North Macedonia · Retire or live on savings
North Macedonia Elderly care residence
First stay: 1 yr
Temporary residence for accommodation or care in an institution for the elderly (Law on Foreigners Arts. 105-106)
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Elderly care residence is a retire or live on savings route for North Macedonia. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Processing
- 30 working days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
Granted for up to one year and extendable while the care contract continues.
Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count
Permanent residence is not granted on this type of temporary stay.
Processing30 working days
The Ministry decides within 30 working days if the application is filed with it in North Macedonia, or 60 working days if filed through an embassy or consulate; this can be extended by up to 30 working days.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
File with the Ministry of Interior in North Macedonia, or through a North Macedonian diplomatic or consular mission abroad together with the D visa application.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
- Needs a sponsor in North Macedonia
- Only from age 61
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is older than 60, or younger with health documents showing a need for care in an elderly-care institution.
- The general conditions for temporary residence apply: means of support, accommodation, health insurance and a clean criminal record.
Documents2
- A contract for accommodation or care between the applicant and an elderly-care institution in North Macedonia.
- The institution takes financial responsibility for the costs in case of the applicant's death.
After you arrive2
- The permit is granted for up to one year and can be extended while the conditions continue.
- The foreigner leaves North Macedonia when the contract ends or is terminated early.
What happens at day 183
How North Macedonia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in any 12-month periodStaying 183 or more days continuously or with breaks in any 12-month period makes a person resident for personal income tax.
- Foreign-source income
Residents of North Macedonia pay a flat 10% personal income tax on income earned in the country and abroad; for salary the tax base is gross pay minus the 28% employee contributions and a tax reduction of MKD 10,932 (≈ $200) a month (MKD 131,184 (≈ $2,400) a year in 2026).
All tax rules for North Macedonia Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
The general conditions for temporary residence apply: means of support, accommodation, health insurance and a clean criminal record
- Accommodation
A contract for accommodation or care between the applicant and an elderly-care institution in North Macedonia
- Police certificate and civil documents
The general conditions for temporary residence apply: means of support, accommodation, health insurance and a clean criminal record
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
One-year temporary residence for a foreigner placed in an elderly-care institution in North Macedonia, usually aged over 60, extendable while the care contract runs. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is older than 60, or younger with health documents showing a need for care in an elderly-care institution. 1
- A contract for accommodation or care between the applicant and an elderly-care institution in North Macedonia. 1
- The institution takes financial responsibility for the costs in case of the applicant's death. 1
- The general conditions for temporary residence apply: means of support, accommodation, health insurance and a clean criminal record. 1
- The permit is granted for up to one year and can be extended while the conditions continue. 1
- The foreigner leaves North Macedonia when the contract ends or is terminated early. 1
Stay
- Permit granted for up to one year and extendable while the care contract continues.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Open to foreigners generally.
Official sources
- Law on Foreigners, editorial consolidated text (Official Gazette 97/18, 108/19, 294/21, 284/23) · Official Gazette of North Macedonia (editorial consolidated texts), via the Ministry of Digital Transformation portal · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2023
Elderly care residence and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elderly care residence | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| D7 passive income visa Portugal | Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Non-lucrative visa Spain | Needs income of €2,400+ a month ≈ $2,680 | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| Elective residence Italy | Needs income of €31k+ a year ≈ $35k | – | No |
| Independent means permit Greece | Needs income of €3,500+ a month ≈ $3,910 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Elderly care residence?
Permit granted for up to one year and extendable while the care contract continues.
How long does the Elderly care residence take to process?
The Ministry decides within 30 working days if the application is filed with it in North Macedonia, or 60 working days if filed through an embassy or consulate; this can be extended by up to 30 working days.
Does the Elderly care residence lead to permanent residence in North Macedonia?
Time on the Elderly care residence doesn't count toward permanent residence in North Macedonia.
How are Elderly care residence holders taxed in North Macedonia?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Elderly care residence. The standard rules apply: Residents of North Macedonia pay a flat 10% personal income tax on income earned in the country and abroad; for salary the tax base is gross pay minus the 28% employee contributions and a tax reduction of MKD 10,932 (≈ $200) a month (MKD 131,184 (≈ $2,400) a year in 2026). Non-residents pay on income earned in North Macedonia.
More in North Macedonia
Retirement and live-on-savings visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 1 official source. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Law on Foreigners, editorial consolidated text (Official Gazette 97/18, 108/19, 294/21, 284/23) · Official Gazette of North Macedonia (editorial consolidated texts), via the Ministry of Digital Transformation portal · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.