Maskay guide

Which Japanese consular procedures can you handle in Skopje, and how should you prepare?

A guide to passports, certificates, residence, assistance and visas at Japan’s Embassy in North Macedonia.

Maskay editorial team Updated

In Skopje, Japan’s Embassy handles procedures for Japanese nationals living in or visiting North Macedonia and receives certain applications for travel to Japan. Its official consular page is a menu rather than a single service: passports, overseas residence filings, civil-status matters, certificates and assistance are grouped separately. Before travelling, open the page for the exact procedure, because requirements and online filing options vary by document.

The office is at Filip Vtori Makedonski 3, Soravia Center, sixth floor, 1000 Skopje. The official directory lists +389 2 3118 063 and info@sk.mofa.go.jp. The consular counter is open on working days from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.; Embassy office hours extend to 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon. Separate emergency contacts are published for nights, weekends and holidays. They are intended for urgent Japanese-national safety matters, not routine questions.

The passport page, updated in June 2026, explains renewal with less than one year of validity, changes to personal details, a child’s first passport and exhausted visa pages. In general it calls for an application form, current passport, local residence permit, recent family-register evidence in specified cases and a photograph meeting precise dimensions. Japanese nationals registered in the overseas-residence system may start online through ORRnet and the official app, but only by following the stated process. A lost passport requires police documentation; an emergency travel document is for returning to Japan, not continuing a multi-country trip.

The certificate menu is broad: residence, birth, marriage or divorce, eligibility to marry, police record, translation, and signature or fingerprint certification. The Embassy warns that incomplete papers prevent issuance; a residence certificate can require a Japanese passport, local residence permit and address evidence. Apostille and authentication are handled by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rather than this counter. The mission also points Japanese residents to overseas residence registration, birth and marriage notifications, nationality, My Number and overseas voting.

For visas, North Macedonian citizens are exempt for short visits of up to 90 days for non-remunerated activities under the current consular information; work or a longer stay requires the appropriate category. The Embassy advises applicants, especially holders of other passports, to contact it before applying. The mission identifies Setsuko Kawahara as Ambassador. A useful sequence is to check jurisdiction and eligibility, prepare the originals and copies named on the relevant page, and call or write to confirm whether an appointment is needed. Both Japanese and local holidays can affect opening days.

Consular office profile

Consular Section, Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia

Sources consulted

Information checked on 19 October 2026. Confirm jurisdiction, documents, appointments and hours on the official source before visiting.

Bottom line

For visas, North Macedonian citizens are exempt for short visits of up to 90 days for non-remunerated activities under the current consular information; work or a longer stay requires the appropriate category. The Embassy advises applicants, especially holders of other passports, to contact it before applying. The mission identifies Setsuko Kawahara as Ambassador. A useful sequence is to check jurisdiction and eligibility, prepare the originals and copies named on the relevant page, and call or write to confirm whether an appointment is needed. Both Japanese and local holidays can affect opening days.

Editorial selection

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Embassy consular section

Consular Section, Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia

Filip Vtori Makedonski 3, Soravia Center, 6th floor, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia

The Consular Section of Japan’s Embassy in North Macedonia serves Japanese nationals in Skopje and publishes a procedure index for residents: passports, overseas residence registration, births, marriages, nationality, certificates, overseas voting, My Number and safety information. It also receives Japanese visa applications under the official eligibility rules. The mission identifies Setsuko Kawahara as Ambassador.

Why it made the selection

The Consular Section of Japan’s Embassy in North Macedonia serves Japanese nationals in Skopje and publishes a procedure index for residents: passports, overseas residence registration, births, marriages, nationality, certificates, overseas voting, My Num

Hours: Consular counter: weekdays 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–4:00 p.m. Embassy: 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–5:00 p.m. Confirm appointments and closures before visiting. Verified: October 19, 2026
View Maskay profile → Official website ↗
Verification

Sources & references

Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.

  1. Consular procedures and safety information ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Official menu includes passports, overseas residence, civil-status and nationality filings, certificates, police certificates, voting, My Number and visa information.

  2. Office location, public contact and counter hours ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Current official directory gives Soravia Center, floor 6, telephone, public contacts, emergency channels, and differentiated embassy/counter hours.

  3. Passport requirements and online application ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Updated 9 June 2026: eligibility, documents, online route, lost passports, travel document and approximate issuance period.

  4. Certificate types and application guidance ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Lists residence, birth, marriage/divorce, marriage eligibility, police, translation and signature certificates; requires checking documents before applying.

  5. Visa and consular information ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Consular hours, eligibility, visa exemptions for North Macedonian nationals and advice to contact before applying.

  6. Consular procedures and safety information ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Official menu includes passports, overseas residence, civil-status and nationality filings, certificates, police certificates, voting, My Number and visa information.

  7. Office location, public contact and counter hours ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Current official directory gives Soravia Center, floor 6, telephone, public contacts, emergency channels, and differentiated embassy/counter hours.

  8. Passport requirements and online application ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Updated 9 June 2026: eligibility, documents, online route, lost passports, travel document and approximate issuance period.

  9. Certificate types and application guidance ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Lists residence, birth, marriage/divorce, marriage eligibility, police, translation and signature certificates; requires checking documents before applying.

  10. Visa and consular information ↗ Primary source Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Consular hours, eligibility, visa exemptions for North Macedonian nationals and advice to contact before applying.

  11. Google Maps listing for Consular Section, Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia ↗ Secondary source Google Maps · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Direct check of rating, review count, operating status, and address; variable data.

  12. Google Maps listing for Consular Section, Embassy of Japan in North Macedonia ↗ Secondary source Google Maps · Accessed October 19, 2026

    Direct check of rating, review count, operating status, and address; variable data.

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