Legal residence in Slovakia. You can study, work and get social security.

  • 15. August 2023
You can arrive in Slovakia without a visa.
Skyline of Bratislava
Foto: Nejc Soklič / Unsplash

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Arriving in Slovakia from Ukraine

Due to the ongoing war, you can cross the border from Ukraine to the territory of Slovakia with your passport or Ukrainian ID card. You do not need any other permits or visas.

You can enter Slovakia without a visa even if you are not a citizen of Ukraine.

After entering, you can stay in Slovakia for 90 days.

Read below what are the options for legalising your stay.

Visa-free stay for 90 days

If you are coming from Ukraine or one of the countries listed in the visa-free entry list, you can stay in Slovakia for 90 days. During this time, you can also travel to countries that are part of the Schengen area.

Visa-free travel does not entitle you to work.

For the duration of your visa-free stay, we recommend that you purchase travel insurance in case you have to pay for health care.

If you are interested in staying in Slovakia, you can apply for temporary refuge any time during your visa-free stay, preferably immediately after crossing the border.

Reporting obligation

Within 3 working days of crossing the border, notify the Slovak authorities of the address of your stay. You can do so in several ways.

  • You can report your stay by post. Fill out the Declaration of residence (PDF 511 kB), print it, sign it and send it to the address of the immigration police nearest to your place of residence. Contact details here – The Foreign Police.
  • You can also report your stay in person at the Foreign Police Department, which is located closest to your place of stay. Contact details here – The Foreign police.
  • If you already have accommodation in an accommodation facility (hotel, hostel, boarding house, etc.), the accommodation provider will fulfil the reporting obligation for you. In this case, you don’t need to do anything.

Temporary refuge

Currently, this is the easiest way to legalise a stay in Slovakia for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. You can get temporary refuge status immediately after your arrival in Slovakia.

Filing an application is usually quick and only takes a few minutes.

Temporary refuge will allow you to work legally.

Learn more – Temporary refuge.

Temporary residence

If you want to stay in Slovakia for longer than 90 days within six months, you can apply for a temporary residence permit.

A temporary residence permit is granted for a maximum of 2 years for the first time and can be extended repeatedly. In the case of studies, you can be granted a temporary residence permit for the anticipated duration of your studies for a maximum of 5 years.

Temporary residence is always granted only for one specific purpose:

  • study,
  • employment,
  • business,
  • special activity (artistic, sports, teaching, internship, volunteering, treatment),
  • reunification of the immediate family (husband, wife, children, parents),
  • research and development,
  • fulfilment of official duties by civilian components of the armed forces.

In order to apply for temporary residence, you need to have a valid passport, pre-arranged accommodation in Slovakia (hotel, hostel, boarding house, private person, etc.), a document confirming the purpose of the stay, an extract from the criminal record and sufficient funds for at least one year (minimum 235 euros per month).

Over the course of your stay, you can travel and re-enter the territory of the Slovak Republic.

You can apply for temporary residence at the department of the Foreign Police, which is closest to your place of residence or at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in case you are outside the Slovak territory.

Learn more – How to obtain temporary residence in Slovakia? (page 51).

Permanent residence

Permanent residence is a form of legal residence granted to a foreigner, which allows you to live in Slovakia for a long time. You can study, work, do business, travel abroad, have access to healthcare and social security.

For the first time, permanent residence is granted for 5 years, it is called “First permit”. Only after this period can you request an extension for an indefinite period. (Without a time limit).

You can apply for your first permanent residence permit if you are:

  • spouse of a citizen of the Slovak Republic with permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic or a dependent relative in the direct line of a citizen of the Slovak Republic with permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic,
  • an unmarried child under the age of 18 entrusted to the personal care of a foreigner who is the spouse of a citizen of the Slovak Republic with permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic,
  • an unmarried child under the age of 18 of a foreigner with a permanent residence permit or a child under the age of 18 entrusted to the personal care of a foreigner with a permanent residence permit,
  • dependent child over 18 years of age of a foreigner with a permanent residence permit.

You can apply for a permanent residence permit for an indefinite period only after you have already obtained a temporary residence permit or the first permanent residence permit.

To apply for temporary residence, you need to have a valid passport, pre-arranged accommodation in Slovakia (hotel, hostel, boarding house, private person, etc.), an extract from the criminal record and enough funds for at least one year (minimum 235 euros per month).

You can apply for temporary residence at the department of the Foreign Police, which is closest to your place of residence or at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in case you are outside the Slovak territory.

Learn more – How to obtain permanent residence in Slovakia? (page 60).

International protection / Asylum

You can apply for international protection in Slovakia if the country of which you are a citizen cannot provide you with protection from danger. For example if there is a risk of persecution for you or if your life or freedom is threatened due to reasons of your race, nationality, religion, political beliefs or social belonging.

Asylum is a form of permanent residence for an indefinite period (without time limit).

You apply for asylum upon entering the territory of the Slovak Republic or as soon as possible after entering or as soon as you learn about any reasons due to which you cannot return.

  • Approach the Foreign Police officers at the border crossing.
  • Approach the police at the transit area of the airport in Bratislava, Košice or Poprad.
  • If you already are in the Slovak territory, visit the Asylum Department of the Foreign Police in Humenné – this is the only office that accepts asylum applications.

Each adult must apply for asylum separately.

Every asylum seeker must be present in person when submitting a statement to the police. Minors must also be present.

While waiting for asylum to be granted, children under the age of 16 are obliged to go to school. Elementary education is free. You can also study at a secondary school or university.

You will receive a work permit after 6 months from submitting your asylum application. There are some exceptions here. You can work immediately, i.e. even while waiting for an asylum, if you meet any of the following conditions:

  • You have Ukrainian citizenship.
  • One of your close family members (husband, wife, or parent) has Ukrainian citizenship.
  • You currently have another form of legal residence that entitles you to get employed.

Remember that temporary refuge and the associated opportunity to work expire at the time of filing an asylum application.

Be patient. The asylum process is quite lengthy and in some cases can take up to 6 months.

Thanks to asylum, you get permanent residence in Slovakia for an indefinite period (without time limit). You will also get the right to work and study in Slovakia, some forms of social support, free basic health care and the opportunity to travel within the Schengen area.

If, after being granted asylum, you travel back to the country from which the Slovak Republic granted you protection, your asylum may be revoked.

See the location of the Asylum department of the Foreign Police in Humenné.

Learn more – Frequently asked questions about asylum (PDF 960 kB).

Help with legalising your stay

If you are looking for help with solving your situation, or if you have difficulties in communicating with the authorities, contact these NGOs.

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