Permanent residence (permanent residence) in Slovakia, registration and receipt

Advantages of Slovakia for life

Slovakia has a number of advantages for living, which many of our clients found so convincing that they did not consider other options.

1. Firstly, Slovakia is a country with a mild, temperate climate. The country is very warm in summer, and in winter the air temperature rarely drops below 0°C.
2. Secondly, Slovakia has beautiful nature. More than 40% of Slovakia is occupied by forests, which stretch in endless chains across the entire country.
3. Thirdly, despite the fall in economic indicators in Slovakia due to the pandemic, they are still considered quite high. Having received the nickname “Tatran Tiger” in the past because Slovakia’s GDP regularly grew, the country still has every chance to surprise with its economic indicators.
4. Fourthly, secondary and higher education is free in Slovakia. And given that study is a popular basis for obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia, this advantage is of particular importance.
5. Fifthly, prices are low in Slovakia, and therefore you can provide yourself with a completely comfortable standard of living with an income of 1000-1500 euros per month.

Please note: Perhaps the exception is mobile communications and housing and communal services services. Their prices may seem above average, but coupled with the low cost of food, the overall cost of living picture is still attractive.

Advantages and disadvantages

Any changes in life have their own characteristics. So, when preparing to emigrate to Slovakia from Russia, you should be prepared for both the positive and negative sides of this issue.

What should you consider before moving?

• If you plan to obtain a residence permit on the basis of creating a business in Slovakia, it is worth considering that the minimum authorized capital for registering the most popular organizational form of Sro (limited liability company) is 5,000 euros, which must be deposited into the account before registration;
• Registration of a company in Slovakia and subsequent receipt of a residence permit presupposes the presence of a resident of Slovakia in the structure. In this case, obtaining a residence permit will be much easier than applying for a residence permit with an unregistered company without a resident in the structure. Before starting the procedure, you must either take into account the costs of a resident director, or be prepared for a longer procedure to assess the economic benefits of the future company for Slovakia (which sometimes increases the duration of obtaining a residence permit by 6-9 months).

How to move to Slovakia?

Permanent residence in Slovakia for Belarusians and other residents of the CIS countries provides the opportunity to participate in regional elections, study and work at the same time, receive unemployment payments and benefits from the state or upon the birth of a child. Conventionally, obtaining permanent residence in Slovakia can be divided into several stages, according to which after 10 years the status of a citizen will become available to Russians:

• apply for a visa;
• obtain a residence permit;
• after 5 years obtain permanent residence in Slovakia;
• after 5 years you can apply for citizenship.

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Grounds for obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia

A residence permit in Slovakia can be obtained in several ways. In general, the procedure does not differ significantly from the procedure in other European countries. Among the most popular grounds for obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia are the following:

• Family reunification; On this basis, a residence permit in Slovakia will be available to those whose close relatives are residents of Slovakia.
• Employment; For qualified specialists there is a possibility of employment in Slovak companies. Such employment allows you to automatically apply for a residence permit.
• Studies; Admission to higher education institutions in Slovakia is also a popular basis for obtaining a residence permit. And given that higher education in Slovakia is free, students willingly take advantage of this opportunity.
• Creating a business. By registering a company and thus securing jobs in Slovakia, you can also obtain a residence permit. Business immigration is the most popular way to move to Slovakia.

Please note: Business in Slovakia must be real and successful.
It is necessary to hire employees, rent an office and run an open business.

Methods of immigration to Slovakia

There are various legal options for emigrating to Slovakia. The more popular ones are obtaining an education or a business patent. Each foreigner can independently choose the most suitable path of emigration and acquisition of citizenship.

Employment

Immigration to Slovakia is possible when applying for a job. To find employment in this state, migrants must first obtain a work permit from an authorized authority or confirmation of the ability to fill a vacancy. In general, finding work in Slovakia is not that difficult for Russians and Ukrainians.

Getting an education

Slovakia is attractive to many citizens also because it issues a temporary residence permit, valid for the entire period of study at schools and universities. You should submit an application for its registration to the police; the document is prepared within a month from the date of the application. At the same time, university students are allowed to carry out entrepreneurial activities while studying.

Family reunion

Many foreigners begin life in Slovakia by reuniting with family. The laws of this country allow you to obtain a residence permit if the applicant has close relatives there. This document can be obtained by spouses, elderly parents, minor children and disabled children of residents of the Slovak Republic.

Marriage with a citizen of Slovakia

You can move to the Slovak Republic by marrying a woman or man - citizens of this country, or a person who has a residence permit. Upon marriage, permanent residence is issued for a period of five years. After this period, you can re-apply for permanent residence for an indefinite period or send papers for citizenship. In the latter case, consideration of papers may continue for 2 years.

