If you plan to visit North Macedonia and are from a foreign country, you need to apply for a North Macedonian visa. Depending on how long you plan to stay, you can either apply for a short-stay visa or a long-stay visa.
Do I Need a Visa for North Macedonia?
If you have a passport issued by one of the countries listed below, you do not need a visa to visit North Macedonia for up to 90 days:
- All EU citizens
- Georgia
- Paraguay
- Albania
- Guatemala
- Peru
- Andorra
- Honduras
- Russia
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Hong Kong
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Argentina
- Iceland
- San Marino
- Australia
- Israel
- Seychelles
- Azerbaijan
- Japan
- Serbia
- Bahamas
- Kosovo
- Singapore
- Barbados
- Liechtenstein
- South Korea
- Belarus
- Macao
- Switzerland
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Malaysia
- Taiwan
- Botswana
- Mauritius
- Turkey
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Ukraine
- Brunei
- Moldova
- The United Arab Emirates
- Canada
- Monaco
- The United Kingdom
- Chile
- Monte Negro
- The United States
- Columbia
- New Zeland
- Uruguay
- Costa Rica
- Nicaragua
- Vatican City
- Cuba
- Norway
- Venezuela
- El Salvador
- Panama
Other Visa Exemptions for North Macedonia
The following categories are also exempt from applying for a North Macedonian visa:
- Holders of diplomatic passports from one of these countries:
- Belarus
- China
- Georgia
- India (diplomatic only)
- Iran
- Indonesia
- Mongolia
- Peru
- Holders of a residence permit of one of the Schengen, EU, EEA, Switzerland countries may enter Macedonia without a visa from February 27th, 2019.
- Holders of a UN passport.
- Holders of a valid UK, Canada, or USA visa may enter North Macedonia for 15 days without a visa.
- Holders of passports for public affairs from:
- Belarus
- China
- Georgia
- Mongolia
North Macedonia Visa Types
Here are all the Noth Macedonian visa types:
- Airport transit (A) visa
- Short-stay (C) visa.
- Long-stay (D) visa.
Airport Transit (A) Visa
An airport transit visa is issued for 24 hours, and it allows a foreign citizen to transit in North Macedonia while flying to another country. However, the airport transit visa does not allow its holder to exit the airport area.
Short-Stay (C) Visa
A short-stay visa is issued for citizens who want to stay in North Macedonia for three months within 180 days. The short-stay visa is issued for different purposes, but mainly for:
- Tourism.
- Family visits.
- Business meetings.
- Political meetings.
- School trips.
- Medical checks, etc.
Long-Stay (D) Visa
A long-stay visa is issued for foreign citizens who want to stay for at least one year in North Macedonia. The Macedonian long-stay visa is issued for these purposes:
- Study.
- Work.
- Family reunion.
- Study exchange programs.
- Medical treatment.
- Volunteering (for different purposes).
- Humanitarian purposes.
- Foreign Digital Nomads in North Macedonia, etc.
After entering Macedonia with a long-stay visa, you must report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs within the first five days after joining, where the MIA shall issue you a temporary residence permit.
North Macedonia Visa Requirements
Here are the requested documents for a North Macedonia visa:
- Valid passport. The passport must be in good condition and have at least two blank pages.
- Application form. Fully complete the application form and sign it at the end.
- Fee payment. Attach the recipe of the finished payment for your visa application. The payment can be made at the embassy or consulate of North Macedonia.
- Health insurance. Valid health insurance that covers the expenses if you have any medical problems while staying in North Macedonia.
- Accommodation proof. Document proving that you have a place to stay in North Macedonia. This document could be a rental agreement, letter of invitation, hotel reservation, etc.
- Bank statement. The bank statement document is issued from your bank. It must prove that you are financially stable and can finance yourself while staying in North Macedonia.
- Two passport-sized photos. Make sure your pictures are recently taken within the last six months.
- Letter of invitation. This letter is written by your host (friend or family member) in North Macedonia. This document is required only if applicable.
