Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Skopje, North Macedonia.
You need to register your appointment online. Registering your appointment provides us with the information we need to return your passport to you after your interview. Registration is free. Click the “Register” link below to register. If you want to cancel or reschedule your appointment, you will be able to do so after you register your appointment.
As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in North Macedonia. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” link below for a list of designated doctors’ offices in North Macedonia. Please schedule and attend a medical exam with one of these doctors before your interview.
It is important that you bring all required original documents to your interview. We’ve created a checklist that will tell you what to bring. Please print the checklist below and bring it to your interview along with the listed documents.
Read our interview guidelines to learn about any special actions that you need to take before your visa interview.
All immigrant visa applicants, regardless of age, require a medical examination prior to the issuance of a visa. Only a physician accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam. It is your responsibility to schedule a medical exam with one of the doctors listed below before your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted. Applicants aged 15 or more must also undertake a blood test and a chest x-ray. Any questions regarding the nature of the examination and tests should be directed to the physicians.
At present, only doctors at Remedika General Hospital in Skopje (www.remedika.com.mk) are authorized to perform medical exams.
Approved physicians
Remedika Hospital
Drs. Emilija Hristovska and Aleksandra Hadji Dimova
XVI Makedonska Brigada 18
1000 Skopje
Tel: +389 (0)72-443-140
Hours: (2 pm – 8 pm; M – F)
Fees:
Adults: 15-18 years: 7,000 denars
18-24 years: 10,000 denars
25-44 years: 8,000 denars
over 44 years: 7,000 denars
Children: under 15 years: 5,000 denars
You should call to schedule an appointment for a medical examination approximately ten days prior to your scheduled immigrant visa interview at the Embassy. Each immigrant visa applicant is responsible for scheduling and completing their medical exam before the date of their visa interview. As seating capacity at the clinics is limited, only the actual visa applicant(s) should go to the clinic. Applicants can expect to spend approximately 4 hours at the clinic. The maximum validity of medical examination results is s i x m o n t h s . If the exam has less than 6 months' validity, the visa is limited to the life of the exam.
Items to bring to your medical examination
The doctor will need the following items to complete the medical exam forms:
Applicants should bring any and all medical records and reports, as well as records of hospitalization, operations, or accidents. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, please bring them with you. If you have any additional questions about the examination process, please contact the panel physicians or you may submit your question to the immigrant visa unit by email at consularskopje@state.gov.You must pay all medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, directly to the examining physician.
During the medical exam
The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, and chest X-ray, gonorrhea test, and blood tests (for applicants 15 years of age or older). The United States also requires tuberculosis (TB) testing for all applicants two years of age and older. Please be prepared to discuss your medical history, medications you are taking, and current treatments you are undergoing. More information on general medical requirements for U.S. immigrants is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vaccination Requirement
All immigrant visa applicants must have their immunization records available for the Panel Physician’s review at the time of the immigrant visa medical examination.
Recent changes to U.S. immigration law now require immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations (listed below) prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa. Panel physicians who conduct medical examinations of immigrant visa applicants are now required to verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the new vaccination requirement, or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations:
Mumps
Measles
Rubella
Polio
Tetanus
Diptheria
Pertussis
Haemophilus Influenza Type B
Rotovirus
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Meningococcal disease
Varicella
Pneumococcal
Influenza
In order to assist the panel physician, and to avoid delays in the processing of an immigrant visa, all immigrant visa applicants must have their vaccination records available for the panel physician’s review at the time of the immigrant medical examination. Visa applicants should consult with their regular health care provider to obtain a copy of their immunization record, if one is available. If you do not have a vaccination record, the panel physician will work with you to determine which vaccinations you may need to meet the requirement. Certain waivers of the vaccination requirement are available upon the recommendation of the panel physician. Only a physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate for you, given your age, medical history and current medical condition.
The panel physician can provide a complete list of the cost of the above vaccinations. Please note that the cost of any vaccinations is in addition to the cost of the medical examination.
You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements at Travel.State.Gov.
After the medical exam
When your examination is completed, the doctor will provide you with exam results in a sealed envelope or send them directly to the U.S. Embassy. IF GIVEN AN ENVELOPE TO CARRY TO YOUR INTERVIEW, DO NOT OPEN THIS ENVELOPE. Instead, bring it to your visa interview.
Any x-rays taken will be given to you. You DO NOT need to bring the x-rays to your visa interview unless you suffer from tuberculosis (TB). However, you must carry the x-rays with you when you travel to the United States for the first time. The medical report must be less than six months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant.
Please use the list below to determine the items that the applicant must bring to the immigrant visa interview:
A copy of your NVC interview letter (does not apply to Diversity Visa, fiancé(e), adoptive, or asylee/refugee applicants).
Unexpired passport valid for six (6) months beyond your intended date of entry to the United States and a photocopy of the biographic page.
Two (2) color photographs of each person applying for a visa (5 cm x 5 cm, or 2 inch x 2 inch). Please review our online photo requirements.
Confirmation page from the Form DS-260 Application for an Immigrant Visa you submitted online at ceac.state.gov/iv.
Your original birth certificate, English translation, and a photocopy.
Medical examination results in a sealed envelope (if the physician gives you these results).
Applicants who fall into any category below should bring these additional documents
For family based visa applicants:
If you are married: Your original marriage certificate, English translation, and a photocopy.
If you were previously married: Your original divorce or spouse’s death certificate, English translation, and a photocopy.
If you are older than 16 years of age: The original police certificate from your country of current residence and countries of previous residence.If these three items are all true, you must bring a more recent police certificate to the interview:
Note that the authorities of North Macedonia do not issue police certificates. There are two separate court certificates that you must bring to your interview:
For employment-based visa applications: A letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one month ago.
