Asylum and Migration - Myla

Macedonian Young Lawyers Association has been a partner of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees since 2010 in providing legal assistance to UNHCR mandated persons in the Republic of North Macedonia. Through partnerships with international organizations, MYLA has implemented many projects in this area.

If you need legal aid for the asylum procedure in North Macedonia, contact us at:

(SMS, Viber, WhatsApp) +389 78 359 298 – MYLA Skopje
(SMS, Viber, WhatsApp) +389 71 997 504 – MYLA Gevgelija
(SMS, Viber, WhatsApp) +389 71 997 508 – MYLA Tabanovce

UNHCR Helpline for refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons (SMS, Viber, WhatsApp): +389 70 229 001

North Macedonia has been hosting refugees since its independence in 1991, with the arrival of refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Croatia. There was a significant influx in 1999 as a result of the Kosovo conflict, when provisional humanitarian aid was handed out to 400,000 refugees from the region, of whom 360,000 were from Kosovo. At present, in our country there are about 250 refugees from the Kosovo crisis who for 20 years have not had a permanent solution to their legal status.

In 2015 and 2016, North Macedonia and the countries in the region faced a massive influx of refugees passing through the so-called “Balkan route”. In 2016, the borders were closed and the Northern and Southern borders were put in a state of crisis, which continues to this day.

Our activities

Free legal aid for asylum seekers and refugees at all stages of the procedure until a final decision is obtained. MYLA is present in the Reception-Transit Centers Tabanovce and Vinojug, the Reception Center for Asylum Seekers in Vizbegovo, with a field office in Suto Orizari open every business day from 08:30 to 16:30. More about our locations at the following link.

The Asylum and Migration Team is composed of 5 lawyers providing representation in the first instance proceedings, 2 field lawyers, an Arabic translator and a Farsi translator, as well as any other language as needed, and lawyers handling cases before the courts.

Strategic advocacy

MYLA actively advocates for changes in legal provisions and practices that violate fundamental rights and human freedoms in asylum procedures. For that purpose, we conduct strategic representation in cases that can generate change and improve the asylum system in North Macedonia before the authorities and courts in the country, as well as before the European Court of Human Rights and other international instruments.

Research and policies

MYLA works on research and has published more than 60 publications on asylum and migration. In addition, MYLA participates and contributes to the drafting of primary and secondary legislation in the field of asylum and migration. The list of primary and secondary legislation to which MYLA has contributed can be accessed here.

Legal training

MYLA provides legal training in the field of asylum and migration to state institutions, judicial bodies, local governments, CSOs and lawyers, in the following topics: Asylum Procedure in the Republic of North Macedonia, Efficient Asylum and Migration System, Free Legal Aid for Asylum Seekers, Refugee Integration and Citizenship Procedure, Interviewing Techniques, Dealing with Vulnerable Categories of Refugees and Migrants, Procedure for restriction of freedom of movement of asylum seekers and migrants and legal remedies, Strategic litigation before the ECHR in cases related to asylum and migration, Manner of sensitive reporting of refugee stories, Asylum mock trials.

Regional and international cooperation

MYLA is the founder and member of

The Balkan Refugee and Migration Council (BRMC) is a coalition of five civil society organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia. The members of the coalition are prominent civil society organizations with specific competencies demonstrated through many years of work in the field of asylum and migration policy at national and regional level.

Since 2012 MYLA is part of

Since 2017 MYLA is part of

Notable achievements:

A judgment rendered by ECHR thereby establishing a violation of the refugee’s right.
Interim measure adopted by the ECHR for violation of the refugee’s right – detention of refugees
MYLA Intervention as an concerned party in a case before the ECHR
MYLA has formed a group of lawyers for strategic litigation in the field of asylum (SLAG)
MYLA has formed a group of lawyers who monitor the migration movements, access to the territory and the principle of non-refoulment by the state (Antenna Lawyers)
Support to the asylum and case registration system in the last few years, including the refugee/ migrant crisis since 2015