National visa
- Last Updated: 23 November 2023
A national visa can be granted:
- in connection with the granting of residence in Slovakia,
- 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.
Application
- The application for a national visa shall be lodged with the embassy. The application for a national visa in the interest of the Slovak Republic may be submitted also to the Foreigners' Police Department - an appointment is required to make an application to the police.
The application shall be accompanied by:
- a valid travel document
- a colour photograph (3 x 3.5 cm)
- a document confirming the purpose of the stay (in the case of the national visa application submitted to be able to submit a residence application at the Foreigners' Police, all documents necessary to obtain a residence permit must be submitted),
- proof of health insurance.
The embassy or the Ministry of the Interior may request further documents only if the documents submitted are insufficient to decide on the application for a national visa.
An administrative fee is payable for the submission of the application:
- EUR 60 - national visa necessary in connection to a residence permit
- EUR 35 - national visa for the fulfilment of the Slovak Republic's obligations arising from international treaties or if it is in the interest of the Slovak Republic
- EUR 10 - national visa granted in relation to an already granted residence permit
The embassy/consulate shall decide on the application within 30 days of its receipt.
The national visa entitles its holder to stay in Slovakia for the period for which it was issued. The holder of a valid national visa may travel to other Member States for up to three months within any 180-day period under the same conditions as the holder of a residence permit issued by one of the Member States of the Schengen area.
Visa validity
The visa is usually granted for a stay of more than three months, up to a maximum of one year. In connection with the residence in Slovakia, however, the visa is issued for 90 days only and the visa for language training is issued for the duration of language training, up to 31 July of the school year concerned.
A national visa shall also be granted to a family member of an asylum-seeker or an alien with subsidiary protection, for the necessary period of time.
National visa in the interest of the Slovak Republic
National visa in the interest of the Slovak Republic can be granted to:
- citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan who will be employed as bus drivers or truck drivers (international and domestic transport),
- non-EU nationals with a university degree (from any country),
- scholarship holders of selected scholarship programmes (from any country),
- relocated non-EU nationals and their family members (from any country) and
- citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Nepal, Nort Macedonia, the Philippines, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan who will be employed in one of the eleven occupations in the industry.
A person who is granted a national visa in the interest of the Slovak Republic for the purpose of employment may work in Slovakia without the need for further permits. During the validity of the visa, the person may only work for the employer and in the employment for which the visa was granted (these details will be indicated on the visa), otherwise, the visa may be revoked.
Drivers
An applicant for a national visa must be on a list submitted by their prospective employer to the Ministry of Transport for approval and must not have been granted temporary residence for employment or have an application for such residence pending at the time of application for a national visa.
ATTENTION: An employer wishing to employ a driver on the basis of a national visa must meet specific conditions (e.g. be established in Slovakia for at least ten years, have no personal or property links to foreigners or to legal persons established outside Slovakia).
The document confirming the purpose of the stay is an employment contract and the relevant authorisation to drive a motor vehicle.
The national visa is granted for the duration of the employment, for a maximum of one year. It cannot be reissued.
Graduates
Graduates can apply for a national visa if they completed
- the second level of university studies in Slovakia or the Czech Republic,
- higher education studies at a selected university or research institution, or
- university studies of at least three years if they will be employed by an employer in the Slovak Republic in the selected occupations (the list is in Slovak only).
An applicant for a national visa who is a graduate of a Slovak, Czech school or other selected university or research institution must not have been granted temporary residence for the purpose of employment or study at the time of applying for the visa.
An applicant who is to be employed in selected occupations must not have been granted temporary residence for the purpose of employment at the time of applying for the visa.
The document confirming the purpose of stay is:
- university diploma or certificate of successful completion of university studies - if the graduate is applying for a visa for the purpose of seeking employment
- proof of education and a contract of employment or a written promise of employment from the employer, if the application is for a national visa for employment purposes.
The national visa is granted to graduates for the following purposes:
- seeking employment - for a period of 90 days,
- employment - for the duration of the employment, for a maximum period of one year.
Scholarship holders
Foreign students, university teachers, researchers, artists and other university and R&D staff can apply for a national visa if coming to Slovakia with the support of a scholarship funded by one of the following programmes:
- Erasmus+
- National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (NSP)
- programs implemented based on bilateral international agreements and cooperation programmes
- Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies (CEEPUS)
- Government Scholarship of the Slovak Republic
- Scholarships for talented students from abroad
- Scholarships for excellent researchers threatened by the war conflict in Ukraine
- Scholarships for excellent PhD students
The national visa shall be granted for a maximum period of one year.
Relocated employees and their family members
This national visa can be applied for by
- employees relocated from a company established outside Slovakia to an enterprise of the same company established in Slovakia, who will perform the function of a managerial employee or professional requiring special expertise, skills, abilities, knowledge, qualifications and experience necessary for the operation or management; and
- their family members (spouse and direct descendant who is under 21 years of age or dependent).
The relocated employee must work under an employment contract and their agreed salary must be at least twice the average salary of an employee in the economy of the Slovak Republic for the calendar year two years preceding the calendar year in which the relocated employee applies for a national visa.
The applicant for a national visa must be on a list submitted by their prospective employer to the Ministry of Economy for approval and must not have been granted residence under the Residence of Foreigners Act at the time of the application for a national visa.
The document confirming the purpose of the stay is:
- an employment contract or a written promise of employment by the employer; or
- a registry document.
A national visa is granted for the duration of the employment, for a maximum of one year, and may be granted repeatedly.
The family member may study or be employed during the period of validity of the national visa granted.
Industry
This type of national visa is available for the following jobs:
- equipment operator in the metallurgical and foundry industry not elsewhere specified,
- rubber products machine operator,
- assembly worker (operator) in engineering production,
- assembly worker in chemical, rubber and plastics production,
- electronic equipment assembler (operator),
- forklift truck operator,
- metal welder,
- CNC machine setter,
- metalworker,
- construction and operating electrician, or
- maintenance worker.
The applicant for a national visa must be on a list submitted by their prospective employer to the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family for approval and must not have been granted temporary residence for employment or have submitted an application for such residence at the time of applying for a national visa.
ATTENTION: An employer wishing to employ a driver based on a national visa must meet specific conditions (e.g. be established in Slovakia for at least four years, not have been fined for illegal employment and have fulfilled tax and levy obligations).
The document confirming the purpose of the stay is
- an employment contract (for occupations 1. - 5.), or
- an employment contract and a copy of the proof of education or professional qualification necessary for the performance of the job (occupations 6 - 11).
The national visa is granted for the duration of the employment, up to a maximum of one year. It cannot be reissued. Its holders cannot apply for temporary residence with another employer.
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