Residence Permit in Slovakia (with Schengen – Visa) for EU/EEA/ Switzerland and for Non-EU citizens:

Residence Permit in Slovakia for citizens of EU/EEA/ Switzerland:

(Please note: Zugimpex does not provide services to US citizens and to US residents.)

EU citizens move to the Slovak Republic because of the good infrastructure, the moderate wage and price levels and the liberal legal environment. According to the statistics office, in 2020 the average monthly wage in Slovakia was 1133 € and from this the average spent for food and beverages by resident in the whole year was only 948 €. Also, mobile phone fees are moderate, but foreigners need their passport or ID to identify. In addition, there are tax advantages, for example low tax on dividends.

Foreigners must report their stay in the country within 10 days of entering: a form in Slovak language has to be filled in and submitted together with ID or passport. Hotels register their guests automatically.

Citizens from EU, EEA and Switzerland can receive the residence and work permit on application. If they stay in the country longer than 90 days, they have to apply within 30 days after the first 90 days at the immigration authority (Foreign Police Department; in Bratislava there is one office in charge of all districts) or they risk a fine of 300 €.

Applications for granting or prolonging the residence permit can be submitted online one month in advance, then an appointment is confirmed by email usually within 2 weeks. Changes must be submitted within 10 days. When a person permanently leaves the country, this must be reported by mail and the ID card has to be returned.

All Requirements for a residence permit must be submitted in Slovak language:

  • passport or ID card,
  • 2 passport size photos 3,5 x 3 cm,
  • proof of address
    • rental contract
    • ownership certificate
    • if the person stays with a friend or family, a written approval of the owner of the property is tolerated, with notarized signature and a certificate of ownership.
  • a proof of the purpose of stay.
    • Employment contract
    • self-employment documentation
    • self-sufficiency documentation plus proof of funds and health insurance
    • confirmation of the education institute
    • notarized declaration that someone is searching constantly for a job
    • documentation of family relationship (spouse, children, other family members) with a Slovak citizen or resident

If an ID card (Pobytový preukaz občana EÚ) is needed, this is issued within 30 days, an express service fee is possible.

After five years, permanent residence is possible, and an ID card is issued in any case.

Residence Permit in Slovakia (eventually with Schengen – Visa) for Non-EU citizens

For third country nationals, Slovakia offers one of the cheapest ways to get a residence permit in an EU country and allows family reunification quickly.

According to Act no. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigners, third country nationals can apply for:

  • temporary residence – allows only one purpose plus studying,
  • long term residence – after 5 years; then for 5 years or permanent,
  • citizenship – after 10 years and after passing an exam in Slovak language
Schengen Visa:

To enter the territory, a Schengen Visa may be required depending on the nationality. It has to be registered at the Slovak embassy or consulate in the home country (country of nationality or country of permanent residence). A visa allows to enter multiple times during its duration and to travel within the Schengen Area. However, in any period of 180 days, the total stay within the Schengen Area is limited to 90 days.

As a rule, gainful activities in Slovakia are only allowed for Slovak residents, but there are some exceptions like the EU services directive or cross border commuters.

Temporary residence permit:
While we show on this website many possibilities, please note that Zugimpex only onboards clients that can show a good education, a successful business career and a reasonable amount of wealth to run the planned activities. If someone really wants to move to Slovakia and start a business there, living costs, setup costs, start-up costs and working capital usually require liquid assets of at least 50.000 Euro.

Third country nationals who need a visa can apply for the temporary residence permit either at the Slovak embassy or consulate in their home country (country of nationality or country of permanent residence). Third country nationals who do not need a visa can also apply at the Foreign Police office in Slovakia after their arrival. The applications are processed by the authorities within 90 days.

There is additional bureaucracy if someone with a Schengen Visa of another country applies for a residence permit in Slovakia.

Several possibilities and conditions to apply for a temporary residence permit are shown below.

