Содержание Show
Slovakia is a popular tourist destination: about 120,000 tourists visited the country in 2022. Slovakia is famous for its beautiful natural landscapes, unique castles and the capital, Bratislava, which borders Austria and Hungary.
In this article, you will find a step-by-step procedure for obtaining a Schengen visa to the country, all requirements and the list of necessary documents.
What is a Schengen visa and the Schengen Zone
Slovakia is one of the 27 countries that form the Schengen Area.
A Schengen visa grants its holder an opportunity to stay on the territory of the Schengen Zone for not more than 90 days in 180 days. Visa holders can also transit through the airports of the Member States of the Schengen Agreement.
The Schengen States are:
|
|
|
What countries’ citizens need a Schengen visa to Slovakia
Citizens from non-EU countries have to obtain a Schengen visa to enter the Slovak Republic. However, there are several exemptions.
These groups of people are allowed to enter Slovakia without a visa:
- third-country nationals with a “local border traffic permit”;
- holders of diplomatic passports who are under the Visa Facilitation Agreements or visa waiver agreements with certain third countries;
- recognised refugees and stateless people;
- specific categories of family members of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens.
Those who have a residence permit from one of the countries belonging to the Schengen Area don’t need a Schengen visa and can freely travel within the European Union.
What are the types of visas to Slovakia
The types of visas one needs depend on the purpose of the visit and the length of an intended stay:
- If tourists have to change planes in Slovakia, they need an Airport Transit visa.
- If travellers want to stay in the country for more than 90 days, they need to obtain a National visa.
- In case tourists are going to stay in Slovakia for less than 90 days, they need a Schengen visa to Slovakia.
An Airport Transit visa or Type A allows its holder to stay at an international transit area of an airport, waiting for a connecting flight. This type of visa supposes a single entry and is valid for 24 hours. A traveller doesn’t have a right to leave an international transit area and go to a city with this type of visa.
Uniform Schengen visa or Type C entitles its holder to enter Slovakia and stay in the Schengen Zone for no more than 90 days in 180 days. This type of visa may be a single-entry or a multiple-entry. The latter may be valid for five years, but the period for which it allows the owner to stay in the Schengen Zone doesn’t exceed 90 days out of 180.
In some instances, Type C visa may allow the holder to enter just Slovakia but not all the countries of the Schengen Area. The information about a visa’s validity is indicated on a visa sticker.
National visa or Type D grants the holder an opportunity to stay in the Schengen Zone for more than 90 days and may be issued in the following cases:
- the visa-seeker is going to apply for a residence permit in Slovakia;
- the applicant, who is older than 15 years old, has enrolled on a language school and is going to have 25 or more lessons a week;
- the applicant is a family member of a third-country national who has been given asylum or subsidiary protection;
- it is necessary in order to fulfil the obligations of Slovakia from international agreements;
- it is in the interest of Slovakia.
This type of visa entitles its holder to stay in Slovakia for the whole period of its validity, and as a rule, such visas are valid for 1 year. It allows holders to stay in other countries of the Schengen Zone for a period not exceeding 90 days out of 180.
Requirements for a Schengen visa applicant to Slovakia
Visa Code or Regulation (EC) no 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas regulates the requirements for a Schengen visa to Slovakia. This document sets out the terms and conditions of issuing a Schengen visa.
Bilateral visa agreements between third countries and the EU are also a basis for a Schengen visa to Slovakia requirements, so they might differ from what is written in the main document. That is why the most convenient way to get complete information on a Schengen visa to Slovakia requirements for a definite country is to contact the diplomatic mission. Slovakia has 91 diplomatic missions abroad.
The list of documents to be submitted by an applicant to a diplomatic mission or authorized visa centre is more or less the same from country to country. The visa applicant must submit the following documents:
- an application form, filled and signed; the form is filled online and sent to the applicant’s email in a printable PDF format;
- passport, valid for at least 3 months after departure from Slovakia. The passport must contain at least 2 blank pages and have been issued within the preceding 10 years;
- a colour photo 25-40 mm in width;
- documents proving the purpose of the planned trip;
- travel ticket or other documents;
- proof of accommodation;
- proof of financial means;
- International health insurance policy, which covers repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention or emergency hospital treatment or death;
- the receipt proving the payment of the visa fee.
What fees are paid when applying for a Schengen visa to Slovakia
There are two types of fees which an applicant pays when applying for a visa to Slovakia. They are a visa fee and a service fee.
