Nonimmigrant Visa Services

Macedonian citizen passport holders require a non-immigrant visa for temporary visits to the United States. In order to qualify for a non-immigrant visa, you must generally prove to the consular officer that you have a residence in a foreign country which you do not intend to abandon, that you intend to enter the United States for a period of specifically limited duration, and that you seek admission for the sole purpose of engaging in legitimate activities related to your visa class. These factors are often established by showing permanent employment, meaningful business or financial connections, close family ties, and social and cultural associations that will indicate a strong inducement to return from abroad.

The most widely known nonimmigrant visa category is the visitor visa (B), which is used by aliens who wish to enter the United States temporarily for business purposes or for tourism, visiting relatives and friends, or similar reasons. Other categories of nonimmigrant visas include those for persons who wish to enter as representatives of foreign governments (A&G), in transit (C), as crewmen (D), students in academic or language programs (F), temporary workers and trainees (H), journalists (I), and exchange visitors (J).

To schedule an interview appointment, see How to Apply for a Nonimmigrant Visa. Interviews generally take place Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, except Macedonian and American holidays. The average visa appointment wait time is given at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tempvisitors_wait.php.

Please note that ONLY persons applying for a visa will be admitted to the embassy. Visa applicants with children who are not applying for a visa should make appropriate arrangements for child care. Minors who apply for a visa may be accompanied by one adult.

Also NOTE that certain items are prohibited when entering the Embassy such as cell phones, tape recorders or players, cameras, electronic items, smoking items, sharp instruments, etc.

Please watch this brief video (DSL/cable) for additional information on the U.S. visa program.

Yugoslav Passports

The Serbian government officially announced that Yugoslav passports can continue to be used as valid travel documents until the end of 2010. The visa section of the U.S. Embassy in Skopje will issue visas to qualified applicants in any valid passport. According to current laws in Serbia and in Montenegro, Yugoslav passports will not be valid for travel after December 31, 2010. Therefore, the U.S. Embassy can issue U.S. visas in Yugoslav passports until the end of 2010.

However, please note that when you enter the U.S., U.S. immigration officials will not grant permission to stay beyond the expiration date of your passport in most cases. That means they will not give you permission to stay in the U.S. after December 31, 2010, at the latest, if you enter on a Yugoslav passport.

If you are planning a trip later in 2010, we strongly encourage you to get a new passport now. If you already have a valid visa in a Yugoslav passport, please read the message below.

Valid Visas in Old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Passports for Kosovo Citizens:

Kosovo citizens with valid U.S. visas in an expired or cancelled Yugoslav passport may travel with their old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport only together with a new Serbian passport. Please note: the dates of validity of the U.S. visa in the old passport must be current and there should be no cancellation stamps or holes punched through the visa itself. The biodata information (name, date and place of birth, etc.) in both passports must match exactly. When traveling to the United States, you must show both your new Serbian passport and your valid U.S. visa (in your old passport) to airline officials and U.S. border inspectors.

If you wish to travel with a new Kosovo passport you must apply for a new U.S. visa. You also must bring your valid U.S. visa in your old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport with you to the visa interview so that the old visa may be cancelled by the Consul. Issuance of a new U.S. visa is not automatic. You must apply and qualify for a brand new visa, and bring all required documents to the visa interview. Please see the following link for instructions on applying for a new U.S. visa: http://macedonia.usembassy.gov/apply_niv.html.

UNMIK Travel Document

While you as a Kosovo citizen can continue to use UNMIK travel document to apply for a US visa, we strongly encourage you to get a new Kosovo passport if you are planning a trip later in 2009. The validity of the UNMIK travel document is a maximum of two years, which means they will most likely no longer be valid as of July 2010. Please note that when applying for a U.S. visa, the travel document must be valid for a minimum of six months after the planned arrival date in the United States.

If you already have a valid visa in a UNMIK travel document please read the message below.

Valid Visas issued with UNMIK travel document:

Kosovo citizens with valid U.S. visas issued with an UNMIK travel document that has expired or cancelled may travel with their old UNMIK travel document and new Kosovo passport together, ONLY/ONLY if the nationality in the valid visa is KSV (Kosovo). If the nationality in the valid visa is SRM (Serbia/Montenegro) then you must apply for a new visa with your new Kosovo passport. Please note: the dates of validity of the U.S. visa  must be current and there should be no cancellation stamps or holes punched through the visa itself. The biodata information (name, date and place of birth, etc.) in both the UNMIK travel document and the Kosovo passport must match exactly. When traveling to the United States, you must show both your Kosovo passport and your valid U.S. visa, along with your UNMIK travel document to airline officials and U.S. border inspectors.

If you wish to apply for a new visa, you must bring your valid U.S. visa together with your UNMIK travel document with you to the visa interview so that the old visa may be cancelled by the Consul. Issuance of a new U.S. visa is not automatic. You must apply and qualify for a brand new visa, and bring all required documents to the visa interview. Please see the following link for instructions on applying for a new U.S. visa: http://macedonia.usembassy.gov/apply_niv.html.