Student Visa for North Macedonia: Visa D and Temporary Residence

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

A foreign student who stays in North Macedonia for more than three months needs a temporary residence permit for study. The permit is issued by the Ministry of Interior and is tied to a long-stay visa D from a North Macedonian embassy or consulate. This guide follows the instructions that the universities publish for students, as they stood in October 2026. The university guides themselves say that the Ministry of Interior may ask for more documents, so confirm the current list with the embassy and the Foreigners department before you pay for anything.

What the law says

According to the guide for international students of Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM), the Law on Foreigners grants temporary residence to a foreigner who intends to stay in the country for schooling, studying or learning the language of instruction. The request goes to the Ministry of Interior. Temporary residence for study is approved for up to one year and can be extended. The universities do not describe any route from student residence to permanent residence.

Step 1: the request abroad and visa D

UKIM's guide describes the first stage like this:

the request for temporary residence is a supporting document for the visa D application, and is filed with the North Macedonian diplomatic or consular office in your country;
you must appear in person for an interview with the competent authority;
the request has to state the purpose and circumstances of your stay, and these must not change during the procedure;
your passport must stay valid for at least three months longer than the planned stay, and you must prove that the conditions for residence are met.

The university's own procedure sheet (see below) puts the order the other way round: first you apply for a visa at the embassy, and then, after you arrive, for the residence permit in Skopje. Because the university sources differ, ask your embassy which order it applies, and ask it for the full document list and the visa fee. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes its visa procedure on its consular pages, linked below.

An admission letter from the university stating your student status is the central document. Universities such as the International Balkan University also ask for a decision on temporary residence in the file for international students, so apply for it in good time. See how to get into a university in North Macedonia.

Step 2: the residence permit in Skopje

After enrolment, the faculty issues a confirmation that you are enrolled in a programme. With that confirmation and your accommodation contract you apply at the Sector for Foreigners and Immigration Matters of the Ministry of Interior in Skopje. UKIM's current procedure sheet (January 2026) lists these documents:

the application form, issued by the Sector;
a valid passport, translated by a court translator and notarised, and a recent biometric photo (3.5 by 4.5 cm);
the visa certificate from the embassy and a copy of your visa;
the acceptance letter from the university stating the length of stay and level of study;
a certificate of registration with the local police, issued on arrival;
a criminal record certificate from your home country, translated into Macedonian;
proof of financial means, such as bank statements;
proof of accommodation, such as a notarised rental agreement, or a dormitory confirmation;
health insurance, translated and notarised;
receipts for the administrative fees.

The sheet adds that the passport should have at least 6 to 12 months of validity, and that the Sector may ask for further documents. An earlier version of the sheet, from November 2025, gave the fee as roughly 40 euros and did not list bank statements or a criminal record certificate. The two versions differ, so use the newest list from the Sector itself.

Health insurance and money

UKIM asks foreign students for annual health insurance valid for the whole stay. Its guide for international students asks for annual insurance from your own country, and its student polyclinic requires first-year students to take a systematic medical check. Take insurance that the Ministry of Interior will accept, with a translation. The rule on how much money you must show is not stated in the university documents we could read. We found no official figure, so ask the Foreigners department or the embassy. For the wider picture, see health insurance for students in Europe.

Timing

The sequence is long: recognition of your school diploma, admission, the visa, the journey, enrolment and then the permit. UKIM's foreign-student window for 2026/27 closed on 29 September, with enrolment on 1 October. Each step needs the one before it, so start the recognition of your documents as soon as you have a place in mind. See document recognition for North Macedonia.

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.