If you have ever been convicted of a crime: Court and criminal records, English translation, and a photocopy.
If you have served in any country’s military: Military records, English translation, and a photocopy.
If you are adopted: Adoption papers or custody documents, English translation, and a photocopy.
If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, English translation, and a photocopy along with divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.
Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy in Skopje
If the U.S. Embassy requests additional information or documentation from you, the letter given to you by the Consular Officer at the interview will instruct you how to complete your application. Please follow the instructions in the letter.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please email consularskopje@state.gov to reschedule your appointment date. There may be a significant wait before the next available appointment, so please attempt to attend the date already assigned. For some family-based and employment preference visa categories, a visa became available within the month you have been scheduled by NVC. DV applicants should be aware that visas are numerically limited and must be issued by September 30 of the program year. There is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview. Please carefully consult the Visa Bulletin before you decide to reschedule your interview.
Please note: You need to register your original NVC/KCC appointment online (see Step 1) before you can reschedule it. Rescheduling is only possible on a date after your assigned appointment.
Security screening procedures
All visitors to the U.S. Embassy must follow certain security procedures. Any visitor who declines to be screened by U.S. Embassy security personnel will be unable to enter the embassy. To avoid delaying your entry and that of those in line behind you, please bring only what is required for your interview.
Accompanying persons
Attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or to their interview. Only the following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:
Immigrant visa fees
If you have not paid all required fees to the National Visa Center, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview. All fees may be paid in U.S. dollars or the Macedonian denar equivalent. Fees may only be paid in cash. Please note that if you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded. Please visit this page for a complete list of fees.
Do not make travel plans outside of North Macedonia
If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the embassy while we prepare your immigration packet and print a visa for your passport. In most cases, you will be able to pick up your passport within three (3) business days from the embassy. If you have to travel within North Macedonia while your passport is still with us, please make sure you have a valid picture ID other than your passport.
A consular officer can make a decision on a visa application only after reviewing the formal application and interviewing the applicant. There is no guarantee that you will receive a visa. Do not sell your house, car or property, resign from your job or make non-refundable flight or other travel arrangements until you have received your immigrant visa.
If more information is needed
Sometimes a consular officer is unable to make a decision on a visa application because he/she needs to review additional documents or the case requires further administrative processing. When additional documents are requested, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter that asks you to submit additional documents. The letter will include instructions on how to send those documents to the Embassy.
Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days. However, the timing varies based on the circumstances of each case. Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 60 days after your interview.
What happens after visa approval
Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet – We will place your immigrant visa on a page in your passport. Please review your visa to make sure there are no spelling errors. We will also give you a sealed envelope containing documents that you must give to U.S. immigration authorities when you arrive in the United States for the first time. Do not open this envelope. You must carry it with you; do not put it in your checked luggage. If you receive X-rays during your medical examination, carry those with you and give them to the U.S. immigration authorities.
USCIS Immigrant Fee – All individuals who are issued immigrant visas overseas must pay an Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) prior to traveling to the United States. This fee is for processing your residency status and printing your Permanent Resident Card. The only people exempt from paying this fee are: children entering the United States under the Hague Process, returning residents, and people traveling on a K visa.
When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six months from the date of printing. Your visa cannot be extended and all fees are nonrefundable. The principal applicant must enter before or at the same time as other family members with visas. Unless they are eligible for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act, children who are issued a visa before turning 21 years of age must enter the United States before their 21st birthday to avoid losing their immigrant status.
Getting a Green Card – Your Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card, also known as a green card, will be automatically mailed to the address in the United States that you write in your visa application form. This is a very important document that proves you have permission to reside in the United States. If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before your green card arrives: Please consult USCIS’s and CBP’s websites for rules about what documents you need to re-enter the country. We also recommend you check with the airline to ensure you are in compliance with their rules. Once your card is issued, you should not stay outside of the United States for more than one year. If you do, you will lose your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident.
Children’s Issues – In the United States, children are required to have certain vaccinations before they can enroll in school. We recommend that you bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you to the United States. If your child is adopted, you have full custody as a result of a divorce, or you share custody with another parent, you should bring a copy of all applicable adoption or custodial papers from the authoritative court in your home country. You will need these papers (translated into English) for issues such as school enrollment, medical care, and eventual citizenship.
Information for New Immigrants – Please visit the USCIS web page for helpful information on moving to the United States. You can read their publication “Welcome to t he United States: A Guide for New Immigrants” online.
If you are interviewing for a Diversity Visa (DV), all of the above instructions apply to you. Please schedule and attend a medical examination prior to your visa interview; enroll in the required courier service; and gather the required documents.
Below are additional instructions that apply only to DV applicants.
Bring to your interview
In addition to the documents listed on the Pre-Interview Checklist in this package, DV applicants should also bring the following items to your visa interview:
Review your DV Lottery entry
Prior to your visa interview, we recommend that you review the data on your initial E-DV entry. On your initial E-DV application, you must have correctly entered your marital status. If you are legally married you must have listed your spouse, even if you are currently separated from him/her (unless your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident).
Additionally, you must have listed ALL of your living children who are unmarried and under 21 years old. This includes your natural children, your spouse’s children, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country.
Failure to have listed an existing spouse or children at the time of your entry in the Diversity Visa lottery will result in the denial of your visa and visas for your family. Any fees paid to the U.S. government in support of your visa application(s) are nonrefundable. If you failed to include a child who had already been born, or a spouse to whom you were married when you entered the lottery, you should not proceed with the visa application. You can review the eligibility requirements online.
Last Updated: 12/14/2023
Str. "Samoilova"Nr.21
1000 Skopje
Republic of North Macedonia
