AKMV 
Citizenship of the Czech Republic by descent
Similarly to Slovak legislation, Czech law also allows the possibility of acquiring citizenship through one’s ancestors. According to Section 31(3)...
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Granting / acquisition of citizenship
If you are interested in obtaining Slovak citizenship, the basic conditions include continuous residence in the Slovak Republic or marriage with a citizen of Slovakia. Our law firm also provides services for obtaining a permanent and temporary residence permit in Slovakia.
Acquiring, renewing, or retaining Slovak citizenship can be a complex process involving numerous legal and administrative requirements. Our law firm offers comprehensive services in the area of citizenship, whether it concerns citizenship for Slovaks (dual citizenship, obtaining birth certificates for children born abroad, reacquisition) or obtaining citizenship for foreigners (through ancestors, based on origin).
The legislation of the Slovak Republic recognizes several grounds on which citizenship may be granted or acquired. The basic ones include:
- Granting of citizenship on the basis of residence
- Granting of citizenship by descent
- Granting of citizenship on the basis of marriage
- Significant contribution to the Slovak Republic
- Legal status of a minor child
- A person who has been granted asylum
- Reacquisition of citizenship for those who lost their citizenship in the past
Our services
- Claim assessment – we will assess your case with regard to the fulfillment of the conditions set by law for obtaining Slovak citizenship.
- Preparation of documentation – we will prepare the necessary documents and provide a list of all mandatory attachments.
- Checking of documents – we will check the documents sent by clients in terms of their content and compliance with legal requirements.
- Recommendations – we will point out any shortcomings and recommend additions or corrections to missing or incorrect documents.
- Finalization of the application – we will ensure that the application is fully processed and ready for submission.
- Representation – we will represent the client when submitting the application in Bratislava or in another city by agreement.
Granting of citizenship based on residence
- if the applicant has had continuous permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least eight years immediately preceding the submission of the application for Slovak citizenship, or
- if the applicant has had continuous permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least three years before reaching the age of 18, or
- if the applicant was born in the territory of the Slovak Republic and has had permanent residence there for at least three years immediately preceding the submission of the application for Slovak citizenship, or
- if the applicant has had continuous residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least ten years and, at the time of submitting the application for Slovak citizenship, has already been granted a permanent residence permit, or
- if the applicant is stateless and has resided continuously in the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least three years immediately prior to submitting an application for Slovak citizenship.
1 430 €
+ VAT
Grant of Citizenship by Descent
The following conditions must be met:
– the applicant has never been a citizen of the Slovak Republic;
– at least one of the applicant’s parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents was a
Czechoslovak citizen;
– that ancestor was born in the territory of present-day Slovakia.
The applicant must also hold residence in Slovakia.
For more details, see our articles:
4 800 €
+ VAT
Grant of Citizenship Based on Marriage
If:
- the applicant has married a citizen of the Slovak Republic;
- the marriage is ongoing and the spouses have lived together in Slovakia as one household for at least five years immediately before submitting the application;
- the spouse was already a Slovak citizen at the time the marriage was contracted.
Related articles:
1 430 €
+ VAT
Significant Contribution to the Slovak Republic
If the person has made a significant contribution to the Slovak Republic in the economic, scientific, technical, cultural, social, or sports sphere, or if granting citizenship is otherwise in the interest of the Slovak Republic.
Please note that this route is assessed on an individual basis, and we cannot determine eligibility for citizenship in such cases. The Ministry of the Interior (as the competent authority) will request opinions from other competent bodies, such as other ministries, federations/associations, and similar institutions.
Read more in our articles: Granting of Slovak Citizenship for Athletes, Granting of citizenship based on merit, Granting of Slovak Citizenship for Athletes
1 430 €
+ VAT
Legal Regime Applicable to Minors
If the applicant is a minor whose legal representative or guardian is a citizen of the Slovak Republic, or a legal entity designated by a Slovak court, and the child has had continuous residence in Slovakia for at least two years immediately before filing the application for Slovak citizenship; the residence-length requirement does not apply to minors under two years of age.
Or if the applicant has had continuous permanent residence in Slovakia for at least three years
before reaching the age of 18.
