Most EU citizens expect residence formalities to be a formality. In Slovakia they mostly are, with one trap: two different deadlines that start on two different days. Miss neither and the whole process costs you nothing but a morning at the counter.
This guide explains how residence in Slovakia works for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, and what the new residence card changes.
How does residence in Slovakia work for EU citizens?
EU law gives you the right to stay up to three months with just an identity document. Beyond that, you must meet one of the conditions of the Slovak foreigners' act (no. 404/2011) and register your stay with the foreigners' police, the oddelenie cudzineckej polície of the Ministry of the Interior.
Two steps, then:
- Report the start of your stay within 10 working days of entering the country (hlásenie pobytu). A hotel or professional host does it for you.
- Register your residence (registrácia pobytu občana Únie) if you stay longer than three months, no later than 30 days after those three months end.
The second deadline does not start on arrival: the 30 days begin when your first three months in the country end.
What are the six grounds for staying in Slovakia?
The law accepts six situations:
- you are an employee;
- you are self-employed;
- you have sufficient resources and health insurance in Slovakia, as a retiree or a person without a job;
- you are a student at a Slovak school or university;
- you are looking for work with a genuine chance of finding it;
- you are the family member of a citizen who meets one of those conditions.
If you are in none of them, the police can refuse to register you, so decide which ground fits before your appointment.
Which documents do you bring?
For everyone: a valid passport or identity card, or another reliable document that proves identity and nationality. Then, by ground:
- Employee: a job offer or an employer's confirmation of employment.
- Self-employed: proof of your activity, such as your trade licence.
- Sufficient resources: proof that you will not rely on social assistance, such as bank statements, a property title or a pension certificate, plus proof of health insurance. The police cannot ask for more than the Slovak minimum subsistence level.
- Student: proof of enrolment in a Slovak institution and a declaration that you have enough resources.
- Job seeker: a declaration that you are actively looking for work in Slovakia.
- Family member: proof of the family link and the registration certificate of the EU citizen you are joining.
If your papers are foreign, ask whether a certified Slovak translation is needed. It often is.
Which of these grounds applies to you, and what exactly goes in the folder? Moovy can build your checklist from your situation and draft any covering letter in Slovak with an English translation. You read it, change it and take it to the counter yourself.
What do you get on the day, and what about the card?
You apply in person, or through the electronic service of the police if you can log in to the national portal slovensko.sk with a recognised electronic identity. With a complete file you receive the potvrdenie o registrácii pobytu občana Únie, the certificate of registration, on the same day. It shows your name, your address and the date.
A residence card, the Doklad o pobyte občana EÚ, is optional. Under Act no. 128/2026, which amends the foreigners' act and took effect on 15 July 2026, the card is valid for 10 years; before that date it was five, and some pages still say so. It costs 10 euros if sent within 30 days, or 39 euros within two working days, and half price if you apply online (2026 fee schedule). You need a proof of address and two colour photos of 3 x 3.5 cm. Without proof of address you can still register, but your certificate shows only the municipality.
The card is useful when a bank, a landlord or an official wants "something with a photo and a stamp". It is not required to exercise your right of residence.
What must you report afterwards?
Tell the police within 10 working days if your name, civil status or nationality changes, or if you get a new passport or identity card. Changing address is also a matter for the police, and a separate FAQ of the Ministry of the Interior covers it.
When do you get permanent residence in Slovakia?
After five years of legal, continuous residence you acquire the right of permanent residence. You may then apply for a document recording it, valid for 10 years. Time spent working, studying or retired in Slovakia counts if your residence was legal throughout.
What if you are Swiss, British or from outside the EU?
Swiss citizens follow the same conditions as EU citizens, according to EURES; ask the police to confirm the procedure. British citizens are third-country nationals: see moving to Slovakia from the UK. For the overall sequence of your first weeks, read moving to Slovakia.
Which mistakes cost people a second visit?
- Confusing the report (10 working days) with the registration (after three months).
- Sending a friend in your place. The application is made in person or electronically.
- Going without proof of address, then wanting the card.
- Forgetting health insurance when registering as a retiree or person without work.
Your certificate also unlocks the next steps: the personal number covered in rodné číslo and DIČ, and your choice of health fund in healthcare in Slovakia.
How do family members register their residence in Slovakia?
A spouse, a partner in a durable relationship, or a child of an EU citizen follows the same two steps, reporting and registration. They bring proof of the family link, or of the durable relationship, together with the registration certificate of the EU citizen they accompany or join. A Slovakia residence permit for an EU citizen is not a separate thing: the certificate of registration is the document, and family members who are themselves EU citizens get the same certificate. Relatives from outside the EU have their own procedure and card; ask the foreigners' police.
Can you register online?
The law (Act no. 404/2011, section 66) lets you submit the application in person or through an electronic service of the police. According to EURES, certain procedures have been digitalised since 15 December 2024, including the registration of EU citizens. To use the electronic service you must log in to slovensko.sk with an accepted electronic identity: a chip residence permit, or an identity from another EU country recognised through the eIDAS node. Many countries are on the list, including France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Poland and the Netherlands. Swiss and British citizens cannot use eIDAS and need the Slovak chip card.
The police FAQs of July 2025 describe only the counter. Without a usable electronic identity, plan an in-person visit. The mobile app Slovensko v mobile currently works only with a Slovak chip identity card, so it is not an option for foreigners yet.
What does the electronic mailbox change?
For foreigners, the official electronic mailbox (elektronická schránka) opens only on request. Once activated, official decisions are delivered there, and a letter is deemed received at the end of the storage period even if you never opened it. If you activate it, check it often.
What happens when you move house in Slovakia?
A change of address is reported to the foreigners' police; the Ministry of the Interior publishes a separate FAQ for EU citizens. Keep your certificate and update your address with the health fund, bank, employer and municipality.
What is the penalty for not registering?
The slovensko.sk page mentions an administrative fine up to 300 euros, or up to 165 euros in a simplified procedure. The page dates from 2021, so check current amounts, but treat the deadline seriously.