Guided Through Hope: With the EU support, legal aid empowers people seeking asylum in Albania

At the National Reception Centre for Asylum in Tirana, the first thing people seeking asylum encounter isn’t a procedure, it’s a person. Someone who listens. Someone who explains. Someone who helps.

That’s what Gledis does. A legal counsellor with Refugee and Migrant Services in Albania (RMSA), a UNHCR national NGO partner, Gledis meets with people who have fled conflict, violence, or persecution and who are now seeking asylum in Albania. 

Whether newly arrived or temporarily residing at the Centre, they turn to her for guidance. She is on-site weekly and responds when Kejsi, a social worker at the Centre, alerts her about new arrivals referred by border police, helping provide timely and accurate legal support from the outset.

“Many have just crossed borders. They’re tired, scared, and unsure of their future,” Gledis says. “Legal counselling means helping them understand their rights, the asylum process, and what support is available.”

“I wanted to submit my asylum application, but I had so many questions about how the process worked,” says Leila, who fled Syria. “Meeting Gledis helped me understand each step. Now I know what to expect.”

The National Reception Centre for Asylum, Albania’s main state-run facility for people seeking international protection, offers temporary accommodation, psychosocial counselling, language courses, and other essential services to individuals awaiting decisions on their asylum claims. Legal counselling is a vital part of this support and often provides the first moment of clarity for those navigating an unfamiliar system. One-on-one sessions cover everything from registration and asylum interviews to documentation, family tracing, and access to services such as healthcare and education.

This work is grounded in collaboration. In her role as a social worker, Kejsi helps identify those in need and refers them for legal support. “They’ve been through so much,” she says. “We try to make this a place where people feel informed and supported from the moment they arrive.”

Marwa, who arrived in Albania with her husband after fleeing Syria, applied for asylum in late April 2025 and is now awaiting her second interview with national authorities. Gledis has been supporting them in navigating the process and understanding their rights. A trained dentist, Marwa says: “In today’s counselling session, I asked Gledis about how I can continue my education and what steps I need to take to practice my profession in Albania. I also asked about accessing healthcare for a mild skin condition I recently developed. After speaking with her, I always feel clearer.”

Gladis’s and Kejsi’s work is part of a programme funded by the European Union. The Regional Support to Protection-Sensitive Migration Management Systems in the Western Balkans and Türkiye, aims to strengthen the asylum system in Albania is implemented by UNHCR in close coordination with national institutions and partners. 

Beyond individual counselling, the programme invests in long-term national capacity. Legal practitioners across Albania receive specialized training, and a legal clinic launched in partnership with the Faculty of Law at the University of Tirana will soon expand access to free legal aid for even more refugees and asylum-seekers.

“This kind of investment builds sustainability,” says Enkelejda, Protection Associate at UNHCR. “It strengthens the system, not just for today, but for the future.”

Thanks to this ongoing support from the European Union, dozens of people in Albania receive free legal counselling each year, guidance that can change the course of their lives. Since the programme started in 2023 till May 2025, around 1,800 have received legal counselling. At the National Reception Centre in Tirana, with timely legal counselling and shared commitment, people seeking asylum in Albania can move forward with greater confidence and hope.