- The main components of the Slovak naturalisation agenda
- What needs to be prepared by an EU citizen before they ‘start dealing with authorities’ (tools, documents, documentation, certificates, etc.) and where can they find/obtain this?
- What should citizens expect?
- Sanctions for non-compliance with obligations
- Who should citizens contact when they need assistance or advice?
- What are the most frequently asked questions you receive from citizens regarding this situation in life?
1. The main components of the Slovak naturalisation agenda
The purpose of this information is to explain in a clear form the main components of the Slovak naturalisation agenda, in particular to foreigners with any form of authorised residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic and meeting the legal requirements to be granted Slovak citizenship under Section 7 of Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No 40/1993 on the citizenship of the Slovak Republic, as amended (‘the Act’).
2. What needs to be prepared by an EU citizen before they ‘start dealing with authorities’ (tools, documents, documentation, certificates, etc.) and where can they find/obtain this?
A foreigner living on the territory of the Slovak Republic, who meets the requirement of residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic in particular, may apply for Slovak citizenship under Section 7 of the Act. These conditions are the same for all EU citizens as well as for third country nationals.
3. What should citizens expect?
- In particular, applicants/foreign nationals must meet the condition of residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic; if they meet it, they may:
- apply for Slovak citizenship in person at the competent District Office at the seat of the region (based on the place of residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic, e.g. for the town of Turzovka, the competent body is the Žilina District Office), or at a diplomatic mission;
- the applicant must attach to the application for Slovak citizenship an application listing the reasons for applying and completed questionnaire;
- furthermore, under Section 8(3) of the Act, along with the application for Slovak citizenship, the applicant must submit documents that are applicable:
Brief CV (written by hand in the form of an essay, including basic information about the applicant);
identity document, birth certificate, document proving personal status of the applicant, residence document – issued by the Foreign Police Department, document proving no criminal record (must not be older than 6 months, in the form of an extract from the judicial record of each country whose citizenship the applicant has/had, and an extract from the judicial record of each country in which the applicant has had a residence permit in the last 15 years prior to applying for Slovak citizenship);
document of release from the state bond with the Czechoslovak Republic, Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Slovak Socialist Republic, or the Slovak Republic, or a certificate of naturalisation, or a confirmation of acquiring a citizenship of another state, if the applicant is a former citizen;
certificate of a Slovak living abroad (if applicable);
- confirmation by the tax office, customs office and the municipality of the payment of taxes and other fees;
- statement of the applicant’s employer confirming the applicant's employment and a copy of the employment contract;
- confirmation of payment of premiums for public health insurance and the period of public health insurance coverage, issued by
the health insurer;
- confirmation of the income tax payment, public health insurance premiums, social security premiums, and retirement pension
contributions,
issued by the applicant’s employer;
- confirmation of study;
- confirmation of entitlement to pension;
- confirmation that the applicant is an unemployed person registered as a jobseeker;
- confirmation of sufficient income with respect to the applicant’s stay and that of the applicant’s close relatives on the territory
of the Slovak Republic in the event of voluntary unemployment.
The applicant must submit the documents listed above that confirm the fulfilment of obligations under Section 7(1)(i) applicable to the applicant, and substitute the documents that are not applicable with a statutory declaration and a statement of reasons for not submitting them.
- The applicant’s command of the Slovak language is checked at the competent District Office at the seat of the region or by a diplomatic mission.
- Applicants can apply for Slovak citizenship at the District Office at the seat of the region or at a diplomatic mission, but it is the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic that is competent to decide on the application for Slovak citizenship.
- The applicable administrative fee is defined in the schedule of administrative fees concerning citizenship, in accordance with Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No 145/1995 on administrative fees, as amended,
in item 20 – Granting Slovak citizenship (only in Slovak)
4. Sanctions for non-compliance with obligations
If the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic finds shortcomings in the application for Slovak citizenship, it may:
- decide to discontinue the procedure;
- decide to reject the application for Slovak citizenship; or
- decide to suspend the procedure regarding the application for Slovak citizenship.
5. Who should citizens contact when they need assistance or advice?
In line with Section 8(1) of the Act, an application for Slovak citizenship must be submitted in person at the District Office at the seat of the region, a diplomatic mission or consular authority of the Slovak Republic (the offices’ staff will provide assistance or advice on how to apply for Slovak citizenship).
e.g. contact:
Bratislava District Office (only in Slovak)
Department of General Internal Administration - Unit of Administration, Citizenship, and Archives and Registries (only in Slovak)
6. What are the most frequently asked questions you receive from citizens regarding this situation in life?
When will Slovak citizenship be granted? How long does it take?
The average length of the procedure in association with an application for Slovak citizenship is not determined because the procedure itself begins with the delivery of the application to the Ministry of Interior – Department of Citizenship from the competent District Office at the seat of the region and ends when the document is accepted or when the issued decision becomes final.
Under Section 8a(7) of the Act, the Ministry has a statutory deadline of 24 months from receiving the application to issue a decision. The deadline, however, is suspended when opinions of an administrative body under Section 8a(3) of the Act, necessary for the issue of a decision, are requested, until they are delivered.
Last modified: 30. 8. 2021
Publication date: 28. 9. 2020
The responsible person:
Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic
+421800222222
callcentrum@minv.sk