The visa fee equals €80 for an applicant over 12, but sometimes it may be increased to €120—160. However, an increased visa fee never applies to minors. For children from 6 to 12 years old, it is €40.
There is no visa fee for children under six years and for those who stay in the Schengen Zone for the purpose of studying or educational training. These are:
- school pupils;
- students;
- postgraduate students;
- accompanying teachers.
Researchers and representatives of non-profit organisations are also exempt from a visa fee provided that the researchers carry out scientific research or participate in a scientific seminar or conference in the Schengen Zone. The representatives of non-profit organisations must be aged 25 years or less and participate in events organised by non-profit organisations.
How visa fees depend on the type of Schengen visa
| Visa type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Schengen visa application | €80 |
| Schengen visa application of a child aged 6 to 12 years | €40 |
| Schengen visa application of a national of a third country, which has a visa facilitation agreement with the EU if it is stipulated in the agreement | €35 |
| Schengen visa application of a child younger than 6 years of age | €0 |
The service fee may also be charged for issuing a Schengen visa in some cases by visa centres. It usually does not exceed half the sum of a visa fee, so usually, it is less than €80. However, it can reach €120 in certain states.
Additional requirements for a Slovakian visa
Prior consultations are compulsory for particular groups of citizens of certain countries before they get a Schengen visa to Slovakia. For instance, Egyptians are the subjects of prior consultations, except the ones with diplomatic and service passports. However, the holders of diplomatic and service passports from Belarus are the subjects of prior consultations.
The consulate may also require additional documents that depend on the purpose of the journey. Such a list of optional documents varies from situation to situation.
Supporting documents for a Schengen visa to Slovakia
If a traveller visits Slovakia as a tourist, they need to provide the documents relating to their accommodation and itinerary:
- proof of a hotel reservation or an invitation from the host;
- evidence of booking a tour or other documents with travel plans;
- a tourist voucher issued by a travel agency.
A private visitor to Slovakia has to attach:
- an invitation letter from the host;
- a tourist voucher issued by a travel agency.
Members of official delegations, along with the other essential documents, have to provide:
- a letter issued by an authority of the third country confirming that the applicant is a member of the official delegation;
- a copy of the official invitation.
People who go to Slovakia for medical treatment or consultations have to present the following papers:
- the official paper of the medical institution which confirms that medical care is necessary;
- the document proving that the applicant has enough money to pay for medical treatment.
Those who are on a business trip to Slovakia have to submit the following documents:
- an invitation to attend meetings and events related to business;
- other papers showing trade relations for work purposes;
- entry tickets for the business events, e.g. conferences, if it is possible;
- proofs of the business activities of the company;
- documents proving the applicant’s employment in the organisation.
Students and course attendants have to submit the following:
- a certificate of enrolment at an educational establishment;
- student cards or certificates of the courses they are going to attend.
Participants in cultural or sports events or those who have political or cultural reasons for their trips have to add the following documents:
- an invitation from an event organiser;
- entry tickets for the event;
- enrolments or programmes with the name of the host organisation;
- an official letter by a dispatching organisation applying for a visa for its employee.
In the case of an airport transit visa, one has to attach the following:
- documents relating to the final destination after the airport transit;
- papers proving that the applicant for an airport transit visa is not going to enter any country of the Schengen Area.
Requirements for children
To apply for a visa, the minors’ parents or guardians shall provide the following documents:
- an application signed by both parents or guardians of a child;
- a birth certificate;
- a court order if child custody is granted to one parent;
- duly certified copies of each parent’s passports or ID cards.
If minors travel without their parents but accompanied by another adult, the following documents are provided:
- a parental authorisation to travel to Slovakia, duly signed by both parents and guardians and notarised;
- an original of an accompanying person’s passport and its copy;
- a recent photo of a person who a minor travels with;
- a copy of a valid Schengen visa of an accompanying person.
Requirements depending on the working status of the applicant
An employed applicant has to provide the documents confirming their employment status and income:
- an employment agreement;
- a bank statement for six months;
- salary slips or other documents proving income;
- a statement confirming that the employer has approved an employee’s leave;
- an income tax return form.
In the case of self-employment, a visa-seeker has to attach the following papers to the rest:
- a business license or contracts with clients;
- a bank statement for six months;
- an income tax return form.
A retiree has to present a pension statement for the last six months.
How to apply for a Schengen visa to Slovakia: step-by-step procedure
The whole process of obtaining a Slovak Schengen visa usually takes around one month.
