Citizenship of the Slovak Republic can by acquired under the Act No. 40/1993 Co. as amended by

a) determination,
b) acquisition,
c) birth,
d) adoption,
e) gaining (naturalization).

 

Acquiring citizenship by birth

A child can acquire Slovak citizenship
a) at least one of the child´s parent is a Slovak citizen,
b) is born in the territory of the Slovak Republic and parents are stateless,
c) is born in the territory of the Slovak Republic and parents are foreign nationals and the child has not acquired the citizenship of any of the parents by birth.

Provided that acquisition of citizenship of another state is not proved, a child is considered to be a citizen of the Slovak Republic, if this child was

a) born in the territory of the Slovak Republic,

b) found in the territory of the Slovak Republic and the child’s parents are unknown, (until it is proved that the child acquired citizenship of another state by birth).

 

If the child acquires Slovak citizenship by birth due to the fact that one of his/her parents is a Slovak citizen and the other parent is a foreigner, he/she retains the Slovak citizenship even after it is proved that the parent - Slovak citizen is not a biological parent of this child.

 

Gaining of the citizenship of the Slovak Republic (Naturalization)

If you are a foreign national, Slovak citizenship may be granted to you based on your application in case

 

a) applicant has permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least 8 consecutive years directly prior to submitting your application for the granting of Slovak citizenship,

b) applicant has a clean Criminal Record; your Criminal Record is not considered clean

• applicant has been convicted of a deliberate criminal, offence and your conviction was expunged less than five years ago,
• the criminal prosecution against you for a deliberate criminal offence was conditionally suspended and the probation period expired less than five years ago,
• the criminal prosecution against you for a deliberate criminal offence was suspended by a court decision on the approval of an out-of-court settlement, or by the prosecutor´s decision on an out-of-court settlement, provided that the decision became effective less than five years ago.

c) applicant has not been sentenced to expulsion by a court,

d) applicant is not under current criminal prosecution, extradition proceedings, a European arrest warrant has not been issued against you, you are not under proceedings of administrative expulsion, or proceedings on the withdrawal of your asylum status;

e) applicant has demonstrated command of the Slovak language both in oral and written form and general knowledge on Slovakia. Command of the Slovak language is not examined, if you have not reached the age of 14 at the time of submitting the application; and

f) applicant comply with the obligations of foreign nationals arising from the legal system of the Slovak Republic (social security, public health security, taxes, etc.).

 

If you have residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic but fail to comply with the requirement of 8 consecutive years of permanent residence, you may be granted Slovak citizenship, if

a) you have entered into marriage with a Slovak citizen, provided that the marriage still lasts and you and your spouse have lived together in a common household in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least 5 years directly prior to submitting your application for citizenship of the Slovak Republic,

b) you represent a significant benefit for the Slovak Republic in the field of economy, science, technology, social affairs, culture or sports, or if granting you Slovak citizenship is in the interest of the Slovak Republic,

c) you have had a continuous permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least 3 years before reaching 18 years of age,

d) you are a minor whose legal representative or guardian is a Slovak citizen or a legal entity appointed by the Slovak court and you have had a continuous residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least 2 years directly prior to submitting your application for Slovak citizenship; the length of the residence period does not apply to children younger than 2 years of age,

e) you have been granted asylum at least 4 years prior to submitting your application for Slovak citizenship,

f) you were born in the territory of the Slovak Republic and have had permanent residence in Slovakia for at least 3 years directly prior to submitting your application for Slovak citizenship,

g) you have had continuous residence in Slovakia for at least 10 years and you had been granted permanent residence at the time of submitting your application for Slovak citizenship,

h) you are stateless and you have had continuous residence in Slovakia for at least 3 years prior to submitting your application for Slovak citizenship,

i) you have been issued a certificate of a Slovak Living Abroad and have had continuous residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least 3 years directly prior to submitting your application for Slovak citizenship.

 

In specific cases Slovak citizenship may be granted to an applicant

a) who was released from the state union with the Slovak Republic,

b) whose Slovak or former Czechoslovak citizenship was terminated or who lost such citizenship pursuant to previous legislation.

