“The State Comes Closer to Citizens” — Minister Hoxha on Virtual Diplomatic Presence and Consular Services Anytime, Anywhere

Ferit Hoxha, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, outlined new plans to update consular services with an emphasis on enhancing accessibility, timeliness, and quality for Albanians both domestically and internationally.
The minister declared in a social media video that 1.378 million consular services were provided between 2017 and 2026. Furthermore, over 203,000 e-Visa applications have been filed since 2021, and 4.3 million legalizations were completed between 2019 and June 2026.
The development of a virtual assistant, which will be accessible at all times and locations to respond to inquiries and direct citizens toward the services they require, is one of the new initiatives.
Additionally, Minister Hoxha declared that every consular service would have a QR code that would enable citizens to assess the level of service and file complaints.
“Citizens ought to be both the service’s evaluators and its recipients. The minister stated, “We want to know how we are doing and how we can improve.”
The creation of a Virtual Diplomatic Presence, which is intended to serve as a single digital platform for information and consular services, is another development. This is especially important for individuals who reside in nations where Albania lacks an actual diplomatic presence.
Hoxha emphasized, “We want to shift from the practice where citizens go to the state to one where the state goes to the citizens and is always there for them.”
There are currently 32 consular services accessible online, 22 of which don’t absolutely require the citizen to be present in person. Documents may also be mailed when the service’s requirements allow.