Loss of Slovak Citizenship

Citizenship of the Slovak Republic can be lost in two ways:

• by renunciation at one's own request, or
• by the voluntary acquisition of another citizenship. 

Renunciation

A person may be released from citizenship if they prove that they have the nationality of another country or a promise to obtain it in the event of a release from citizenship. A person wishing to be released from citizenship must make an application. The application must be made in person to: 

• the District Office in the seat of a region or
• the Embassy/Consulate of the Slovak Republic abroad.

The application must be accompanied by:

• a valid identity document containing a current likeness of the applicant's face,
• a birth certificate, if the applicant was born abroad and the birth is not registered in a special registry office,
• proof of personal status, which is a marriage certificate, a final judgment or a certificate of divorce, or a death certificate of the spouse if the applicant is married, divorced or widowed; the marriage certificate or the death certificate shall not be submitted if the marriage or the death of the spouse took place in Slovakia or is registered in a special registry office, the applicant indicating the place of marriage or the place of death of the husband,
• the data necessary to request an extract from the criminal record of the Slovak Republic (more here),
• a promise to grant citizenship of another state or proof of its acquisition,
• confirmation that the applicant does not have any arrears registered with the tax office, customs office, municipality, health and social insurance office - if these data cannot be obtained from the information systems (the existence of arrears is a reason why a person cannot be released from citizenship together with the prosecution, execution of a sentence or if the person has not served a sentence imposed by a court judgment of the Slovak Republic).

The decision on release from the Slovak citizenship shall be taken by the district office in the seat of the region within six months of receipt of the application. If the district office decides on release from citizenship, it shall issue a certificate thereof.

The loss of citizenship of the Slovak Republic shall take effect on the date of receipt of the document of release from the citizenship of the Slovak Republic. The applicant must collect this document in person at one of the places where he or she may also submit his or her application. If he fails to take possession of the document, the proceedings against the applicant shall be terminated.

Administrative fees for release from citizenship:

• release from citizenship of a person over 18 years of age: 1000 EUR
• release from citizenship of a minor from 15 to 18 years of age: 500 EUR
• release from citizenship of a minor below 15 years of age: 280/300 EUR
• release from citizenship in connection with granting citizenship of the Czech Republic: 30 EUR

Acquisition of foreign citizenship

A citizen of the Slovak Republic automatically loses Slovak citizenship on the date on which he voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship on the basis of an express expression of will (i.e. an application, declaration or other act aimed at acquiring foreign citizenship).

A citizen of the Slovak Republic who has thus lost Slovak citizenship shall immediately notify the district office in the seat of the region of this fact and submit proof of the acquisition of foreign citizenship.

The loss of Slovak citizenship does not occur if:

• the Slovak citizen acquired the citizenship of the spouse during the duration of the common marriage,
• the foreign citizenship was acquired by birth, adoption or by a minor child,
• the Slovak citizen acquired the foreign citizenship of a state in which he/she had been a permitted or registered resident for at least five years at the time of acquisition and actually resided there,
• the Slovak citizen acquired foreign citizenship before 17 July 2010.

A Slovak citizen is obliged to notify the Ministry of the Interior in writing of the acquisition of foreign citizenship within 90 days of its acquisition. The notification must be accompanied by documents proving the acquisition of foreign citizenship and other documents proving that the Slovak citizenship has not been lost (e.g. birth certificate, marriage certificate, a final decision on the adoption of a child, documents confirming the length of residence in the state).