Driving to Albania and how to avoid being detained at the border

I had an interesting conversation earlier this week with a friend of ours who markets Albanian property and who like us had recently driven by car from Bulgaria to Albania.

As I was telling him how one of the Albanian border guards had insisted on charging us €5 for what can best be described as ‘Coffee Tax’ he casually slipped into the conversation that on his trip to Albania he had been detained at the border for 24 hours!

Now being detained for 24 hours does not strike me as being a whole lot of fun so here is how to avoid the same fate:

If you are driving to Albania make sure you have all the relevant paperwork for the car

Our friend had hired his car in Bulgaria and had gotten written permission from the rental company to drive it into Macedonia. On reaching the Macedonian side of the border the guards asked the usual questions:

• What is the nature of your visit sir?
• How long will you be in the country?
• Do you own this car sir?
• Where are you going?
• Can I see the paperwork for the car sir?

And it is right about here that our friend became unstuck. Whilst he had permission to take the car to Macedonia he had failed to get a similar permission to take the car into Albania.

Once the Macedonian border guards realised that his ultimate destination was in fact Albania and he had no authority from the rental company to take the car there, the guards became deeply suspicious and decided that our friend was probably a car thief trying to commit some dastardly deed. So they banged him up whilst they checked him out.
24 hours later after permission had been granted by the rental company our friend was released and sent on his way.

So just a few precautions to take to ensure this does not happen to you:

• Refrain from wearing shell suits and copious amounts of bling when travelling by car to Albania.
• Make sure you get the correct written documentation from rental companies that states you can take their car into Albania.
• If you are driving a company car get written permission on company stationary stating you can take the car into Albania.
• Make sure you have your driving licence with you.
• If you are driving your own car take proof of ownership