 

Documents necessary to submit with application for granting citizenship of the Slovak Republic

1. Fulfilled application for granting citizenship of the Slovak Republic

 

2. Brief curriculum vitae

3. Valid passport

4. Birth certificate

5. Document proving personal status (marriage certificate, divorce certificate or death certificate of the deceased spouse)

6. Document proving your residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic

7. Criminal Registry Extract of each state of which you are or were a citizen and your Criminal Registry Extract of each state in which you have had residence in the past 15 years prior to submitting the application (documents may not be older than 6 months and the Criminal Registry Extract may be replaced by another document issued by the competent authority of the state confirming your clean Criminal Record, if the state in question does not issue Criminal Registry Extracts)

8. Document proving that you lost citizenship of Czechoslovakia or Slovak Republic (if applicant is former citizen)

9. Certificate proving the status of a Slovak Living Abroad (if applicable)

10. Confirmation of the tax office, customs office and the municipality on the payment of taxes and other fees

11. Confirmation of your employment issued by your employer and a copy of the employment contract

12. Confirmation of the public health insurance payments and the period of public health insurance coverage, issued by the health insurance company

13. Confirmation of the income tax payments, public health insurance payments, social insurance payments, and retirement pension contributions, issued by your employer

14. Confirmation of study

15. Confirmation of pension drawing

16. Confirmation that the applicant is registered as a job seeker

17. Confirmation of sufficient income with respect to your stay and that of your close persons in the territory of the Slovak Republic, if you are voluntarily unemployed

Applicant shall replace documents mentioned below be affidative (formal written statement) in case that these are not relevant for his application.

Parents and their children older than 14 years applying for granting citizenship of the Slovak Republic in separated applications. Parents with children younger than 14 years shall be stated in parents application. In both cases they shall submit birth certificate of a child, document of the child’s residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic, confirmation of the competent Alien Police Department, school attendance confirmation, confirmation of the public health insurance payments for the child and the period of public health insurance coverage.

 

Certificate on the Granting of Slovak Citizenship

Slovak citizenship is acquired by receiving a Certificate on the Granting of Slovak Citizenship. The Certificate will be presented to you (only in person) after and taking the Oath of the Slovak citizen

 

Loss of the Slovak citizenship

Slovak citizenship may be lost by release from the state bond or by acquiring foreign citizenship.

 

How to apply for release from the state bond with Slovak Republic?

Slovak citizen must submit

1. fulfilled application for release from the state bond with Slovak Republic

2. identification document (valid passport or valid identification card issued by the Slovak Republic),

3. birth certificate,

4. document proving personal status (marriage certificate, court decision or confirmation of divorce of marriage, death certificate of spouse),

5. information necessary to apply for Criminal Register record,

6. promise of granting foreign citizenship or document proving its acquiring,

7. confirmation that applicant do not have any debts on taxes and public payments (tax authority, customs authority, municipality).

Loss of citizenship of the Slovak Republic occurs the day of receipt of the deed on release from the state bond of the Slovak Republic. Children younger than 14 years old (stated in parent application) loss Slovak citizenship with parents.

 

Loss of the Slovak citizenship by acquiring foreign citizenship

A citizen of the Slovak Republic automatically loses Slovak citizenship the day he explicitly manifested his will (application, declaration or other act leading to acquisition of a foreign citizenship) to voluntarily acquire a foreign citizenship.

A citizen of the Slovak Republic who acquires a foreign citizenship in such way is obliged to notify of this fact the District Office in the region according to his permanent residence in Slovakia or the Embassy, without delay. Notification of the loss of the Slovak citizenship by acquiring foreign citizenship

It is recommended to submit together with the notification a copy of document proving acquisition of foreign citizenship also. Identification card issued by the Slovak Republic and passport issued by the Slovak Republic loss validity at the moment of acquisition of foreign citizenship and former citizen is obliged to return them.

 

The following cases shall not lead to loss of the Slovak citizenship

a) if a Slovak citizen acquires foreign citizenship in connection with conclusion of marriage with a foreign citizen. However, this only applies in case the foreign citizenship was acquired while the marriage still lasts,

b) if a child acquires foreign citizenship at birth,

c) if a Slovak citizen acquires foreign citizenship before July 17th 2010.
    

