TIRANA, July 21, 2024 – Albania Leads Europe in Citizenship Acquisitions, Data Shows
According to recent data from several EU agencies, Albanians are securing EU citizenship at a record pace, surpassing all other European countries and ranking third globally.
In 2022 alone, nearly 50,000 Albanians became citizens of EU countries, clearly reflecting the growing trend. Over the last five years, that figure has exceeded 213,000, with Italy and Greece—home to the largest Albanian migrant communities—granting the most citizenships.
The EU Migration and Asylum Report also highlights that in 2023, approximately 76,000 Albanians obtained new residence permits or legal status in EU countries, further illustrating Albania’s significant migration trends.
Albanians acquired EU citizenship.
The report coincides with Albania’s preliminary census results, revealing a population decline of nearly 14% since 2011. The country now officially has 2.4 million residents. Without the massive wave of emigration since 1991, Albania’s population would be 2.1 million larger, reflecting the impact of ongoing migration.
Concerns have been raised that the actual population might be even lower, with opposition parties and demographic experts questioning the accuracy of the figures based on other EU data.
As Albania’s EU membership bid remains stalled, many Albanians are taking matters into their own hands by securing EU citizenship elsewhere, underscoring their determination to seek better opportunities within the bloc.
Albania Tops Asylum and Return Figures in Europe
The report also reveals that in 2023, 6,920 Albanians applied for asylum in an EU country for the first time, making Albania the leading Western Balkan country in asylum seekers and placing it fifth in Europe overall.
Albanian nationals were also the second most frequently denied entry into the EU in 2023, following Ukrainians, with 13,855 refusals. Additionally, Albania ranked second after Georgia for the number of voluntary or forced returns, with 7,870 Albanians repatriated last year.
Interestingly, the report does not account for Albanian migration to the UK, which left the EU. British authorities reported that 12,658 Albanian migrants entered the UK irregularly in 2022, primarily via small boats crossing the English Channel. Between September 2022 and September 2023, the UK saw a significant increase in forced returns, with over half of the 5,506 deported individuals being Albanian nationals.