An applicant has to submit the documents no earlier than six months or no later than 15 calendar days before the planned trip to the Diplomatic Mission of the Slovak Republic. It can either be a Consulate or an Embassy. In some cases, the applicant may submit the papers to the special authorised centre — VFS Global.
-
1 dayComplete the visa application form
Download an application form online and fill it in. Another option is to fill in an application form online and send it to an email in a printable PDF format. The next step is to print and sign the completed form.
-
1 dayBook an appointment
To book an appointment, one has to contact the Diplomatic Mission. For example, to book an appointment in Cyprus, it is necessary to send an email with a filled application form and the following data to the Embassy:
- the number of people in the application;
- citizenship of an applicant;
- the dates of a planned trip;
- the purpose of a visit;
- valid residence permit issued by the authorities of Cyprus;
- the status of a stay listed on one’s residence permit.
-
1 dayPay the visa fees
The fees are paid in a freely convertible currency or in the local currency of the country where the application is submitted. The exchange rate is regulated by the European Central Bank or the Slovak National Bank on the day preceding the first calendar day of the month in which the fee is collected.
-
Up to 1 weekCollect the documents
To bring all the documents together may take an applicant around two weeks. The core list of the papers is:
- an application form, filled and signed; the form is filled online and sent to the applicant’s email in a printable PDF format;
- passport, valid for at least 3 months after departure from Slovakia. The passport must contain at least 2 blank pages and have been issued within the preceding 10 years;
- a colour photo 25-40 mm in width;
- documents proving the purpose of the planned trip;
- travel ticket or other documents;
- proof of accommodation;
- proof of financial means;
- International health insurance policy, which covers repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention or emergency hospital treatment or death;
- the receipt proving the payment of the visa fee.
However, it is necessary to add the documents depending on your employment status and the type of visa.
-
1 daySubmit the documents and biometrics
Bring the collected documents to the appointment and submit them in person. During the appointment, you may be asked additional questions about the details of your trip and financial standing. The officials also collect your biometrics.
-
15—45 daysAwait for the commission’s decision
Typically, the decision-making process takes 15 calendar days.
In some cases where the application demands further examination, it may take up to 30 days. In cases where the commission requires additional documents, the deadline may be postponed up to 45 calendar days.
The waiting period may be reduced to 10 calendar days if the applicants come from third countries that concluded the visa facilitation agreements with the European Union.
-
1 dayReceive your passport with a visa
Collect your passport with a visa sticker in person. Make sure your data, the dates of visa validity and the purpose of the visit are correct.
What to do if the application for a Slovakia Schengen visa has been rejected
In case the application has been rejected or an issued visa has been revoked, one has a right to appeal against this decision.
The appeal must be submitted to the diplomatic mission within 15 days of receipt of the decision. Family members of citizens of the EU/EEA or the Swiss Confederation are able to submit the appeal within 30 days after obtaining a decision.
The appeal must be written in the Slovak language or officially translated into it and contain the following data:
- the information about the appellant;
- the specification of incorrectness of the decision and its discrepancy with the law.
The appellant pays an administrative fee of €80.
The process of appeal against the decision on refusal, annulment or revocation of a visa is regulated by the Act No. 404/2011 Coll.Residence of Foreigners and Amendment and Supplementation to Certain Acts.
Visa-free travel to Slovakia: European Golden Visas
The most convenient way to travel to European Union countries visa-free is European Golden Visas — programs which allow wealthy individuals from all over the world to obtain a residence permit, permanent residence or citizenship of a country by investing money in its economy.
European Golden Visas also help investors from third countries create a safe haven in case of complicated political situations and provide the right type of life for their families, as the European standard of life is considered higher than anywhere in the world.
Different investment options start from €30,000. It is possible to obtain a residence permit in one of the European countries within a period of up to 6 months. Living in the state from 1 to 12 years, depending on the country, allows investors to obtain citizenship in Europe, which gives them an opportunity to travel to almost all the countries in the world visa-free.
Key takeaways
1. To enter Slovakia, citizens of third countries that have no visa waiver agreements with the European Union have to obtain a Schengen visa to Slovakia.
2. To obtain a Schengen visa to Slovakia, you need to choose the purpose of the visit and collect the supporting documents. You may fill out the visa application online or offline and submit it to a diplomatic mission in Slovakia or via an authorised visa centre.
3. The decision process on the application usually takes 15 calendar days. However, in some instances, it can be extended up to 30 days. In cases when the commission requires additional documentation, it can be prolonged up to 45 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
The type of visa one needs to enter Slovakia depends on the length of an intended stay and the purpose of the visit.