  • High skilled persons with university degree (and a document that this degree is recognized by the Slovak authorities) can apply for the Blue Card that allows them to work and live in any EU country except Ireland and Denmark. In Slovakia, the application requires also an employment contract for a high qualified job position with a salary that is higher than 1,5 times the average gross annual salary in the Slovak labour market. The Blue Card is issued for the duration of the employment contract with a minimum of one year but not longer than for three years. The authorities have to process the application within 30 days.
  • If someone starts as a director of a business (can be his own business), he needs:
    • Application form and 2 identical passport photos (colour, 3 x 3,5cm), payment of an administrative fee
    • Valid passport (if the nationality requires, with open Visa D)
    • Private liquid funds of about 2600 € on a personal account
    • Proof of accommodation (rental contract, ownership certificate or approval of the owner). For entrepreneurs, we strongly recommend an accommodation of a reasonable quality which also allows to do part of the business there
    • Valid papers officially translated into Slovak language. Some of them need either apostille or to be superlegalized (if the country is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention)
    • Clean police record (country of nationality or country of residence)
    • In case of a licensed activity, a business license
    • A company that with financial assets of at least 22.000 Euro
    • Declaration that the company wants to employ him as a director, if he receives the work permit
    • For renewal, it must be shown that there are private liquid funds of 2600 € and that taxes of at least 3500 € are paid in the relevant year.
  • If someone starts as a sole entrepreneur, he needs:
    • Application form and 2 identical passport photos (colour, 3 x 3,5cm), payment of an administrative fee
    • Valid passport (if the nationality requires, with open Visa D)
    • Private liquid funds of about 2600 € on a personal account
    • Registration in Slovakia – because authorities check, therefore we strongly recommend an accommodation of a reasonable quality
    • Valid papers officially translated into Slovak language. Some of them need either apostille or to be superlegalized (if the country is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention)
    • Clean police record (country of nationality or country of residence)
    • In case of a licensed activity, a business license
    • A company with financial assets of at least 5.000 Euro on a company account
    • For renewal, it must be shown that there are private liquid funds of 2600 € and that taxes of at least 300 € are paid in the relevant year
  • If the employer asks for a work permit which is easier to get for high qualified personnel, because there is no test that a candidate cannot be found in EEA. The employer has to register the vacancy at the Employment office and 30 working days (around 6 weeks) later the documents for the residence permit can be submitted; in case of high qualified specialists with Blue Card, the period is reduced to 15 working days. Required documents are a work contract, documents showing the education and documents about accommodation.
  • To save social charges and to avoid application in a country with restrictive administration, a person can be employed in one EEA country and posted from there to another EEA country for some years.
  • If a well-known multinational corporation establishes a subsidiary or a branch and wants to place a person as a manager of this entity, applications are usually processed quickly.
  • If a wealthy applicant can prove to be self-sufficient, there is a special procedure.
  • If he studies in Slovakia. Education is free if students are admitted and speak Slovak language; however, courses at reasonable fees are available in English and a university diploma is recognized in the EU. In some cases, students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week. To apply for temporary residence, a confirmation of approval from the education institute or the government organization is required.
  • There are some “special activities” that allow to apply for a temporary residence permit: lecturing, arts, sports, journalism, but also internships, traineeships, and volunteering. Depending on the activity, different confirmations from government authorities or other organizations are required.

Note: a residence permit is granted for a certain purpose. If a third country citizen has a work and residence permit based on an employment contract and wants to form a company, he has to apply for a change in the purpose and to terminate the employment contract. The new residence permit will then start on the date when the employment contract is terminated. A similar procedure is required if a self-employed person wants to start employment.

When the temporary residence permit is granted, the beginning of the residency must be reported to the Foreign Police Department within 3 working days from the arrival, together with a health insurance policy. Additionally, within 30 days a medical report (not older than 30 days) must be submitted.

Renewal of temporary residence permit

The documents must be submitted in person at the Foreign Police Department not later than the last day of the validity, then the current residence in Slovakia is deemed to be legal until the decision is communicated.

Requirements are an application, a valid ID or passport, a photo (3 x 3,5 cm), and updated documents on health insurance, on accommodation, on the purpose of residence and on financial coverage.

Long-Term residence permit

Application for a long-term residence is possible if a person lives without interruption for five years in Slovakia or if a person has a Blue Card and lived at least five years in EU member states (with the last two years in Slovakia).

A long-term residence permit can be cancelled if someone stays outside Slovakia for six years if the person stays outside the EU for 12 consecutive months or if another EU member state grants long term residence.

 

(Updated November 2021)