The applicant must submit the following documents:

1. completed application form
2. proof of payment of the administrative fee (as required for the relevant type of residence)
3. valid travel document (passport)
4. document proving the purpose of the residence
5. document proving a clear criminal record
6. confirmation of accommodation
7. proof of financial coverage (applicable only to temporary residence for business)

All documents submitted with the application must not be older than 90 days. Each document issued abroad must be authenticated (either by an apostille or a consular superlegalization) and must be officially translated to the Slovak language, or to Czech language. Translations prepared abroad must be accompanied by a confirmation from the diplomatic mission of the SR that they were performed by an authorised person (does not apply to translations prepared in the Czech Republic).

The applicant must enter the territory of Slovakia within 180 days of obtaining a temporary residence. Within 3 working days of arrival to Slovakia, the person must report the beginning of their residence at the Foreign Police and within 3 working days of receiving the residence card, they have to conclude health insurance. Within 30 days of obtaining the residence card, it is also necessary to submit a document on health insurance in Slovakia and a medical report not older than 30 days confirming that the person does not suffer from any disease which could endanger public health to the Foreign Police.  

Application

An application must be submitted using an official form issued by the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. You can download the Application form for temporary residence or the Application form for renewal of temporary residence.

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Fees

The amount of administrative fee applicable when applying for a temporary residence for different purposes at the Foreign Police Department (the figure in parenthesis applies when an application is submitted at the Slovak embassy/consulate abroad):

• business: EUR 330 (350)
• employment: EUR 250
• seasonal employment: EUR 50
• special activities: EUR 140
• family reunion: EUR 200
• performing professional duties by civilian units of the armed forces: EUR 100
• Blue Card: EUR 250
• a person with long-term residence status in another EU Member State who is conducting business activities in Slovakia: EUR 330
• a person with long-term residence status in another EU Member State who is employed in Slovakia: EUR 250
• a person with long-term residence status in another EU Member State who is performing special activities or research and development in Slovakia: EUR 140
• a person with long-term residence status in another EU Member State who is a family member of another EU long-term resident and the family already existed in another member state: EUR 200

The administrative fee for issuance and delivery of the residence card within Slovakia is EUR 10 (within 30 days) or EUR 39 (within 2 business days). The administrative fee can be paid at the Foreign Police Department through a vending machine or at a post office. In some cases, the applicant is exempt from paying the administrative fee – please check this in advance. 

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Purpose

The document proving the purpose of residence can be a work permit issued by the Labour Office, employer´s confirmation that a work permit is not required, admission letter from a school, confirmation on the performance of a lecturing activity from a school or educational facility, confirmation from an art, educational or sports organization, confirmation of internship, Certificate of a Slovak Living Abroad, marriage certificate or a birth certificate of a child. 

The document on the purpose of residence does not have to be submitted by a person who is:

• applying for the single permit (i.e. temporary residence for the purpose of employment issued based on confirmation of the possibility to fill a vacancy),
• applying for temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment.

A detailed list of documents required to prove the purpose of temporary residence in Slovakia can be found in the article "How to document the purpose of residence?".

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Criminal Record

A clean criminal record is proved by submitting a criminal record statement issued by the country of the applicant´s citizenship and a criminal record statement issued in the country where the applicant has resided for more than 90 days during 6 consecutive months in the last 3 years; not applicable if such country is a Member State enabling provision of information on convictions from its criminal register (in such case the applicant provides data required to request information from the criminal register of the Member State). Applicants for temporary residence for the purpose of research and development must prove their lack of conviction by means of a criminal record statement issued in the country of their longest residence in the last ten years. If the country of origin of the foreign national does not issue such documents, it is possible to substitute it with an equivalent document issued by a judicial or administrative authority of the country of origin, or it may be substituted with an affidavit signed in front of a competent judicial or administrative authority or at a notary of the country of origin or residence. Proof of a clear criminal record must be valid in the whole territory of the country which has issued the document (e.g. in the case of the USA, a Federal Identification Record extract issued by the FBI is required; a national Identification Record valid only for the territory of one state is not sufficient). In justified cases, the police department can accept a criminal record statement older than 90 days if the period between the issuance of the document and the arrival of the third-country national in Slovakia does not exceed 90 days.