If you need to travel to another country through an airport in Slovakia, you need an Airport Transit visa or Type A visa. If the length of your stay doesn’t exceed 90 days, you have to apply for a Type C visa or Uniform Schengen visa. If you need to stay in Slovakia for more than 90 days, you have to receive a Type D visa or National visa and then apply for a residence permit in the country.
The process of applying for a Schengen visa to Slovakia takes several steps:
- complete the visa application form;
- book an appointment in the diplomatic mission or an authorised visa centre;
- pay the necessary visa fees;
- collect the required documents;
- submit the collected documents and biometrics to the diplomatic mission or an authorised visa centre;
- wait for the official’s decision;
- collect your passport with a visa sticker.
There are several programs in Europe for investors that allow wealthy individuals from all over the world to obtain a visa to European countries through significant investments in the EU economy.
These programs or European Golden Visas grant, as a rule, residence permit or permanent residence. However, in some cases, it is possible to obtain citizenship by investment. The investment options are various and start from €30,000.
If you are a citizen of a non-EU country, you need a visa to Slovakia. If you have a residence permit that belongs to the Member State of the Schengen Zone, you can enter the Slovak Republic visa-free.
Certain groups of visitors don’t need a visa to enter Slovakia.
The applicant needs to submit the required documents for a visa either to the diplomatic mission of Slovakia or to the special authorised visa centre — VFS Global. There are 91 diplomatic missions of the Slovak Republic abroad, represented in 64 countries on all continents.
As a rule, it takes an applicant about two weeks to collect the necessary documents, pay fees and lodge an application. Generally, after the application is submitted, the officials need 15 days to make a decision.
However, the waiting period for a decision may be increased to 30 days in some instances or even to 45 days if the commission needs additional documents.
If the country where an applicant is from has visa facilitation agreements with the EU, the waiting period may be shortened to 10 calendar days.
There are two main types of fees when applying for a Slovakia Schengen visa: the visa fee itself and a service fee.
The visa fee usually equals €80 for an adult, but sometimes it may be increased to €120-160. For children from 6 to 12 years old, it is €40, and there is no visa fee at all for certain groups of visitors.
The service fee usually does not exceed half the sum of a visa fee, so usually, it is less than €80. However, it can reach €120 in certain states.
As a rule, one has to apply for a Schengen visa to Slovakia in advance. It is not possible to extend a Schengen visa in the Slovak Republic.
However, in exceptional cases, such as natural disasters, humanitarian grounds, or serious personal reasons, one can extend a short-stay visa to Slovakia.
To extend a Schengen visa, a third-country national has to go to a respective police department and lodge an application for a visa validity extension.
The extension of a Schengen visa is free of charge if a foreigner is not able to leave the country due to force majeure or humanitarian reasons. In case of serious personal reasons, a third-country national has to pay a fee of €30.
Yes, a Schengen visa to Slovakia may be revoked in the following cases:
- there is strong evidence that the visa was obtained fraudulently;
- the conditions for issuing a visa are no longer met;
- a visa holder’s request revocation.
The visa holder has a right to appeal against the Member State that has decided to cancel the visa if a Schengen visa has been revoked due to the first two reasons.
To appeal against the decision on revocation, one has to submit the appeal to the diplomatic mission that issued the decision.
The appeal has to contain information about the appellant and point out the incorrectness in the decision and its non-compliance with the law. The document has to be either written in the Slovak language or officially translated into it.
An administrative fee for the appeal is €80.
No, they don’t. United States citizens may enter Slovakia without a visa for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes, as Slovakia is a Member State of the Schengen Agreement.
Still, there are specific requirements for US citizens going to Slovakia:
- their passports must be valid for at least six months after entering the Schengen Zone;
- Americans have to prove sufficient funds to enter the EU;
- they must own a return plane ticket;
- their valid medical insurance has to cover all costs, including hospitalisation and medical treatment in Slovakia.
In case the application has been rejected, one has a right to appeal against this decision. The appeal must be submitted to the diplomatic mission within 15 days of receipt of the decision. Family members of citizens of the EU/EEA or the Swiss Confederation are able to submit the appeal within 30 days after obtaining a decision.
The appeal must be written in the Slovak language or officially translated into it and contain the following data:
- the information about the appellant;
- the specification of incorrectness of the decision and its discrepancy with the law.
The appellant pays an administrative fee of €80.
