AKMV 
- Key Changes – Summary
- National Visa
- Invitation for the Purpose of Obtaining a Visa
- Change of Residence Purpose – Who May Apply in Slovakia
- Changes Concerning Residence for the Purpose of Business
- Renewal of Temporary Residence
- Permanent Residence for 5 Years and for an Indefinite Period
- Long-Term Residence
Key Changes – Summary
The most important amendments to Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on the Residence of Foreigners include:
- A national visa, if necessary in connection with the submission of a residence permit application, may be granted for up to 120 days (increased from the original 90 days);
- Invitation for the purpose of visa issuance: the inviting person must demonstrate the ability to cover all costs related to the stay and departure of the invited third-country national by submitting a confirmation of account balance (not a bank statement from the last three months, as previously required);
- When applying for temporary residence for the purpose of business, a new obligation is introduced to submit a business plan in every case, including for small entrepreneurs establishing a sole proprietorship;
- When applying for temporary residence for the purpose of business, a regulation of the number of third-country nationals – prospective entrepreneurs – is introduced (quotas);
- In certain cases, it will not be possible to apply for a change of residence purpose from study within the territory of the Slovak Republic;
- A third-country national who has been granted temporary residence for less than two years may not apply for a change of residence purpose to business at the police department;
- Submission of a photograph with the residence permit application will no longer be required;
- In cases of residence permit issuance, the obligation to submit proof of financial coverage remains only in the case of invitation verification (§ 19 para. 7), granting/renewal of temporary residence for the purpose of business (§ 32 para. 2 letter c), § 34 para. 3 letter b)), and long-term residence (§ 53 para. 4), whereby a confirmation of account balance is submitted instead of a bank statement from the last three months.
Legal services
National Visa
According to the wording effective from 1 July 2025, a national visa, if necessary in connection with the submission of a residence permit application, may be granted for up to 120 days. This does not apply in the case of an application for temporary residence under § 22 (temporary residence for the purpose of business).
Invitation for the Purpose of Obtaining a Visa
The inviting person shall demonstrate the ability to cover all costs associated with the stay and departure of the invited third-country national by submitting a confirmation of the account balance held in a bank, branch of a foreign bank, or foreign bank (hereinafter referred to as the “bank”) in their name (not a bank statement from the last three months, as was previously required).
Submission of a Residence Permit Application in Slovakia
The amendment clarified when it is possible to submit a residence permit application in Slovakia and when it is not.
“(3) Unless otherwise provided in paragraph 6, a third-country national may submit an application for temporary residence in person also at the police department, if
a) they are staying in the territory of the Slovak Republic on the basis of:
- a valid residence permit pursuant to a specific regulation,9)
- a granted tolerated residence pursuant to § 58(1)(a) to (c) or (2),
- a granted Schengen visa for the purpose of seasonal employment and the application concerns the granting of temporary residence pursuant to § 23(4),
- a granted national visa pursuant to § 15,
b) they are a third-country national who is exempt from the visa requirement,
c) they are a third-country national who has been granted temporary refuge in the territory of the Slovak Republic, or
d) they are a holder of a Slovak Living Abroad certificate.
Positive information
A third-country national is entitled to remain in the territory of the Slovak Republic until a decision is made on their application, provided they have submitted a complete application for temporary residence.
(6) A third-country national may not personally submit an application for temporary residence at the police department under paragraph 3 if they:
a) are applying for temporary residence under § 22 (for the purpose of business),
b) are applying for temporary residence under § 23(5) (intra-corporate transfer), or
c) have been granted a national visa under § 15(1)(b) and are applying for temporary residence for a purpose other than the one declared when the national visa was granted, unless it is an application for temporary residence under §§ 24 to 26.
“In justified cases, the Ministry of the Interior may designate a police department other than the one specified in the first sentence as competent to accept an application for residence registration under § 66, an application for issuing a document under § 66(11), § 67(7), § 70(11) and § 71(7), an application for granting residence, or for proceedings on granting residence.”
Change of Residence Purpose – Who May Apply in Slovakia
The amendment also specifies who is not allowed to submit an application for a change of residence purpose in Slovakia.
“(7) A third-country national may not submit an application for a change of residence purpose at the police department if they have been granted temporary residence:
a) for less than two years and intend to apply for temporary residence under § 22 (i.e., for the purpose of business),
b) under § 23(4) (i.e., for the purpose of seasonal employment),
c) under § 24(1)(a) (i.e., for the purpose of study, being a full-time secondary school student); this does not apply if the third-country national has successfully passed the final examination or the school-leaving examination as part of secondary education in the Slovak Republic,
d) under § 24(1)(b) (i.e., for the purpose of study, being a university student); this does not apply if the third-country national has duly completed secondary education in the Slovak Republic or obtained higher education of the first, second, or third degree, or
e) under § 24(1)(c) (i.e., attending a language or professional preparation course for university studies).
Changes Concerning Residence for the Purpose of Business
The police department shall grant temporary residence for the purpose of business for a period of three years. The previous regulation allowed residence “for the anticipated duration of business, but no longer than three years.” In practice, it was often granted for approximately 1.5 years.
A new obligation is introduced to submit a business plan in every case, including for small entrepreneurs establishing a sole proprietorship. The business plan must be submitted in the official language.
The amendment also introduces a regulation on the number of third-country nationals – prospective entrepreneurs – by setting quotas for their maximum number within a calendar year. According to § 129a, the number of applications shall be determined by the Government of the Slovak Republic: “The Government of the Slovak Republic shall, by regulation, establish the maximum number of applications for the granting of temporary residence under § 22 that may be accepted by individual diplomatic missions in a calendar year; in the regulation, the Government of the Slovak Republic may specify diplomatic missions that may not accept applications for the granting of temporary residence under § 22.”
The place of submission of an application for temporary residence for the purpose of business will only be the diplomatic mission of the Slovak Republic accredited for the country that issued the third-country national’s travel document or in which they reside. It will not be possible to request an exception to submit the application at a different diplomatic mission.
A third-country national who has been granted temporary residence for less than two years may not submit an application for a change of residence purpose to business at the police department.
Proof of financial coverage of the stay must be submitted as a confirmation of the account balance in a bank account held in the name of the third-country national. The financial coverage must amount to twelve times the subsistence minimum.
“Financial coverage of the business activity under paragraph 2 letter d) must be demonstrated by a confirmation of the account balance in a bank account established for business purposes, which must not be the same account as under paragraph 6.”
Renewal of Temporary Residence
Proof of financial coverage of the stay shall once again be demonstrated solely by a confirmation of the account balance (instead of a bank statement).
Permanent Residence for 5 Years and for an Indefinite Period
The obligation to submit a translation of proof of financial coverage is being abolished.
Long-Term Residence
Proof of financial coverage of the stay shall once again be demonstrated solely by a confirmation of the account balance (instead of a bank statement).
The approved wording of the amendment to the Act on the Residence of Foreigners can be found here: https://www.nrsr.sk/web/Dynamic/DocumentPreview.aspx?DocID=567328
