National Visa

A national visa is the permission granted by the Slovak Republic authorising its holder for the stay in the territory of the Slovak Republic for the duration of the validity of the visa and in other Member States for a period not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period under the conditions stipulated in the Schengen Borders Code. The national visa may be issued with maximum validity of 1 year.

The conditions of granting of the national visa are regulated by the Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigners and on the Amendment and Supplementation to Certain Acts.

Who may apply for a national visa

National (long-stay) visa are issued for stays of duration of more than 90 days.  A third country national may be granted a national visa, if

a) it is necessary in relation with the granting of a residence permit in the Slovak Republic;

b) the applicant is older than 15 years and is accepted for language education at a language school in the extent of not less than 25  lessons per week;

c) it is necessary in order to fulfil the obligations of the Slovak Republic following from international treaties;

d)  it is in the interest of the Slovak Republic;

• on the basis of a certificate from the statutory representative of the competent ministry;

• based on the Resolution of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 731 of 8.12.2021 on the Higher Education Internationalisation Strategy 2030; (list of programmes covered by the Strategy)

• (*)based on the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 113/2023 on the interest of the Slovak Republic to grant a national visa to selected categories of third-country nationals (citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Philippines, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Nepal, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan);

• based on the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 521/2021 (pdf; 1.01 MB) on the interest of the Slovak Republic to grant a national visa to highly qualified third-country nationals;

• (*)based on the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 269/2022 (pdf; 72.75 KB) on the interest of the Slovak Republic to grant a national visa to relocated third-country nationals and their family members;

• (*)based on the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 383/2023 Coll. on the interest of the Slovak Republic to grant a national visa to selected groups of third-country nationals in selected occupations in the field of industry (pdf; 104 KB) on the interest of the Slovak Republic to grant a national visa to selected groups of third-country nationals in selected occupations in the field of industry (citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Philippines, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Nepal, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan);

e) the applicant is a family member of a foreigner who was granted asylum or subsidiary protection.

Please note: In the case of an application for a visa under the Regulation marked with asterix (*), only a foreigner who is on the list maintained by the competent national authority may apply for a national visa. See the Regulation for more information.

Where you can lodge a national visa application

The application for a national visa can be submitted at the diplomatic mission of the Slovak Republic.

Which documents should be submitted with the national visa application

1. An application for the national visa shall consists of the following documents (basic documents)

• a national visa application form;
• a valid travel document (its validity shall be at least 90 days after the intended date of departure from the Slovak Republic);
• a full-face colour photograph, conform to ICAO standards, 3 x 3,5 cm showing applicant´s current appearance;
•  a document confirming the purpose of residence (e.g. information from the police authority about the granting of the temporary or permanent residence, a decision on the acceptance of the student for language education at the language school in the required extend, other document confirming that the issuance of the national visa is the necessary in order to fulfil the obligations of the Slovak Republic following from international treaties or in the interest of the Slovak Republic);
• a document of health insurance covering the whole period of the validity of the national visa.

In addition to the basic documents listed above, a student at the language school shall submit also the following documents:

• a document confirming the accommodation in the Slovak Republic during the whole course of language study  (e.g. confirmation from the accommodation facility, affidavit of the property owner on provision of accommodation or the statutory declaration of the occupant on provision of the accommodation);
• documents indicating that the applicant possesses sufficient means of subsistence during his stay in the Slovak Republic (e.g. bank account statement confirming the financial means of EUR 56 per each day of stay).

In addition to the basic documents listed above, an applicant for a residence permit shall submit also the following documents:

• the complete application including the supporting documentation for the residence permit which is to be submitted in the Slovak Republic;
• a document confirming the proof of accommodation in the Slovak Republic for the period of validity of the national visa; the proof of accommodation is not required if a relevant document on accommodation in the Slovak Republic, submitted as a part of the application for the residence permit, covers the whole period of validity of the national visa;
• documents indicating that the applicant possesses sufficient means of subsistence during his stay in the Slovak Republic (e.g. bank account statement confirming the financial means of 56 EUR per each day of stay); the separate document on the means of subsistence is not required if the relevant document, submitted as a part of the application for the residence permit, covers the whole period of validity of the national visa;
• a document indicating the date and means of transport to the Slovak Republic.

A family member of a foreigner who has been granted asylum or subsidiary protection shall submit,

• a national visa application form; 
• a valid travel document;
• a document which proves his/her family relationship with a person who has been granted asylum or subsidiary protection;
• a document confirming the dependency, if required.

An applicant for a national visa based on the Resolution of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 731 of 8. 12. 2021 on the Higher Education Internationalisation Strategy 2030 shall submit:

• a valid passport (its validity shall be at least 90 days after the intended date of departure from the Slovak Republic);
• a completed national visa application form;
• a full-face colour photograph, conform to ICAO standards, 3 x 3,5 cm showing applicant´s current facial image;
• a certificate of study or an acceptance letter from the relevant educational establishment.

An applicant for a national visa on the basis of the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 521/2021 (pdf; 1.01 MB) on the interest of the Slovak Republic on the interest of the Slovak Republic to grant a national visa to highly qualified third-country nationals, shall submit

Application for a national visa for the purpose of employment

• a valid passport (its validity shall be at least 90 days after the intended date of departure from the Slovak Republic);
• a completed application for a national visa;
• a full-face colour photograph, conform to ICAO standards, 3 x 3,5 cm showing applicant´s current facial image;
• proof of education:
  • a university diploma or confirmation of successful completion of a second-level study at a higher education institution in the Slovak Republic or the Czech Republic, or
  • a higher education diploma or a certificate of successful completion of a university or educational establishment as referred to in Annex 1 to the Regulation in a study programme lasting at least three years, or
  • a university diploma or certificate of successful completion of a university or educational establishment in a study programme of at least four years in the case of employment listed in Annex 2 to the Regulation;
• a letter of employment of the third country national issued by the employer or a valid employment contract;
• proof of health insurance in the territory of the Slovak Republic valid until the period of entry into force of the employment contract.

