This section contains answers to the most frequently asked questions.
- Submitting a residence application
- Foreign Police
- Residence documents
- Notifying about changes
- Child born in Slovakia
- Employment
- Temporary refuge
Employment and social counselling:
Legal counselling
SUBMITTING A RESIDENCE APPLICATION
Q: Can I submit a residence application in the territory of Slovakia?
You can apply for temporary residence at a Foreign Police Department in Slovakia, only if you:
- have a valid residence permit (Slovak or EU)
- have a valid national visa (type D) issued by Slovakia
- are subject to the visa-free regime
- have a Schengen visa for the purpose of seasonal employment
- are a temporary refuge holder
- have tolerated residence in Slovakia
- are a holder of the certificate of a Slovak living abroad.
If you do not meet any of these conditions, you will have to apply at the Slovak embassy accredited for the country of your citizenship or residence.
Q: Can I submit a residence application in Slovakia if my visa/visa-free status has expired?
If you have already passed the limit of your visa-free days/if your national visa has expired/if your Schengen visa for the purpose of seasonal employment has expired and you have not submitted your residence application yet, then in such situations, the Foreign Police will not be able to accept your residence application. However, you can submit the application at a Slovak embassy abroad accredited for the country of your citizenship or residence.
Q: What if the Foreign Police still hasn´t granted me the residence and my visa/visa-free status will soon expire? Do I need to leave Slovakia/the Schengen Area?
If you submitted a complete application for temporary residence or permanent residence for five years at the Foreign Police in Slovakia, you are authorized to stay in the Slovak Republic legally until the Foreign Police decides upon your application.
Q: I submitted my residence application at the Foreign Police in Slovakia, but I need to travel abroad before the residence is granted. What if my visa/visa-free status expires in the meantime? How can I come back to Slovakia?
Once you run out of visa-free days/your visa expires, travelling to other member states might be problematic. If you leave Slovakia before you get your residence card, you would be able to come back to the Schengen Area through another member state either after another 90 days (within “new” visa-free days) or with a new national visa or with a valid residence card.
The Foreign Police does not ship residence cards abroad. However, you may additionally provide the Foreign Police with a notarized power of attorney to a trusted person, so they can collect the residence card for you. When opting for delivery to an address in Slovakia, it is important to provide relevant details in the booking system/application form in order for the delivery service to be able to deliver it and the authorized person to collect it accordingly. Then the residence card would need to be posted to you abroad, should you need it for entry.
Q: I have submitted my application for a temporary residence more than 90 days ago, and I have not yet received any answer from the Foreign Police. What is the reason for this delay? Does it mean my residence has not been granted?
Under standard circumstances, it takes either 30/60/90 days (depending on the type of residence) for the Foreign Police to process your application. However, due to the current crisis situation related to the situation in Ukraine, processing applications and issuing decisions by the Foreign Police can take longer.
If you want to inquire further on the status of your application, you can either call or e-mail the relevant Foreign Police Department (contact information HERE). If this does not prove to be effective, you can ask for an update of your situation through requesting the access to your file. You can send such request to the relevant Foreign Police Department by post or bring it in person without an appointment. After the Foreign Police receives this document, you or your authorized representative should be contacted by an officer in charge of your file.
Q: What happens after I apply for residence, how long will the whole process take, and when will I get my residence card?
Granting (or renewing) residence and issuance of residence cards are two separate procedures. In case of applications submitted at the Foreign Police, the following applies to the process of granting/renewing residence and issuing residence cards to non-EU citizens:
- The standard processing time to decide on your application for the granting/renewal of residence is 90/60/30 days (depending on the type/purpose of residence and other circumstances - refer to our factsheets to verify the exact timeframe applicable in your case) from delivery of a complete application to the Foreign Police. However, these deadlines are currently suspended due to the ongoing crisis situation linked to the war in Ukraine and the process can take longer.
