1. Responsibilities before the child’s birth
2. Responsibilities after the child’s birth

Responsibilities before the child’s birth

Important facts that need to be addressed before taking maternity leave

• Informing the employer or the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family about the start of maternity leave

The written notification should include information on:

• the week of your pregnancy;
• planned start date of maternity leave;
• date and signature;
• attached medical statement.

The employee who has notified the employer of her pregnancy is not obliged to provide any additional confirmations.

• Notification to the health insurance company on the start date of maternity leave

The Social Insurance Agency notifies the health insurer for you/your employer.

• Notification to the Social Insurance Agency on the start date of maternity leave

The employer is obliged to notify the Social Insurance Agency of the start date and end date of the maternity leave within 8 days from the start date and end date of the maternity leave, respectively. In the case of a pregnant woman registered at the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, an unemployed pregnant woman or a self-employed person, the pregnant woman herself is obliged to report this fact to the Social Insurance Agency.

• Start date of maternity leave

A pregnant woman usually starts maternity leave from the beginning of the 6th week prior to the expected date of birth, at the earliest from the 8th week prior to the expected date of birth.

The maternity benefit is not provided automatically, you need to apply for it. You doctor (gynaecologist) will provide you the maternity benefit application form. In the application, the doctor will indicate the expected date of birth. Your employer is not obliged to submit the application for the maternity benefit to the Social Insurance Agency. The insured person has to send the form, confirmed by the employer, to the relevant branch of the Social Insurance Agency, based on the registered office of the employer. Upon mutual agreement, the employer may also deliver the application for the maternity benefit to the branch. It is possible to deliver the application in person or by post.

• Determination of the child’s paternity

If the child’s parents are not married [the father is the husband of the child’s mother, unless proved otherwise (e.g. denial of paternity)], the parents may determine the child’s paternity before or after the birth of the child by a declaration of consent of the parents at the Civil Registry or court. It is necessary for both parents to be present and produce their identity cards (divorced or widowed mothers will also submit a decree of divorce, or a marriage certificate and a death certificate of the husband).

• Selecting a paediatrician

You need to have a paediatrician selected before you are admitted to the maternity ward. Prepare the name of the paediatrician, the address and telephone number of the practice.

Responsibilities after the child’s birth

Important facts that must be provided after the birth of a child

• Obtaining the birth certificate at the relevant Civil Registry

The hospital or a parent (for a home birth) should notify the Civil Registry of the child’s birth within 3 working days of the birth.

When collecting the birth certificate, it is necessary to have the report on the child’s birth (the hospital sends it to the registry) and sign a declaration on the child’s name. Issuing the first original birth certificate is free of charge (an administrative fee of EUR 5 is charged for any additional copy).

The original birth certificate is issued in person.

Collecting the birth certificate

Only the child’s parents may collect the birth certificate, in exceptional circumstances, other persons with power of attorney to do so may pick it up once they present the required documents.

1. A child born in a valid marriage – the father collects the birth certificate, he has to present the marriage certificate, valid identity cards of the parents, confirms with his signature the name chosen by the mother, while the surname is given based on the parents’ agreement, indicated on the marriage certificate.
2. A child born to a single mother – the mother collects the birth certificate, she has to present a valid identity card and a declaration of her personal status.
3. A child born to a divorced mother – the mother collects the birth certificate, she has to present a valid identity card and a valid decree of divorce (within 300 days of a final decree of divorce, the husband of the child’s mother is recorded as the father, but after successful denial of paternity before court by the child’s mother or father, the biological father may establish paternity at the Civil Registry.
4. A child born to a widow – the mother collects the birth certificate, she has to present a valid identity card and the husband’s death certificate.

• Selecting the health insurer and registering the child,

Within 60 days of the child’s birth, it is necessary to register the child with a selected health insurance company; until the expiration of this period, the child is insured with the mother’s insurance company (health care is covered by her insurance).

To register the child with a health insurance company, it is necessary to complete an application for the insured person, the child’s birth certificate and the identity card of the child’s parent or legal representative.

It is possible to submit the application in person, by post, telephone, electronically or via an arranged appointment. This depends on the conditions of the chosen health insurance company.

• Registering the child with a paediatrician using the maternity ward discharge report

You should deliver the discharge report from the hospital to the chosen paediatrician on the first working day following your discharge from the hospital. Just in case have a copy of the birth certificate ready.

• Forwarding the birth certificate to the Social Insurance Agency

In line with the Act Against Bureaucracy, the Social Insurance Agency no longer requires submitting a copy of the child’s birth certificate following the child’s birth. This document is only required if the child is not registered in the Civil Registry in Slovakia.

• Submitting applications for any possible cash benefits provided by the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and the Family and benefits provided by the Social Insurance Agency

The Office for Labour, Social Affairs and Family pays out various forms of benefits. Upon the birth of a child, you will most likely seek the childbirth allowance, child benefit, parental allowance or childcare allowance, and other benefits, which you need to apply for.

Other forms of benefits include: allowance for the birth of multiple children, supplement to child benefit

• Applying for the child’s travel document

Every child travelling abroad must have a valid passport.

The child’s parent should apply for the passport, and present the child’s birth certificate and the parent’s own ID card or passport (if the parent does not have an ID card). The issuance of a passport is subject to payment of the relevant administrative fee.

If the child’s parents are separated or divorced, they both have equal rights when it comes to applying for the child’s passport.

This means that also the parent who does not have custody of the child can apply for the child’s passport and does not need a written consent of the other parent.

• Fulfilling the obligation to declare (municipal waste)

Children do not have full legal capacity, and therefore their representatives (parents) have to fulfil the obligation relating to the local fee for municipal waste, consisting of notifying the municipality/city authority of the change in the number of persons, and if needed, also request a different size of the collection container or frequency of waste collection.

Explanatory laws:

Only in Slovak:

• Act No 36/2005 on family;
• Act No 97/1963 on international private and procedural law, as amended;
• Act No 154/1994 on registry offices, as amended.