- Flight itinerary. The flight itinerary is a document issued by the airline you plan to travel with. It includes the date and flight time and everything describing your flight journey.
Note: Any missing document can lead to your visa refusal. The embassy may request additional documents on a case-by-case basis.
How to Apply for a North Macedonia Visa?
When applying for a North Macedonia visa, you must submit the application at your nearest embassy or consulate of North Macedonia in your home country. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Book an appointment with the embassy. Contact the nearest embassy, consulate, or diplomatic-consular representation of the Republic of North Macedonia in your home country and book an appointment. In certain cases, you may also need to apply through a visa application agency.
- Gather and submit all the requested documents at the North Macedonian embassy/consulate. Make sure you gather all the requested documents listed below at ‘North Macedonia Visa Requirements,’ show up at your appointment and submit the requested documents in person to the embassy.
- Wait for a response. You shall receive a response from the embassy or consulate of North Macedonia in which you have applied that is in charge of your application.
If you receive a positive answer and plan to stay for longer than one year in North Macedonia, you can apply for a temporary residence permit.
Note: If you cannot submit the application in person, you can authorize someone to submit the application on your behalf. If you are a minor, your application must be submitted by your legal guardian.
North Macedonia Visa Processing Time
The processing time for a North Macedonian visa is seven working days. After submitting the documents to the embassy of North Macedonia, the embassy will start processing your visa application.
Make sure you submit your application on time to receive your visa result on time.
How Much Is the North Macedonia Visa Fee?
Depending on how long you plan to stay or your age, North Macedonian visa fees are as follows:
- €60 – for a transit visa.
- €60 – for a short-stay visa.
- €70 – for a long-stay visa.
- €35 – for children between the age of 6 and 12.
What Is the Validity of a North Macedonia Visa?
The validity of a North Macedonian visa depends on the type of visa that you apply for. A short-term visa for North Macedonia is valid for 90 days. A long-stay visa is issued for one year.
What if the Visa Application Is Rejected?
If your North Macedonia visa application is rejected, you can:
- Reapply. You can reapply one more time for the same visa in North Macedonia.
- Appeal the rejection. You can write an appeal letter within eight days after receiving your rejection letter. You need to write the letter using the Macedonian Cyrillic alphabet. Instructions on how to appeal a visa rejection should be included in your rejection letter issued by the embassy.
How to Obtain a Residence Permit for North Macedonia?
You can apply for a temporary residence permit at one of the consulates or embassies of North Macedonia in your home country if you are applying for these specific reasons.
- For work.
- For studies.
- For specialization.
- For medical treatment.
- For scientific research.
If you are applying for a temporary residence permit for a family reunion, you can submit your application directly to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of North Macedonia.
Documents for North Macedonia Residence Permit
When applying for a residence permit in North Macedonia, you must submit these documents:
- Passport.
- Two passport-sized photos.
- Application form.
- Fee payment.
- Bank statement.
- Health insurance.
- Accommodation proof.
- Proof that you fulfill the requested criteria to apply for a temporary residence permit.
- Educational qualification.
- For work purposes:
- Work contract.
- Any practical training.
- Work permit.
- For study purposes:
- A copy of educational degrees.
- Letter of acceptance from a university in North Macedonia.
- Bank statement.
- Proof of language skills.
- For family reunion purpose:
- Proof that you are related to a family member staying in North Macedonia.
- Letter of consent from the other parent if you are a minor.
- For research purposes:
- A document from the research institution proves that you are accepted in that type of research.
- A document from the research institution proving that they will finance your stay in North Macedonia.
- Proof of funding from the research institution.
- A contract for scientific research from a scientific institution.
Is North Macedonia in Schengen?
North Macedonia is not a part of the Schengen Agreement. However, citizens from a Schengen country are able to visit North Macedonia for 15 days without a visa. Holders of a residence permit issued by one of the Schengen countries can also enter North Macedonia visa-free.
Also, here you can read the related article about North Macedonian passport holders, where they can travel visa free.