Naturalization and loss of the Slovak citizenship

Slovak citizens (Czechoslovakia citizens too) who till 7th of July 1997 acquired citizenship of the United States of America by naturalization under Convention on naturalization between Czechoslovakia and USA (No. 169/2002 Co. terminated by No. 46/1998 Co.) automatically lost the previous citizenship (Czechoslovakian, Czech or Slovak).
Slovak citizens who acquired citizenship of USA in period between 7th of July 1997 and 17th of July 2010 did not lose Slovak citizenship.

 

Slovak citizenship certificate

Slovak citizenship may be proved by

a) valid Slovak citizenship certificate,

b) valid identification card issued by Slovak Republic,

c) valid passport issued by Slovak Republic,

d) confirmation.

Application to issue the Slovak citizenship certificate can be submitted at the Embassy

a) fulfilled application to issue Slovak citizenship certificate

b) identification document,

c) birth certificate,

d) document proving personal status (marriage certificate, sentence of confirmation on divorce, death certificate),

e) other necessary documents on request.

 

In reasonable cases the application can by submitted by proxy (written proxy with purpose and signature authorized by competent authority in Slovak Republic) or legal guardian.

Slovak citizenship certificate is required for submitting application to issue passport, to notify a birth or marriage to Register in case that person do not have document proving Slovak citizenship (valid passport or ID). Slovak citizenship certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of issue.

 

Granting of Slovak citizenship from specific reasons

Former Slovak citizen can apply for granting Slovak citizenship (must be stated in application). The Minister of Interior of the Slovak Republic reviews reasons of loss of the Slovak citizenship and way and conditions of acquisition of the foreign citizenship. (Special on existence of residence abroad in time of acquisition of foreign citizenship.)

Necessary condition to meet for granting of Slovak citizenship from specific reasons is residence of foreigners at the territory of the Slovak Republic (granted or registered residence).

It is necessary to apply for permanent residence at the territory of the Slovak Republic for unlimited time before applying for Slovak citizenship. (In Slovak Republic, you must apply for registered residence or permanent residence on unlimited time at competent Alien Police department and after that apply for granting Slovak citizenship at competent Regional Office).

 

Application for granting permanent residence in Slovak Republic on unlimited time for applying for granting Slovak citizenship from specific reasons consist of

a) fulfilled application for granting permanent residence at the territory of the Slovak Republic,

b) valid passport issued by the USA,

c) document proving that applicant is former Slovak citizen,

d) in case that applicant does not have an accommodation in Slovak Republic address of municipality.

 

Application for granting Slovak citizenship from specific reasons consists of

a) fulfilled application,

b) brief curriculum vitae,

c) valid passport issued by USA,

d) birth certificate,

 

e) document proving personal status

• marriage certificate (in case of US marriage certificate translation and apostille is required)
• divorce sentence (in case of US divorce sentence translation and apostille is required)
• death certificate (in case of US death certificate translation and apostille is required)

 

f) granted residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic (in case that is granted),

 

g) document proving residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic (former citizens document of last residence at the territory of the Slovak Republic or statement),

h) Criminal Registry Extract of each state of which you are or were a citizen and your Criminal Registry Extract of each state in which you have had residence in the past 15 years prior to submitting the application (documents may not be older than 6 months and the Criminal Registry Extract may be replaced by another document issued by the competent authority of the state confirming your clean Criminal Record, if the state in question does not issue Criminal Registry Extracts) – FBI Identity History Summary Check,

i) naturalization certificate or other confirmation of granting foreign citizenship and certificate of release from the state bond with Slovak Republic if it is applicable,

j) statement of residence in USA in time of acquisition of USA citizenship (address is required),

 

k) other documents

1. Extract from Business Register
2. Confirmation of the tax office, customs office and the municipality on the payment of taxes and other fees
3. Confirmation of your employment issued by your employer and a copy of the employment contract
4. Confirmation of the public health insurance payments and the period of public health insurance coverage, issued by the health insurance company
5. Confirmation of the income tax payments, public health insurance payments, social insurance payments, and retirement pension contributions, issued by your employer
6. Confirmation of study
7. Confirmation of pension drawing
8. Confirmation that the applicant is registered as a job seeker
9. Confirmation of sufficient income with respect to your stay and that of your close persons in the territory of the Slovak Republic, if you are voluntarily unemployed

In case that some documents are not applicable for applicant, they can be substituted by applicant´s statement with reasoning. All documents must be in originals or authorized copies and translated in Slovak language.