Tirana Times
TIRANA, Aug. 10 – Long waiting times are frustrating thousands of non-resident Albanians who are trying to apply and obtain the new biometric ID cards and passports being issues by the government.
August is the peak month for the return of non-resident Albanians who work and live abroad to visit family and friends. And they try to also use this time to get the paperwork that can only be done in Albania.
In many municipal offices people line up in the very early morning, and the vast majority of them are immigrants, many of whom say they have returned home this summer primarily to obtain the new documents.
All immigrants who apply for the paperwork want to get done quickly so they can continue with the holidays and visits with their family and friends.
But in the busiest time of the year, this becomes difficult with everyone trying to do the same thing at once.
The government is trying to alleviate the problem saying the offices would also remain open on weekends.
Interior Minister Lulzim Basha told German public broadcaster DW that the ministry had asked the company hired to produce the new identification documents to have open offices longer than usual.
“Hours have been extended in certain centers where the influx is huge, and will commence operation, starting from this weekend on Saturdays and Sundays too, which will hopefully help in coping with the influx Šdue to the arrival of a great number of our fellow citizens living abroad,” Basha told DW.
He added that applications would soon be completed in other countries as well, so Albanian immigrants can complete them were they live and work.
“In a medium-term perspective there has been an agreement reached between the Ministry of Interior and the concession company to open offices to apply for biometric passports and identity cards in Rome, Milan, Athens and Thessaloniki. While the option is left open to explore the opening of these offices in other consular offices in EU countries,” Basha added.
The agreement is expected to be approved by parliament in September.
The main reason behind the new documents is to meet conditions of visa-free travel to the EU Schengen area.
Albanian authorities say the country has taken major steps forward, including drafting the legal framework necessary and giving all the necessary financial, human and material resources to implement the legal framework.
