Slovakia - Intra-corporate transferee (ICT)

Where and how to apply

The application for temporary residence for the purpose of employment (ICT permit) can only be submitted at the Slovak embassy in the country of your citizenship or country of your residence. It is not possible to submit your application for residence at the Foreign Police Department in Slovakia. The application must be submitted in person. When submitting the application at the Slovak embassy, you will be interviewed for the purpose of a preliminary assessment of the application.

Before you apply for the residence, your future employer must report the vacancy to the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (even though you do not need to undergo the labour market test), competent according to your future place of work. Your employer must report the vacancy on the official form (by post, email, fax), or electronically by means of the labour market internet wizard.

After submitting your application for residence, the relevant Foreign Police Department in Slovakia will request a confirmation on the possibility to fill the vacancy by a foreigner from the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family. The confirmation on the possibility to fill the vacancy is issued without assessing the situation in the Slovak labour market. The role of the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family is to verify that the host employer has not violated the ban on illegal employment in the last five years and that the applicant's education meets the requirements for the regulated profession (if relevant).

The Foreign Police Department will issue a decision within 90 days from the date of delivery of a complete application. The period starts counting from the date your application is delivered to the Foreign Police Department, not from delivery to the Slovak embassy. If you work for a significant foreign investor in Slovakia, or for an enterprise services centre, or if you are a citizen of an OECD Member Sate working for a foreign investor in Slovakia, the Foreign Police Department will issue a decision within 30 days from the date of delivery of the application.

The fee for applying for a temporary residence for the purpose of employment (ICT permit) is EUR 170. The fee for issuance of a residence document is EUR 4.50. The residence document is issued within 30 days from fulfilling the reporting duty towards the Foreign Police (within three working days from entering the territory of the Slovak Republic). The fee for express issuance of a residence document within 2 working days is EUR 24.50. 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.

If you are subject to visa requirements, you might also need to obtain an entry visa in order to arrive to Slovakia.

Documents required

 To obtain temporary residence for the purpose of employment (ICT permit), you must submit the following documents:

• a completed and signed official application form in Slovak language;
• a valid passport and two colour photographs (3 x 3.5 cm);
• documents confirming the purpose of your residence:
  • a contract of employment;
  • a confirmation of the employer (in case this information is not included in the contract of employment):
    • on the duration of the intra-corporate transfer;
    • on the location of the host entity in Slovakia;
    • on the fact that you are taking the position as a manager, specialist, or trainee employee in the host entity in Slovakia;
    • on the height of the remuneration as well as other terms and conditions of employment granted during the intra-corporate transfer;
    • on the fact that you will be able to transfer back to an entity belonging to the same undertaking or group of undertakings and established in a third country at the end of the intra-corporate transfer;
    • on the fact that the host entity in Slovakia and the undertaking established in a third country belong to the same undertaking or group of undertakings.
• documents confirming the intra-corporate transfer, i.e. documents proving:
  • that you were employed within the same undertaking or group of undertakings, at least six months immediately preceding the date of the intra-corporate transfer in the case of managers and specialists, and at least three months in the case of trainee employees;
  • that you have the professional qualifications and experience needed in the host entity to which you are to be transferred as manager or specialist; or
  • that you have the university degree required and agreement on professional preparation for career development purposes, or for obtaining knowledge in business management techniques in the case of a trainee employee;
  • that you fulfil the conditions to exercise the regulated profession to which the application relates (in case of a regulated profession).
• a criminal record statement from the country of your citizenship and other countries where you resided for more than 90 days during six consecutive months in the last three years;
• proof of financial means to cover the cost of your stay (either a confirmation from the employer on the height of the agreed salary or a bank account balance confirmation);
• a document on your accommodation in Slovakia for at least six months or for your entire stay;
• administrative fee of EUR 170;
• administrative fee of EUR 4.50 (for issuance of the residence document).

Further requirements

All documents issued by official authorities abroad must be officially translated into Slovak by a certified translator and properly authenticated (apostille or superlegalisation). It is possible to submit documents issued or verified by official authorities of the Czech Republic in Czech language.

The documents must not be older than 90 days at the time of submitting the application.  

Submitting an application for temporary residence does not entitle you to reside in Slovakia. Until you obtain the temporary residence, you are entitled to stay in Slovakia only on the basis of a valid visa, another residence permit, or within the visa-free regime.

You must enter the territory of the Slovak Republic within 180 days from being granted the residence.

You must report the beginning of your residence at the Foreign Police Department within three working days from your arrival to Slovakia.

Within three working days from collecting the residence document in Slovakia, you must get a health insurance.

Within 30 days from collecting the residence document, you must submit at the Foreign Police a medical report not older than 30 days confirming you do not suffer from a disease constituting a threat to public health (this can be prolonged by 60 days, if requested).

You must reside in the territory of Slovakia for more than half of the length of the granted temporary residence in a calendar year.