- If the residence is granted/renewed, the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic sends an SMS informing about this to the phone number you have indicated in your application form/in the booking system, stating the period for which it is granted/renewed. The Foreign Police will also send an official notification informing about it (electronically or by post to the address you have indicated in your application form/in the booking system).
- After the residence is granted/renewed, the residence card should be issued either within 30 days (if you paid the standard 10 EUR fee) or 2 business days (if you paid the 39 EUR fee for fast-track processing), counting from the day the residence was granted/renewed. The Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic also sends an SMS informing about this to the phone number you have indicated in your application form/in the booking system.
If you requested to have your residence card sent to an address in Slovakia, it will be delivered to the address you have indicated in your application form/in the booking system. The delivery service should contact you on the phone number you have indicated in your application form/in the booking system.
TIP: For your legal surety, we advise avoiding having your residence card sent to an address other than yours, and/or providing a phone number to the Foreign Police other than yours, unless it is a well-trusted person.
Q: How can I verify the status of my residence application? I have been waiting for too long and still haven´t received any response from the Foreign Police.
Under standard circumstances, it takes either 30/60/90 days (depending on the type of residence) for the Foreign Police to process your application. However, due to the current crisis situation related to the situation in Ukraine, processing applications and issuing decisions by the Foreign Police can take longer.
If you want to inquire further on the status of your application, you can either call or e-mail the relevant Foreign Police Department (contact information HERE). If this does not prove to be effective, you can ask for an update of your situation through requesting the access to your file. You can send such request to the relevant Foreign Police Department by post or bring it in person without an appointment. After the Foreign Police receives this document, you or your authorized representative should be contacted by an officer in charge of your file.
FOREIGN POLICE
Q: How can I make an appointment with the Foreign Police?
To make an appointment with the Foreign Police, you should use the online booking system of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. It is available in English and Slovak language. You will need to fill in various personal data, including your passport number, date of birth and address of residence in Slovakia.
At the end of the booking process upon a successfully booked appointment, you will get a PIN number and the system will automatically generate your completed application. You should print this completed application form out and have it with you when going to the Foreign Police together with other paperwork. You will need the PIN number at the Foreign Police to get your waiting ticket.
Rules of the online booking system are available on the web site of the Slovak Ministry of Interior HERE and HERE.
Q: What if I don´t see any free time slots at the Foreign Police Department which I have selected?
If you don´t see available time slots in the online booking system, this isn´t an error/technical issue. It is advised regularly monitoring the system and trying to find a free time slot later.
Rules of the online booking system are available on the web site of the Slovak Ministry of Interior HERE and HERE.
Q: Is it possible to get an appointment with the Foreign Police in any other way or faster?
Only specific categories of applicants can get an individual appointment with the Foreign Police, with the aim to streamline the application process:
- Government of the Slovak Republic scholarship holders
- ERASMUS and ERASMUS+ students
- PhD students
- University teachers
- Research and development workers
- Employees of shared service centres
- Employees of significant foreign investors
Who books the appointment and how:
- University or Slovak Academy of Science (if points 1 - 5 apply). Details and the booking form is available HERE.
- Shared service centre (if point 6 applies). The list of shares service centres can be found HERE. Details and the booking form is available HERE. This option is available only for groups of 10 or more persons, not necessarily from the same employer.
- Holder of a significant investment certificate (if point 7 applies). The list of significant foreign investors can be found HERE. Details and the booking form is available HERE. This option is available only for groups of 10 or more persons.
Q: What should I do if I have technical issues with the booking system, such as error messages appearing, being unable to successfully complete the booking, or not receiving a confirmation email/SMS with a PIN code and appointment time?
There can be several reasons for problems with the booking system:
- You have not complied with the rules of the booking system. In such case, an error message with this information should be displayed. We recommend reading and following the rules of the online booking system (available HERE and HERE).
- You are filling in some information in the booking system incorrectly or have had the booking system open for too long. We recommend preparing all necessary information, making sure you understand the information you should fill in, and starting the booking again.
