Slovakia EU free movement

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and work in Slovakia without a visa or work permit. Stays over 3 months require registering residence in person at the local Foreign Police Department, within 30 days after the first 3 months, free of charge. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9}

Requirements

• Citizens of EU and EEA states and of Switzerland can live in Slovakia without a visa or residence permit. ^{1 8}
• Stays of up to 3 months need only a valid passport or national ID card. ^{1 3}
• After 3 months, work, self-employment, study, or sufficient resources with health insurance is needed. ^{3 9}
• Registration needs a valid ID or passport plus proof of work, study, or resources and insurance. ²
• For stays of up to 3 months without registration, notify the local Foreign Police Department of the start of the stay within 10 working days of entry. ⁹
• For stays over 3 months, register residence in person at the local Foreign Police Department of the Police Force. ⁹
• The deadline is 30 days from the expiry of the 3-month period from entry; registration is free of charge. ⁹
• Breaching the residence obligations can bring a fine of up to EUR 300, (≈ $340) or up to EUR 165 (≈ $180) if paid on the spot. ⁹
• Permanent residence is acquired automatically after 5 years of continuous lawful residence. ⁴
• After 5 years of lawful continuous stay the right to permanent residence arises automatically; a 10-year Residence Card of EU Citizen is then applied for. ⁹

Stay

• No time limit; register residence at the Foreign Police Department within 30 days after the first 3 months of stay.
• First 3 months up to 3 months: Valid ID card or passport only.
• After 3 months: Worker, self-employed person, student, or person with sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance; registration of residence.

Nationality

Citizens of the 27 EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Work

Citizens may work as employees or self-employed persons without a work permit; certain posts involving public authority powers may be reserved for nationals.

Family

Family members, whatever their nationality, may join; they apply for a residence document at the Foreign Police Department within 30 days after the first 3 months, and obtain a 10-year card after 5 years.

Checked 2026-10-10 · partly verified

Official sources

1. Residence rights when living abroad in the EU · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
2. Registering residence abroad after the first 3 months · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
3. Residence rights for economically inactive EU citizens · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
4. Permanent residence (after 5 years) for EU nationals · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
5. Work permits · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
6. Work in the public sector abroad · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
7. Your non-EU spouse and children's residence rights in the EU · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
8. The European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the North · European Parliament · checked 2026-10-10
9. Residence of Union Citizens and Their Family Members on the Territory of the Slovak Republic · Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, Slovensko.sk · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2020-09-22