The obligation of proving clear criminal record does not apply to a foreign national who:

• is applying for temporary residence as a secondary school student;
• is applying for temporary residence for the purpose of performing professional duties by civilian units of the armed forces;
• has a long-term residence permit in another EU Member State;
• is a foreign national younger than 14 years of age, or
• is applying for temporary residence as a person with an acknowledged status of a Slovak Living Abroad, if the application is submitted within 60 days of the issuance of the certificate of a Slovak Living Abroad.

A criminal record statement is not required when applying for the change in the purpose or the type of residence if the foreign national previously submitted it together with the application for granting their previous residence.

Notice for US citizens. A federal Identification Record (criminal history record) valid for the whole territory of the United States of America is required when applying for a residence permit. A national Identification Record valid only for the territory of one state is not sufficient. Allow approximately 13 weeks for processing of your request. Therefore it is necessary to make the request with sufficient advance. The federal Identification Record is issued by the FBI and an apostille is not required. 

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Finances

The residence of a foreign national in Slovakia must be financially covered at least in the amount of the subsistence minimum for each month of residence (as of July 2025, the amount of subsistence minimum is EUR 284.13/month). If the length of stay exceeds one year, the amount of 12 times the minimum subsistence level is required (as of July 2025 this adds up to EUR 3 409.56).

Financial coverage is documented by a bank account balance confirmation in the applicant's name (from a bank in the territory of Slovakia or from a bank in his/her country of origin).

A foreign national applying for temporary residence for the purpose of business must also prove financial resources to cover business activities by a business account balance amounting to 20-times the subsistence minimum in case of a sole trader and amounting to 100-times the subsistence minimum in case of a statutory representative of a commercial company. 

Notice: When renewing temporary residence for the purpose of business (of a sole trader), it is necessary to prove taxed income from the business activities for the previous fiscal period of at least 20-times the subsistence minimum. If the business was not conducted during the entire previous fiscal year, it is necessary to prove taxed income in the amount of twice the subsistence minimum for each month of residence in the previous fiscal year. According to the Bureau of Border and Foreign Police, taxed income is the difference between the tax base and the tax liability (tax base - tax to be paid = taxed income).

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Accommodation

Document confirming the provision of accommodation must be issued for a minimum period of 6 months; in case the foreign national is applying for temporary residence for a shorter period, accommodation must be provided for the entire stay. Document confirming the provision of accommodation can be, for example:

• affidavit on the ownership of a property (if the foreigner is the property owner), or
• tenancy agreement with the owner or user of the property and proof of eligibility to use the property in case of a tenancy agreement with the property user, or
• confirmation from an accommodation facility (hotel, hostel, dormitory) on the provision of accommodation, or 
• affidavit of a physical person or a legal entity on the provision of accommodation and proof of eligibility to use the property in case of an affidavit of the property user, or
• affidavit of the property landlord on the validity of the tenancy agreement (if when applying for the previous temporary residence the foreign national proved his/her accommodation by the tenancy agreement and it is still valid for at least six months). 

This document does not have to be submitted by a person:

• regularly crossing the state borders when commuting to work or school from a neighbouring state,
• applying for temporary residence for the purpose of employment issued based on confirmation of the possibility to fill a vacancy and who will be employed in international transport,
• applying for temporary residence for the purpose of study (university studies) or special activity (activities resulting from Slovak Government/EU programmes/fulfilling commitments of the Slovak Republic resulting from international treaties), or a person who was granted a long-term residence permit in other EU Member State and, at the same time, will be studying at university,
• applying for temporary residence for the purpose of research and development,
• applying for temporary residence of a Slovak Living Abroad.

