Rules of concern to citizens in the Republic of Albania:

• Local laws

Local laws are very strict with regard to drug trafficking and drug abuse, where the courts issue harsh penalties for those citizens or visitors who are proven guilty. Thus, tourists must respect the laws and not violate them.

Emergency instructions of the host country

Safety and security guidelines:

• Crime

The security situation is good to a large extent, especially in the city of Tirana, and Albanians are generally hospitable and friendly people, but some areas could see some of the crimes and violent clashes, due to high unemployment and poverty rates afflicting some neighborhoods of the capital Tirana, and security reports suggest that foreign visitors are rarely subjected to crimes, and the last period has seen a number of bombings and killings, but mainly related to disputes and internal conflicts among the members of criminal gangs, or political differences, or because of competition among businessmen.

Reports indicate that some tourists suffered from theft of  some personal belongings from their place  of residence in some hotels, as well as in public transport, so you are advised to exercise caution, and put valuables in a safe place.

• Landmines:

The Republic of Albania announced in 2009, that it has met all the obligations contained in Article 5 of the Ottawa Convention, and that it had been emptied completely from any mines, but when you visit the foothills of the mountains and the hills in areas adjacent to land borders with the Republic of Kosovo and Montenegro, to practice walking or climbing sports, you must be careful and follow the instructions to avoid mines that did not explode, and  the demining operations  are still ongoing in the Republic of Kosovo.

• Travel by road:

Driving in Albania is dangerous somewhat for visitors, as the internal roads are in poor condition, especially in rural and mountainous areas, and the light bulbs in urban areas do not work on a permanent basis, as well as case No lighting posts on highways linking the cities, therefore, care must be taken during night driving.

The way the Albanians drive cars by the way can be described sometimes as reckless and impulsive, and road accidents in Albania are considered among the highest in Europe, but these rates have decreased thanks to the efforts made by the traffic police forces. However, because of the frivolity in driving, disputes between motorists may arise for trivial reasons, therefore it is advised not to friction with the other party and to wait until the police  come to solve the problem.

You must have an international driver's license  issued from the State of Qatar, so that the visitors can drive  in Albania.

Mass transport vehicles are available between the Albanian city which are often buses owned by individuals, but generally operate during the day time and do not have specific timetable.

Care must be taken while driving in the rugged mountainous areas, as well as roads in the north and east of the country during the winter because of snow accumulation.

• Cruises:

Some boats and barges are exposed to incidents of drowning, especially for small fishing boats which are unequipped with means of safety, so you are advised to exercise caution when making cruises, and ensure the availability of safe and necessary means of communication on board.

The practice of the sport of swimming at the marine beaches:

Lack of networks and sewage plants in some coastal areas may cause pollution of the beaches water surrounding these communities, so please avoid places crowded with holidaymakers. However, beach goers are advised to frequent the beaches located in the south of the country.

• Medical advice

Medical services in remote and rural areas are extremely poor and almost non-existent, so you must always keep the first aid kit, and a certificate of international health insurance, and the financial amount enough to deal with any emergency, God forbid, may occur.

Drinking water in hotels and other accommodation may cause some intestinal disorders, so please avoid that and  drink, instead, natural or mineral bottled water.

Natural disasters

• Flood

  Some low-lying areas along the banks of the waterways are exposed to the risk of flooding during the rain season due to lack of rainwater drainage networks, and areas located behind dams and hydroelectric generating power plants are exposed to floods. In the case that the amount of water  is increasing in front of the dams, water draining reservoirs are used in order to maintain their safety as in Shkodra and Lezha.

• Earthquakes

Albania is located in an active seismic zone, and the country is exposed to light ground tremors ranging between 4-5 degrees on the Richter scale, but earthquakes in the broad sense rarely occur, but they may occur.

• Money

The majority of credit cards can be used to pay off the fees of hotels and major stores, please retain reasonable amounts of cash to deal daily with taxi drivers and small shops.

ATM is available in the city of Tirana and other cities.

Currency exchange offices are available in all cities, in addition to banks. Please avoid changing currencies from unauthorized persons and people in the streets.

Dealing is possible in euro and the US dollar.

General Instructions

• Visiting Qatari nationals to Albania should avoid traveling to areas where the cultivation of narcotic plants abound.

• Qatari citizens should avoid presence near or in the vicinity of demonstrations or rallies organized by political or other parties, because they sometimes involve  some violence.

• In the event of their stay for a long time in Albania, the Qatari citizens should register the data concerning them so that the Embassy can communicate with them in case of any emergency.

• Visitors to the Republic of Albania, should be careful and not frequent shady places or walk alone late at night.