This section contains answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Employment and social counselling:
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:
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:
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.
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: Can I submit the application electronically?
As of 15 December 2024, based on legislative changes, it should be possible to submit certain types of applications also by electronic means based on a valid and activated residence document. The law allows online submission of applications for the renewal of temporary residence, issuance of a new residence card, applications for long-term residence, and applications for permanent residence for an unlimited period. Currently, however, electronic submission is only possible for applications for renewal of a temporary residence and applications for an issuance of a residence document.
You can submit your renewal application in two ways:
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:
Who books the appointment and how:
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:
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:
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):
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. We also recommend checking the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic, where the dates and areas when it is occasionally possible to visit the Foreign Police without an appointment are published.
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 must book your appointment and go to the Foreign Police department competent for your place of residence, if:
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:
The amounts of all fees linked to residence of foreigners in Slovakia can be found HERE.
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:
The document on accommodation may be one of the following:
Signatures on affidavits and tenancy agreements must be notarized (with the exception of affidavits signed at the Foreign Police).
A request for the issuance of a new residence document can also be submitted online, but only if you still have a valid residence card that has been activated by the Foreign Police. The residence card can be activated at the Foreign Police without a reserved appointment and on the spot.
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:
The document on accommodation may be one of the following:
Signatures on affidavits and tenancy agreements must be notarized (with the exception of affidavits signed at the Foreign Police).
A request for the issuance of a new residence document can also be submitted online, but only if you still have a valid residence card that has been activated by the Foreign Police. The residence card can be activated at the Foreign Police without a reserved appointment and on the spot.
Q: What changes related to my documents and residence in Slovakia do I have to report to the Foreign Police?
You are obliged to inform the Foreign Police about specific changes in your residence status, marital status, as well as changes linked to your personal data and identification/travel documents.
This includes getting married or divorced, changing your name, changing your passport, losing your residence card, staying abroad for an extended period of time, or if the purpose for which you obtained the residence status ceases to exist (such as quitting work if you have temporary residence for employment, or interrupting studies if you have temporary residence for study).
The full list of your obligations is available HERE.
Q: How should I report important changes to the Foreign Police?
We advise reporting the changes by a simple notification letter sent to your competent Foreign Police department (contacts HERE) by registered post, attaching the relevant supporting documentation where relevant.
Alternatively, you can inform the Foreign Police by submitting the relevant notification and supporting documentation in person.
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:
The Foreign Police will grant the following residence permit to a child born in Slovakia:
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.
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:
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:
Important:
Q: I graduated from a Slovak university and want to start working - do any special conditions apply in my case?
Yes. As a successful graduate of a Slovak high school or university, you can:
The above applies to the territory of Slovakia only.
Alternatively, graduates of Slovak universities can apply for national visa in the interest of the Slovak Republic (details HERE).
Q: When will the temporary refuge be extended?
A: The status of temporary refuge in Slovakia has been automatically extended until March 4, 2026. You can generate and print a new document confirming the "Temporary Refuge" status on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic or via the QR code on your document.
Q: Can I apply for the issuance of a plastic residence document for Temporary refuge?
A: You can apply for for a plastic card via online booking system with any Foreign Police department (choose in okruh situácií - DOČASNÉ ÚTOČISKO; situácie - ŽIADOSŤ O VYDANIE DOKLADU O POBYTE (DOČASNÉ ÚTOČISKO)). You will need to submit the following documents in person at the Foreign Police department:
Document on tolerated residence "Temporary refuge", printed from the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, remains valid and can still be used to register the address of stay at the municipality office (upon presenting document proving your accommodation).
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.
With a valid passport and a valid plastic residence document 'Temporary refuge', you may cross the border without problems.
If you only have a printed document of tolerated residence 'Temporary refuge', we recommend contacting the competent authorities (e.g., embassy) of the country you intend to travel to, regarding the entry conditions valid in that country, and also verifying whether you will be allowed to re-enter the Schengen Area with this document.
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).
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.
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:
How to find out which school you belong to?
In Bratislava: Primary Schools – Bratislava.sk
Bratislava: City Boroughs – Bratislava.sk
Košice: Mestské časti Košice
Regionálne úrady školskej správy
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:
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:
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.