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Last Updated:
November 14, 2007 18:34
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Still Valid: November 15, 2007 23:24 EST |
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1. RECENT UPDATES Sections 1, 2 and 3 of this Travel Report have been updated. BACK TO TOP 2. WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS There is no Official Warning for this country. Macedonia
The security situation in Macedonia has stabilized. Inter-ethnic conflicts and confrontations between criminal gangs have greatly diminished since 2001 and rarely occur now. Caution should be exercised when travelling in the following areas: a) west of the Tetovo-Gostivar highway up to the Albanian border; b) the Cair district of Skopje; c) the area north of Skopje; d) the north part of the Skopje-Tetovo highway up to the Kosovo border; and e) north and west of Kumanovo up to the Kosovo and Serbian borders. Political protests and roadblocks set up by striking workers sometimes occur. Avoid demonstrations and other large gatherings. Canadians should exercise caution when travelling to the western border zone due to heightened criminal activity in the area. Canadians visiting Macedonia are strongly advised to register with the Consulate of Canada in Skopje (see below) or with the Department in Ottawa. OFFICIAL REGISTRATION RECOMMENDATION: We offer a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that we can contact and assist you in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform you of a family emergency at home. Registration can be done on-line or by contacting a Canadian government office abroad. For more information, see our FAQs on Registration of Canadians Abroad. BACK TO TOP 3. SAFETY AND SECURITY The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety. The purpose of this Travel Report is to provide Canadians with up-to-date information to enable them to make well-informed decisions. Petty crime is generally low, but theft is on the increase. Pick-pocketing and purse-snatching occur, especially at Skopje's Petrovec Airport and Trgovski Centar, the main downtown shopping mall. Foreigners have been the target of muggings. Visitors should remain vigilant and avoid demonstrations. Ensure personal belongings, passports, and all other travel documents are secured. BACK TO TOP 4. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS The following information on entry and exit requirements has been confirmed with the Macedonian authorities and was valid on June 12, 2007. However, entry and exit requirements are subject to change. It is the sole prerogative of each country to determine who is allowed to enter. All countries have special requirements for persons intending to reside for extended periods (usually more than 90 days) or who plan to work, study, or engage in non-tourist activities. To obtain information on specific entry requirements, contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the country or countries to be visited. Violations of entry and exit requirements may result in serious penalties. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada’s Office of Protocol provides contact details for the Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia and its consulates, where you can obtain further information on entry and exit requirements. A valid Canadian passport is required for Canadians intending to visit Macedonia. The passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected departure from the country. Visas must be obtained prior to arrival in Macedonia in order to avoid delays and difficulties upon arrival. Tourist Visa: Required Business Visa: Required Student Visa: Required Canadians who enter Macedonia and stay in private accommodations must register with the police within three days of their arrival. To avoid difficulties upon departure, travellers carrying foreign currency or expensive jewellery or electronic equipment should make a customs declaration upon arrival in Macedonia. It is recommended that Canadians travelling to Kosovo obtain a Macedonian multiple-entry visa, especially in the event of an emergency road departure from Kosovo. The visa may be obtained at the Macedonian Liaison Office in Pristina at the following address: Str. 24 Maj No. 121, Pristina, Kosovo (Tel: 381 38 247 462, Fax: 381 38 247 463). Canadians of Macedonian ancestry have encountered difficulties when travelling through Greece on their way either to or from Serbia. Any such difficulty should be reported to the Department (see contact numbers below). A Certificate of Canadian Citizenship (CCC) is not a travel document. Airlines are known to refuse boarding to dual national Canadian passengers returning to Canada, travelling on a passport that requires a visa to enter Canada, regardless of whether the passenger presents a valid CCC as proof of Canadian citizenship. A Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document for the purpose of international travel. It proves your admissibility to enter Canada. Selling, altering, or allowing another person to use your passport is a criminal offence. It could lead to the laying of charges and imprisonment if convicted. It could also lead to the denial of future passport services. Special and diplomatic passport holders should verify visa requirements for this and other countries, as they may differ from those that apply to regular passport holders. A new EU legislation on the amount of cash that can be carried has been implemented on June 15, 2007. Canadians crossing one of the external border control points of the EU will have to make a declaration to customs upon entry or exit if they have at least 10,000 euros, or the equivalent in other currencies, in cash, cheques, money orders, traveller's cheques, or any other convertible assets in their possession. Failure to report such a sum will be considered an offence. This does not apply to Canadians travelling within the EU or in transit to a non-EU country. The purpose of this legislation is to prevent illegal activities, such as money laundering. For more information on the new EU legislation and links to EU countries' sites, consult http://ec.europa.eu/eucashcontrols. Any adult travelling with children may be required to show evidence of parental/custodial and/or access rights. Foreign and Canadian authorities may also require evidence that the adult has the consent of the parents, legal guardian, and/or the court to travel with the children. Some countries may not permit children to enter or, in some cases, leave the country without proper documentation such as a letter of consent or a court order. Although same-sex marriages are legal in Canada, many countries do not recognize them. Attempting to enter as a same-sex married couple may result in refusal by local officials. For more information, contact the foreign government office accredited to Canada. BACK TO TOP 5. CANADIAN GOVERNMENT CONTACTS You can obtain consular assistance and further consular information at the following address: Macedonia - SKOPJE, Consulate of Canada