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Visas & documents · 3 min read

Visa and work permit rules: Slovakia

Checked against official sources: 2 November 2026

Bratislava Old Town — xlibber, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Work authorisation

Temporary residence for the purpose of employment (prechodný pobyt na účel zamestnania). The main route is the single permit, based on a 'confirmation of the possibility to fill a vacancy' from the Labour Office. A separate work permit route exists for some cases.

The employer reports the vacancy to the local Labour Office (Úrad práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny) at least 20 working days before applying for the confirmation. If no local jobseeker is found, the employer gives a written job offer or a future employment contract. The employer then applies for the confirmation online through slovensko.sk (rules from 1 September 2025). The worker applies for temporary residence. The Foreign Police (Ministry of Interior) decides.

How you enter the country

The worker applies in person at the Slovak embassy accredited for their country of nationality or residence. The embassy interviews the applicant and sends its opinion to the Foreign Police. Another route is a national D visa for employment: after entry, the worker applies at the Foreign Police in Slovakia. Example: at the Slovak Embassy in New Delhi, only a Slovak employer with a Slovak company ID can request D visa appointments, by email on announced dates (next: 10 November 2026). Requests from workers or agencies are not processed. Applicants then book at the visa centre. The worker must apply for residence within 180 days of the Labour Office confirmation.

Processing times

Labour Office confirmation: within 15 working days of a complete application (ÚPSVaR). A temporary residence decision time was not stated on the official pages I opened. The EU portal (dated 1 April 2025) says a work permit is issued within 20 working days.

Documents you usually provide

  • Official application form in Slovak, signed
  • Valid passport
  • Two colour photos 3 x 3.5 cm (EU portal)
  • Labour Office confirmation, or the job offer / contract it is based on
  • Criminal record extract from your country of citizenship and any country where you lived more than 90 days in 6 months during the last 3 years (EU portal)
  • Proof of financial means (salary confirmation from employer or bank statement)
  • Proof of accommodation for at least 6 months or the whole stay
  • Recognition of diploma, for regulated professions
  • Foreign documents need an official Slovak translation and an apostille or superlegalisation
  • Documents must not be older than 90 days (EU portal)

After arrival

According to the EU portal (dated 1 April 2025): report your arrival to the Foreign Police within 3 working days. Get health insurance within 3 working days of collecting the residence card. Submit a medical report within 30 days of collecting the card (it can be extended by 60 days). Temporary residence for employment can last up to 5 years by law (the EU portal says up to 2 years in practice). If the job ends, you and the employer must inform the Foreign Police within 3 working days. You then have 60 days to find a new job. Employers must tell the Labour Office within 7 working days when work starts or ends.

How Worrki helps

We confirm the job with the employer, coordinate the employer documents and check your package before you apply. You submit the application yourself and the authorities make the decision. See jobs and conditions in Slovakia.

This summary was checked against the official pages listed below on 2 November 2026. Fees are set by the authorities and change often, so we do not quote them here. Always confirm the current requirements and fees with the consulate that serves your country of residence.

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