Real Estate Investments

Unlike other EU countries, the fact of purchasing real estate here does not give the right to obtain a residence permit. However, investing in such property is a great privilege for foreigners who would like to be able to reside in the Slovak Republic on a regular basis in the future.

Entrepreneurial activity

The Slovak Republic has fairly favorable conditions for doing business for foreigners. Doing business gives you the right to obtain a residence permit. This requires:

• provide documentation of the availability of housing - a rental agreement or purchase of property;
• register a private enterprise or firm (LLC);
• provide proof of business income (4,000 euros) and the availability of funds in a personal account (2,400 euros).

The most common type of activity of businessmen in Slovakia is free enterprise. To organize it, you do not need to comply with additional requirements.

Providing asylum to refugees

Like other EU countries, Slovakia accepts refugees who are persecuted in their home country. In order to formalize their situation, refugees are required to submit an application to the police station immediately upon arrival in the country.

The procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia

The procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia is no different and is standard. Depending on the chosen base, it changes slightly. However, each applicant goes through the following steps:

1. Preparation of documents corresponding to the selected basis. The standard list of documents includes:
   Copy of internal passport;
2. A copy of a foreign passport;
3. Marriage certificate (if available);
4. Application form in the prescribed form;
5. Power of attorney;
6. Certificate of no criminal record (with apostille);
7. A bank statement confirming the availability of funds in your personal account;
8. Photos.
   For example: Also, if the basis for obtaining a residence permit is the registration of a company, then you need to provide the statutory documents for the company, etc. If studying, a document confirming admission to an educational institution in Slovakia.
9. Submission of documents and applications for obtaining a residence permit.
10. Waiting for a response on the issuance of a residence permit.
11. Getting a response. If the answer is positive, the applicant receives a completed document stating that he has a residence permit in Slovakia.

Reasons for moving to Slovakia

Despite the fact that immigration to Slovakia from the CIS countries is beneficial to the country itself, obtaining a national visa and then a residence permit requires grounds established by law. If you plan to move to Slovakia, you need to choose a suitable basis and ensure compliance with its conditions. Otherwise, the dream of permanent residence in Slovakia will remain unfulfilled. The most commonly used grounds for immigration to Slovakia include:

Studying at a university

Slovak universities provide good education, recognized in Europe. They may not be as prestigious as Harvard and Cambridge, but graduates of Slovak universities can easily find well-paid jobs. A residence permit is issued for a year, with the possibility of annual renewal. Upon graduation from the university, I provide the graduate with six months to find employment in his specialty. Most people succeed without much effort. Next, permanent residence in Slovakia is issued and you can stay in Europe forever. The presence of the basis is confirmed by documents on admission to study at the university.

Entrepreneurship

Immigration to Slovakia through doing business is a popular way to enter the country and stay there for permanent residence. It is possible to register as an individual entrepreneur or occupy the position of general director in a company representative office. It is interesting that the founder of the company does not acquire the right to a Slovak residence permit. The first necessary document is a business plan, which confirms not only the receipt of profit, but also proves the relevance of the chosen activity for the country. You will also need documents on registration of individual entrepreneurs or constituent documents of the company. In addition, you will need to present documents on financial solvency. The applicant must have at least 2,600 euros in his personal account. The individual entrepreneur’s account has at least 5,000 euros. The company has at least 22,000 euros in its account. Formally, a residence permit for an entrepreneur can be issued for 3 years, but in reality the first residence permit is usually issued for 1.5 years. If taxes are paid during this period and a profit of at least 20 subsistence levels in the country is demonstrated, the document is extended for 3 years.

Employment

Immigration to Slovakia is also possible through employment in this country. European Union rules require an employer to offer a vacancy first to local residents, then to citizens of other EU states, and only then can a foreigner be invited. However, Slovaks themselves and residents of other Eastern European countries prefer to work in Germany and France - European countries with a higher standard of living. You can find work in Slovakia. Naturally, it is easier to do this by a qualified specialist. But all those who are truly interested in it succeed in concluding an employment contract, which is the main document confirming the existence of a basis. Residence permits are issued with a validity period of up to 2 years. If the immigrant worked, paid taxes and did not break the law, the validity of the residence permit can be extended, and then obtained permanent residence in Slovakia.

EU Blue Card

The Blue Card is an analogue of a residence permit valid throughout the European Union. The introduction of the document is aimed at attracting high-level specialists to the EU. To obtain the document, you must at least have a higher education diploma and a work contract in the European Union with a salary level 1.5 times higher than the national average. The Blue Card gives its holder significant advantages. If he loses his job, he is not ordered to leave the country, but is given 3 months to find a new one. To obtain permanent residence, the holder of a blue card must live in Europe for 5 years, but specifically in Slovakia, 2 years is enough for him.