Application for a national visa of a highly qualified job seeker

• a valid passport (its validity shall be at least 90 days after the intended date of departure from the Slovak Republic);
• a completed application for a national visa;
• a full-face colour photograph, conform to ICAO standards, 3 x 3,5 cm showing applicant´s current facial image;
• proof of education
  • a university diploma or confirmation of successful completion of a second-level study at a higher education institution in the Slovak Republic or the Czech Republic, or
  • a higher education diploma or a certificate of successful completion of a university or educational establishment as referred to in Annex 1 to the Regulation in a study programme lasting at least three years, or
  • a university diploma or certificate of successful completion of a university or educational establishment in a study programme of at least four years in the case of employment listed in Annex 2 to the Regulation;

• a solemn declaration of the applicant on the purpose of the stay with the applicant's certified signature;
• proof of health insurance in the territory of the Slovak Republic for a period of 90 days.

An applicant for a national visa on the basis of the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 269/2022 (pdf; 72.75 KB) on the interest of the Slovak Republic to issue a national visa to relocated third-country nationals and their family members, shall submit:

Applicant — relocated employee: 

• a valid passport; (its validity shall be at least 90 days after the intended date of departure from the Slovak Republic);
• a completed national visa application form;
• a full-face colour photograph, conform to ICAO standards, 3 x 3,5 cm showing applicant´s current appearance;
• a letter of employment of the third country national issued by the employer or a valid employment contract;
• proof of health insurance in the territory of the Slovak Republic valid until the period of entry into force of the employment contract. 

Applicant — family member of the relocated employee: 

• a valid passport (its validity shall be at least 90 days after the intended date of departure from the Slovak Republic);
• a completed national visa application form;
• a full-face colour photograph, conform to ICAO standards, 3 x 3,5 cm showing applicant´s current appearance;
• registry document (marriage or birth certificate) confirming the family relationship with the relocated employee;
• proof of health insurance in the territory of the Slovak Republic valid for the period of validity of the granted national visa. 

An applicant for a national visa on the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 113/2023 (pdf, 245 kB) on the interest of the Slovak Republic so issue national visa to selected categories of third-country nationals (pdf, 245 kB), shall submit:

• a valid passport (its validity shall be at least 90 days after the intended date of departure from the Slovak Republic);
• a completed national visa application form;
• a full-face colour photograph, conform to to ICAO standards, 3 x 3,5 cm showing applicant´s current facial image;
• a valid employment contract;
• proof of health insurance in the territory of the Slovak Republic valid until the period of entry into force of the employment contract.
• respective authorisation to drive a motor vehicle (driving licence);

An the application for a national visa on the basis of the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 383/2023 on the interest of the Slovak Republic to grant a national visa to selected groups of third-country nationals in selected occupations in the field of industry (pdf, 104 kB), the applicant shall submit:

• a valid passport;
• a completed national visa application form;
• a 3x 3.5 cm colour photograph;;
• an employment contract, if the employment is in accordance with Article 1(a)(1)(a)(1) to (1)(a)(5) of the Regulation,

or

• an employment contract and a copy of the educational qualifications required for the employment or a copy of the professional qualifications required for the employment, if the employment is pursuant to Article 1(a)(6) to (11) of the Regulation.
• proof of health insurance in the territory of the Slovak Republic valid until the entry into force of the employment contract.

In individual cases the diplomatic mission may ask for additional documents if the documents submitted by the applicant are not sufficient to make a decision on the granting of the national visa.  

Higher verification and translation of documents

Foreign language documents of education or documents of professional qualification necessary for the performance of employment must be submitted with respective superlegalization for use abroad and accompanied by an official translation into the Slovak language.

Collecting of biometric data

The applicant for a national visa shall allow the collection of his/her fingerprints. Fingerprints are not collected from the applicants under 12 years of age.

Appointment for submission of the visa application

Diplomatic missions may require prior appointment for submission of the visa application. Further information will be provided by the respective diplomatic mission.

Visa Fee

The list of fees:

In case of the refusal of granting of the national visa the fee is non-refundable.

Decision Making Deadlines

The diplomatic mission shall decide about an application for the granting of national visa within 30 days from its receipt. The diplomatic mission may grant the national visa only after prior consent of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.

Valitidy of the national visa

The national visas are issued for stays longer than 3 months, with maximum validity of one year. The national visa may be issued:

1. for 90 days and two entries, to the holder of the residence permit in the Slovak Republic,
2. for the duration of the language education at the language school, maximum until 31st July of the relevant school year,
3. for the necessary period of time, in case of the family member of a foreigner who was granted asylum or subsidiary protection,
4. for the necessary period of time, in case of the national visa issued in connection with the performance of commitments of the Slovak Republic under international treaties or for the benefit of the Slovak Republic.

It is not possible to appeal a decision on the refusal on the granting of the national visa. Exception applies to the national visa application in accordance with §15 par. 2 of the Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigners and on the Amendment and Supplementation to Certain Acts.