Customs regulations for your trip to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Customs regulations

Used Household Goods and Personal Effects

Documents Required for Non diplomatic moves

• Copy of passport
• Macedonian ID card (temporary acceptable)
• Pro-forma invoice
• Request for temporary import (issued from the employer in Macedonia for Customs)
• Letter of employment (must show duration of stay)
• Detailed packing list
• Original bill of lading (OBL) / convention marchandises routiers (CMR) / air waybill (AWB)
• Lease agreement, including address of temporary residence
• Import permit for certain items mentioned below
• Customs export declaration from previous export (returning residents)
• Import protocol from Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Diplomatic ID card (diplomats)

Specific Information

• An import permit from the Ministry of Environment is required for electronic items such as televisions, DVD players, and refrigerators.
• Food items, drinks, and pharmaceuticals will generate Customs inspections and require an import permit will be required.
  • It is strongly advised that non-diplomats do not ship these items.
• Food items must be sent separate from household goods and personal effects.
• Import duties and taxes calculation for non-diplomatic moves:
  • Declared value of the goods + cost for transport x 25% = DUTIES
  • On this total amount (value + transport + 25% duties) +18% = VAT
  • VAT + duties = total import duties and taxes

Same-sex relationships aren’t illegal, but Macedonians/citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia are not particularly open about the issue and there are few bars and restaurants which are LGBT friendly. See our information and advice page for the LGBT community before you travel.

Taking photographs of any military installation, establishment or site of government or strategic importance is prohibited.

An importer/exporter in North Macedonia is responsible for providing the required import/export documentation, which consists of common trade, transport and customs documentation, as well as certificates of origin and certificates of quality control and licenses.  Service providers are not subject to customs regulations, but foreign trade transactions are subject to a documentation fee of one percent.

Restricted/Dutiable Items

• Full duties are payable on imports of food items and drinks.
  • Percentages depend on the type of food or drink.
• Animal based products such as cheese, etc. (permission is required)
• The following items may qualify for free import within the limits indicated:
  • Distilled alcoholic beverages over 22% (1 L)
  • Distilled alcoholic beverages under 22% (2 L)
  • Wine (2 L)
  • Perfume (50 ml)
• Residents can import up to 1kg in animal based products such as white and yellow cheese and delicatessen.
  • All plant or plant products being imported into the country will require a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin.
  • Products of animal origin with a total weight exceeding 1 kg cannot be brought in Macedonia without a certificate confirming that they have been inspected by the Veterinary and Sanitary Inspectorate.
  • Cats, dogs and other animals being imported into Macedonia will require a veterinarian health certificate proving the animal’s lack of infection or contamination

Free import of goods intended for personal use:

Tobacco products:

• 200 cigarettes; or
• 100 cigarillos; or
• 50 cigars; or
• 250 grams of pipe or cigarette tobacco;

Alcoholic beverages:
– 1 liter of spirits over 22%; or
– 2 liters of alcoholic beverages less than 22%; and
– 2 liters of wine ;

The above applies for passengers over 18 years old.

Perfume and other goods:

• 50 milliliters of perfume;
• 250 milliliters of eau de toilette;

Residents of North Macedonia (Rep.) are allowed to import other goods of non-commercial nature (souvenirs, gifts and goods for personal use) up to a total value of EUR 350.-

Prohibited Items

• Weapons, explosives and ammunition
• Plant and plant products (permission is required)
• Animals and animal products (permission is required)
• Pornographic materials
• Counterfeit goods
• Tires
• Food
• More than 1 L alcohol for non-diplomatic shipments
• Cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos for non-diplomatic shipments

Chemicals, weapons, ammunition, pesticides, agricultural products, and some other categories of products may require import licenses from the responsible ministry.  Visit the Customs Administration website for details.

Miscellaneous (Pets, Motors, and others.)

Motor Vehicles

Documents Required

• Original registration card
• Original sales certificate / purchase invoice
• Certificate for standard EUR 3
• OBL / CMR / AWB

Specific Information

• Vehicles must be less than 10 years old and in the possession of the owner of the goods at the time of importation.
• All vehicles must be equipped with catalyst system.
• The taxes for non-diplomat shipments and temporary import are charged at the same rate as personal effects (3% of total calculated taxes per month); a bank guarantee is required.
• The details of the vehicle must be shown on the OBL (model, type number of chassis, vehicle identification number, type of fuel, year of production, engine capacity, number of doors, color, engine number, etc.).
• An import permit from the Ministry of Environment is required for electronic items such as televisions, DVD players, printers, laptops, ice conditioning, and refrigerators.

Pets

Documents Required

• Vaccination record
• Veterinary health certificate
• Owner’s passport copy
• Pet’s passport
• Microchip
• Health certificate

Specific Information

• Vaccination record must include up to date vaccines and microchip number.
  • Rabies vaccine has to be at least 30 days and maximum of 12 months old at time of travel.
  • 30 days after rabies vaccination a rabies blood test has to be arranged and rabies blood test (RNATT) certificate obtained.
  • The test must be carried out on a sample collected by an authorized veterinarian at least 30 days after the date of vaccination and not less than 3 months before the date of movement.
    • The test must measure a level of neutralizing antibody to rabies virus in serum equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml;
    • The test must be performed in an approved laboratory.
• Documents must show that animal is free from infection or contamination.
• Microchips must be implanted before rabies vaccination.

Arms and Ammunition regulations:

Import of arms and ammunition is prohibited. Exempt are holders of permit/authorization by the Ministry of Interior.

Wild Fauna and Flora:

The import of certain endangered species of plant, live animals and their products is prohibited or restricted under CITES.
For further details please refer to CITES: www.cites.org .

Additional Information on regulations:

Import of plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables is subject to authorization by the Phytosanitary Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy.

Import of medicines is subject to authorization by the Bureau for Drugs (Ministry of Health). Not applicable to medicines intended for personal use if holding prescription from General Practitioner.

Pets:

Cats and dogs must be accompanied by a pet passport and health certificate issued by an authorized vet at country of departure.

Baggage Clearance regulations:

baggage is cleared at the airport of final destination in North Macedonia (Rep.).
Exempt: baggage of transit passengers with a destination outside North Macedonia (Rep.).

Currency

Currency Import regulations:

Residents and Non-residents:
Local currency (Macedonian Denar-MKD) and foreign currencies: up to EUR 10,000.- or equivalent. Amounts exceeding EUR 10,000.- must be declared on arrival.

Currency Export regulations:

Residents: Local currency (Macedonian Denar-MKD) and foreign currencies: up to EUR 2,000.- or equivalent. Amounts between EUR 2,000.- and EUR 10,000.- must be declared on departure. Passengers must hold receipt from a bank or exchange office proving withdrawal from personal foreign currency account, issued not more than 90 days prior to departure date. Export of amounts exceeding EUR 10,000.- or equivalent is prohibited.
Non-Residents: Same regulations as for import apply, but the amount exported cannot exceed the amount declared to customs on arrival.