AKMV 
Purpose of the Regulation
According to § 15 (1)(d) of the Act on the Residence of Foreigners, a national visa may be granted to a third-country national if it is in the interest of the Slovak Republic. This legal provision enables the issuance of national visas for employment purposes in connection with the implementation of investment plans or significant projects that are of strategic interest to Slovakia.
As of July 1, 2025, Regulation No. 160/2025 Coll. has entered into force, allowing the issuance of national visas to citizens of the People’s Republic of China working for selected investors.
The aim of this regulation is to enhance Slovakia’s ability to attract foreign investments and international talent, and to support job creation, including positions for Slovak citizens. By the end of 2024, Chinese investments accounted for 27% of the projects being developed by the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency, with the intent to establish operations in the Central and Eastern European region. These initiatives could bring over EUR 5.3 billion in investment and create approximately 15,700 new jobs. (Source: Explanatory Report)
Successful implementation of such projects often hinges on meeting specific timelines and having access to qualified labor, particularly in sectors not yet represented in Slovakia.
The proposed legislative measure aims to define the conditions and purpose under which the Slovak Republic may declare its interest in granting a national visa. This interest relates to strengthening business cooperation and supporting investment development between the Slovak Republic and the People’s Republic of China. A national visa may be granted for the purpose of performing work associated with investment projects or strategically significant investments. This applies to PRC nationals employed by specific investors identified as key partners within Slovakia’s economic interests.
A national visa is granted for employment related to an investment plan or major investment according to applicable provisions. The visa is issued for the duration of the employment contract, but no longer than one year. The total number of national visas granted under this provision may not exceed 1,000 per calendar year.
Third-Country National
For the purposes of this regulation, a third-country national is defined in §1(a) as a person who:
- a) is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China and is listed under § 2 (2),
- b) at the time of applying for a national visa, has not been granted temporary residence for employment purposes under § 23 of the Act on the Residence of Foreigners and has not applied for such residence,
- c) has not previously been granted a national visa.
Employer
The employer where the third-country national is to be employed must meet the following criteria:
- It is a legal entity based in the Slovak Republic and part of a group of accounting units whose parent company is a legal entity based in the People’s Republic of China.
- It has not been fined for illegal employment violations within three years prior to submission of the list under § 2 (1).
- As of the date of submission of the list, it has no outstanding debts to the tax or customs authorities and has fulfilled obligations regarding health insurance prepayments, social insurance contributions, and mandatory pension contributions.
- It has submitted an application for regional or exceptional investment aid to the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, and the ministry has issued a proposal or decision for such aid, or has issued a certificate for a significant investment.
General Conditions for Granting Visas
According to §2 of the regulation, the employer must submit to the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, via the central public administration portal, a proposed list of third-country nationals, signed with a qualified electronic signature. The list must be accompanied by documents proving compliance with conditions under § 1(b)(1) and (c).
Once verified, the Ministry of Economy will forward the list to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic within ten business days from the submission of the proposal.
The list must contain the following data about each third-country national:
- a) full name,
- b) date of birth,
- c) nationality,
- d) type and number of valid travel document,
- e) seven-digit occupation code and name of the job under the statistical classification of occupations, along with the organization’s name and identification number,
- f) identification of the diplomatic mission or the department of the Alien Police where the visa application will be submitted.
For the purposes of § 17(2) of the Act on the Residence of Foreigners, proof of purpose of stay is a valid employment contract or a written promise from the employer to hire the third-country national.
The national visa will indicate the seven-digit occupational code and the name and ID number of the organization where the visa holder will work.
Failure to Fulfil the Purpose of the Visa
According to § 17(8)(c) of the Act on the Residence of Foreigners, the purpose of the visa is deemed unfulfilled if, during the validity of the national visa:
a) the third-country national:
- enters into an employment relationship with an employer other than the one for which the national visa was granted, or starts performing work different from that stated in the visa, or
- applies for temporary residence for employment with a different employer than the one specified in the national visa;
b) the employer:
- is denied regional or exceptional investment aid,
- has the decision granting such aid revoked,
- has the certificate of significant investment revoked.