Family reunion

Close relatives of Slovak citizens and foreigners legalized in the country can join them through family reunification and acquire the right to a residence permit and subsequently permanent residence. The legislation of the Slovak Republic includes close relatives entitled to reunification:

• Spouses. Those who are thinking about how to obtain documents to stay in Europe should not consider a fictitious marriage as an option. The reality of the marriage relationship is being tested. If it turns out that through marriage the legalization of a foreigner in the country simply took place, and not family reunification, the foreign partner will be expelled, with a ban on entry into the EU for several years.
• Children under the age of 18 or older, but dependent due to disability.
• Parents of a foreigner under the age of 18 who has received refugee status.
• Single parents who are dependent on a resident of Slovakia and are unable to support themselves. For pensioners, the fact of receiving a good pension can become an obstacle to family reunification.

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other methods

The right to obtain a Slovak residence permit can be acquired by persons engaged in special activities. The legislation includes such activities as: lecturing, playing sports, educational exchanges, creativity and even treatment within the country. There are also research activities and development that are a separate item of legislation. In addition, you can get a job in civilian units of the armed forces.

Refugee status, if assigned, is immediately equivalent to permanent residence. This status is extremely beneficial, so the presence of a threat to life and health in your country will have to be proven. If there is no bloody conflict in the homeland, it will not be easy to prove the existence of grounds for acquiring status. But it is not necessary to obtain a national visa for this method of immigration. It is enough to enter the country and declare at the border your desire to become a refugee.

How can we help?

• We will provide free legal advice on the easiest way to obtain a residence permit in Slovakia;
• we will register a company in Slovakia if you choose the basis of 'creating a business';
• We will help you fill out forms and guide you through the necessary documents;
• We will take charge of communication with migration authorities;
• We will give practical advice on how to successfully pass an interview;
• We will help with moving to Slovakia, including finding housing;
• We will answer all questions during the process.

Procedure for obtaining permanent residence

A person who has received a residence permit and has spent sufficient time in Slovakia can apply for a permanent visa, which will provide access to many rights and freedoms of citizens of the state.

There are several conditions for obtaining permanent residence. Thus, a person must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Reside in Slovakia for 5 years, having issued a residence permit.
• Have a diploma of higher education from a university in the country.
• Have a stable income, in particular earning more than 2 thousand euros per month for the last three years.
• Have your own real estate - a house or apartment, in the country.
• Be of Slovak ethnic origin.
• Be legally married to a citizen of the state for three years.
• Have no problems with the law during the entire period of stay in Slovakia, and the person must have no outstanding criminal record.

If we talk about how to obtain Slovak citizenship, for this a person must live in permanent residence in the country for 5 years.

Alternative ways to move for permanent residence

Moving to Slovakia for permanent residence from Russia cannot be called easy and low-cost, however, it is worth considering simpler methods of emigration:

• Volunteering.
• Availability of additional citizenship (in European countries).
• Special repatriation programs for persons who have Slovak roots.

What documents are needed

A person who already has a residence permit in Slovakia and stays within the state for the required amount of time can apply for a permanent visa. To complete the document, you will need to collect official papers that would confirm the person’s residence in the country, as well as a certificate of no outstanding conviction for breaking the law.

In addition, the following documents will be required:

• autobiography;
• international passport;
• 4 standard passport size photographs;
• confirmation that the person is in the territory of the state legally;
• medical insurance policy;
• a document that would confirm that the person is provided with housing;
• an extract from a banking institution confirming a sufficient level of income;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• other documents that in each individual case may be required from the applicant for permanent residence.

In addition to the above papers, you will need to draw up an application, which should reflect the person’s desire to obtain permanent residence status.

Where to contact

Together with an application for a permanent visa and a list of required documents, the person must come to the Consulate of this state.

Cost and terms

If we talk about the cost of obtaining permanent residence in Slovakia, it consists of administrative fees that the interested party will need to pay. This amount may vary slightly each year. On average, you will have to pay about 700 euros, regardless of his age.

Refugees are exempt from paying administrative fees.

As for the processing time for applications relating to permanent residence in Slovakia, it is 90 days.

What to do in case of refusal

Sometimes, a person may be denied a permanent residence permit. In this case, the relevant body is obliged to provide written reasoned justification for such a decision. If the reason is minor, for example, submitting an incomplete package of documents or an incorrectly drawn up application, then after it has been eliminated, the person has the right to try again.