Granting of citizenship based on merit

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am interested in acquiring Slovak citizenship. I am a Slovak born in Romania and I hold Romanian citizenship. My great-grandparents emigrated from Czechoslovakia. I am a holder of a Certificate of a Slovak Living Abroad. I would like to inquire whether I am required to have permanent residence in Slovakia for a period of three years and be employed here in order to apply for Slovak citizenship. At the same time, I am able to demonstrate my 20-year active involvement in the cultural and economic life of Slovaks living abroad, specifically within our community.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Pursuant to Section 7(3)(b) of Act No. 40/1993 Coll. on Citizenship of the Slovak Republic:

“A person who has been issued a certificate proving the status of a Slovak living abroad may be granted citizenship of the Slovak Republic without fulfilling the condition referred to in paragraph 1(a), provided that they have been granted residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic and have made a significant contribution to the community of Slovaks living abroad from which they originate, in the economic, scientific, technical, cultural, social, or sports field.”

It follows from the above that Slovak citizenship may be granted to holders of a Certificate of a Slovak Living Abroad even without meeting the condition of continuous residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least three years, provided that they have been granted residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic and have made a significant contribution to the community of Slovaks living abroad from which they originate.

It is important to note, however, that there is no legal entitlement to the granting of citizenship based on contribution to the community of Slovaks living abroad. Each application is assessed individually based on the information provided.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the email address recepcia@akmv.sk or by phone at +421 915 046 749.

Greetings,

I found information on the internet that Slovak citizenship may be granted to an applicant who has contributed to the Slovak Republic in various fields such as culture, sports, economics, etc. In this context, I have a few questions regarding this matter.

  • Can citizenship be granted to a foreigner by the President of the Slovak Republic?

  • Can this also include investment in industrial and non-industrial sectors in Slovakia? Alternatively, are charitable donations also considered?

  • Is there a possibility to acquire so-called “honorary citizenship” as in other countries? Specifically, has there been a case in the past where such citizenship was granted?

Thank you for your response! Wishing you a pleasant rest of the day.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your inquiry.

The matter in question is governed by Section 7(2)(b) of the Act, under which an applicant who has been granted residence in Slovakia may be granted Slovak citizenship without meeting the condition set out in paragraph 1(a) (i.e. permanent residence for a period of 8 years), if the person has made a significant contribution to the Slovak Republic in the economic, scientific, technical, cultural, social or sports field, or if it is otherwise in the interest of the Slovak Republic.

Below, we provide answers to your specific questions.

  • No, under our legislation, the President does not have the authority to grant Slovak citizenship, nor to otherwise intervene in the citizenship process. The competent authority for deciding on citizenship is the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic.

  • The relevant state authority, depending on the type of contribution to the Slovak Republic (e.g., Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, etc.), assesses the matter and provides its opinion pursuant to Section 8a(3) of Act No. 40/1993. The Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic takes this opinion into consideration. Each case is assessed individually based on the position of the relevant state authority. It is not possible to provide a definitive position on what specific act or scope may be considered a significant contribution to the Slovak Republic. In such cases, the Ministry of the Interior takes into account the positions of other competent state authorities.

  • At present, it is not possible to acquire “honorary citizenship,” nor has it been granted in the past. Activities aimed at honorary citizenship are subsumed under contributions to the Slovak Republic. As mentioned in point 2, the relevant state authority would assess such activities individually and provide its opinion to the Ministry of the Interior.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact us via email at recepcia@akmv.sk or by phone at +421 915 046 749.