the Rule of Law / Human Rights Department, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Presence in Albania stated that there is a new A4 birth certificate that has been in circulation since 2003 or 2004 and is now being used throughout Albania (OSCE Feb. 2006). The Official stated that the new birth certificate is "the only official form" of birth certificate (ibid.). According to information obtained by the OSCE Official from Albania's General Directorate of the Civil Registry, the birth certificate came into effect on 1 April 2004 following an 11 December 2003 ministerial ruling (ibid.). Roughly seven million birth certificates, which are valid for three months, are issued annually (ibid.). The OSCE Official noted that the new birth certificates have a serial number and a hologram (ibid.). Both a human rights organization and an official at the Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Washington, DC made reference to photos on birth certificates (AHC n.d.b.; Albania 25 Sept. 2007).
In a 26 September 2007 telephone interview, the Embassy Official stated that Albanians did not have to obtain a new birth certificate every three months. However, the Embassy Official explained that if a person is applying for a passport at the embassy, the birth certificate that is provided as supporting documentation cannot be older than three months (Albania 26 Sept. 2007).
The OSCE Official provided the following details to the Belgian Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons:
[Birth certificates] are distributed centrally by the General Directorate of the Civil Status (GDCS) of the Ministry of Interior who keep records of distributed certificates. The first three digits in the serial number refer to the number of the specific Civil Status Office (CSO) of the municipality/commune. There is also one generic three-digit number (if not mistaken - 372), which can be used if the CSO of the local government units [(LGUs)] run out of certificates. Theoretically it is possible to track down each certificate to the office and official who has issued it - the serial number has to correspond to the stamp of the LGU, which shall be considered as part of a complete certificate.... Certificates are issued by the CSO based on records of the Fundamental Registry books - a decentralised Albanian civil registry system. (OSCE Feb. 2006)
With respect to register years, the OSCE Official stated that
[t]here are separate birth registers for each year. All birth register books at the end of the year are transmitted to a regional civil status office in the Prefecture, where they remain available to citizens. Yet fundamental register books are "dated" 1974. Older books are also available at the Prefecture level archives. (ibid.)
With respect to serial numbers on the newer versions of the old model of birth, marriage and family certificates, the OSCE Official explained that
[t]he first three digits of the serial number refer to the code of the Civil Status Office. Each Civil status office has a unique code. Normally each local government unit has one Civil status office, with exception of larger cities - Shkodra, Durrës, Fier, Vlora, Korça and others. (ibid.)
No further information on marriage or family certificates could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
No information could be found as to whether an individual with power of attorney, who is applying for a birth certificate on behalf of an applicant, may provide the applicant's photo to the authorities. However, the OSCE Official stated that a person usually collects a birth certificate in person (OSCE Feb. 2006). The OSCE Official also stated that he was aware of instances when family members have collected a birth certificate for an applicant, "especially if the family member at least somewhat resembles the person physically" (ibid.).
The following information on birth certificates and the 2007 local elections may be of interest. Media sources report that, in January 2007, Albania's local elections were delayed over accusations made by the opposition that the government had distributed false birth certificates (Xinhua News Agency 8 Jan. 2007; AFP 14 Jan. 2007). The government denied the allegations and reached an agreement with other parties requiring voters to show two identity documents at voting stations (ibid.; see also ATA 6 Oct. 2006).
The Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC), an organization that promotes human rights and is a member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) (AHC n.d.), stated in voter information material for the 18 February 2007 election that voters could vote with "an old (pre '90) passport, a passport, or a birth certificate with a photo" (ibid. n.d.b). Persons whose birth certificate was issued before the special civil registry was created on 1 November 2006 also had to produce an additional identity document (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Agence France-Presse (AFP). 14 January 2007. "Albania Organises Local Polls, Overcoming Crisis." (Factiva)
Albania. 26 September 2007. Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Washington, DC. Telephone interview with a consular official.
_____. 25 September 2007. Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Washington, DC. Telephone interview with a consular official.
Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC). N.d.a. "History."
_____. N.d.b. "Informative Material to Assist Voters in the Elections for Local Government Bodies of February 18, 2007."
Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA). 6 October 2006. Maela Marini. "Tahiri: SP Doesn't Go to Polls if Birth Certificate Matter Is Not Resolved." (Factiva)
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). February 2006. OSCE Presence in Albania. Correspondence between an official from the Rule of Law / Human Rights Department and an official from the Belgian Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons.
United States (US). 4 August 2005. Department of State. "Albania." Visa Reciprocity and Country Documents Finder.
Xinhua News Agency. 8 January 2007. "Albanian President Fails to Break Deadlock over Local Elections." (Factiva)
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral source: An official at the Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Ottawa was unable to provide information within the time constraints of this Response.
Internet sites, including: Embassy of Albania in Washington, DC, Embassy of the Republic of Albania in the United Kingdom (UK), Embassy of the United States in Tirana, Keesing Reference Systems.
