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Schengen visa

To visit Slovakia, most foreign nationals apply for the uniform Schengen visa. The uniform Schengen visa allows its holder to enter the Schengen Area Member States for example for tourism, visiting relatives and friends, etc. It may be issued for one, two or more entries. The length of residence in the Schengen Area based on this type of visa may not exceed 90 days within any 180 days. In general, the uniform Schengen visa cannot be used for employment or other similar profit-focused activity. We recommend calculating the period of stay in the territory of Schengen countries and checking the compliance with the 90/180 rule, by using a Visa calculator.
 

HOW TO APPLY FOR VISA?

The visa application is submitted on an official application form at the Diplomatic Mission (Embassy or Consulate) of the Slovak Republic accredited for the country where the applicant resides or the country of his citizenship. The visa application must be submitted in person, not earlier than six months before the planned trip to Slovakia.

You will need the following documents:

  1. filled in and signed the application form
  2. one passport-size color photo (3 x 3.5 cm);
  3. passport, valid for at least 3 months after the expiration date of the visa;
  4. documents proving the purpose and the conditions of the planned trip, such as
    • organized/individual tourism: a travel voucher, or an invitation letter from the person who is inviting you to stay or an invitation verified by the Foreign Police Department;
    • business trips: an invitation letter issued by the business partner or institution, or an invitation verified by the Foreign Police Department; for repeated business trips submit a contract of cooperation with the Slovak company;
    • international conferences, seminars, symposiums, cultural and sports events: an invitation letter issued by the event organizer, or an official letter from the sending organization requesting a visa for its employee, or entry tickets to trade fairs, congresses or other events;
    • other purposes: other documents confirming the purpose of the trip and residence in Slovakia.
  5. travel ticket or other documents: a round trip ticket (flight ticket, bus/train ticket, must not be an open ticket!), if travelling by car, submitting a driver's license and vehicle registration certificate, a green card (third party liability insurance);
  6. proof of accommodation (if accommodated with the inviting person, it should be explicitly stated in the invitation letter);
  7. proof of financial means in the amount of at least EUR 56 for each day of residence: 
    • cash in convertible currency;
    • traveller’s cheques;
    • bank account statement confirming regular income (salary, retirement pension) for the period of the past 6-12 months;
    • other documents guaranteeing financial means in convertible currency.

Applicants are advised to carry the document proving sufficient financial means for the period of their residence stated in the visa, as it might be requested at the border in the Slovak Republic.

  1. international travel health insurance policy – must cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention or emergency hospital treatment. The insurance must be valid in all Schengen Member States. Minimum coverage must be EUR 30,000;
  2. other documents – to grant a visa, the embassy is entitled to require any other document with the aim to verify the declared purpose of the journey and the intention to return to the country of residence;
  3. the visa fee - EUR 80.

The visa application processing time is 15 calendar days. This period can be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days, particularly if further assessment of the application is needed. 

A simplified visa issuance process applies to nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine. In these cases, the decision period for a visa application is 10 calendar days, and the fee is 35 EUR.

Visa is granted into the passport in the form of a sticker. After receiving the visa, a foreign national is allowed to stay in the Schengen area for the duration of the visa. The visa is not legally enforceable. The Embassy is entitled to define a border crossing to enter the country, which shall be recorded in the Schengen visa. 

A foreign national who has been granted the visa must report the beginning, the location and the estimated length of residence at the competent Foreign Police Department within three days of entry in the territory of the Slovak Republic. If the foreign national is accommodated in a hotel or other accommodation facility, the provider of accommodation bears this obligation.

INVITATION

It is possible that together with your visa application, you will need to submit an invitation verified by the Foreign Police Department. It is necessary to verify this obligation at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in your country. The invitation verification must be applied for by the host at the competent Foreign Police Department according to their place of residence. The invitation verification is submitted on the official application form. The application must include information concerning the purpose of the visit. 

The application must be submitted together with documents proving:

  1. the purpose of the invitation;
  2. financial coverage by means of the bank statements for the last three months of the inviting person. The amount must be at least twelve-times  the subsistence minimum (as of July 2024, the subsistence minimum is EUR 273.99) and EUR 56 for each day of stay (i.e. a total of EUR 8 327.88 per 90-day stay);
  3. accommodation (confirmation of the accommodation facility, declaration of the owner of the property about the provision of the accommodation or declaration of the property user if they are authorized to do so; signatures must be officially verified).

All documents must not be older than 90 days. The Foreign Police Department proceeds with the application within 15 days, and a fee of EUR 50 is charged. An invitation verified by the Foreign Police Department is valid for 90 days from the date of verification.  Once the invitation is verified, the inviting person should send it to the applicant who will attach it to the Schengen visa application.

  • If the inviting person is an individual: A foreign national may be invited by an individual who is a citizen of the Slovak Republic or a foreign national who has temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia. A document confirming that the applicant can cover all costs related to the stay and departure of the foreign national (e.g. bank statements for the last three months) is attached to the application. If a relative is invited, it is necessary to submit a document proving a family relationship (original or a verified copy with official translation).
  • If the inviting person is a legal entity: A legal entity or a sole trader may invite a foreign national who performs similar activities to come to Slovakia. A Commercial Register extract or a Trade License (original or verified copy) is attached to the application. A document confirming that the applicant can cover all costs related to the stay and departure of the foreign national (e.g. bank statements for the last three months) is attached to the application.

OTHER VISA TYPES

Other types of visas exist in addition to the uniform Schengen visa:

Airport transit visa


Allows foreign nationals to pass through the international transit area of one or more airports of the Schengen Area Member States when travelling from one non-Schengen state to another non-Schengen state. The length of the authorised stay corresponds to the time necessary for transit.

National visa

A national visa can be granted:

  • in connection with granted residence in Slovakia,
  • in connection with the granting of residence in Slovakia (this does not apply in case of an application for a temporary residence for the purpose of business),
  • to a foreigner over 15 years of age, who is admitted for language training at a language school for at least 25 hours per week,
  • it is necessary for the fulfilment of the Slovak Republic's obligations under international treaties, or
  • in the interest of the Slovak Republic.

For more information on national visas, see the separate article.

Limited territorial validity visa (LTV) 

This visa is valid for the territory of the Schengen Member State which issued the visa. In exceptional cases, it may be valid in the territory of several Schengen Member States if each of these states grants a permit. It is issued exceptionally on humanitarian grounds, for reasons of national interest or because of international obligations.

 

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