Treaty Series No. 892

Treaty of Naturalization Between the United States of America and Albania, Signed at Tirana, April 5, 19323

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of Albania, being desirous of reaching an agreement concerning the status of naturalized citizens or subjects of either country who were formerly nationals of the other, and the liability for military service and other acts of allegiance of such persons and of persons born in the territory of either state of parents having the nationality of the other, have resolved to conclude a treaty on these subjects, and for that purpose have appointed their plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

The President of the United States of America: Herman Bernstein, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Albania, and

His Majesty, the King of the Albanians: His Excellency, Pandeli J. Evangheli, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs ad interim;

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Who, having communicated to each other their full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

Article I

Nationals of the United States who have been or shall be naturalized in Albanian territory shall be held by the United States to have lost their former nationality and to be nationals of Albania.

Reciprocally, nationals of Albania who have been or shall be naturalized in territory of the United States shall be held by Albania to have lost their original nationality and to be nationals of the United States.

The word “national”, as used in this convention, means a person owing permanent allegiance to, or having the nationality of, the United States or Albania, respectively, under the laws thereof.

The word “naturalized”, as used in this convention, refers only to the naturalization of persons of full age, upon their own applications, and to the naturalization of minors, through the naturalization of their parents. It does not apply to the acquisition of nationality by a woman through marriage. Minor children of persons naturalized in either country shall not acquire the nationality of that country until they shall have established their habitual residence there.

Article II

Nationals of either country, who have or shall become naturalized in the territory of the other, as contemplated in Article I, shall not, upon returning to the country of former nationality, be punished for the original act of emigration, or for failure to respond to calls for military service accruing after bona fide residence was acquired in the territory of the country whose nationality was obtained by naturalization.

Article III

If a national of either country, who comes within the purview of Article I, shall renew his residence in his country of origin without the intent to return to that in which he was naturalized, he shall be held to have renounced his naturalization.

The intent not to return may be held to exist when a person naturalized in one country shall have resided more than two years in the other; but this presumption may be overcome by evidence to the contrary.

Article IV

A person born in the territory of one party of parents who are nationals of the other party, and having the nationality of both [Page 117] parties under their laws, shall not, if he has his habitual residence, that is, the place of his general abode, in the territory of the state of his birth, be held liable for military service or any other act of allegiance during a temporary stay in the territory of the other party.

Article V

The present Treaty shall go into effect immediately upon the exchange of ratifications, and shall continue in force for ten years. If neither party shall have given to the other six months previous notice of its intention then to terminate the Treaty, it shall further remain in force until the end of twelve months after either of the contracting parties shall have given notice to the other of such intention.

In witness whereof, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty and have hereunto affixed their seals.

Done in duplicate at Tirana, this fifth day of April, 1932.

[seal]
Herman Bernstein

[seal]
Pandeli J. Evangheli
  1. In English and Albanian; Albanian text not printed. Ratification advised by the Senate, February 6, 1935; ratified by the President, March 13, 1935; ratified by Albania, April 12, 1935; ratifications exchanged at Tirana, July 22, 1935; proclaimed by the President, July 29, 1935.