A document confirming the provision of accommodation to a foreign national who represents or works for a significant investor in the Slovak Republic, their spouse and child, can be older than 90 days. 

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Health Insurance

A foreign national must sign up for health insurance within 3 working days of collecting the residence card. A document on health insurance must confirm that a foreign national has medical insurance or that he/she has insurance coverage of health care costs in the territory of the Slovak Republic. A foreign national must submit the health insurance confirmation to the Foreign Police within 30 days of collecting the residence card. This does not apply to a foreign national with temporary residence for the purpose of employment, studying, or performing professional duties by civilian units of the armed forces or a foreign national with an acknowledged status of a Slovak Living Abroad. 

Medical Report

A medical report certifying that the foreign national does not suffer from an illness endangering public health must be submitted within 30 days of collecting the residence card. The police may extend the time limit for submitting the medical report by 60 days at the request of the foreigner. The medical report cannot be older than 30 days. 

This document does not have to be submitted by a person:

• with temporary residence for the purpose of performing professional duties by civilian units of the armed forces, 
• with acknowledged status of a Slovak Living Abroad,
• with temporary residence based on a long-term residence in another Member State, 
• with residence in another Member State,
• who is changing the type or the purpose of residence.

The medical report may be issued by one of these medical facilities only:

Bratislava region:

• Poliklinika cudzokrajných chorôb, ZAMA s.r.o., Americké námestie 3, Bratislava, Tel: +421 2 52925688, 
• Inštitút očkovania a cestovnej medicíny s.r.o., Teslova 33, Bratislava, Tel: +421 2 44635473, Mobile: +421 915 889054,   
• Medicínske zariadenie Mlynská Dolina s.r.o., Staré Grunty 56, 841 04 Bratislava, Tel: +421 2 3231 3025, Mobile: +421 911 392220,
• Travel Health Clinic s.r.o., Tehelná 26, 831 03 Bratislava, Tel: +421 905742898,

Trnava region:

• Špecializovaná infektologická ambulancia spoločnosti KARIBU s.r.o., ul. Hlavná 31/15, 917 01 Trnava, Mobil: +421 907 311127,  
• Infekčná klinika Fakultnej nemocnice Trnava, A. Žarnova 11, 917 75 Trnava, Tel.: +421 33 593811, Fax.: +421 033 5938768, 

Nitra region:

• Fakultná nemocnica Nitra, Ambulancia pre cudzokrajné choroby, Špitálska 6, 950 01 Nitra, Tel: +421 37 6545955, 
• Nemocnica AGEL, Bernolákova 4, Zlaté Moravce, Tel: +421 948 350 123, 
• Nemocnica Komárno s.r.o., Mederčská č. 39, 945 05 Komárno, Tel: +421 948 350 123, +421 35 7909579, 
• Travel Health Clinic s.r.o., Tehelná 26, 831 03 Bratislava, Tel: +421 905742898, , miesto prevádzkovania: Špitálska 13, 949 01 Nitra
• ID Clinic s.r.o., Hornočemánska 806/4, 949 01 Nitra, Tel: +421 951 078 258, 

Trenčín region:

• TC Ambulancia s.r.o., Dolný Šianec 1013/1, 911 01 Trenčín, Tel: +421 915 992086,  

Banská Bystrica region:

• Ambulancia cestovnej medicíny pri Infekčnom oddelení Fakultnej nemocnice s poliklinikou F. D. Roosevelta v Banskej Bystrici, Cesta k nemocnici 1, 975 17 Banská Bystrica, Tel: +421 48 4335315
• Nemocnica Zvolen, Kuzmányho nábrežie 28, 960 01 Zvolen, Tel: +421 948 350 123, +421 45 5201515, 

Žilina region:

• Inštitút očkovania a cestovnej medicíny s.r.o., ŽILPO, s.r.o., Vysokoškolákov 31, Žilina, Mobile: +421 917 131479, 
• Univerzitná nemocnica Martin, Klinika infektológie a cestovnej medicíny, Ambulancia pre cudzokrajné choroby, Kollárova 2, Martin, Tel: +421 43 4203637, +421 43 4203386, 
• Travel Health Clinic s. r. o., Bratislavská 4, 010 01 Žilina, Tel: +421 905 742 898,  