Read more in our articles: Slovak Citizenship for Minors, Slovak citizenship for a child born abroad
1 430 €
+ VAT
A person who has been granted asylum status
If the applicant has been an asylum seeker for at least four years immediately preceding the submission of the application for Slovak citizenship.
1 430 €
+ VAT
Reacquisition of citizenship for those who lost their citizenship in the past
If you acquired foreign citizenship between July 17, 2010, and March 31, 2022, in most cases this resulted in the automatic loss of Slovak citizenship. You were also required to report this fact to the ministry. However, when assessing this, it is also necessary to take into account the exceptions that were gradually applied depending on changes in legislation and circumstances under which citizenship was not lost.
If you lost your Slovak citizenship this way, you can apply to get it back if you can show that you lived in the country where you got citizenship for at least five years before getting that citizenship.
In addition, in the past it was also possible to lose Slovak citizenship by renouncing it at one’s own request. In such cases, too, the law allows for reapplication for citizenship.
1 755 €
+ VAT
Language test for obtaining citizenship
Slovak citizenship may be granted to an applicant who, pursuant to Section 7(1)(h) of Act No. 40/1993 Coll. on Slovak citizenship: “has demonstrated proficiency in the Slovak language, both spoken and written, and general knowledge of the Slovak Republic.”
An exception to this condition is provided for in the second part of the provision in question, which states: “This shall not apply to applicants under paragraph 2(b), (i) and (j), paragraphs 4 to 7, and to applicants who:
- was under 14 years of age at the time of submitting the application,
- is or was a citizen of the Czech Republic,
- has a valid certificate proving the status of a Slovak living abroad,
- is over 65 years of age, or
- has successfully passed a secondary school leaving examination in the Slovak language, a state language examination in the Slovak language, or a state examination at a university as part of a study program conducted in the Slovak language, provided that no more than ten years have elapsed since the date of such secondary school leaving examination, the state language exam or the state exam, no more than ten years have elapsed as of the date of submission of the application for Slovak citizenship. It follows from the cited provision that one way to meet this condition is to successfully pass the state language exam. Based on information provided by the Ministry of the Interior, Department of Citizenship and Residence Registration, it is necessary to pass a basic language exam of the first level of difficulty: “To prove proficiency in the Slovak language pursuant to Section 7(1)(h)(5) of Act No. 40/1993 Coll. of the National Council of the Slovak Republic on Slovak citizenship, a basic state language exam in the Slovak language – level B2 of the reference framework – is sufficient.”
When you do not need to take a language test
The following are cases in which the language exam may be waived:
- it is a person who has made a significant contribution to the Slovak Republic in the economic, scientific, technical, cultural, social or sporting fields, or is otherwise in the interests of the Slovak Republic,
- the applicant has been released from the state union of the Slovak Republic pursuant to Section 9 and has been continuously residing in the territory of the republic for at least two years prior to submitting the application for Slovak citizenship,
- an applicant whose former Czechoslovak citizenship has expired or who has lost Czechoslovak citizenship as a result of long-term absence pursuant to Sections 31 and 32 of Act L of 1879 on the acquisition and loss of Hungarian citizenship, or by marriage pursuant to Section 34 of Statutory Article L of 1879 on the acquisition and loss of Hungarian citizenship, or pursuant to § 2 of Act No. 102/1947 Coll. on the acquisition and loss of Czechoslovak citizenship through marriage, or pursuant to § 5 of Act No. 194/1949 Coll. on the acquisition and loss of Czechoslovak citizenship, or pursuant to Section 13(1) of Act No. 206/1968 Coll. of the Slovak National Council on the acquisition and loss of citizenship of the Slovak Socialist Republic, or pursuant to international treaties,
- an applicant who was released from the state union of the Slovak Republic pursuant to Section 14(1) of Slovak National Council Act No. 206/1968 Coll. on the acquisition and strategy of citizenship of the Slovak Socialist Republic or pursuant to Section 6 of Act No. 194/1949 Coll. on the acquisition and loss of Czechoslovak citizenship,
- an applicant who is a former citizen of the Slovak Republic and who was released from the citizenship of the Slovak Republic under this Act, if he or she so requests and submits proof that he or she has not been granted citizenship of another country.
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Questions from the legal advice room
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