- If neither of the above applies, there may be a technical issue on the side of the booking system. According to the information on the Slovak Ministry of Interior website (details HERE), we recommend one of the following options:
- Contact the Call Centre of the Slovak Ministry of Interior at 0800 222 222 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 08:00 to 16:00 and Wednesday from 08:00 to 17:00) or at . However, the Call Centre does not arrange the booking/cancellation of appointments.
- Contact the relevant Border and Foreign Police Directorate (contacts HERE).
In your communication, provide your name, family name, citizenship, travel document number, type and purpose of stay, what you are applying for, and attach a print screen of the error message.
Q: What should I do if I have technical issues with the booking system, such as error messages appearing, being unable to successfully complete the booking, or not receiving a confirmation email/SMS with a PIN code and appointment time?
There can be several reasons for problems with the booking system:
- You have not complied with the rules of the booking system. In such case, an error message with this information should be displayed. We recommend reading and following the rules of the online booking system (available HERE and HERE).
- You are filling in some information in the booking system incorrectly or have had the booking system open for too long. We recommend preparing all necessary information, making sure you understand the information you should fill in, and starting the booking again.
- If neither of the above applies, there may be a technical issue on the side of the booking system. According to the information on the Slovak Ministry of Interior website (details HERE), we recommend one of the following options:
- Contact the Call Centre of the Slovak Ministry of Interior at 0800 222 222 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 08:00 to 16:00 and Wednesday from 08:00 to 17:00) or at . However, the Call Centre does not arrange the booking/cancellation of appointments.
- Contact the relevant Border and Foreign Police Directorate (contacts HERE).
In your communication, provide your name, family name, citizenship, travel document number, type and purpose of stay, what you are applying for, and attach a print screen of the error message.
Q: Can the IOM Migration Information Centre help me with unavailability of time slots at the Foreign Police or with technical issues of the booking system?
The IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC):
- Is not able to book/arrange appointments at the Foreign Police for clients.
- Cannot provide clients with advice/solutions beyond the information included in this frequently asked questions section (FAQ) of our website.
- Does not have any influence over the operation of the booking system, which is operated by the Slovak Ministry of Interior.
Q: Can´t I go to the Foreign Police department to submit my residence application without having an appointment?
In general, it is necessary to have a booked appointment when going to the Foreign Police, otherwise you may be rejected.
Going to the Foreign Police without an appointment is generally possible only in cases not foreseen by the online booking system and only during designated time frames.
In case of technical problems/malfunctions of the booking system or in case of reasons worthy of special consideration, it is possible to request an appointment by email addressed to the respective Directorate of Border and Foreign Police. The Directorate may accept such request, but has not obligation to do so.
Q: How do I know which Foreign Police department I should go to?
It depends on your situation.
You can book your appointment and go to any Foreign Police department, only if:
- You are a first-time applicant for a residence permit in Slovakia (temporary residence, or permanent residence for five years), if applying for a national visa, or for a tolerated stay,.
You must book your appointment and go to the Foreign Police department competent for your place of residence, if:
- You are changing the purpose of residence (e.g. from temporary residence for studies to temporary residence for employment) or changing the type of residence (e.g. from temporary residence to permanent residence).
- You are renewing temporary residence.
- You are applying for long-term residence, or for permanent residence for an unlimited time-period.
- You are applying for issuance of a residence card.
- You are applying for an invitation verification.
- You are an EU citizen.
If you don´t know which is your competent Foreign Police department, territorial competence of every Foreign Police department in Slovakia can be verified at the bottom of this website.
Before booking your appointment and before going to the Foreign Police, we advise verifying whether you are authorised to submit the respective application in the territory of Slovakia.
Q: Where can I find the address and contact details of my Foreign Police department?
Addresses, phone numbers and contact forms of all Foreign Police departments in Slovakia can be found HERE.
Q: How can I pay the fees at the Foreign Police?
Fees at the Foreign Police are paid in form of electronic fee stamps (eKolok), which may be bought:
- At the Foreign Police Department through a vending machine. The fees may be used within 30 days from the purchase. They may be paid in cash or with a card.
