Macedonia is not introducing a new visa regime for Albania and the other 146 countries, whose citizens have always needed a visa to enter the country. The new Law on stay of foreign citizens, which came into force on 1 January with a grace period of one month, defines the procedure for issuing visas. According to this law, foreign citizens will no longer be able to obtain visas for entry in Macedonia at the border crossings, but will have to go to the Macedonian embassies and consulates instead.
The Foreign Ministry negated the information that Macedonia introduced a visa regime for a number of countries, explaining that the state only changed the procedure for issuing visas. "The visa regime that Macedonia had so far for 150 countries, including Albania, will remain the same. The Law on stay of foreign citizens defines only one thing: the procedure for issuing visas. In other words, visas will no longer be issued at border crossings," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saso Kokalanov said.
