How to Get a Background Check from Albania for Your Ecuador Visa

Albania's official criminal record document is the Certifikata e Gjendjes Gjyqesore, commonly known as the Deshmi Penaliteti (Certificate of Judicial Status). It confirms whether or not you have a criminal record in Albania.

Ecuador requires this document from all tourist visa applicants who are Albanian citizens or who have resided in Albania for any period within the last five years. The document must be: - Issued by the Albanian Ministry of Justice (through the e-Albania portal or a post office) - Apostilled by Albania's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEPJ) - Translated into Spanish by a certified translator - Issued within 180 days before your visa application submission date

Important: Ecuador's 180-day validity window pauses while your visa application is under review. The clock does not run during processing — it only counts the days before you submit. You will not be penalized if Ecuador takes several weeks or months to process your file.

There are three ways to obtain your Deshmi Penaliteti, depending on where you are and whether you have an e-Albania account.

Option 1: Online via e-Albania (Fastest — Albanian Citizens)

This is the fastest and cheapest method, available to Albanian citizens with an e-Albania account.

1. Log in to e-albania.al
2. Search for "Certifikata e Gjendjes Gjyqesore (Deshmi Penaliteti)"
3. Click "Perdor" (Use) to start a new application
4. Complete the form with your personal details
5. Submit the request

The certificate is generated within minutes as an electronically sealed PDF with full legal validity. The electronic seal is equivalent to a wet stamp — no need for a physical copy to be mailed.

Cost: Free (0 ALL) for online applications.

Option 2: In Person at a Post Office

For those who cannot use e-Albania (including foreign nationals who resided in Albania), selected Albanian Post (Posta Shqiptare) branches accept applications.

1. Visit a participating Posta Shqiptare branch
2. Bring your passport and valid Albanian residence/work permit (for foreigners)
3. Bring your Albanian ID card (for Albanian citizens)
4. Pay the fee in cash
5. Collect the certificate at the same branch once processed

Cost: 500 ALL (~$5 USD) paid in cash.

Option 3: Through an Albanian Embassy or Consulate Abroad

If you are an Albanian national living outside Albania and cannot access the e-Albania portal, you can apply through your nearest Albanian Embassy or Consulate. Contact the embassy directly for their specific submission process, as requirements and timelines vary by mission.

Alternatively, a relative in Albania can apply on your behalf at a post office branch.

For Albanian citizens applying online (e-Albania): - Valid e-Albania account (requires Albanian personal identification number) - Albanian ID card number

For Albanian citizens applying at a post office: - Albanian ID card (original)

For foreign nationals who resided in Albania: - Valid passport (original) - Valid Albanian residence or work permit (original)

For applications through an Albanian embassy/consulate abroad: - Valid Albanian passport or ID card - Completed application form (provided by the consulate) - Consular authorization for verification of judicial status - Contact the specific embassy for any additional requirements, as these vary by mission

Processing Time

The e-Albania route is remarkably fast compared to most countries' criminal record processes. If you have access to the portal, this should be your first choice.

Cost

Note: These fees cover only the issuance of the certificate itself. You will have additional costs for apostille and translation (detailed in the sections below).

Albania has been a member of the Hague Convention of 1961 since May 9, 2004. This means Albanian documents can be apostilled rather than going through full embassy legalization. Ecuador also recognizes the Hague Convention, so an apostille from Albania is accepted.

Competent Authority

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEPJ) — specifically the Consular Department, Legalization/Apostille Office — is the designated competent authority for issuing apostilles in Albania.

Address: Consular Department Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Boul. Gjergj Fishta, No. 6 1000 Tirana, Albania

Phone: +355 4 2233493 or +355 4 2364090 ext. 79159

How to Get the Apostille

From within Albania: 1. Obtain your Deshmi Penaliteti (via e-Albania or post office) 2. If you received a digital PDF from e-Albania, you may need to print it — confirm with MEPJ whether they accept the electronic version for apostille or require a physical copy 3. Submit the document to the MEPJ Consular Department in Tirana, either in person or by mail via Posta Shqiptare, TNT, AC, or AdeX courier services 4. Pay the apostille fee 5. Collect or receive your apostilled document

From abroad: Submit your request through the nearest Albanian Embassy or Consulate. The embassy will coordinate with the MEPJ on your behalf.

