Residence permit in Slovakia

Residence permit in Slovakia

For the last few years, the residents of different developing countries more and more often plan to get a residence permit in Europe through regularization of stay in Slovakia. The country perfectly suits for emigration, since it offers a lot of benefits for every social category: students aspire to free education, workers and employees – to a decent job and fair wage, and businessmen – to a moderate tax take and generally loyal conduct of business. Besides, the process of securing Slovak residence permit is much more simple comparing to a number of other European countries. Well-developed infrastructure, minimal corruption, stable prices and high level of social protection – all this attracts more and more seekers every year.

Immigration to Slovakia – what are the benefits?

Getting residence permit in Slovakia – is an aim for many foreign nationals, especially for the citizens of CIS and South-East Asia countries. This eastern European state offers a number of essential benefits, which makes immigration to Slovakia so much attractive. In most European countries it is rather complicated to acquire temporary or particularly permanent residence permit even through business immigration procedure, to say nothing of immigration documents obtaining for the whole family.

Describing the benefits for the owners of Slovak ID cards, here is what is worth emphasizing in the first place:

• Registration of permanent residence in the state territory in 4 years in temporary residence permit status.
• Unimpeded traveling to more than 26 countries of European Union.
• Possibility to set up your own business in European market.

Having business in Slovakia an entrepreneur can work also in other EU countries as well as open affiliates and offer the product under EU trademark.

• European prospects for family members, including minor children. The quality of education in European Union is rather high, and studies at state educational institutions is gratuitous.
• Favourable terms of bank crediting, mortgaging in particular. For example, a foreign national family having officially lived for at least one year in the country can count on a mortgage loan for a term of 30 years at maximum 2% interest per annum. Not a single state in Europe offers that kind of loyal conditions.

In other words, Slovakia is an ideal medium for integration into European medium and successful business development in European Union. The government is interested in the inflow of talented personalities, specialists in different areas and promising businessmen, who will make an important contribution to the development of local culture and economics.

Work, work visa and ID-card - registration procedure

Options for obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia

• On the basis of employment in a Slovak company

1. Registration stages
2. Preparation of a set of necessary documents for further application for a visa to the Slovak consulate in the applicant's country of residence;
3. Obtaining a work visa to Slovakia on the basis of an employment contract;
4. Arrival at the enterprise and the beginning of work;
5. Obtaining an ID-card of a temporary residence permit.

• Based on own business - private enterprise in Slovakia

1. Having a business in Slovakia, an entrepreneur can work in other EU countries, as well as open branches and offer his product under a European brand.
2. European perspectives for family members, including minor children.
3. The quality of education in the European Union is quite high, and education in public institutions is free.
4. Favorable conditions of bank lending, in particular mortgage. For example, a family of foreigners who have officially lived for at least one year in the country can count on a mortgage loan for a period of 30 years, at a maximum of 2% per annum.
5. No other state in Europe offers such loyal conditions.
   In general, Slovakia is an ideal environment for integrating into the European environment and building a successful business in the European Union.
6. The government is interested in the influx of talented individuals, specialists from various industries and promising businessmen who will make a significant contribution to the development of local culture and economy.

In order to establish a company in Slovakia, one needs to undergo several phases. First of all, it is necessary to make up a unique name, that has not been registered in the national register. Then one needs to arrange a registered office address, to name a director who will be authorized to sign, and to create a Memorandum of Association. Having all these documents it is necessary to register with the Trade register. Usually the procedure takes 6 business days.

Then goes the registration with the Tax authority. After these two phases the company officially begins to exist, and the foreigner can now submit the documents for obtaining a temporary residence permit. A final phase will be the submission of the excerpt from the Trade register to the immigration police and getting Slovakia temporary residence permit proper. It is required to provide additionally 2 photos, an application and certificate of clean criminal record. Moreover, you need to provide a business plan clearly specifying your company operations, their expediency and potential for the economy of specific country region.

Standard document processing time is 3 months, provided that an applicant provided complete and correct set of required forms. It is recommended to turn to experienced and qualified migration specialists for assistance, since drawing up a business plan and going through all the phases on their own the foreigners often make a lot of mistakes, thus raising financial expenses and dragging on the procedure of registration.

Residence permit in Slovakia — other ways to obtain

• Immigration for employment. It can be whether full-blown employment or seasonal works. First of all, it is necessary to find a local employer, who has registered his company in the The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, posted available vacancies and is ready to hire foreigners. People from all countries: Ukrainians, Georgians, Azerbaijani, Belarusians, Armenians, Kazakhs or Uzbeks – the rules are the same for everyone. After getting officially employed, approximately in 1 month, one can start collecting documents for getting residence permit in Slovakia. Apart from a work contract, one needs to have a completed application, 2 photos, residence registration, certificate of clean criminal record and stamp duty payment receipt (around 150 Euro).
• Education. Full-time study is mandatory. There are private and state universities in the country, and most of them require to know Slovak language, however, there are some of them who work with English-speaking students. It is possible to considerably expedite the whole securing procedure having turned to the specialists for assistance.
• Moving through special programs: for healthcare professionals, scientists, cultural professionals, sportspeople or in case of internship.
• Through EU Blue Card. This way works only for top-ranked specialists, people of shortage professions in EU, who also know the language of the country they are going to move to. This card type provides excellent conditions, however, far from everyone can receive it.
• Family reunion, or moving upon the presence of ethnical Slovaks in one’s family.

Residence permit in Slovakia is accessible for the citizens of all countries.

Roughly summarizing the process of getting a residence permit in Slovakia, it can be conveniently classified into 3 phases:

1. Document collection, depending on the way of immigration, their submission to the Embassy of Slovak Republic or the immigration police.
2. Processing of documents by competent authorities and awaiting the decision of granting.
3. Registration of the status and plastic card.

There is no doubt, moving to live in Slovakia is an optimal option for those who want to integrate into Europe in a quick and relatively budget-friendly manner. Immigrant’s family members receive documents at the same time as the principal applicant does under the program of family reunion. This very country makes it possible without longstanding paper chase and organizational procedures.

It is also important to know that one needs to stay constantly in the country without leaving for more than 180 days per year not to lose temporary residence ID card.