How to Renew Your Temporary Macedonian Residence Visa

For foreigners living in Macedonia, you should know by now that Macedonian residence visas are supposed to be renewed annually. The steps are easy and straightforward, but since the requirements are not available online, I decided to write a blog post about it.

I’ve applied to renew my Macedonian residence visa for four consecutive years. The documents they require slightly vary depending on whether you’re employed (if you’re working for a foreign company that is not registered in Macedonia, then you’re considered unemployed) in the country or not. If you’re a dependent (or unemployed), there are less documents to submit.

Below, you’ll find the step by step process on how to renew your residence visa in Macedonia; as well as the documents required to renew your temporary residence visa in Macedonia as an employed individual. 

Step 1: Call the Police Station in Your Municipality

Since this post is meant to simply be a guide to your application (so you can prepare beforehand), your first and foremost step should be to call the police station in your municipality. For example, if you live in Bitola, google “police station in Bitola,” call and ask for them to connect you to the department in charge of foreigners. In Macedonian, you can say: “policija za stranci.” You can also ask for their phone number directly.

Once you’re connected, ask what documents you need to renew your visa.

The Requirements

When my husband went in-person to ask for the requirements, the police department in charge for foreigners in Bitola gave us this list:

To translate:

I will elaborate on each of the requirements in the following order from step two:

• [Step 2] Application Form
• [Step 3] Court statement that you have not been convicted
• [Step 4] Passport copy (notarized)
• [Step 5] Evidence of Financial Means
• [Step 6] Proof of Residence
• [Step 7] Health Insurance

Step 2: Complete the Application Form

There are two ways to complete the application form: 

Method 2.1: Do-it-yourself

You have the option to complete the application form yourself, and process the payment in the bank. The bank will give you a payment confirmation which you’ll need to present to the court (osnoven sud).

Method 2.2: Service Centers

In Macedonia, there are service centers that can help you fill out the application form quickly. The name of the service centers vary per city. For example, in Bitola, the main service center is called “Usluga Plus.” 

The only thing that makes service centers different from the DIY method is that they fill out the application form AND process the payment for you. You pay them directly so you don’t have to go to the bank.

If you happen to choose to use a service center, go to one and say “za obnovuvanje na lichnata karta” (за обновуванје на личната карта). That means “For the renewal of my residence card.” 

What To Bring in Service Centers

You need to bring your soon-to-expire residence visa and your passport (just in case).They will ask you basic questions such as: 

• Date and Place of Birth
• Address in Macedonia
• Father’s name
• Mother’s name
• Type of work

After they’ve completed the form, you need to pay around MKD 3,000 to finish the process. The MKD 3,000 includes the service fee, the application fee, and the court statement fee.

Step 3: Court Statement that states you are not convicted.

Once you’ve paid the fee to the service center, they will give you the filled-out application form along with a receipt. You can then go to the court of your municipality.

Upon entering the court, someone by the entrance will ask you what your purpose is. Tell them “Izjava deka ne si osuduvan” (Изјава дека не си осудуван); the literal translation being: “statement that you are not convicted.” Then, they will tell you which counter to go to.

After that, you need to hand in the application form and the payment confirmation you got from the service center. The court statement should be ready in a few hours.

As payments are handled via the bank or the service centers, you don’t need to pay anything in the court.

Step 4: Passport Copy (Notarized)

Photocopy the first page of your passport and along with the original, have it notarized. Choose a notary public and say “da go zaveram pasoshot” (Да го заверам пасошот) which means “I want to notarize my passport.”

You need to pay around MKD 150 per page. 

Step 5: Evidence of Financial Means

Evidence of financial means can come in different forms:

5.1. Certificate of Employment

If you’re employed in a Macedonian company, ask for a contract that states you work with them. The official document needs to have the company stamp.

Please take note that it’s important to confirm that it’s okay to submit this form instead of a bank statement. This (Certificate of Employment) was what I was asked to submit at the division in charge of foreigners at the police station in Bitola.

5.2. Bank Statement

Go to a bank where you’ve opened an account and request for a bank statement. In Macedonian, this is called “tekovana sostojba od banka” (Тековна состојба од банка). The literal translation is “current state of the bank.”

Step 6: Proof of residence

The proof of residence document depends on where you reside. If you live in a house owned by your partner, s/he must submit a document called “imoten list” (имотен лист). It’s proof that s/he owns the house you’re living in.

Otherwise, you need to submit a contract that states you’re renting the place where you currently live.

Step 7: Health Insurance

You can simply photocopy the first page and second page of your health book. If you don’t have one, you can present a document that shows you have private insurance. 

Step 8: Schedule for an Appointment

Once you’ve compiled all the documents, you need to call the police station in your municipality again and schedule an appointment. 

When you arrive at the police station, the policeman by the entrance might ask you where you’re going and why. Again, you can simply say “za obnovuvanje na lichnata karta” (за обновуванје на личната карта), and they’ll tell you which room you need to go.

If the documents are complete, they will take a photo of you, and ask you to sign in a signature pad.

At the end, they’ll give you a piece of paper and ask you to come back in two weeks to receive your new Macedonian residence visa. 

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