Your first 90 days in North Macedonia: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
The 48-hour registration duty repeats on every entry, not just the first, and a missing registration is what surfaces when you go to renew. Keep the paper slips together — the renewal file is where an untidy record turns into a refusal.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Register your stay with the Ministry of Interior within 48 hours, then apply for temporary residence at the regional MoI office
Registration of address within 48 hours of arrival; the temporary residence application before the visa-free period expires
Hotels register guests automatically, private landlords usually do not — if you land straight into an apartment, you or the owner must go to the police station in person with the lease.
Get your EMBG (unique master citizen number) or a foreigner's tax number from the PRO
Payroll, banking, utilities and any filing with the Public Revenue Office require it.
The EMBG is assigned with the residence permit; a tax number for freelance or company activity is registered with the Public Revenue Office (PRO) using the residence card.
Open a bank account
Komercijalna Banka, Stopanska and NLB open accounts on the residence permit and tax number. Foreign-currency accounts are available but the denar is managed, so cross-border moves are best handled through a multi-currency account you keep abroad. Card acceptance outside Skopje is patchy.
Enrol in healthcare
The Health Insurance Fund covers contributors — employees, the self-employed, and voluntary contributors — with a registered GP as the gateway. Public facilities are stretched and most foreign residents pay privately for routine care, which is inexpensive relative to western Europe.
Sort your driver's license
A foreign licence is generally accepted for the first year of residence; conversion afterwards runs through the MoI and depends on a reciprocity agreement, with testing required for licences from countries not covered by one.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in North Macedonia: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in North Macedonia?
Register your stay with the Ministry of Interior within 48 hours, then apply for temporary residence at the regional MoI office — Registration of address within 48 hours of arrival; the temporary residence application before the visa-free period expires. Hotels register guests automatically, private landlords usually do not — if you land straight into an apartment, you or the owner must go to the police station in person with the lease. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the EMBG and do I need one?
EMBG (unique master citizen number) or a foreigner's tax number from the PRO is North Macedonia's personal tax/ID number. Payroll, banking, utilities and any filing with the Public Revenue Office require it. The EMBG is assigned with the residence permit; a tax number for freelance or company activity is registered with the Public Revenue Office (PRO) using the residence card.
Can I drive in North Macedonia on a US license?
A foreign licence is generally accepted for the first year of residence; conversion afterwards runs through the MoI and depends on a reciprocity agreement, with testing required for licences from countries not covered by one. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to North Macedonia?
The Health Insurance Fund covers contributors — employees, the self-employed, and voluntary contributors — with a registered GP as the gateway. Public facilities are stretched and most foreign residents pay privately for routine care, which is inexpensive relative to western Europe. See our healthcare-systems guide for how North Macedonia's system treats foreign residents.