Duration of validity of permits

The period of validity of the ICT permit is a maximum of three years or the duration of the transfer (whichever is shorter) for managers and specialists, or a maximum of one year for trainee employees. The ICT permit may be extended to a maximum of three years for managers and specialists, or a maximum of one year for trainee employees.

Extension or renewal

Temporary residence may be renewed repeatedly. Temporary residence for the purpose of employment (ICT permit) may be renewed for a maximum period of three years for managers and specialists, or for a maximum of one year for trainee employees.

If you want to apply for renewal of temporary residence, you must do so in person at the competent Foreign Police Department no later than the last day of validity of the temporary residence. The temporary residence is considered legal in the territory of Slovakia until the decision on its renewal. It is required that your employment lasts, i.e. the purpose for which you obtained the temporary residence still lasts. At the same time, your employer must report the vacancy to the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family before submitting the application for renewal. The application for renewal of temporary residence must be accompanied by a valid passport, otherwise the Foreign Police will not accept the application.

The application must be submitted together with:

• a valid passport;
• one colour photograph (3 × 3.5 cm);
• documents confirming the purpose of your residence (not required if the circumstances proven by the original documents remain unchanged);
• a document on accommodation in Slovakia (does not apply to a foreign national regularly commuting to work across state borders from a neighbouring state);
• a document on financial coverage of residence;
• administrative fee EUR 99.50;
• administrative fee EUR 4.50 (for issuing a residence document).

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.

Appeals

In the case of a positive decision on your application, the Foreign Police does not issue a written decision and will send you a written notification informing that the residence has been granted, stating the date of granting and date of expiry. The Foreign Police will send a written or electronic notification on granting of the residence to you, to the competent Slovak embassy, as well as to the self-governing region and to the municipality according to your place of residence in Slovakia. The Foreign Police will also send a written notification on granting of the residence, or a written notification on rejection of the residence to your employer.

You will obtain a written decision in case your application is rejected. You can file an administrative appeal to the Directorate of Foreign Police/Directorate of Border and Foreign Police. You can file a judicial appeal to the Regional Court

Change of status

As a holder of temporary residence for the purpose of employment (ICT permit), your status in Slovakia is aligned with the duration of your work and is valid for the duration of your employment contract. If the purpose of your residence status ceases to exist (e.g. your contract is terminated before the expiry of your residence), you as well as you employer must inform the Foreign Police Department within three working days. In such case, your residence permit remains valid for another 60 days (the so-called protective period), during which your residence will not yet be revoked. If you wish to stay in Slovakia, the protective period may serve to search for a new work and/or apply for a new temporary residence.

If you wish to change your status, i.e. change the type or purpose of your residence (e.g. from employment to business), you must submit a new application for residence at the Foreign Police Department, no later than the last day of validity of your current residence.

Family members

If you hold a temporary residence for the purpose of employment as an intra-corporate transferee in Slovakia and would like your family members to join you, they may apply for temporary residence for the purpose of family reunification.

Family members include your spouse of at least 18 years of age, your and your spouse’s unmarried children younger than 18 years of age, your unmarried children younger than 18 years of age, unmarried children of your spouse younger than 18 years of age, your dependent unmarried children older than 18 years of age or dependent unmarried children of your spouse who cannot provide for themselves due to a long-term unfavourable health condition, your dependent parent or parent of your spouse who lacks appropriate family support in the country of origin.

The Foreign Police Department can grant your family members residence until the validity of your residence expires, for a maximum period of 5 years.

Your family members may study, conduct business (does not apply to parents and children older than 18 years of age) and be employed during their stay in Slovakia (immediately from the start of their residence and without the need to obtain a work permit).

In general, it is recommended that your family member files the application for temporary residence at the Slovak embassy in the country of his/her citizenship or country of his/her residence. In specific cases stipulated by law (e.g. if he/she is not subject to visa requirements, if he/she already holds a valid residence permit in the country/in another MS), he/she may submit the application for residence at the competent Foreign Police Department in Slovakia. The application for residence must be submitted in person. If your family member cannot submit the application for residence in person due to being bed-bound, you can do so instead.

To obtain a temporary residence for the purpose of family reunification, the following documents must be submitted:

• a completed and signed official application form in the Slovak language;
• a valid passport and two colour photographs (3 × 3.5 cm);
• documents confirming the basis for family reunification (i.e. registry document, and in the case of a single child younger than 18 years of age, dependent child, dependent parent or a dependent person, also a document confirming these facts, e.g. birth certificate, affidavit, confirmation from a doctor);
• consent with the reunification of the other parent of a child younger than 18 years of age, to whom the child has not been entrusted to personal care and who is entitled to meet with the child;
• proof of financial means to cover the stay;
• proof of accommodation in Slovakia;
• proof of clear criminal record (those who are older than 14 years of age);
• administrative fee of EUR 132.50 (if the application is submitted at the Foreign Police Department) or EUR 135 (if the application is submitted at the Slovak embassy). Children younger than 18 years of age are exempt from paying an administrative fee;
• administrative fee EUR 4.50 (for issuing a residence document).

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.