North Macedonia spouse visa for family of citizens

Article 115 of the Law on Foreigners lists the foreigners who are close family members of a North Macedonian citizen: the spouse; minor children of the citizen and the spouse, including adopted children with proof from the country of adoption; minor children of the citizen who are in his or her custody and dependent on the citizen; minor children of the spouse in the spouse’s custody; parents of the citizen or the spouse who depend on them and lack adequate family support in their own country; and adult unmarried children of the citizen or spouse who cannot support themselves because of their health.

The general conditions apply in a lighter form than for other grounds: the services portal lists secured accommodation for the period, a valid passport with a certified copy, and proof of the family relationship, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate.

The foreign family member files the request at a North Macedonian mission abroad, or the citizen files it with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVR) if he or she has a registered residence in North Macedonia. A couple living abroad therefore applies through a mission; once the citizen is registered at an address in North Macedonia, the request can be filed at the MVR. The ministry decides within 30 working days of receipt, or 60 working days via a mission. The standard first-permit fees are MKD 50, MKD 1,230, MKD 930 and MKD 4,000, MKD 6,210 in total.

Residence is approved for up to one year and can be extended at the MVR before it expires. A close family member’s residence can be extended independently when the citizen has died, when the marriage has ended after lasting at least three years in North Macedonia, or when particularly difficult circumstances require it. The national services portal also lists a separate procedure for acquiring citizenship by a foreigner married to a citizen for at least three years with one year of residence in the country.

A child born in North Macedonia to one citizen parent and one foreign parent with temporary residence, who does not have North Macedonian citizenship, needs no residence permit during the first six months of life. By exception, on a request from the citizen parent with the consent of the other parent, the MVR grants such a child permanent residence after six months from birth.

The Employment Agency lists close family members of North Macedonian citizens among the foreigners with regulated residence to whom it issues work permits. The work permit is requested from the agency after the residence has been approved, and the employer then registers the start of work.