Ministry of Internal Affairs: About 55,000 requests for identity documents in July; processing continues without delays
Officials ask diaspora to check documents; regular appointments come within days and documents are issued in up to seven days.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reported that approximately 55,000 requests for identity documents, including passports, were received during July. Officials say the seasonal increase is driven largely by members of the diaspora who are visiting the country.
"The Ministry recommends that citizens from the diaspora check the validity of their documents in good time and, if necessary, submit an application for a new passport immediately upon arrival in the country, given that at the moment the regular procedure enables issuing documents in short time frames," the Ministry said.
MIA emphasizes that the issuance process is proceeding without interruption. Under the regular procedure applicants receive an appointment within one to two days, and documents are delivered within a maximum of seven days.
Working hours and reorganised shifts
To handle the increased workload the ministry carried out an internal reorganisation: some administrative departments now operate in two shifts while others have extended hours. The Department for Administrative Affairs in Skopje and the Administrative Section in Tetovo work Monday to Friday from 07:30 to 19:30. The administrative sections in Bitola, Veles, Kumanovo, Ohrid, Strumica and Shtip operate Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00.
The same 08:00–18:00 schedule applies to the Bitola regional administrative unit for Prilep, the Veles unit for Kavadarci, the Ohrid unit for Kicevo and Struga, the Tetovo unit for Gostivar and the Shtip unit for Kochani. Other regional units — Ohrid for Debar; Bitola for Krushevo, Demir Hisar, Resen and Makedonski Brod; Shtip for Probishtip, Sveti Nikole, Vinica, Delchevo and Berovo; Veles for Negotino; Kumanovo for Kratovo and Kriva Palanka; and Strumica for Gevgelija, Radovish and Valandovo — work from 08:00 to 16:00.
In Skopje, within the MRTV building, a renovated section of the Department for Administrative Affairs was opened just over a year ago. Then-Minister Panche Toshkovski said: "The purpose of the reconstruction is to give citizens the possibility for fast and efficient services, to save their time and all that to be in a dignified manner as every Macedonian citizen deserves. With the reconstruction and renovation, so far 20 so‑called photo booths have been covered, which will perform multiple work functions and will provide more services to citizens, the large counter hall has been renovated which in the coming period will serve citizens in the issuance of passports on urgent and regular procedure, identity cards on urgent procedure, driving licences, certificates for citizenship together with all other procedures related to requests for acquisition and release from citizenship, change of personal name and others, as well as vehicle-related services."
MIA repeats its appeal to citizens from abroad to verify their document validity and, if necessary, to submit passport applications immediately after arrival, while the ministry continues to say that regular procedures allow quick handling of requests.
Photo: press material from the event
