Albania extends visa waiver program to Asia

TIRANA, June 27 – Tourism remains one of the bright spots of this tiny Balkan country. It is already one of the main sources of income for Albania and the government has set it as a main area of its interest. As such, it has taken steps like the lifting of visa requirements for many countries, though they may be far away from Albania. Albania granted Taiwan visa-free privileges retroactive to June 1, bringing the number of countries and regions granting visa-free access or landing visa privileges to Taiwanese to 115, according to its Foreign Ministry. It said in a press release that the Balkan country used the name “Chinese Taipei” to refer to Taiwan in its visa-waiver country list submitted to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Its Department of European Affairs director-general James Lee said the Ministry considered the designation acceptable and a sign of “goodwill,” considering that Albania has long been China’s staunch ally. The visa-waiver privilege will save its passport holders a 30 Euro visa application fee and the inconvenience of having to apply for an Albanian visa at the Albanian embassy in Budapest, Hungary. Albania currently allows foreigners who have a valid multi-entry Schengen visa or a valid residence permit in one of the Schengen member states to enter, stay and transit the country without a visa.