Address: Partizanski odredi 17-a, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia Tel.: 389 (2) 3225-630 After hours tel.: 389 (70) 204-319 Fax: 389 (2) 3220-596 The Embassy of Canada in Belgrade, Serbia, has overall responsibility for consular services in Macedonia and may be contacted directly for assistance at the following address: Serbia - BELGRADE, Embassy of Canada Address: Kneza Milosa 75, 11000 Belgrade Tel.: 381 (11) 306-3000 After hours tel.: 381 (11) 306-3050 Fax: 381 (11) 306-3042 E-Mail: bgrad@international.gc.ca Internet: http://www.international.gc.ca/canadaeuropa/serbia/ For emergency assistance after hours, call the Consulate of Canada in Skopje and follow the instructions. You may also make a collect call the Department in Ottawa at 00 1 613 996-8885. BACK TO TOP 6. LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMS Dual citizens should travel using their Canadian passport and present themselves as Canadian citizens to foreign authorities at all times. Canadians arrested or detained have the right to contact the responsible Canadian government office (embassy, high commission, etc.) listed in Section 5 above. Arresting officials have a responsibility to assist you in doing so. Canadian consular officials can provide a list of local lawyers upon request. The procedures required in legal proceedings or police investigations may be different from the procedures in force in the Canadian legal system. Canadians wishing to undertake such proceedings can expect to face long delays and additional efforts in order to resolve their case. The Government of Canada cannot intervene in ongoing legal proceedings in other countries, unless requested to do so by local authorities. Such requests are rare. Do not take photographs of military or security installations. Apart from designated crossing points, border areas are considered military restricted zones where travel is forbidden without official permission. BACK TO TOP 7. LOCAL TRAVEL AND CURRENCY Motorists should exercise caution when travelling by road, especially after dark. Secondary roads are poorly maintained and lack adequate lighting. In mountainous areas, most roads lack guard rails and are little more than dirt tracks above deep gorges. Ice and snow make driving hazardous in winter. Farm equipment and stray animals pose additional risks. Police routinely stop vehicles for inspection. Travellers may face delays at border crossings. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended. The economy is cash-based. The currency is the Macedonian denar (MKD). Canadian currency and traveller's cheques are not widely accepted in Macedonia. The euro (EUR) is the currency of choice, although U.S. dollars are also accepted. Foreign currency is readily convertible at all major banks and numerous exchange facilities. Credit cards are accepted in major hotels and selected shops. However, credit-card fraud is common, and caution is advised when making credit-card purchases. Traveller's cheques are sometimes accepted in hotels and can be cashed at banks. ATMs are available in Skopje. Check with your bank for information on Automated Banking Machine ( BACK TO TOP 8. NATURAL DISASTERS AND CLIMATE Macedonia is located in an active seismic zone, although serious earthquakes are rare. Canadians should know the address and telephone number of the Consulate of Canada in Skopje (see above) in the event of an emergency. BACK TO TOP 9. TRAVEL MEDICINE PROGRAM The Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO) report on disease outbreaks that occur throughout the world. For the latest travel health advisories and related information, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Travel Medicine Program Web site. The Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends that your travel plans include contacting a travel medicine clinic or physician six to eight weeks before departure. Based on your individual risk assessment, a health care professional can determine your need for immunizations and/or preventive medication and advise you on precautions to avoid disease. Travellers are reminded to ensure that their routine (childhood) immunizations (e.g., tetanus, diphtheria, polio, and measles) are up to date. Standards of medical care may differ from those in Canada. Treatment may be expensive, and payment in advance may be required. Travellers are advised to arrange for medical insurance prior to departure. Prescription medications should be kept in the original container and packed in carry-on luggage. The Public Health Agency of Canada also recommends that travellers who become sick or feel unwell on their return to Canada seek a medical assessment with their personal physician. Travellers should inform their physician that they have been travelling or living outside of Canada. BACK TO TOP 10. ADDITIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION Most medical facilities are poorly equipped, and specialized treatment may not be available. Maternity facilities are sometimes inadequate. Immediate cash payment is usually required for medical services. BACK TO TOP 11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Returning to Canada Traveller's Checklist Health and Travel Insurance: Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover all expenses if you get sick or are injured while abroad. It may cover nothing or only a portion of the costs. Understand the terms of your supplementary insurance policy. Some credit cards offer their holders health and travel insurance. Do not assume the card alone provides adequate coverage. Carry details of your insurance with you. Also, tell your travel agent, a friend or relative, and/or travelling companion how to contact your insurer. Get a detailed invoice from the doctor or hospital before you return to Canada. Always submit original receipts for any medical services or prescriptions received abroad. Most insurance companies will not accept copies or faxes. See Canada's Health Portal. Cancelling a scheduled trip abroad could cost you money. Before cancelling a scheduled trip, you should discuss the matter with your travel agent, your travel insurer, or the airline. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. Adoption: Provincial and territorial authorities in Canada are responsible for authorizing international adoptions. If you are thinking of adopting a child from another country, you must first obtain information about the adoption regulations of the province or territory in which the child will reside. While adoption is a provincial/territorial responsibility, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is responsible for allowing an adopted child entry into Canada. Entry can be refused if the child does not hold the appropriate immigrant visa. A visa may be denied, even if the adoption has already been completed. For more information contact CIC at 1 888 242-2100 (in Canada only), check the CIC Web site or contact your provincial or territorial government. BACK TO TOP 12. ANNEX N/A BACK TO TOP |
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