GENERAL INFORMATION on Residence of Foreigners in Slovakia
In accordance with the Law of the National Council of Slovakia No. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigners (effective January 1, 2012), persons intending to stay in Slovakia longer than a total of 90 days during any 6-month period must submit an application for a Residence Permit either at a Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Slovak Republic or at the Foreign Police Department (Immigration Police) in the district of their residency in Slovakia if his/her residence in Slovakia is authorized.
According to this Law foreigner is anyone who is not a citizen of the Slovak Republic. Anyone who is not a citizen of the Slovak Republic and at the same time is not a citizen of any other country of the European Union is considered to be a third country national. This means that citizens of Canada are according to this Law considered as foreigners or third country nationals.
TYPES OF RESIDENCE
Temporary residence
A temporary residence entitles foreign nationals – holders of a valid travel document – to stay in the Slovak Republic and freely enter and leave its territory within the time period for which the temporary residence has been granted. Temporary residence shall be bound with a single purpose. If a third country national wants to perform other activities than those for which the temporary residence was granted, s/he must file a new application for the granting of temporary residence permit.
The temporary residence are granted to a third country national:
a) for the purpose of business ( Act No. 404/2011, Article 22);
b) for the purpose of employment (Article 23);
c) for the purpose of study (Article 24);
d) for the purpose of special activity (Article 25);
e) for the purpose of research and development (Article 26);
f) for the purpose of family unification (Article 27);
g) for the purpose of performing service obligations by civil units of armed forces (Article 28);
h) who has the status of a Slovak living abroad (Article 29);
i) who has the status of a person with long term residence in another member state (Article 30).
Temporary residence is also the residence on the basis of a blue card of the European Union (for the purpose of high qualified employment).
Permanent residence
Permanent residence enables a third country national to stay, exit and re-enter the Slovak Republic territory during the time period as specified by a police department. Permanent residence shall be:
a) permanent residence for five years;
b) permanent residence of unlimited duration;
c) residence of a third country national with acknowledged status of a person with long term residence in the European Union (the “long term residence”).
Permanent Residence for Five Years
A police department shall grant permanent residence for five years to a third country national
a) who is a spouse of the Slovak Republic citizen with permanent residence in the Slovak Republic territory or dependent relative in direct line of the Slovak Republic citizen with permanent residence in the Slovak Republic;
b) who is a single child younger than 18 years of age entrusted into personal care of a third country national who is a spouse of the Slovak Republic citizen with permanent residence in the Slovak Republic territory;
c) who is a single child younger than 18 years of age of a third country national with permanent residence for five years or child younger than 18 years of age entrusted into personal care of a third country national with permanent residence for five years,
d) who is a dependent child younger than 18 years of age who cannot take care of himself/herself due to long term unfavourable health condition, third country national with permanent residence; or
e) if this is in the interest of the Slovak Republic.
Permanent Residence of Unlimited Duration
A police shall grant, upon the application of a third country national, permanent residence of unlimited duration to a third country national who
a) has had permanent residence for at least four years; or
b) is a child younger than 18 years of age of a third country national with permanent residence of unlimited duration.
Long Term Residence
A police department shall grant long term residence to a third country national
a) whose residence in the Slovak Republic territory is authorised and continuous during the period of five years immediately prior to the filing of an application;
b) whose long term residence has expired; or
c) who has had a five-year authorised continuous residence in the territory of member states as a blue card holder and has resided in the Slovak Republic territory as a blue card holder for at least two years immediately prior to the filing of an application.
Tolerated residence
Tolerated stay is a specific type of residence which may be granted to a foreign national for a maximum of 180 days. A police department shall grant tolerated stay to a third country national:
a) in the case of an obstacle to his/her administrative expulsion
b) if his/her departure is impossible and his/her detention is inefficient,
c) who is a minor person found in the Slovak Republic territory;
d) if required due to the respect for his/her personal and family life and not threatening the state safety or public order;
e) who is the victim of human trafficking and at least 18 years old
f) if he/she was illegally employed under particularly exploitative working conditions or at an illegally employed minor person
How to apply for a Residence in Slovakia
Conditions governing the application procedure are specified in
Personal attendance is required.
Legal representative shall act in matters related to the residence on behalf of the minor.
The minor aged more than 15 shall be able to act on his/her own in matters related to the residence for purposes of his/her study or special activity; however, the application for the temporary residence to be granted for these purposes shall be signed by the legal representative of the minor and the signature of the legal representative shall be certified.
Applicants are required to submit an application for a Residence
a) at a Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Slovak Republic,
or
b) at the Foreign Police Department (Immigration Police) in the district of their prospective residency in Slovakia, if his/her residence in Slovakia is authorized.
Please contact the Embassy for an appointment/interview well in advance.
What must be submitted upon Application:
Application that is not completed in accordance with the requirements of the Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigns (pdf; 972.48 KB) shall not be accepted.
All documents must be submitted in original.
Documents in English language must be translated into Slovak language. The translation must be verified by the Embassy or by other Slovak Certified Authority.
1)
2) Valid passport - validity of the passport must exceed the intended stay in Slovakia by at least 6 months
3) Two coloured photographs of size 3 x 3.5 cm showing his/her current appearance
4) documents not older than 90 days which confirm:
the purpose of residence
–see specific requirements for each type of residence Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigns
integrity: documents confirming no criminal history from home country AND from the country of residence during last 3 years
It doesn´t need to be submitted by the Applicant younger than 14 years or an applicant for temporary residence for the purpose of study at high school.
financial resources for residence
- see specific requirements for each type of residence Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigns
document on the provision of accommodation
- see specific requirements for each type of residence Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigns
Example
- Lease agreement (with verified signatures) + ownership document extract from Cadastral Registry, or
- Solemn declaration of person who provides the accommodation (with verified signature) + ownership document extract from Cadastral Registry.
In case of Temporary residence:
A document on the provision of accommodation must demonstrate that the third country national has the accommodation provided for at least six months of temporary residence;
In case of Permanent residence for a spouse of the Slovak citizen:
Provided accommodation has to be common with the spouse (Slovak Republic citizen with permanent residence in the Slovak Republic) for 5 years
fee
- vary on the purpose of stay and exchange rate CAD/EUR. See actual consular fees (item 242):
- A third country national shall be obliged to submit a document confirming health insurance to the police department within 30 days from the receipt of the document of residence.
- A third country national who was granted temporary residence shall be obliged to submit a medical opinion confirming that s/he does not suffer from any disease which threatens public health to the police department within 30 days from the receipt of the document of residence;. A medical opinion confirming that s/he does not suffer from any disease which threatens public health must not be older than 30 days.
DECISION on the Application
A police department shall decide about the application for the granting of temporary within 90 days; this period can be extended by maximum 30 days in particularly complicated cases. A police department shall decide within 30 days from the receipt of an application if the purpose of stay is study, special activity or blue card.
A police department shall decide about an application for the granting of permanent residence for 5 years and for unlimited duration within 90 days from the delivery of the application to the police department.
The Canadian citizens are allowed to stay on the territory of the Slovak Republic/Schengen area for a maximum period of 90 days without any further permits. Having this in mind we strongly recommend to everyone (especially to those who wish to apply for types of residence permits decided within 90 days period) to take these time scales into strong consideration. In case the application for residence is not submitted on time or is not complete it might be not decided during permitted 90 days period and the foreigner will be forced to leave Slovakia/Schengen area before the final decision is taken. We thus strongly recommend to apply for the residence permit at the Slovak Embassy abroad before departure to Slovakia.
