Residence of family members of Union citizens

The family member of an EU citizen is a third-country national who is:

1. their spouse,
2. their child under the age of 21, their dependent child and such children of their spouse,
3. their dependent direct relative in descending or ascending line and such relative of their spouse,
4. any other family member not covered by points a) to c) who is a dependent person in the country of their origin,
5. any other family member not covered by points a) to c) who is a member of their household,
6. any other family member not covered by points a) to c) who for serious medical reasons is dependent on their care,
7. their partner, with whom an EU citizen has a lasting, duly attested relationship,
8. a third-country national who has a right of residence in the same Member State in which an EU citizen has residence permit and the citizen of the EU is a citizen of the Slovak Republic with whom a third-country national returns to or joins for residence back in the territory of the Slovak Republic and meets any of the conditions mentioned by points a) to g) in relation to a citizen of the Slovak Republic.

Download Fact Sheet: Residence of Family Members of EU Citizens

Note: A family member of a Slovak national is usually not considered a family member of an EU citizen, and therefore these provisions do not apply, except for when a Slovak citizen returns to Slovakia together with their family member with whom they have lived in another EU Member State. 

Reporting duty

Family members of EU citizens are obliged to report the beginning of their residence to the Foreign Police within 10 working days from the date of entry into the Slovak Republic.

Residence card application

Family members of EU citizens are obliged to submit the application for a residence card to the Foreign Police within 30 days after the expiration of three months from the date of entry in Slovakia. Within 30 days of applying, the Foreign Police Department will issue a "Residence card of an EU citizen family member", valid for five years or for the duration of the sponsor’s probable stay, if less than five years.

Documents to be submitted with the application:

1. a valid travel document,
2. two current 3 x 3.5 cm photos,
3. a document certifying the existence of a family relationship with the sponsor (e.g. a marriage certificate, birth certificate)
4. certificate of the sponsor’s registration of residence,
5. other documents that demonstrate the facts set out in the definition of an EU citizen's family member.

If the family member of an EU citizen does not submit proof of accommodation, the police shall indicate the address of the municipality where they will be staying as the address on the confirmation of the application submission for the issue of the residence document.

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. 

Public documents (e.g. a marriage/birth certificate) issued abroad must be legalised (apostille or consular legalisation) and translated to Slovak by a certified translator.

The residence document shall expire if the temporary absence of the foreigner in the territory of the Slovak Republic exceeds a total of six months of the year.

Right of permanent residence

A family member of an EU citizen is eligible for permanent residence if they continuously reside with the sponsor for a period of five years, and for less than five years if the sponsor is eligible for permanent residence. 

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