- At a post office. The fees may be used within two years from the purchase. They may be paid in cash or with a card.
- Online by visiting and registering on this website. Once you select your fees, you need to print them out. The fees may be used within 30 days from the purchase. They may be paid with a card.
- Via the eKolok mobile app. You will get a QR code which you will show on your mobile phone at the Foreign Police Department. The fees may be used within 30 days from the purchase. They may be paid with a card.
The amounts of all fees linked to residence of foreigners in Slovakia can be found HERE.
RESIDENCE DOCUMENTS
Q: What should I do if my residence card is about to expire, while my temporary residence is still valid?
You should request a new residence card at least 30 days before the expiry of the current residence card. Applying for a new residence card requires booking an appointment with the competent Foreign Police department (select Category of situations - Doklady / pasy; Situation - Application for issuance of a residence document). You will need to submit the following documents in person at the Foreign Police department:
- Application form (generated by the online booking system)
- One color photograph (3 x 3,5 cm)
- Valid passport
- Document on accommodation (not older than 90 days)
- Administrative fee for issuance and delivery of the residence card: EUR 10 (within 30 days) or EUR 39 (within 2 business days).
The document on accommodation may be one of the following:
- Your affidavit on property ownership (if you own property)
- Tenancy agreement with the owner or the user of the property and documentation of eligibility to use the property if it is a tenancy agreement with the user of the property
- Affidavit of a natural person or a legal entity on the provision of accommodation and documentation of eligibility to use the property if it is an affidavit of the user of the property
- Confirmation from an accommodation facility (e.g. a hotel, hostel)
Signatures on affidavits and tenancy agreements must be notarized (with the exception of affidavits signed at the Foreign Police).
NOTIFYING ABOUT CHANGES
Q: Do I have to inform the Foreign Police that I have moved to a new address?
Yes. When changing your place of residence in Slovakia and when permanently moving to a new address, non-EU citizens must inform the Foreign Police and apply for a new residence card within 5 business days. The deadline for EU citizens and their family members is 10 business days.
Applying for a new residence card requires booking an appointment with the Foreign Police department competent for your new address (select Category of situations - Doklady / pasy; Situation - Application for issuance of a residence document). You will need to submit the following documents in person at the Foreign Police department:
- Application form (generated by the online booking system)
- One color photograph (3 x 3,5 cm)
- Valid passport
- Document on accommodation (not older than 90 days)
- Administrative fee for issuance and delivery of the residence card: EUR 10 (within 30 days) or EUR 39 (within 2 business days).
The document on accommodation may be one of the following:
- Your affidavit on property ownership (if you own property)
- Tenancy agreement with the owner or the user of the property and documentation of eligibility to use the property if it is a tenancy agreement with the user of the property
- Affidavit of a natural person or a legal entity on the provision of accommodation and documentation of eligibility to use the property if it is an affidavit of the user of the property
- Confirmation from an accommodation facility (e.g. a hotel, hostel)
Signatures on affidavits and tenancy agreements must be notarized (with the exception of affidavits signed at the Foreign Police).
CHILD BORN IN SLOVAKIA
Q: Me and my spouse both have residence permits in Slovakia, and we just had a baby born in Slovakia. Does such child automatically acquire Slovak citizenship? If not, what type of residence for the child should we apply for?
If you or your spouse have temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia, you can apply for a residence permit for your child born in Slovakia. You should do so within 90 days from the child´s birth, otherwise you should ensure his/her departure, unless not possible due to serious reasons. Applying for the residence permit requires booking an appointment with the Foreign Police department. You will need to submit the following documents in person at the Foreign Police department:
- Application form (generated by the online booking system)
- Child’s passport (you need to obtain it via your embassy, as commonly a child acquires the parents´ citizenship by birth) or the parent’s passport with the child´s data recorded in it
- One color photograph (3 x 3,5 cm) showing the child’s appearance at the time of residence application
- Proof of financial coverage of the child’s residence
- Proof of accommodation
- Administrative fee for issuance and delivery of the residence card: EUR 10 (within 30 days) or EUR 39 (within 2 business days).
