What is a residence permit in Slovakia?

In this short article we will tell you about the residence permit in Slovakia (hereinafter referred to as the residence permit), what are the types of residence permits in Slovakia, who and how to obtain a residence permit. Please note that all information is taken from official sources and repeatedly checked.

So, the residence permit in Slovakia is divided into temporary and permanent. To avoid confusion, we will refer to the temporary residence permit as a residence permit and the permanent residence permit as a residence permit. So what is the difference between them?

A temporary residence permit (TPL) grants the right to reside in Slovakia to a foreign national of a third country who intends to work, do business or study in the territory of the Slovak Republic. The residence permit can be granted after fulfilment of all conditions specified in the law and on the basis of a submitted application.

A residence permit is granted for the purpose of:

Entrepreneurship
Employment or seasonal employment
Studies
Certain activities (lecturing, sports, cultural, volunteering, activities of accredited journalists, provision of medical assistance, internships, etc.)
Research and development activities
Family reunification
Performance of official duties by peacekeeping units of the armed forces
A person with the recognised position of a Slovak living abroad
A person with a recognised long-term residence permit in another EU Member State.

The most common reasons for residence permits are employment, business and family reunification.

How to obtain a residence permit in Slovakia (procedure)

The application for a temporary residence permit must be submitted in person, except in cases of family reunification, when the foreigner with whom the reunification takes place applies on behalf of the incapacitated applicant.

There are two options for applying for a residence permit:

The application is submitted abroad at the Slovak diplomatic mission accredited in the state that issued the applicant’s passport or in which the applicant has a place of residence. The diplomatic mission of the SR that accepted the application will conduct a personal interview for a preliminary assessment of the application.
The application for a temporary residence permit can also be submitted at the relevant immigration police station in the place of residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic.

Attention! Cannot apply for residence permit

the holder of an admissible residence permit, as it is not possible to leave the country and detention is inappropriate, and
asylum applicant.

Until the expiry date, a temporary residence permit issued to a third-country national entitles him/her to reside legally in Slovakia, travel abroad and return to Slovakia.

The first temporary residence permit can be issued for different periods of time, depending on the purpose of stay. Where a third-country national applies for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of:

work, specialised activity or research activity, the residence permit is issued for a period of up to two years;
entrepreneurship – for a period of up to three years;
family reunification or a person with a long-term residence permit in another European Union (EU) state – for up to five years;
for the purpose of study – for up to six years.

The residence permit is issued only for a specific purpose, which must be confirmed at the time of application. If the purpose of residence remains the same and the foreigner continues to fulfil all the conditions for residence, the Slovak authorities may extend the temporary residence permit, depending on the purpose of stay, for up to three to five years. However, if the purpose for which the temporary residence permit was granted changes, the third-country national must apply for a new permit.

There are also some peculiarities of changing from one type of residence permit to another. For example, if you have obtained a residence permit as a student, you will not be able to change the type of residence permit until you have successfully completed your studies and received your diploma.

If you have been granted a residence permit for employment (zamestnanie), you cannot change the type of residence permit for 12 months. After 12 months, you can change your type of residence permit for employment, e.g. to a residence permit for business (podnikanie) or for studies (štúdium).

A long-term residence permit (LTP) is granted for an indefinite period of time and is granted to a foreigner if:

he/she has been on the territory of Slovakia on an authorised basis for 5 years immediately prior to the application;
his/her long-term residence permit was cancelled due to obtaining a long-term residence permit in another EU member state;
he/she has a 5-year continuous residence permit in the territory of EU Member State(s) and has been in Slovakia as a Blue Card holder for at least 2 years immediately prior to the application.

A PML cannot be issued:

a foreigner who has applied for refugee status or asylum;
persons holding a residence permit for the purpose of study;
who have a residence permit for the purpose of seasonal work;
persons holding a residence permit for the purpose of a special activity;
to foreigners with diplomatic immunity.

If a foreigner has a temporary residence permit for the purpose of study or special activities, he/she must first obtain a temporary residence permit for another purpose, such as work or business, and only then can he/she apply for a long-term residence permit.

There are inevitable costs involved in applying for a residence permit in Slovakia.

The cost of expenses is made up of the cost of tickets, rent, daily expenses, as well as the cost of transfers, notary services, state fees, compulsory medical check-ups, availability of money in bank accounts.

If you draw up the documents with the help of consulting firms, you need to add the cost of their services. A reliable consultant will help you avoid additional costs and avoid making mistakes. You need to plan a certain amount of money for rent and everyday expenses for the first few months. In short, it is quite a costly process.

The prices for Slovakia Garant’s services are lower than the market average. Using the services of Slovakia Garant, the client can be sure that all the documents will be prepared perfectly, in time, the company’s specialists will accompany to all the necessary authorities, will make a residence permit in Slovakia ‘turnkey’.