NOTE: 

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, has launched a pilot project aimed at streamlining the appointment scheduling process for national visa applications at Slovak foreign missions.

This initiative specifically targets university students and PhD students (both full-degree and mobility students), and researchers and involves increased engagement of host institutions in Slovakia. 

Each university and research organisation has appointed a coordinator for the communication with the Consular Section of MFA SR, if you are part of the target group, please contact your Slovak host institution for further guidance.

A national (long-stay) visa (type “D”) can be granted:

• if it is necessary for granting a residence in Slovakia,
• interest of the Slovak Republic based on Resolution of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 731of 8.12.2021 on the Higher Education Internationalisation Strategy 2030.  International students, university teachers, researchers, and artists can apply for a national visa if they come to Slovakia with the support of a scholarship funded by one of the following programmes: 
  
  • Erasmus+
  • National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (NSP)
  • programs implemented based on bilateral international agreements and cooperation programmes
  • Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies (CEEPUS)
  • Government Scholarship of the Slovak Republic
  • Scholarships for talented students from abroad
  • Scholarships for excellent researchers threatened by the war conflict in Ukraine
  • Scholarships for excellent PhD students
• interest of the Slovak Republic based on the Regulation of the Government No. 521/2021 Coll. (The link also includes Annex 1 and Annex 2). (Highly qualified person graduated from a) 2. cycle of higher education in Slovakia or Czech Republic b) top higher education institutions listed in Annex 1 c) 2. or 3. cycle of higher education and will be employed in Slovakia (professions in Annex 2)

  Among the professions, for which you can employ third-county national under the national visa in interest of the Slovak Republic, are e.g.

• University teachers
• Scientists and researchers in various fields and disciplines
• Executives (managers) in education and training, in industry, research and development executives (managers)
• IT professionals with high added value
• Health care professionals with high added value
• for language education in a language school (the applicant must be at least 15 years old and the tuition must take at least 25 hours weekly),
• if it is necessary to fulfil Slovakia’s commitments under international treaties,
• or if it is for the benefit of the Slovak Republic.

The visa can be issued ONLY for a stay longer than 90 days, however, for a maximum of one year. It cannot be reissued.

• if it issued in connection with granted residence in Slovakia for 90 days,
• if issued in connection with the granting of residence in Slovakia for 120 days,
• if issued for the language education, its validity is limited to 31 July of the given academic year.

If you are allowed to stay longer than for a year, the national visa will be replaced by a temporary residence before the day of its expiry. The long-term visa holders are allowed to travel to other Schengen member states (outside the borders of the state which issued the visa); however, these stays cannot exceed 90 days in any 180-days period.

Application 

The application for a national visa shall be lodged with the diplomatic mission of the SR or with the external service provider designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs od SR accredited to the country of the applicant’s residence. If there is no such diplomatic mission or external service provider, or in cases worthy of special attention, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in agreement with the Ministry of the Interior of SR, will designate another diplomatic mission or external service provider, where the third country national will be able to submit an application for the granting of a national visa.

In case you have been granted a residence permit in another country you may apply for a visa at embassy/consulate general competent for the country of your current residence. Provided you legally reside in the territory of the Slovak Republic and the issuance of the national visa is in the interest of the Slovak Republic, you may also apply for the national visa at the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.

The embassy will decide whether to grant a national visa within 30 days of submission of the application. The Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic will decide in that same period.

In case of applying for a national visa in order to apply for a temporary residence in the Slovak Republic, keep in mind to bring all the documents necessary for the residence permit application to Slovakia with you. If you are not granted the temporary residence within the period of your visa validity, you will need to leave Slovakia (Schengen Area) when the visa expires.

Administrative fees:

• 90 EUR- national visa granted in connection with a residence permit application to be submitted in the Slovak Republict
• 50 EUR- national visa in the interest of the Slovak Republic or for the fulfilment of the Slovak Republic's obligations arising from international treaties 
• 14 EUR  - national visa issued for the purpose of collecting an already granted residence permit in the Slovak Republic

Documents

A list of required DOCUMENTS can be found at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of SR.