Eric Adams is now officially an Albanian citizen after President Bayram Begaj signed a special decree granting him citizenship.
Eric Adams had just become an Albanian citizen, and the whole thing dates back to a trip to Tirana last October when he was still managing New York City.
President Bajram Begaj signed a special presidential decree granting citizenship, officially announcing that the former NYPD captain now holds a Balkan passport in addition to a U.S. passport.
His spokesman, Todd Shapiro, confirmed the move, saying it reflected the enduring relationship and mutual respect between Adams and the state.
Adams spent four days in Albania during his final months as mayor while already working on a federal corruption case that was ultimately dismissed after the Trump administration became involved.
During that October visit, he met Prime Minister Edi Rama and discussed the possibility of direct flights from New York to Tirana, praising the capital as a thriving community moving in the right direction.
He also discussed potential collaboration on tourism and technology initiatives, positioning himself as a bridge between the two cities.
The move comes as Adams faces mounting legal troubles at home, with an unsolved sexual assault case and his political clout in New York largely over after his failed attempt to make a comeback as mayor.
Adams dropped out of the 2025 re-election race and then endorsed Andrew Cuomo while attacking progressive candidate Zoran Mamdani, even suggesting without explanation that Mamdani’s election would make terrorism more likely in New York.
Mamdani’s administration, who won decisively to become the city’s first Muslim mayor, immediately stopped representing Adams in the sexual assault lawsuit brought by Lorna Beach-Mathura.
In 1993, while working at the Transit Police Department, Adams allegedly requested sexual favors in exchange for career assistance.
Adams completely denies the accusations.
According to the Guardian, Albania allows foreign adults to obtain citizenship if it is in the national interest, provided they do not pose a threat to public security.
The country’s legal framework allows international figures to obtain this form of honorary citizenship, and Adams’ team sees it as a standard diplomatic gesture between world leaders.
His spokesman said leaders have historically received honorary or dual citizenship as a symbol of international partnership and shared values, and the recognition further strengthened ties between New York and Albania.
