Freelancing in Albania is a great way to work independently, but before you can start taking on clients, there are a few steps to get there. And since recently I’ve been looking into the process myself, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned to help others who might be considering the same path.
Here’s a breakdown of what you need to do.
1. Open a NIPT (Tax Identification Number)
The first step in legally registering as a freelancer in Albania is obtaining a NIPT (Numri i Identifikimit për Personin Tatimpagues), which is your tax identification number. Without this number, you cannot proceed to becoming a freelancer!
This step is done through e-Albania, the official governmental portal, and while the process is digital, I was assisted by a legal expert. Experts are familiar with all the requirements and can ensure the application is correctly filled out.
Remarque importante : You should register as a business 48 hours after you have your NIPT; otherwise, you’ll have to pay a fee of €50. This rule also applies to the following steps in the process, a certain deadline (that I’ll mention in the paragraphs below) has to be respected.
2. Register as a Business
Once your NIPT is issued, you must register as a business on e-Albania. This is a very simple step; you just have to fill in some basic information, and the account will be ready within a few minutes. You’ll get a notification in your email box.
The only important thing to keep in mind, as I mentioned above, is to conduct this step on time.
3. Get Assistance From an Economist
I was assisted by an economist for the next steps, who explained all the documents I had to deliver. These include:
- Certificate of the workspace/Renting contract/Agreement – Basically a document proving where your business activities will take place. In my case, it was a certificate that declared the property from where I’ll be offering my services (I also had to attach a family certificate). The first certificate has to be scanned and sent to the economist, while the second one, I downloaded from e-Albania.
- A business bank account – This is necessary for managing payments and invoices. First, you have to decide on the bank you’ll open the account at. Then, the economist will send the two documents you need to have when you go there, and after the account is open, you’ll have to send him back the proof (which is a document you get from the bank).
- Fiscalization setup – In Albania, businesses must comply with the fiscalization system, which allows for the electronic issuance of invoices. This means registering with the tax authorities to ensure that your invoices are legally valid. To do that, you’ll have to pay a fee of €40/year at the bank and wait around 10 days until you’re able to issue invoices to clients. Without this payment, you cannot send invoices that are legally declared.
Since tax regulations and legal requirements can be a bit complex, I suggest consulting an economist who can guide you through each step and help you manage your financial obligations.
Final Thoughts
Setting up as a freelancer in Albania has been a real journey for me so far! It does involve a few steps, which, I know, might be confusing at first, as well as lots of paperwork, but once everything is in place, you’ll be legally ready to operate and invoice clients.
If you need some assistance in this process, don’t hesitate to contact Expatax.al, we’ll gladly connect you with our experts, who are always available to help!
