Banks, offering services in Slovakia, are usually members of international corporations offering ordinary banking services, such as current accounts and subaccounts, domestic and foreign payments, electronic banking, debit and credit cards, cheques, deposit products, securities, private banking, unit trusts, mortgage financing, loans, exchange and even insurance services.

A list of banks is available at the website of the Slovak Banking Association

Banks are usually open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:00/18:00. Some branches remain open even longer, and some are open on Saturdays and in some cases on Sundays (only in shopping centres). For more details, you should consult the website of the particular bank.

How to open a bank account

To open a bank account in Slovakia, a non-Slovak citizen will need to meet several conditions and provide information, which varies across banks. You need to provide one or two identification documents, while one of them must include a photo and the residence address. You may be asked for information about the correspondence address and in some banks for your residence permit. An application form may be requested to be filled in. A deposit of a minimum balance might be required as well as a certificate of taxpayer´s residence. Opening the account is for free. The monthly fees for the maintenance of the account vary from bank to bank and depend on whether it is in euro or in foreign currency. Closing of the bank account is for free, but the bank can set a fixed amount account balance up to 7 €.

Credit & debit cards

If you have a current account in euro, a debit card is mostly issued within a service package. A credit card is issued independently of an account. Major credit cards (American Express, Diners' Club, Visa, Eurocard/MasterCard) and debit cards (Maestro, Cirrus, Eurocheque cards and Visa Electron, Eurocard/MasterCard) may be used for cash withdrawal from cash dispensers (ATM) as well as for payments in hotels, restaurants, shops and petrol stations. Credit cards can also be used to obtain currency. For further information on commercial acceptability and other services consult your card issuer.

Travellers' cheques

Thomas Cook, American Express, Visa, Swiss Bankers, Citicorp travellers' cheques are accepted in banks and at exchange offices. Exchange rate charges are at least 1 % of the nominal cheque value. To avoid additional charges, travellers are recommended to take travellers' cheques in euros, US dollars or pounds sterling.
You can also use the services of Western Union, operating in the Slovak Post Office throughout the Slovak Republic.

Currency and exchange rate

The official currency in Slovakia is the euro (since 1 January 2009). Denominations: 1 euro (1 €) = 100 cents (100 c), banknotes issued in 500 €, 200 €, 100 €, 50 €, 20 €, 10 € and 5 € denominations; coins in 2 € and 1 € and 50 c, 20 c, 10 c, 5 c, 2 c and 1 c denomination.

The website of the National Bank of Slovakia "Národná banka Slovenska" offers updated information on exchange and interest rates and other financial data. Note that the exchange rate of a commercial bank may vary slightly.