The Foreign Police will grant the following residence permit to a child born in Slovakia:
- temporary residence for family reunion, if the parents have temporary residence
- temporary residence for family reunion, if the parent has long-term residence
- permanent residence for five years, if the parent has residence for five years
- permanent residence for an unlimited time period, if the parent has permanent residence for an unlimited time period
Not all children born in the territory of Slovakia acquire Slovak citizenship at birth. If neither you or the child’s other parent are Slovak citizens, the only way for your child to acquire Slovak citizenship by birth would be if the child does not acquire yours or the other parent’s citizenship by birth. In other words, it would only be possible if the child is unable to get the citizenship of one of the parents (due to the law of your home country).
However, your child may acquire Slovak citizenship at a later stage, by naturalization. The basic condition for the granting of Slovak citizenship is continuous permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least eight years immediately preceding the submission of the application for Slovak citizenship. However, an exception from the length of residence applies to an applicant who was born in the territory of the Slovak Republic and has been a permanent resident in Slovakia for at least three years before reaching the age of 18 immediately preceding the application for citizenship.
EMPLOYMENT
Q: Can I change my job if I have temporary residence for the purpose of employment?
If you have temporary residence for the purpose of employment, you may only work for the employer and on the position as approved by the Labour Office. If you find a new employer during the validity of your temporary residence for the purpose of employment (provided that you are not a graduate of a Slovak high school/university), the process of changing the employer is generally as follows:
- Your potential new employer must report a vacancy to the Labour Office (e.g. through https://www.sluzbyzamestnanosti.gov.sk/) at least 20 business days before submitting the request for issuance of a confirmation on the possibility to fill a vacancy.
- After at least 20 business days (since the vacancy was reported), your potential employer must request the Labour Office to issue the confirmation.
- The Labour Office will issue the confirmation within 15 business days from the day of delivery of the employer´s complete application and will send it to the Foreign Police and to the employer.
- You can start working on your new position only after issuance of a consenting confirmation.
If you are a graduate of a Slovak high school/university, you need to submit a confirmation from your future employer stating you will be/are employed with this employer as a graduate to the respective Foreign Police department. In case you have not submitted a notarized copy of your Slovak diploma, you need to submit it at the Foreign Police, too. Your future employer must report a vacancy to the Labour Office, but you don´t need to wait 20 business days and you can start working for the new employer immediately without any other consent/permission.
Q: What needs to be done before I apply for temporary residence for employment or its renewal?
When applying for the granting or renewal of temporary residence for the purpose of employment (so-called single permit) after July 15, 2024, at the time of submitting your application, a consenting confirmation of the possibility to fill the vacancy must already be issued by the Labour Office.
You need to follow these steps:
- STEP 1: Your employer must usually first report the vacancy. You can find details, deadlines, and exceptions HERE.
- STEP 2: Your employer must then request the issuance of a confirmation of the possibility to fill the vacancy. Details can be found HERE and HERE.
- STEP 3: The Labour Office must issue a consenting confirmation of the possibility to fill the vacancy. They have 15 business days from receiving the complete application from the employer to do so. The confirmation will be sent electronically to the employer and to the Foreign Police/Slovak Embassy.
- STEP 4: You can submit your application for the granting or renewal of temporary residence for employment. You must do so within 90 days from issuance of the confirmation. Before going to the Foreign Police/Slovak Embassy, verify with your employer whether they have received the consenting confirmation from the Labour Office, or even request its copy. If the Labour Office has not delivered the consenting confirmation to the Foreign Police/Slovak Embassy, your application will not be accepted.
- STEP 5: After submitting a complete application for the granting of temporary residence for employment, you can start working.
Important:
- The above does not apply to graduates of Slovak high schools/universities.
- What documents you need when applying for the granting or renewal of temporary residence for employment can be found in our factsheet.
