• official application form in the Slovak language,

• valid passport (a police officer will make a copy of it),

• document proving the purpose of your stay (in Slovak) - a confirmation of studies letter from a state authority (respective ministry) or a host university, or a confirmation from an organisation administering a scholarship/mobility programme approved by the government or an EU programme under a contract with the competent state authority (scholarship award letter),

• criminal record extract (apostilled or superlegalised) from your country of origin and from every country where you have stayed for more than 90 days during 6 consecutive months within the last 3 years (if any). High school students are exempted from this obligation.

Students who will study at a higher education institution in Slovakia do NOT have to enclose a confirmation on accommodation.

NOTE:

Please note that the documents confirming sufficient financial resources or no criminal record CAN NOT be older than 90 days on the day of submitting the application for a temporary residence. This does NOT apply to comfirmation of admission to study, comfirmation from an organisation administering  programmes approved by the Slovak Government (Letter od Award) or EU programmes.

Each document issued in a language other than Slovak (except for documents issued in Czech) has to be translated to Slovak by an official translator. The list of official translators can be found HERE. In case the translation is done abroad, the competence of the translator must be attested by the Slovak embassy/consulate.

The application can be submitted at:

• Slovak embassy/consulate accredited to the country of the applicant's citizenship, or
• Slovak embassy/consulate accredited to the country of the applicant's residence, or
• Foreign Police Department, if the applicant resides in Slovakia, based on a residence permit issued by Slovakia or another EU Member state, national visa, tolerated residence, or if not needing a visa to enter the Schengen Area, or holding temporarz refuge in slovakia, or holing a Certificate of a Slovak Living Abroad.

When the applicant submits the application at the embassy/consulate of the slovak Republic, he/she will be interviewed for the purpose of preliminary assessment of the application.

When applying for a temporary residence directly at a competent foreign police in Slovakia the police officer in charge will confirm a receipt of your application (last page of the application form). Within 90 days from the date of submitting a complete application, the Foreign Police shall issue either a negative decision or a notification of granting the temporary residence. The foreign police officers will ask you to provide a mobile phone number (applicant can write the number on the application form). The applicant will be notified by a text message in Slovak when his/her residence card is ready.

Submitting a complete application to the Foreign Police entitles the applicant to remain legally in Slovakia until a decision on the application is made.

Once the foreigner is granted a temporary residence, he/she is obliged to submit a medical certificate confirming that he/she does not suffer from any disease threatening public health within 30 days from the collection of your residence card. The certificate cannot be older than 30 days. It can be obtained in specific medical centres only and a fee will be charged.

The temporary residence for the purpose of study remains valid for up to 30 days after the completion of university studies for the purpose of job‑searching. The university diploma and the state examination certificate serve as a proof of the completed studies.

NOTE:

Please note that submitting a complete application at the Foreign Police Department entitles the applicant to stay in Slovakia legally until the decision is made.

Conditions, under which students and PhD students can work alongside with studying are briefly explained in the section Employment.

• 10 € for the issuance of residence card (standard duration of issuance within 30 days).
•  39 € for the residence card (expedited issuance duration within 2 working days).

NOTE: Administrative fees at the Foreign Police are paid in form of electronic fee stamps (eKolok), which may be bought directly at the Foreign Police Department through a vending machine, or at a post office. Consular fees at Slovak embassies are paid in cash or via bank transfers. It is recommended to verify the possible means of payment with the specific embassy.

Third-country nationals with temporary residence for the purpose of studies can/have:

• do business or work 80 hours per month (for university students) without the need of further permits or changing the purpose of their residence,
• work on the basis of agreements on work performed outside the employment relationship (e. g. agreement on part-time jobs for students, work performance agreement)
• new simplified rules of mobility within EU are applicable
• possibility to renew the residence permit for 9 months for the purpose of job seeking or starting a business after completing their studies

The application for renewal must be submitted in person at the competent Foreign Police Department or electronically no later than on the last day of foreigner's temporary residence validity. 

Students who completed their university education in Slovakia (full degree studies) can apply for the renewal of their temporary residence after the completion of their studies, for the purpose of job seeking or starting a business. In this case, it can be prolonged for nine months.

In this case they need to submit

• valid passport (otherwise, the Foreign Police will not accept the application)
• a university diploma obtained during the granted temporary residence or a confirmation on completion of the study
• document proving financial coverage of the residence

Document proving health insurance, medical certificate or criminal record extract are NOT required.

(The temporary residence is considered authorised (only) in Slovakia until the decision on its renewal is made).