North Macedonia travel guide

Overview

Travel tip

Be sure to experience hiking near Lake Ohrid.

Before you go

For many nationalities, including South Koreans, short tourist stays in North Macedonia are usually allowed for up to 90 days, but visa requirements and the permitted stay depend on your passport. Electronic travel authorizations such as ESTA, eTA, K-ETA, or UK ETA are pre-approval systems for boarding and entry, and they are different from systems used to pre-register arrival or customs information. North Macedonia generally does not require a separate paper arrival card, but you should check the latest customs rules before departure, especially for cash declaration thresholds.

Entry procedure

1. Check passport and stay rules

   Before departure, confirm whether your nationality is eligible for visa-free tourist entry and how long you may stay. Your passport should be valid well beyond your planned visit, and you should be able to explain that your trip is for tourism.

2. Separate electronic authorization from pre-registration

   Electronic travel authorizations such as ESTA, eTA, K-ETA, and UK ETA are pre-approval systems before boarding. By contrast, North Macedonia is not a country where a widely used online arrival/customs pre-registration system like Japan’s Visit Japan Web or Singapore’s SG Arrival Card is generally in place.

3. Check prohibited goods

   Items such as meat, dairy products, plants, and fruit may cause problems at quarantine or customs, so check before bringing them in. Cash may need to be declared in some cases, so if you are carrying a large amount, confirm the current declaration threshold before departure.

Exit procedure

1. Prepare stay and purchase documents

   Before leaving, keep your hotel receipts, transport tickets, and any tax refund paperwork organized. For VAT refunds, you will often need to present your passport together with proof of purchase.

2. Handle VAT refund at the airport

   If your purchases in North Macedonia are eligible for VAT refund, you must usually complete customs validation and the refund submission process at the airport. In general, the goods, receipts, and forms need to be checked before departure, so arrive with plenty of time.

3. Pass exit control and proceed

   When leaving, you will usually go through a standard check where you present your passport and boarding pass. Dedicated exit fees or widely used automated exit-gate procedures are not a prominent requirement for ordinary travelers, so just follow airport security and boarding instructions.

Cities in North Macedonia