TEMPORARY REFUGE
Q: Can I leave Slovakia once I have been granted temporary refuge?
A: From the perspective of Slovak law, yes. Travelling (to any country, including Ukraine) does not cause the termination of the temporary refuge you have obtained in Slovakia. However, we recommend that you contact the competent authorities (e.g. the embassy) of the country to which you intend to travel about the entry conditions applicable by that country and also verify whether you will be allowed to re-enter the Schengen Area with the document on temporary refuge issued by the Slovak Republic.
Employment and social counselling
EMPLOYMENT COUNSELLING
Q: How and where to find a job in Slovakia?
On our website (link below) you can find some useful advice how to look for a job online. https://www.mic.iom.sk/en/en-bubles/321-employment-counselling.html
We also provide feedback to CVs and cover letters to non-EU residents with a valid residence permit in Slovakia. If you would like us to review your CV / cover letter, please contact our office at or one of our regional Employment councilors via email. The most used job search portal in Slovakia is Profesia.sk (also in English). You can filter the published job offers by location, language, job area, position, key words and other criteria. Here is an example: https://www.profesia.sk/en/work/bratislava-region/?positions[]=110&positions[]=189
There you can also set-up automatic sending of job offers by e-mail, based on your preferences. The section FAQ covers guidelines for using the portal Profesia.sk, such as looking for a job, creating a CV / cover letter, etc. Additionally, there is a Job Forum, available for registered members of Profesia.sk. The membership is free of charge.
Q: May I ask for a Financial support from IOM for courses of additional education or retraining?
You can find all necessary information about the Financial Contribution for Educational / Retraining Courses on our webpage here: Get a Financial Contribution for a Course - IOM Migration information center. The prerequisite and one of the conditions for approval of the grant (financial contribution) is that the course can help you in looking for a new job, can improve your position in your current job or business, or help you apply on the labor market in your field.
Q: In what cases is it necessary for me to have my foreign education recognized by Slovak authorities?
The competence for this topic lays on the Centre for recognition of diplomas (Stredisko na uznávanie dokladov o vzdelaní (SUDV)), which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic (Ministerstvo školstva, výskumu, vývoja a mládeže SR). This Centre makes decisions on the recognition of education, carrying out:
• Professional recognition - recognition of professional qualifications from abroad, performing regulated professions in the Slovak Republic (professions that require special training and their performance requires recognition in the case of professional qualifications abroad).
- Academic recognition - applies to the continuation of studies except for the pursuit of regulated professions. It is possible to recognize only the level of education, or the equivalence of the study field as well. Academic recognition does not apply to the Czech documents, which are in the sense of the bilateral presidential treaty equivalent to the Slovak documents automatically.
It is necessary to determine whether your qualifications relate to regulated professions or not.
Q: How to recognize a foreign education for a regulated profession?
First, find your profession on the website of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic.
Recognition of Education obtained in the territory of non-EU countries is carried out in two stages:
- At the first stage, the applicant applies to the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic for recognition of the document on education. Link here: Žiadosť o uznanie dokladu o vzdelaní a odbornej kvalifikácie na výkon regulovaného povolania v SR
- After the recognition of the document on education obtained in the territory of a non-EU state, the applicant is obliged to pass an additional exam at a secondary school or university.
The application is sent directly to the secondary school or university with the exam date (do not send the exam date application to the ministry). If no deadline is set for your profession, please contact the ministry at: .
Q: How to get a Financial support for the Recognition of Foreign Education from MIC IOM?
MIC IOM offers the possibility to apply for a financial contribution for the recognition of education documents and professional qualifications obtained abroad. You can find all information about the process on our webpage HERE. Please complete the Application for Financial Contribution and upload all required attachments.
SOCIAL COUNSELLING:
Q: As a foreigner am I eligible for social benefits in Slovakia?
