The legal regulations are different for nationals of the European Union/European Economic Area and for third countries nationals. The regulations governing the stay of foreigners in
Nationals of the European Union, European Economic
A citizen of the European Union/European Economic Area and
A citizen of the European Union/European Economic Area should notify a police station of the date of commencement of his/her stay in the SR within 10 days upon his/her entering the SR, unless this duty lies on the provider of accommodation.
A stay of a citizen of the European Union//European Economic Area, who intends to dwell on the territory of the SR for a period longer than 3 months, is considered as a stay on the basis of the first permit/authorisation (for permanent residence) on the condition he/she:
a) is employed,
b) exercises business,
c) studies at a school in the SR and has financial resources to cover his/her stay and has health insurance on the territory of the SR,
d) has financial resources to cover his/her stay and has health insurance on the territory of the SR or
e) there is an assumption that he/she will become employed.
A citizen of the European Union/European Economic Area may apply for the registration of his/her first (permanent residence) permit/authorisation. The application is to be submitted in person, on an official form at the appropriate Foreign police station. For the registration of the first permit (for permanent residence) it is necessary to submit a valid travel document.
The first (permanent residence) permit/authorisation is to be granted for a period of five years. The next (permanent residence) permit/authorisation is granted for an unlimited time, based on another application for such a permit.
Third countries nationals (hereinafter referred to as „aliens“)
The Temporary Residence Permit – general rules
The permit for temporary stay may be granted to an alien for the following purpose:
a) business activities,
b) employment,
c) studies,
d) specific activities
e) family reunification
f) performing professional duties by civil component of armed forces.
The permit for temporary stay is bound to one purpose only. If an alien intends to carry out a different activity than for which the permit for temporary stay was granted he/she has to submit a new application for granting the temporary stay (unless otherwise provided by the Act). However, an alien who has been granted permit for temporary residence for the purpose of business activities, employment, specific activities, family reunification or performing professional duties by civil component of armed forces is allowed to study during the stay.
Temporary residence permit may be issued by the police section for the period necessary for achieving the purpose, but at maximum for two years. This may be extended prior to its termination on the basis of an application submitted to the police.
An alien has to submit the application for granting permit for temporary stay in person, abroad, at the representative office/foreign mission of the Slovak Republic accredited for the state, which issued his/her passport, or at the representative office/foreign mission accredited for the state of his/her place of residence (unless otherwise provided by the Act). If there is no such representative office or in cases deserving special consideration, he/she shall submit the application at a foreign mission determined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in agreement with the Ministry of Interior.
To the application (on an official form) an alien needs to enclose:
· a valid travel document
· a document on the purpose of stay
· confirmation on his/her blamelessness
· confirmation on provision of accommodation – not required of students studying at a higher education institution and researchers/scientists who have been granted permit for temporary stay for specific activities (§ 22 sec. 2)
· financial coverage of residence (in general in the amount of a minimum monthly wage per each month of stay)
· two photographs with measures 3 x 3,5 cm showing his/her current visage
Moreover, if applicable the police section may require the alien to submit
· a document on long-term stay
· approval for family reunification,
· a document not older than 30 days showing that he/she will be no burden for the social security system in the
The alien shall submit a confirmation on health insurance and a document confirming that he/she does not suffer from an infectious disease the spreading of which is punishable, within 30 days upon entering the SR or upon the granting of the temporary residence permit.
The Act also states the ways how the different purposes of stay should be documented.
The police section decides on the application for granting permit for temporary stay within 90 days following the receipt of the application; in extremely complicated cases this period may be extended by 90 days at maximum.
The police section may renew or cancel the permit for temporary stay, or it just expires according to the Act. The application for renewal shall be submitted at the latest 60 days prior to the termination of the original residence permit.
Specific activities - lecturers, researchers, artists, exchange students, etc.
The application within the framework of Specific activities gives the applicant more favourable provisions.
(§ 22)
(1) A permit for temporary stay for the purpose of specific activities may be granted by the police station to an alien, who is not an entrepreneur (exercising business activities) neither is he employed (in an employment relation) nor in similar labour relation for
a) lecturing activity,
b) artistic activity,
c) sport activity,
d) study stay as a part of study carried out outside the
e) activity arising from programmes of the government of the
f) meeting the commitment of the
(2) A permit for temporary stay for the purpose of specific activities shall be granted by the police department after meeting the conditions stipulated by this Act to an alien, who is not an entrepreneur (executing business activities) neither is he employed (in an employment relation) nor in similar labour relation and carries out research or development.
(3) Permit for temporary stay pursuant to section 1 and 2 is not required, if the stay of the alien on the territory of the
In case of an alien applying for the granting of a permit for temporary stay according to § 22 section 2, he/she shall prove the purpose of his/her stay with a hosting agreement in a research institute or a scientific workplace.
In the case of lecturing activities (§ 22 section 1a), the purpose of the stay is proved by the confirmation from a school or any other education establishment on performing the lecturing activity by the applicant.
Please note that the third countries nationals (aliens), when applying for granting the temporary stay for the purpose of specific activities, the confirmation on a lack of his/her criminal record (document not older than 90 days) from their home country as well as from the countries where they resided longer than for 3 months within last 3 years must be enclosed to the application for the temporary residence permit.
Work permit is not required when applying for the temporary residence permit for the purpose of specific activities - see the chapter on working and employment.
Aliens coming to
(An alien may apply for the granting of a permit for temporary stay also at the police section, if a visa is not required from the alien or if he is applying for the granting of a permit for temporary stay for the purpose of employment, for which the work permit is granted without consideration of the situation on labour market, or for the stay of alien pursuant to § 22 (specific activities) and § 23 section 1 subsection b), d) and f) (family reunification) or for the stay of a spouse of an asylum holder or for the stay of an alien pursuant to § 23a or in the case of an alien with a long-term stay or if provided by an international treaty.)
