Entering into a marriage with a citizen of the Republic of North Macedonia gives you the legal right to apply for Macedonian citizenship through simplified naturalization – without needing to have lived in the country for 7 years. The Law on Citizenship of the Republic of North Macedonia provides two main legal bases depending on the number of years you have been married and whether you currently live in North Macedonia or abroad. You may also be interested in other legal bases for acquiring Macedonian citizenship. This page is part of our practice as an immigration lawyer in Skopje.

On the other hand, the right to health insurance, the right to buy real estate, the right to vote and the freedom to travel, are only part of the rights that the citizenship provides.

However, entering into a marriage with a Macedonian is just a pre-step for acquiring legal right to submit an Application for acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of North Macedonia, while the rest of the conditions that you must fulfill for the purposes of the procedure are defined depending on the number of years spent in marriage.

In that sense, the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of North Macedonia provides two main legal bases, according to which you can acquire Macedonian citizenship through simplified naturalization, if you are married to a Macedonian citizen.

1. Three years of marriage, plus residence in North Macedonia

If at least 3 years have passed since the day you got married to a Macedonian citizen, and at the same time you have legally resided in the Republic of North Macedonia for a period of at least one year, it means that you have already acquired the right to apply for citizenship.

It is a legal basis that is relatively flexible, given that it does not require the applicant to fulfill a multitude of conditions, nor is the procedure burdened by submitting numerous documentation. 

The good news is that you do not have to have lived in the Republic of North Macedonia for at least 7 years, although you must have stayed in the Republic of North Macedonia for at least one year continuously. In this way, this legal basis binds your right to acquire citizenship, with the obligation to have legally resided in the territory of the Republic of North Macedonia, i.e. the obligation to regulate your stay by possessing a temporary residence permit on the basis of marriage.At the same time, the Law does not require mandatory knowledge of the Macedonian language, neither checks will be made during the procedure regarding this issue.

The law releases you from the obligation to submit documents for a secured apartment and a source of financial incomes. Even more, the Republic of North Macedonia does not oblige you to receive a release from the citizenship you possess, nor to prove that you will receive a release. If you need assistance with regulating your stay, see our page on residency regulation.

2. Eight years of marriage, plus legal residence abroad

If 8 years have already passed since the day you married a Macedonian and at the same time you legally and permanently live abroad, in such case you also have an eligible legal basis to apply for the acquisition of Macedonian citizenship.

This legal solution is as flexible as the previous one, because again foresees a procedure for acquiring citizenship by way of facilitated naturalization.

According to this legal basis, you do not have to have lived in the Republic of North Macedonia at all, but in any case it will be necessary to present proof that you have legally regulated your residence in the country where you currently live.

Once again in this procedure, speaking the Macedonian language depends exclusively on your personal desire. The competent authorities will not perform any checks on your knowledge.

The law releases you from the obligation to submit documents for a secured apartment and a source of financial funds. At the same time, North Macedonia does not require from you to obtain a release from the citizenship you currently possess, nor you have to prove that you will receive such one.

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Documents without which you could not apply, in both cases

If you intend to apply, the marriage certificate is the primary document that you will need, while in order to present yourself as a good citizen of the country which citizen you are now, you must provide a good conduct certificate too!

Note: The above does not constitute legal advice and in no way can be accepted or understood as an instruction to act in a specific case. Each legal situation has its own characteristics that should be reviewed at separately, and for that reason we recommend that you contact a professional – a lawyer – for legal advice.

More information in relation to the basis or the application procedure on Macedonian citizenship, you can find on the following link.

2026 Practical Checklist

Before applying for Macedonian citizenship through marriage in 2026, verify the following: (1) Which legal basis applies to you – 3 years of marriage with at least 1 year of continuous legal residence in North Macedonia, OR 8 years of marriage with legal residence abroad. (2) Temporary residence permit – under basis 1, you must hold a valid permit on the basis of marriage; learn more about regulating your residence permit. (3) Required documents – a marriage certificate and a certificate of good conduct (clean criminal record) from your country of citizenship are mandatory in both cases. (4) No language test – knowledge of the Macedonian language is not required or tested under either basis. (5) No renunciation of current citizenship – North Macedonia does not require you to give up your existing citizenship.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply if I have never lived in North Macedonia?

Yes – under the 8-year basis. If you have been married to a Macedonian citizen for at least 8 years and legally reside abroad, you can apply without ever having lived in North Macedonia.

Do I need to speak Macedonian to qualify?

No. The Law on Citizenship does not require knowledge of the Macedonian language, and no language test is conducted under either legal basis.

What residence permit do I need under the 3-year basis?

You must hold a valid temporary residence permit on the basis of marriage and have resided in North Macedonia for at least one continuous year. For assistance with this, see our page on residency regulation.

Will I need to give up my current citizenship?

No. North Macedonia does not require you to obtain a release from your current citizenship, nor to prove that you intend to do so.

Can I also acquire Macedonian citizenship by descent?

Yes, there is a separate legal basis for citizenship by descent. Read more on our page about Macedonian citizenship by descent.

Need legal guidance?

If you have questions about acquiring Macedonian citizenship through marriage, the team at Lalicic & Partners is at your disposal. Contact us through our website.