In our webinar recording on family benefits, you may find complete information about social support benefits for foreigners, such as maternity benefit, parental allowance, child allowance, tax bonus, etc. Additionally, you may find complementary information on the MIC IOM Social Support Benefits page, where you can download the application materials. On this page, you will find all necessary guidelines, such as the description, eligibility requirements, amount of benefit, and how to apply for these benefits. You can find information about social insurance benefits here: Social Insurance - IOM Migration information centre
Q: What kind of health care am I entitled to as an Ukrainian with a temporary protection status in Slovakia?
The scope of health care from 1 September 2023 covers almost the same scope of health care as public health insurance and includes preventive examinations, urgent medical care and medical procedures (§ 2 and § 3 of Act No. 577/2004 Coll. on the scope of health care paid on the basis of public health insurance and on payments for services related to the provision of health care as amended).
Q: How to enroll my child in school?
The parent has several options:
- Arrange a direct meeting with the school director and visit a school in your area.
How to find out which school you belong to?
In Bratislava: Primary Schools – Bratislava.sk
- Contact the Department of Education in your City Borough/District Office
Bratislava: City Boroughs – Bratislava.sk
Košice: Mestské časti Košice
- Contact the Regional Offices of school administration:
Regionálne úrady školskej správy
DRIVING LICENSE
Q: How to change my driving license for a Slovak one?
If you have a temporary refuge in Slovakia, you can drive with your Ukrainian driving license without need to change your driving license for Slovak one.
If you have a temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia:
For driving motor vehicles in the Slovak Republic, in addition to a driver's license issued in the Slovak Republic, Slovakia recognizes valid driver's license from a country that is a party to the Road Traffic Convention signed on September 19, 1949 in Geneva or the Road Traffic Convention signed on November 8, 1968 in Vienna.
In the last-mentioned case, the holder of the relevant driver's license can exchange his driver's license for a Slovak one only if he has a "temporary or permanent residence permit" in the Slovak Republic.
For the first 185 days after obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia, you can drive a vehicle with a driver's license issued in the country of origin.
After 185 days have passed since obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia:
- You can exchange your driver's license for a Slovak one within 60 days,
- If you do not exchange your driver's license within the limited time (within 60 days after the expiration of 185 days from the moment of taking over or registering for residence), your driver's license is considered invalid.
To exchange or renew a driver's license, it is necessary to visit the local police department (at your address in Slovakia).
You must have:
- identity card (residence permit and passport);
- driver´s license from your home country;
- confirmation from the state that issued the driver's license. This document must be officially translated on Slovak language;
- official translation of your driver's license by a court translator.
Slovak language courses
Q: When will the next courses begin?
We are opening the Open Courses of Slovak Language regularly during the year. All the information about these courses can be found on our website, including the free online resources for self-studying.
Q: Do I have to buy some special materials or textbooks for the IOM courses?
No, you don´t need to buy textbooks or special materials for the courses. Our teachers will bring or share materials for the lessons.
Q: How long are the courses? What is the schedule? Are they online or in-person?
The courses usually last for two to three months; the schedule is mostly a 90 minute lesson twice or three times a week and they are organised both in-person and online.
Q: Can I get Slovak national visa based on attending the IOM course of Slovak?
As our courses are not certified, you cannot use them to get a Slovak national visa. For this purpose you should contact one of the private or public language schools in your location. A national visa can be granted to a foreigner of over 15 years of age accepted for language course at a language school in the duration of at least 25 teaching hours per week (for more information please see the IOM MIC webpage).
Q: Do you have courses for higher levels of Slovak?
Most of our courses are for absolute beginners up to A2 - B1 levels. For courses at higher levels, please contact the language schools or individual tutors.
Q: Why have you canceled my registration to the course?
You have probably registered to more groups at once or you have already attended our courses in the past.
Q: What should I do if I cannot attend the course any more?
Please let us know, so that we can unregister you and offer the place to other participants.
Q: What should I do if I want to register but all the groups are full?
In case all the groups are full, please follow our website. We are opening the registration for a new cycle of courses several times per year. You can send us your name and email to be notified once a new registration opens.
Telegram/Signal:
IOM Slovakia 