In the case of an alien applying for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of specific activities (pursuant to § 22) the police section decides on the application for the granting of a permit for temporary stay within 30 days following the receipt of the application.
Studies - including the entire PhD studies (§ 21)
The permit for temporary stay for the purpose of studies may be granted by a police section to an alien who attends an elementary school or studies at a secondary school or at a university in the SR.
Foreign students (who have been granted a temporary residence permit for the purpose of study) may enter business activities, employment or similar labour relation under special conditions.
Permit for temporary stay for the purpose of study is not required, if the stay of the alien on the territory of the
In case of an alien applying for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of studies the police department decides on the application for the granting of the permit for temporary stay within 30 days following the receipt of the application. The application for granting the permit for temporary stay shall be submitted in person, abroad (for the precise wording see the section - general rules).
Procedures for family members (§ 23)
The permit for temporary stay may be granted to an alien by a police department for the purpose of family reunification, that is:
· a spouse of an alien who holds a permit for temporary stay or a permanent residence permit, if both of them are at least 18 years old
· a minor (single) child not older than 18 years of age of aliens who hold a permit for temporary stay or of an alien having a permit for temporary stay, or of his/her spouse or of an asylum holder or of a spouse of an asylum holder, who cares for the child based on the law or a decision of the respective authority
· a dependent child older than 18 years of age of an alien having a permit for temporary stay, or of his/her spouse
· a single parent dependent on the care of an alien who holds a permit for temporary stay for the purpose of business activity or employment (also having a work permit) or of his/her spouse
· a dependent person according to the international treaty
· and others
Family members of aliens have to submit the application for the granting of a permit for temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification in person, abroad, at the representative office/foreign mission of the Slovak Republic accredited for the state, which issued his/her passport, or at a representative office/foreign mission accredited for the state of his/her place of residence (unless otherwise provided by the Act) – see general rules.
A minor child not older than 18 years of age (eligibility criteria see above) and a dependent person according to the international treaty may apply for the granting of a permit for temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification also at the appropriate Foreign police office in the
The police department decides on the application for the granting of a permit for temporary stay within 90 days following the receipt of the application; in extremely complicated cases this period may be extended by 90 days at the maximum. The police department may renew or cancel the permit for temporary stay, or it just expires according to the Act.
The alien, applying for the granting of a permit for temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification with an alien who holds a temporary residence permit for carrying out research within the framework of specific activities (pursuant to § 22 section 2), will be granted a permit by the police department with a validity till the expiration of the validity of the permit of the researcher (alien pursuant to § 22 section 2).
Obtaining visa
Nationals of third countries must in general apply for a visa at the representative office/foreign mission of the
· a valid travel document
· one photograph (measuring 3 x 3.5 cm)
and on request
· a document confirming the purpose of residence
· the financial coverage of residence
· provision of resources for departure
· a document on health insurance to cover costs, which might arise in connection with one’ s repatriation due to an illness or to cover urgent medical assistance in the territory of the SR in the amount of minimum 30 000 EUR
· and further documents needed to make the decision (e.g. official invitation).
These documents must be not older than 90 days.
The appropriate representative office of the
Types of visa:
1- airport transit visa - authorises a foreigner to enter the transit area of a public airport on the territory of the Slovak Republic for the period of waiting for a flight connection as issued on the flight ticket
2- transit visa - authorises a foreigner to pass through the territory of the Slovak Republic from the territory of one state to the territory of a third state, the transit cannot be longer than 5 days, the total period of multiple transits may not exceed 90 days in any six month period;
3- short-term visa - authorises a foreigner to enter one or more times and for the period of stay shown on it; an uninterrupted stay and the total period of multiple stays may not exceed 90 days in any six month period;
4- long-term visa - authorises a foreigner to enter and stay for more than 90 days, if this is necessary for meeting commitments of the
Visa conditions for various countries are stated on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic (www.mfa.sk), see the section “Ministry”, “Travel advice”, “Passports and visa”; and visa and residence applications are available in the section “Ministry”, “Travel advice”, “Visa application” of the same website.
List of representative offices of the SR can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
“Favoured aliens”
An alien who is a family member of an EU/EEA national and an alien with a long-term stay in EEA (proved by an official valid document on stay of more than 5 years in EEA) are not required to have a visa when entering the SR.
The police department shall grant a permit for the first permit/authorisation (for permanent residence) to an alien (not an EEA national) who intends to stay on the territory of the SR for more than 3 months provided that he/she is a family member of the EU/EEA national with permanent residence (first permit/authorisation) in Slovakia and he/she will be no burden on the health and social security system of the Slovak Republic.
A family member is defined as follows:
a) a spouse and his/her child no older than 21 years of age or his/her dependent child
b) a child no older than 21 years of age or a dependent child
c) a dependent family relative in the direct family line
d) a dependent family relative of the spouse in his/her direct family line
e) another dependent family member or a member of the EU/EEA national’s household
Along with the application, the alien shall submit the following documents:
· a valid travel document
· three photographs measuring 3 x 3,5 cm
· a document proving his family relation to the EEA national with residence on the territory of the SR
· a document or statutory declaration confirming that he/she is a dependent family member or a member of the household (not neccessary in case of a a) and b))
· statutory declaration that he/she will not be a burden on the health and social security system of the Slovak Republic.
If the application for granting the first permit (for permanent residence) has been approved, no decision is released.
Contact information of the Foreign Police departments in various districts of Slovakia can be found on the website of the Ministry of Interior of the SR, Bureau of Border and Aliens Police:
www.minv.sk/uhcp/new/kontakt.htm.