Advice and information for foreigners in Slovakia

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Residence General information Schengen visa for the entry into Slovakia
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Schengen visa for the entry into Slovakia Print
Most foreign nationals apply for a short-term visa. Short-term visa allows its holder to enter the territory of Schengen Area member states for the purpose of tourism, visit of relatives and friends, study trips etc., and is issued for one or more trips. The period of residence of the foreign national in the Schengen Area may not exceed 90 days in six months from the day he has entered the Schengen Area. A short-term visa cannot be used for employment or other similar profit-focused activity.

Except the shor-term visa the following types of visa exist:

  • Airport transit visa: Allows the foreign national to pass through the international transit area without actually entering the territory of the state concerned during a break or a transfer between two parts of an international flight.
  • Transit visa: Allows the foreign national who travels from one third country to another to travel through Schengen Area countries. This visa allows its holder for one or more transits providing none of them will take more than five days.
  • Long-term visa: Allows the foreign national for entry and residence for more than 90 days in six months and may be granted if it is needed in connection to granting of a residence permit or to fulfil obligations of Slovak Republic arising from international agreements, or if it is in the interest of the Slovak Republic.
  • Group visa: Is granted to a group passport (5 to 50 persons) created before the travel from the home country, if the members of the group will enter the territory, stay in the territory and leave the territory as a group.
  • Visa with limited territorial validity: This is national visa valid for the Slovak Republic only, it allows transit from the territory of one or more Schengen states with the aim of reaching the territory of Slovakia. It can be granted in connection to a residence permit or in order to comply with obligations arising from international agreements.

How to apply for visa

The visa application is submitted on an official application form at the Embassy (Diplomatic Mission or Consulate) of the Slovak Republic accredited for the country where the applicant resides or the country of his citizenship. or The visa application must be submitted in person and it should not be filed earlier than 3 months prior to the planned trip to Slovakia.

You will need the following documents:

  1. filled in and signed form of the application form available in English here
  2. color photo of your face, 3 X 3.5 cm
  3. valid passport, it must be valid until at least 3 months after the expiration date of the visa
  4. documents proving the purpose of the residence, such as
    1. organized/individual tourism: voucher issued by a travel agency or an invitation issued by a person inviting you or an invitation issued by the alien police department
    2. business trips: invitation issued by the business partner or institution, or invitation issued by the alien police department, for repeated business trips submit a co-operation contract with the Slovak company
    3. International conferences, seminars, symposiums, cultural and sports events: invitation issued by the event ´s organizer , official letter from the sending organization requesting issuance of a visa for its employee, entry tickets for trade fairs, congresses or  other events
    4. other purposes: other documents confirming the purpose of the trip and residence in Slovakia
  5. travel ticket or other document: submitting of a roundtrip ticket (flight ticket, bus/train ticket, may not be an open ticket), if travelling by car, submitting a drivers license and technical card, green card (third party liability insurance),
  6. documents proving accommodation (if accommodated with the host this must be explicitly stated in the invitation),
  7. proof of financial means in the amount of at least EUR 54.40 for each day of residence:
    1. cash in  convertible currency
    2. traveller’s cheques
    3. bank account statement  confirming regular income (salary, retirement pension) for the period of past 6-12 months
    4. other documents; guaranteeing financial means in convertible currency

      5. Applicants are advised to carry the document relating to their financial coverage with them since they might be asked to prove sufficient financial means for the period of their residence stated in the visa at the border in the Slovak Republic
    International travel medical insurance – 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
  8. other documents –for the purpose of granting 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 back to the country of origin or residence
  9. EUR 60 fee
The period for decision about the visa application is 15 calendar days. This period can be extended up to 30 calendar days, particularly if further assessment of the application is needed. Exceptionally, when additional documents are needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 60 calendar days.

Visa is granted into the passport in form of a sticker. After receiving the visa a foreign national is allowed to stay in the Schengen area during the period indicated in the visa. There is no legal claim on obtaining the visa applied for.

The Embassy is entitled to define a border crossing in order to enter the country, which shall be recorded in the Schengen visa.

A foreign national who has been granted visa must within three days from the entry in the territory of the Slovak Republic report the beginning, location and estimated length of residence to a Police Department. 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 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 inviting person at the competent Foreign Police Department according to his/her place of residence/seat. The invitation verification is submitted on an official application form, available here. The application must include information concerning the purpose of the visit. The application´s supporting documents must not be older than 90 days. The Foreign Police Department shall decide within 15 days from submission of the application and a fee of EUR 33 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 that is a citizen of the Slovak Republic with permanent residence in Slovakia or a foreign national that has a temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit. A document confirming that the applicant is able to cover all costs related to the stay and departure of the foreign national (e.g. a bank account statement) is attached to the application. If a relative is invited it is necessary to submit a document proving family relationship (original or a verified copy).
  • 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 is able to cover all costs related to the stay and departure of the foreign national (e.g. a bank account statement) is attached to the application.

Other visa types

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

Visa with limited territorial validity (LTV visa)

This visa is valid for the territory of the Schengen member state which issued the visa. Exceptionally it may be valid on the territories of several Schengen member states, if each of these states agrees. It is issued exceptionally on humanitarian grounds, for reasons of national interest or because of international obligations.

Airport transit visa

Allows the foreign national travelling from one third country to another third country to pass through the international transit area of one or more airports of the Schengen member states. The length of authorised stay corresponds to the time necessary for the purpose of transit.

National visa

If, upon your arrival to Slovakia you would like to apply for a residence permit, you have the possibility to apply for a national visa which is granted for a period inevitably required. National visa may be granted in order to comply with obligations arising from international agreements or if it is in the benefit of the Slovak Republic. In this case it is issued for a residence longer than 3 months. During its validity it entitles you to reside in the territory of the Slovak Republic and during the first 90 days also in the territory of the entire Schengen area. It is issued under similar conditions as the Schengen visa.
 

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