To come to Slovakia as a researcher, you must obtain a temporary residence for the purpose of research and development.
This type of residence may be granted to you, if you perform research and development based on a hosting agreement.
Temporary residence for the purpose of research and development is not required during the first 90 days from entering Slovakia, if you reside in the country legally and fulfilled the reporting duty towards the Foreign Police (within three working days from entering the territory of the Slovak Republic).
If you are subject to visa requirements, you might also need to obtain an entry visa in order to arrive to Slovakia.
Where and how to apply | In general, it is recommended to file the application for temporary residence for the purpose of research and development at the Slovak embassy in the country of your citizenship or country of your residence. In specific cases stipulated by law (e.g. if you are not subject to visa requirements, if you already hold a valid residence permit in the country/in another Member State), you may submit your application for residence at the competent Foreign Police Department in Slovakia. The application must be submitted in person. Applying for a temporary residence for the purpose of research and development is free of charge. |
Documents required | To obtain temporary residence for the purpose of research and development you must submit:
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. |
Further requirements | All documents issued by official authorities abroad must be 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 the Czech language. The documents must not be older than 90 days at the time of submitting the application. 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 30 days from collecting the residence document in Slovakia, you must submit a medical report not older than 30 days confirming that you do not suffer from a disease constituting a threat to public health (this can be prolonged by 60 days, if requested). Within 3 working days from collecting the residence document, you must get a health insurance. 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 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 | Temporary residence for the purpose of research and development may be granted for the duration of the hosting agreement, or for a maximum period of two years. |
Conditions for renewal | Temporary residence may be renewed repeatedly. Temporary residence for the purpose of research and development may be renewed for a maximum period of three years. If you want to stay in the territory of Slovakia after completing the research with the objective to look for a job or to start doing business, your residence may be renewed for a period of nine months (see also part Stay and employment after research below). The application for renewal of temporary residence must be submitted 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 you still perform research or development activities based on a hosting agreement. 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:
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 | 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. |
Further information | More on coming to Slovakia as a researcher Overview of all necessary information (including research and development) |
Employment during research | If you intend to perform a continuous educational or scientific activity as a pedagogical or academic employee at a university, or as a scientific employee, research employee, or as a developer employee within a research activity, you must obtain a temporary residence for the purpose of employment, i.e. single permit to reside and work. The Foreign Police will request the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family to issue a confirmation on the possibility to fill the vacancy, which may be issued without assessing the situation in the Slovak labour market. Pedagogical employees, academic employees, university teachers, scientists, researchers or developers taking part in a professional scientific event do not need a work permit, nor a confirmation on the possibility to fill the vacancy, provided that the duration of their employment in Slovakia does not exceed a total of 30 days in a calendar year. If you want to work outside the framework of the hosting agreement, it is only possible to carry out pedagogical activity within an employment relation or similar labour relation for a maximum period of 50 days in one calendar year. With a granted temporary residence for the purpose of research and development, you are also eligible to study and run a business in Slovakia. |
Stay and employment after research | If you want to stay in the territory of Slovakia after completing the research with the objective to look for a job or to start doing business, your residence may be renewed for a period of nine months. You must apply for renewal of the temporary residence at the Foreign Police Department, no later than the last day of validity of your current residence. Your current residence is considered legal in the territory of Slovakia until the decision on the new application. Otherwise, you may stay in Slovakia after your research is over only if you fulfil conditions for applying for one of the other types of temporary residence. In such case, you would need to change the purpose of your residence, i.e. submitting a new application for residence, no later than the last day of validity of your current residence. Your current residence is considered legal in the territory of Slovakia until the decision on the new application. If you do not apply for renewal of your residence, or for a new residence after your research is over, you need to leave the country on the last day of validity of your current residence, at the latest. |
Change of status | If you wish to change your status, i.e. change the type or purpose of your residence (e.g. from research and development to employment), 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. If the purpose of your residence status ceases to exist (e.g. you no longer work as a researcher), you must inform the Foreign Police Department within three working days. |
Family members | If you hold a temporary residence for the purpose of research and development 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 (up to 25 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 or dependent family members pursuant to an international treaty. The Foreign Police Department may grant your family members residence for the duration of your temporary residence. 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). |
Long-term residence | You may apply for long-term residence after you have legally resided in Slovakia for at least five consecutive years directly prior to the submission of your application. The application must be submitted at the competent Foreign Police Department according to your place of residence. |
If you have a valid residence permit for the purpose of research in an EU country, you may conduct research and teach in Slovakia if you fulfil certain requirements. In this case, you do not need to obtain temporary residence for the purpose of research and development in Slovakia within the first year from the beginning of your residence.
The following requirements must be met:
- the research organisation in Slovakia, where you will be performing mobility, notified the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic about your intention to perform mobility prior to your arrival to Slovakia;
- the research organisation must send the following documents together with the notification:
- a document confirming that you are performing part of the research activity in Slovakia;
- your hosting agreement from an EU country which granted you the residence;
- your valid residence permit for the purpose of research issued by an EU country;
- your valid passport;
- information on the date of commencement and termination of mobility; and
- a document proving financial coverage of your stay and costs for traveling back to an EU country (which issued your residence permit) in the amount of statutory life minimum for each month of your stay, or a confirmation from the research organisation in Slovakia that it will provide you with sufficient financial resources to cover your living costs and costs for traveling back to an EU country (which issued your residence permit) during your stay in Slovakia.
- the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic did not object to your mobility;
- you do not constitute a threat to state security, public order or public health.
Within your mobility in Slovakia, you may work as a researcher based on a hosting agreement or teach for a maximum of 50 days in a calendar year. In this case, a work permit, nor a confirmation on the possibility to fill a vacancy is not required.
If you conduct research or teach in Slovakia based on mobility, your family members may join you.
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 (up to 25 years of age) or dependent unmarried children of your spouse who cannot provide for themselves due to a long-term unfavourable health condition, or your dependent parent or parent of your spouse who lacks appropriate family support in the country of origin.
Your family members do not need to obtain temporary residence for the purpose of family reunification during the period of your mobility, if they fulfil certain requirements.
The following requirements must be met:
- your family member holds a valid residence document in an EU country;
- the research organisation in Slovakia, where you will be performing mobility, notified the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic about your family member’s intention to perform mobility prior to his/her arrival to Slovakia;
- the research organisation must send the following documents together with the notification:
- a document confirming the relation with your family member;
- a valid residence document for the purpose of family reunification issued by an EU country;
- a valid passport;
- information on the date of commencement and termination of mobility; and
- a document proving financial coverage of the stay and costs for traveling back to an EU country in the amount of statutory life minimum for each month of the stay, or a confirmation from the research organisation in Slovakia that it will provide sufficient financial resources to cover the living costs and costs for traveling back to an EU country during the stay in Slovakia.
- the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic did not object to the mobility of your family member;
- your family member does not constitute a threat to state security, public order or public health.