Slovakia · Business / Startup
Slovakia Innovative startup permit
Savings needed: €12k+ ≈ $13k
Temporary residence for business with an innovative project (start-up route, Act 404/2011, §22(1)(b) and §32(5)(a)(2))
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Innovative startup permit is a business / startup route for Slovakia. Applicants need savings of €12k+ ≈ $13k. You can stay 3 yrs, renewable. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €12k+ ≈ $13k
- Government fees
- €330 ≈ $370
- Processing
- Up to 90 days
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €330 ≈ $370; savings to show €12k+ ≈ $13k; decision: up to 90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€330 ≈ $370
- EUR 330 (≈ $370)Administrative fee for an application for temporary residence for business (Act 145/1995, item 24).
Shown, not spent€12k+ ≈ $13k · €3,543+ ≈ $3,960
- EUR 11,808.8 (≈ $13,200)Balance on a separate bank account opened for the business of at least 40 times the subsistence minimum (40 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330)) for a person who filed a business plan for an innovative project.
- EUR 3,542.64 (≈ $3,960)Balance on the applicant's personal bank account showing funds for the stay of at least 12 times the subsistence minimum (12 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330)).
RenewalRenewable
Granted for up to three years and renewable.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Long-term (indefinite) stay after 5 years of lawful, continuous residence before applying; study time counts at half, while seasonal work and some special-activity permits do not count.
CitizenshipConditions
Citizenship needs 8 years of continuous permanent residence immediately before applying.
ProcessingUp to 90 days
The police department decides on a temporary residence application within 90 days.
Where to applyFrom abroad
File the application in person at a Slovak embassy or consulate abroad; business residence cannot be applied for at a Foreign Police department in Slovakia.
Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic
Presence rulesAbsence limits
Absences of up to six consecutive months and ten months in total do not break the 5 years for long-term stay.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Slovakia, not after arriving
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- The person acts on behalf of a trading company or cooperative and is not employed by it.
What you must show2
- A separate business bank account holds at least 40 times the subsistence minimum (40 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330) = EUR 11,808.80 (≈ $13,200)).
- The applicant's personal bank account shows funds for the stay of at least 12 times the subsistence minimum (EUR 3,542.64 (≈ $3,960)).
Documents2
- A business plan for the realisation of an innovative project is submitted.
- The business plan, bank statements and criminal record extract must not be older than 90 days.
Steps3
- The application is filed in person at a Slovak embassy or consulate abroad.
- An application for business residence cannot be filed at a Foreign Police department in Slovakia.
- The police decide on the application.
What happens at day 183
How Slovakia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a calendar yearStaying in Slovakia at least 183 days in the calendar year, continuous or in several periods, makes the person habitually resident (unlimited liability).
- Foreign-source income
Individuals with permanent residence, a home or habitual abode in Slovakia are taxed on worldwide income; employment-type income is taxed at 19%, 25%, 30% and 35% on bands tied to the subsistence minimum.
All tax rules for Slovakia Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Bank account / funds
A separate business bank account holds at least 40 times the subsistence minimum (40 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330) = EUR 11,808.80 (≈ $13,200))
- Police certificate and civil documents
The business plan, bank statements and criminal record extract must not be older than 90 days
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For third-country nationals who act for a company or cooperative and submit a business plan for an innovative project; the business-funds requirement is 40 times the subsistence minimum instead of 100. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- Savings of at least EUR 11,808.8 (≈ $13,200) · Balance on a separate bank account opened for the business of at least 40 times the subsistence minimum (40 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330)) for a person who filed a business plan for an innovative project. 1 2
- Savings of at least EUR 3,542.64 (≈ $3,960) · Balance on the applicant's personal bank account showing funds for the stay of at least 12 times the subsistence minimum (12 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330)). 1 2
- A fee of EUR 330 (≈ $370) · Administrative fee for an application for temporary residence for business (Act 145/1995, item 24). 4
Requirements
- The person acts on behalf of a trading company or cooperative and is not employed by it. 1
- A separate business bank account holds at least 40 times the subsistence minimum (40 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330) = EUR 11,808.80 (≈ $13,200)). 1
- The applicant's personal bank account shows funds for the stay of at least 12 times the subsistence minimum (EUR 3,542.64 (≈ $3,960)). 1
- A business plan for the realisation of an innovative project is submitted. 1
- The application is filed in person at a Slovak embassy or consulate abroad. 3 1
- An application for business residence cannot be filed at a Foreign Police department in Slovakia. 3
- The police decide on the application. 1
- The business plan, bank statements and criminal record extract must not be older than 90 days. 3
Stay
- Temporary residence granted for the time needed for the business, up to three years; renewable.
- First stay: up to 36 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals (citizens of states outside the EU/EEA). Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Acting for the company or cooperative.
Family
Family members can apply for temporary residence for family reunification.
Official sources
- Act No. · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-10-01
- Amount of the subsistence minimum from 1 July 2026: EUR 295.22 for one adult (Measure 155/2026) · Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-06-25
- Residence of Foreign Nationals in Slovakia · Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-12
- Act 145/1995 on administrative fees (fee schedule, in force 1 January 2026) · Slov-Lex, Government of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-11
- Act No. 40/1993 Coll. on Slovak citizenship, Section 7 (granting of citizenship) · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-11
Innovative startup permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative startup permit | Needs savings of €12k+ ≈ $13k | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Company representative permit | Needs savings of €30k+ ≈ $33k | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Self-employed permit | Needs savings of €5,904+ ≈ $6,600 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Entrepreneur visa Spain | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Innovative startup permit?
Savings of at least EUR 11,808.8 (≈ $13,200). Balance on a separate bank account opened for the business of at least 40 times the subsistence minimum (40 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330)) for a person who filed a business plan for an innovative project. Savings of at least EUR 3,542.64 (≈ $3,960). Balance on the applicant's personal bank account showing funds for the stay of at least 12 times the subsistence minimum (12 x EUR 295.22 (≈ $330)). A fee of EUR 330 (≈ $370). Administrative fee for an application for temporary residence for business (Act 145/1995, item 24).
How long can I stay on the Innovative startup permit?
Temporary residence granted for the time needed for the business, up to three years; renewable.
How long does the Innovative startup permit take to process?
The police department decides on a temporary residence application within 90 days.
Can I work on the Innovative startup permit?
Acting for the company or cooperative.
Can I bring my family on the Innovative startup permit?
Family members can apply for temporary residence for family reunification.
Who can apply for the Innovative startup permit?
Third-country nationals (citizens of states outside the EU/EEA). Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Innovative startup permit lead to permanent residence in Slovakia?
Time on the Innovative startup permit counts toward permanent residence in Slovakia, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
How are Innovative startup permit holders taxed in Slovakia?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Innovative startup permit. The standard rules apply: Individuals with permanent residence, a home or habitual abode in Slovakia are taxed on worldwide income; employment-type income is taxed at 19%, 25%, 30% and 35% on bands tied to the subsistence minimum.
More in Slovakia
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Act No. · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-10
- Amount of the subsistence minimum from 1 July 2026: EUR 295.22 for one adult (Measure 155/2026) · Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-10
- Residence of Foreign Nationals in Slovakia · Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-12
- Act 145/1995 on administrative fees (fee schedule, in force 1 January 2026) · Slov-Lex, Government of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-11
- Act No. 40/1993 Coll. on Slovak citizenship, Section 7 (granting of citizenship) · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.