--- title: "Slovakia Spouse of a citizen requirements 2026: 5-year stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/spouse-of-citizen/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- Slovakia · Spouse visas # Slovakia Spouse of a citizen **First stay:** 5 yrs Permanent residence for five years for the spouse of a Slovak citizen (Section 43(1)(a)) Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 5 yrs (Permanent residence for five years; unlimited permanent residence after at least four years of this residence.) - **Who can apply:** Most passports (Third-country nationals (citizens of states outside the EU/EEA).) ## Key facts Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Slovakia. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source. - **Processing:** Up to 90 days - **First stay:** 5 yrs ## Time and long term **Renewal: Renewal rules** Permanent residence is granted for five years. [Slov-Lex](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/2011/404/20261001.html) **Permanent residence: After 4 years as a permanent resident** Unlimited permanent residence after at least four years on the five-year permanent residence. [Slov-Lex](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/2011/404/20261001.html) **Citizenship: After 5 years of marriage** A spouse of a Slovak citizen who holds permitted residence in Slovakia may be granted citizenship when the marriage has lasted, with a shared household in Slovakia, for at least 5 years immediately before the application; the grant is discretionary. The general rule for other applicants is 8 years of continuous permanent residence. [Slov-Lex](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/1993/40/20260612.html) [Ministerstvo vnútra Slovenskej republiky](https://www.minv.sk/?udelenie-statneho-obcianstva-sr) **Processing: Up to 90 days** The police department decides on a permanent residence application within 90 days of receipt. [Slov-Lex](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/2011/404/20261001.html) ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - Applicant is a third-country national married to a Slovak citizen who has permanent residence in Slovakia. - The same five-year permanent residence is granted to a dependent relative in the direct line of a Slovak citizen who has permanent residence in Slovakia. - Housing is secured jointly with the Slovak citizen spouse. #### What you must show - The application is exempt from the administrative fee. #### Documents - Valid travel document and one recent colour photograph of 3 x 3.5 cm. - Marriage certificate, not needed if the marriage took place in Slovakia and the place is stated, and proof of the spouse's permanent residence. - Criminal record certificate not older than 90 days, and proof of secured accommodation. #### Steps 1. The application is filed in person at a Slovak embassy, with an interview, or at a police department where the applicant already stays lawfully. 2. The police decide within 90 days of receiving the application. #### After you arrive - A medical certificate that the applicant has no disease threatening public health is submitted within 30 days of receiving the residence document. - Unlimited permanent residence can be requested after four years of permanent residence for five years. - Citizenship may be granted after five years of marriage and a shared household in Slovakia, without the eight years of permanent residence; the decision is discretionary. ## What happens at day 183 How Slovakia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **5 years at first, renewable** - **Tax residence:** - **At least 183 days in a calendar year** Staying 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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/tax/) Tax records checked 10 Oct 2026 ## What you need to arrange - **Accommodation** Housing is secured jointly with the Slovak citizen spouse - **Police certificate and civil documents** Marriage certificate, not needed if the marriage took place in Slovakia and the place is stated, and proof of the spouse's permanent residence Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts. **Full official text** Permanent residence for five years for the foreign spouse of a Slovak citizen who has permanent residence in Slovakia, free of the administrative fee, with unlimited permanent residence after four years. (sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) #### Requirements - Applicant is a third-country national married to a Slovak citizen who has permanent residence in Slovakia. (sources 1, 3) - The same five-year permanent residence is granted to a dependent relative in the direct line of a Slovak citizen who has permanent residence in Slovakia. (source 1) - Housing is secured jointly with the Slovak citizen spouse. (source 1) - The application is exempt from the administrative fee. (source 2) - Valid travel document and one recent colour photograph of 3 x 3.5 cm. (source 3) - Marriage certificate, not needed if the marriage took place in Slovakia and the place is stated, and proof of the spouse's permanent residence. (sources 1, 3) - Criminal record certificate not older than 90 days, and proof of secured accommodation. (sources 1, 3) - The application is filed in person at a Slovak embassy, with an interview, or at a police department where the applicant already stays lawfully. (source 1) - The police decide within 90 days of receiving the application. (source 1) - A medical certificate that the applicant has no disease threatening public health is submitted within 30 days of receiving the residence document. (source 1) - Unlimited permanent residence can be requested after four years of permanent residence for five years. (source 