Apostille Fee

The MEPJ charges 200 ALL (~$2 USD) per document for Albanian citizens. Fees for foreign nationals may vary based on reciprocity agreements with your country of citizenship. Confirm the current fee with MEPJ before submitting.

Apostille Processing Time

Apostille processing at MEPJ is typically completed within 24 hours once the document reaches their office. Add courier/postal delivery time on top of that — allow 3–7 working days total if submitting by mail within Albania.

Ecuador requires all foreign-language documents to be translated into Spanish by a certified translator. Your apostilled Deshmi Penaliteti must be accompanied by a certified Spanish translation before submission.

Requirements for the translation: - Translated by a certified or sworn translator — not a machine translation - The translation must cover the full document including the apostille - Translator's certification, signature, and notarization must be included

[EcuadorTranslations.com](https://ecuadortranslations.com) provides certified Spanish translation and notarization services specifically designed for Ecuador immigration documents. Their translators are familiar with Albanian document formats and Ecuador's visa requirements, ensuring your translation meets all specifications.

Translation turnaround: Typically 2–5 business days depending on volume.

Important: Do not use Google Translate, DeepL, or any other machine translation service. Ecuador immigration will reject non-certified translations.

Ecuador requires that your background check be issued within 180 days of the date you submit your visa application. The relevant date is the issuance date on the Deshmi Penaliteti, not the date of the apostille or translation.

Critical: The 180-day clock pauses during visa processing. Once you submit your application, the validity period stops counting. Ecuador's processing time does not eat into your 180 days. The clock only measures the gap between the document's issuance date and your application submission date.

Practical timing guidance: - If you submit your application 30 days after the certificate was issued, you have used 30 of your 180 days — the remaining 150 are frozen while Ecuador reviews your file - Do not get your certificate so early that more than 5 months pass before you are ready to submit - Since the Albanian certificate can be obtained in minutes via e-Albania, you have the advantage of timing your application precisely — unlike countries where the process takes weeks

Recommended approach: Obtain your Deshmi Penaliteti no more than 2–3 months before you plan to submit your EcuaGo application. This gives you ample time to complete the apostille and translation while keeping well within the 180-day window.

Ecuador requires background checks from every country where you have resided during the last five years — not just your country of citizenship.

This means: - If you are an Albanian citizen who has lived only in Albania for the past five years, you need only the Albanian Deshmi Penaliteti - If you are an Albanian citizen who lived in Italy for two years and then returned to Albania, you need background checks from both Albania and Italy - If you are a non-Albanian citizen who lived in Albania at any point in the last five years, you need the Albanian certificate in addition to certificates from your home country and any other countries of residence

Each country's background check must be independently apostilled (or authenticated) and translated into Spanish. Plan your timeline around the slowest country's process — do not wait until the last minute to request documents from multiple countries, as one delayed certificate can hold up your entire application.

Tip: Albania's fast e-Albania process means you should tackle other countries' background checks first (which may take weeks) and obtain the Albanian certificate last, since it can be generated almost instantly.

Start with the apostille, not the certificate. Because the Albanian certificate is available in minutes online, the real bottleneck is the apostille at MEPJ. Understand the apostille submission process and timeline before requesting the certificate — this way you can move immediately from issuance to apostille without wasting days of your 180-day window.

Print a backup copy of your e-Albania certificate. The electronically sealed PDF has full legal validity, but carry a high-quality printout as well. Some offices may be more familiar with physical documents.

Confirm the apostille process for electronic documents. Albania's e-Albania portal generates digitally sealed PDFs. Before applying, confirm with the MEPJ Consular Department whether they can apostille the electronic version directly or whether they require you to first obtain a physical copy with a wet seal.

If applying from abroad, start early. Embassy/consulate processing is the slowest route. If you cannot use e-Albania, begin your application at least 6–8 weeks before your planned visa submission date.

Keep all originals together. Your final document set for Ecuador should include: the original Deshmi Penaliteti, the apostille (attached to the original), and the certified Spanish translation. Do not separate these documents.