Prešov region:

• Ambulancia tropickej medicíny pri Infektologickej ambulancii, Nemocnica arm. generála L. Svobodu Svidník a. s., ul. MUDr. Pribilu 412/4, 089 01 Svidník, Tel.: +421 54 7860564, Mobile: +421 917 556425, 
• Nemocnica Poprad, a. s., Banícka 803/28, 058 45 Poprad
• Fakultná nemocnica s poliklinikou J.A. Reimana Prešov, Hollého 14, 081 81 Prešov

Košice region:

• Stredisko cestovnej medicíny - Infektologická ambulancia LV - Medical, s.r.o., Gemerská 3, Košice 040 11, Tel: +421 55 625 05 55, Mobile: +421 949 554 187,  
• Univerzitná nemocnica L. Pasteura Košice, Klinika infektológie a cestovnej medicíny, Rastislavova 43, Košice, Tel: +421 55 6152200, +421 55 6152201,  
• Nemocnica s poliklinikou Štefana Kukuru Michalovce a.s., Špitálska 2, 071 01 Michalovce, Tel: +421 56 641 6809,

The list of departments of exotic diseases and tropical medicine which issue the required medical report is also available on the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.

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Authentication of documents

All documents issued by an authority of a foreign state must be duly authenticated as follows: 

A) Higher authentication of documents – consular superlegalisation is required to determine the authenticity of foreign official documents if a country where the document was issued is neither a state party to the Hague Convention on Apostille (see below) nor has signed a bilateral agreement with Slovakia on legal assistance. Document issued in such a country must be authenticated first by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country which issued the document and after that by the Slovak diplomatic mission (embassy, consulate) in the given country. 

B) Apostille – authentication of documents by means of an Apostille is recognized by the state parties to The Hague Convention from 1961 about abolishing the requirement for the higher authentication of documents (Hague Convention on Apostille). The Apostille is placed (imprinted) directly on the document or the attachment. Its size is 9 x 9 cm and contains the text "APOSTILLE (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)". 

C) Only in specific cases, if the document was issued by a state which signed a bilateral agreement on legal assistance with Slovakia, the document does not need to be authenticated.

How long does it take to process my residence application? 

The Foreign Police department or an embassy will issue the applicant with a confirmation of receiving the application on the day of its submission. The Foreign Police department will issue a decision within 90 days from receiving the application, or within 60 days in case of a foreign national applying for the single permit (i.e. temporary residence for the purpose of employment issued based on confirmation of the possibility to fill a vacancy), or within 30 days from receiving the complete application of a foreign national who:  

• is applying for temporary residence for the purpose of study 
• is applying for temporary residence for the purpose of special activity
• is applying for temporary residence for the purpose of research and development
• is applying for temporary residence as a person with acknowledged status of a Slovak Living Abroad
• will be employed in shortage professions in the respective region, provided that the share of third country nationals employed by the employer is less than 45% of the total number of employees
• is applying for temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment, if in the past 5 years, he/she performed seasonal employment only with a work permit for a maximum period of 90 days (because the temporary residence is not required) or he/she was granted temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal employment
• represents or works for a business services centre or a technology centre (applies also to a spouse or a child younger than 18 years of age of this foreign national)
• represents or works for a foreign investor in the Slovak Republic and equally is a citizen of the member state of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (applies also to a spouse or a child younger than 18 years of age of this foreign national)
• represents or works for a significant foreign investor in the Slovak Republic (applies also to a spouse or a child younger than 18 years of age of this foreign national)
• is applying for a Blue Card (applies also to a family member of this foreign national applying for temporary residence for family reunion if the applications were submitted at the same time)
• is applying for temporary residence under Paragraph 22, section 1, item "b" on the basis of a business plan for the implementation of an innovative project.