IOM MIGRATION INFORMATION CENTRE

Under the Act on the Residence of Foreigners, a Union citizen is:

A Union citizen is entitled to a residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic during a period longer than three months if he/she:

• is employed in Slovakia;
• is self-employed in Slovakia;
• studies in primary or secondary school or at a university in Slovakia;
• has sufficient financial means for himself as well as for his family members, to prevent them from burdening the social security system during their stay and has health insurance in Slovakia;
• will potentially find employment;
• is a family member of a Union citizen who meets one of the above-mentioned conditions and whom he/she is accompanying or joining.

Download Fact Sheet: Residence of EU Citizens

Reporting duty

EU citizens are obliged to report their stay within 10 business days from the date of entry into the territory of the Slovak Republic to the Foreign Police Department according to their place of residence by completing the Notice of Stay form unless the provider of accommodation (e.g. hotel) does it instead. This means the notification is necessary in case the Union citizen lives with relatives, friends or in a rented apartment.

Registration of the right of residence in Slovakia

A Union citizen staying in Slovakia for a period longer than three months is obliged to register his/her residence within 30 days from the lapse of three months from entering Slovakia.  

• a valid identification card or a valid travel document and
• a document confirming one of the matters above (e.g. employment contract, trade licence, confirmation from school, an affidavit stating that he/she is seeking employment, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.). A Union citizen, who cannot submit an employment contract or trade licence, can provide proof that he/she has sufficient means (the minimum subsistence level of EUR 218.06 in cash or a bank account statement) and health insurance in Slovakia (confirmation from a health insurance company or EU insurance card).

On the day of submitting a complete application, the Foreign Police Department will issue a confirmation on the residence registration, which will contain the name, surname and address of the registered person as well as the date of registration. If the Union citizen fails to submit a document on accommodation, the municipality where he/she will be staying will be stated as the address.

Union Citizens may apply for the issuance of a residence card valid for 5 years. A valid travel document or a valid identification card, 2 photographs (3 x 3.5 cm) and proof of accommodation need to be attached to the application for issuance of a residence card.

Proof of accommodation can be:

• an affidavit of a foreign national about ownership of a property (if they own property), or 
• a 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,
• confirmation from an accommodation facility (e.g. a hotel or a boarding house) or
• an affidavit of a natural person or a legal entity about the provision of accommodation to a foreigner in the Slovak Republic and documentation of eligibility to use the property if it is a tenancy agreement with the user of the property.

Signatures in affidavits and tenancy agreements must be notarized. 

The right of a Union citizen to permanent residence