1) - Citizenship may be granted after five years of marriage and a shared household in Slovakia, without the eight years of permanent residence; the decision is discretionary. (sources 4, 5) #### Stay - Permanent residence for five years; unlimited permanent residence after at least four years of this residence. - Initial permitted stay: 60 months. - 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. Checked 2026-10-12 ## Official sources 1. [Act No.](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/2011/404/20261001.html) · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-10-01 2. [Act 145/1995 on administrative fees (fee schedule, in force 1 January 2026)](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/1995/145/20260101.html) · Slov-Lex, Government of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-11 3. [FAQ 30: documents required for permanent residence for five years (Section 43)](https://www.minv.sk/swift_data/source/policia/hranicna_a_cudzinecka_policia/ocp/faq/marec_2025/30_otazka.pdf) · Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, Border and Foreigners Police · checked 2026-10-11 4. [Act No. 40/1993 Coll. on Slovak citizenship, Section 7 (granting of citizenship)](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/1993/40/20260612.html) · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-11 5. [Udelenie štátneho občianstva Slovenskej republiky (§ 7 zákona č. 40/1993 Z. z.)](https://www.minv.sk/?udelenie-statneho-obcianstva-sr) · Ministerstvo vnútra Slovenskej republiky · checked 2026-10-11 ## Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Spouse of a citizen | – | 5 yr, renewable | – | | [Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/family/) | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes | | [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/portugal/spouse-of-citizen/) Portugal | – | – | – | | [Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/family-reunification/) Spain | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes | | [Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/georgia/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – | ## Questions people ask ### How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen? Permanent residence for five years; unlimited permanent residence after at least four years of this residence. ### How long does the Spouse of a citizen take to process? The police department decides on a permanent residence application within 90 days of receipt. ### Who can apply for the Spouse of a citizen? 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 Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Slovakia? Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Slovakia, which the rules allow after 4 years as a permanent resident. Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years of marriage. ### How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Slovakia? No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. 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 [Working Holiday](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/working-holiday/) [Innovative startup permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/business-innovative-project/) [Company representative permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/business-company-representative/) [Self-employed permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/temporary-residence-business/) [Blue Card](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/eu-blue-card/) [Major investor staff permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/significant-foreign-investor/) [Work permit (single permit)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/temporary-residence-employment/) [Intra-company transfer](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/slovakia/intra-company-transfer/) ## Spouse and partner visas elsewhere [🇮🇹 Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/italy/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) [🇬🇷 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/greece/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇫🇷 Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/france/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) [🇬🇧 Fiancé visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-kingdom/fiance-visa/) [🇳🇱 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇨🇾 Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/cyprus/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## 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. 1. [Act No.](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/2011/404/20261001.html) · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Act 145/1995 on administrative fees (fee schedule, in force 1 January 2026)](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/1995/145/20260101.html) · Slov-Lex, Government of the Slovak Republic · checked 2026-10-11 3. [FAQ 30: documents required for permanent residence for five years (Section 43)](https://www.minv.sk/swift_data/source/policia/hranicna_a_cudzinecka_policia/ocp/faq/marec_2025/30_otazka.pdf) · Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, Border and Foreigners Police · checked 2026-10-11 4. [Act No. 40/1993 Coll. on Slovak citizenship, Section 7 (granting of citizenship)](https://www.slov-lex.sk/static/SK/ZZ/1993/40/20260612.html) · Slov-Lex (Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic) · checked 2026-10-11 5. [Udelenie štátneho občianstva Slovenskej republiky (§ 7 zákona č. 40/1993 Z. z.)](https://www.minv.sk/?udelenie-statneho-obcianstva-sr) · Ministerstvo vnútra Slovenskej republiky · checked 2026-10-11 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.