Apostille Stamp for North Macedonia

If you are a citizen of North Macedonia living abroad, or a foreign national needing to use Macedonian documents outside the country, you will likely need an Apostille stamp. The Apostille is an internationally recognized form of document authentication under the Hague Convention, accepted in over 100 countries. This page is part of our practice as an immigration lawyer in Skopje. For questions about regulating your stay in North Macedonia, see our page on residency regulation.

Why you may need an apostille stamp on a document issued by North Macedonia

If you live and work abroad as a citizen of the Republic of North Macedonia, you may often need the public documents and documents you own to be legalized. That is the case when an institution abroad requires you to certify a certain document with an apostille stamp.

Apostille is a stamp that confirms the originality of the signature, the identity of the person signing the document and the content of the stamp or stamp that secures an original document or public document.

Apostille is a form of authentication that is accepted in over 100 countries that are members of the Hague Convention. This Convention applies to public documents that are issued in the territory of one contracting country and are intended to be able to produce a legal action in the territory of another contracting country.

Public documents are considered to be all documents originating from an authority or official connected with the courts of a state, then documents issued by state administrative authorities, as well as all notarial acts and certifications. The Hague Convention does not apply to documents that are issued by some diplomatic or consular representatives, or documents that refer to customs operations.

Examples of such documents include various documents from the Registry office regarding marriage, birth and marriage certificates, as well as judgments from a competent court, power of attorney and decision or other certifications that can be used abroad.

Who issues the Apostille Stamp for North Macedonia?

Each state – signatory to the Hague Convention – independently decides which authority will be competent for certification of documents with Apostille.

In the Republic of North Macedonia, all Basic Courts located on its territory are competent for this procedure, and which court will be competent is determined according to the place of residence of the applicant.

The Ministry of Justice is responsible for certifying documents issued by Basic Criminal Courts, such as certificates from criminal and criminal records. However, depending on the type of document, the apostille stamp can also be obtained from the Ministry of Justice.

Is there another way of legalization if the country does not recognize an apostille stamp?

In case there is a need for the document to be legalized and used in a country that is not a member of the Hague Convention, then you will not need the Apostille Stamp for North Macedonia. In this case, the document is legalized before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

All these procedures can be completed by a proxy authorized with adequate Power of Attorney, such as a lawyer from the Republic of North Macedonia.

Read more information on this link.

2026 Practical Checklist

Before applying for an Apostille stamp in North Macedonia, verify: (1) Which court is competent – the Basic Court in your area of residence in North Macedonia handles most apostille requests. The Ministry of Justice handles criminal record certificates. (2) Is the destination country a Hague Convention member? – if not, apostille will not be accepted and you need legalization through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instead. Check the full list of member countries at the Hague Conference website. (3) Can a proxy act on your behalf? – yes, all apostille and legalization procedures can be completed by an authorized lawyer via Power of Attorney, so you do not need to travel to North Macedonia in person. (4) Macedonian citizenship documents – if you are applying for Macedonian citizenship through marriage or another basis, the required documents (marriage certificate, good conduct certificate) will typically need an apostille if issued abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which authority issues the apostille in North Macedonia?

The Basic Court in the area of your place of residence is generally competent. For documents issued by criminal courts (e.g. criminal record certificates), the Ministry of Justice issues the apostille.

Does the apostille work in all countries?

No – only in countries that are members of the Hague Convention (currently over 100 countries). For non-member countries, legalization through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required.

Do I need to go to North Macedonia in person to get an apostille?

Not necessarily. All apostille and legalization procedures can be completed by a duly authorized proxy – such as a lawyer from North Macedonia – holding a Power of Attorney. This is particularly useful for Macedonian citizens living abroad.

What documents commonly require an apostille?

Common examples include: birth and marriage certificates from the Registry office, court judgments, powers of attorney, notarial acts, criminal record certificates, and other public documents intended for use abroad.

Need legal guidance?

If you have questions about the Apostille stamp or legalization of Macedonian documents, the team at Lalicic & Partners is at your disposal. Contact us through our website.