Obtaining and registration of citizenship of Slovakia

Slovakia is located in the very heart of Europe. According to the forecasts of financiers, in 2021 the state expects intensive economic growth, which will overtake other EU countries. The local government easily provides citizenship of Slovakia to persons of any state, however, an applicant for European citizenship will still have to fulfill a number of requirements.

Who can obtain Slovak citizenship

According to the laws of Slovakia, a citizen of any country can obtain local citizenship if he:

• Speaks fluent Slovak;
• Did not violate the laws of the country;
• Lived in the country for at least 8 years;
• Receives legal income in the country;
• Has a living space in the country (rented or own).

The simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship is relevant for citizens who were born in the territory of Slovakia or were born from Slovak citizens.

Who will not be able to obtain citizenship of Slovakia

Despite the loyalty, the Slovak government makes an exception to the general rules for granting citizenship. This status cannot be obtained by those who:

• Serve in the army of a foreign state;
• Work for a foreign intelligence service;
• Have a valid criminal record at home and have fled justice;
• Participated in terrorist acts or are suspected of similar activities;
• Repeatedly violated the immigration order of the legislation of Slovakia.

Citizenship will also be denied to persons persecuted in their homeland under articles that have an analogy in the Criminal Code of Slovakia.

Grounds for obtaining citizenship

To obtain citizenship of Slovakia, you need to have good reasons. This could be:

• Citizenship by birth or descent;
• Combining marriage with a native;
• Investing money in the country's economy;
• Long-term residence in the country legally (naturalization).

Citizenship by birth

Certain categories of persons acquire citizenship automatically by birth. These are children who:

1. They were found on the territory of the country, while the location and origin of their parents is unknown;
2. Born of refugees living in the country;
3. Were adopted by citizens of Slovakia. The law applies only to minor children who need to live in Slovakia for at least 3 years with a residence permit;
4. Born into a family where at least one of the parents is a citizen of Slovakia. The rule applies even if the child was born abroad.

Citizenship by origin

Citizenship by origin is assigned to a citizen if he:

1. In the past, he was a citizen of the country and has been living in it for 2 years;
2. Born in Slovakia and lived for at least 3 years in the country;
3. He is a first-line relative of a native Slovak. Relationship is considered up to the third generation, that is, to the great-grandfathers / great-grandmothers. At the same time, a foreigner must live in Slovakia for permanent residence for 3 years.

If one of the parents had a Slovak citizenship in the past, their child has the right to apply for the same status for 5 years.

Marriage with a citizen of Slovakia

Official marriage of a citizen of Slovakia with a foreigner / foreigner allows the latter to legally obtain the status of a citizen of the country. To do this, the newlyweds need to live in marriage for at least three years. Citizenship is awarded on the basis of a marriage certificate and an application from both spouses.

To exclude attempts at fraud, the Slovak authorities carefully check each such marriage for fictitiousness. So, a young couple will have to prove that they live together and own common property.

If the marriage is recognized as formal, the migrant will be forced to leave the country. The same fate awaits a foreigner if the union ends in divorce before the advent of three years.

Naturalization

The longest path to citizenship, but at the same time universal. Almost all categories of citizens can obtain the desired status in this way.

For naturalization, a migrant needs:

1. Choose the basis for entering the country. This can be employment, family reunification, university enrollment, buying real estate or starting a business;
2. Cross the border on the basis of a visa and submit documents for obtaining a residence permit in Slovakia;
3. Live in Slovakia for 5 years on the basis of a residence permit, after which apply for permanent residence;
4. Remain for permanent residence for at least 3 years and apply for citizenship.

There is a shorter way - to obtain citizenship in refugee status. To do this, you must have lived in Slovakia for 4 years.

Citizenship by Investment

For investors, the path to citizenship of Slovakia has been simplified, but by 2021 it has not yet been fully worked out. So, the specific amount for which the citizenship of the republic is appropriated is not indicated.

According to migration statistics, an application for citizenship can be submitted only after an investment of 1 million euros in the local economy. However, the larger the investment amount, the higher the likelihood of granting citizenship. Nevertheless, the first step in any case will be to obtain a residence permit.

Important! In the process of obtaining citizenship, an investor is exempt from testing for proficiency in the national language. He also has the right not to take the exam for integration into the local society.

Business immigration

Most wealthy foreigners prefer to migrate based on business rather than investment. This is the most reliable and proven way to move to the country.

A number of conditions must be met:

1. Prepare a detailed business plan;
2. Open a bank account in Slovakia with the amount not less than 3800 euros... At the same time, the personal account must additionally contain 2300 euros;
3. Live at least 5 years for a residence permit and 3 years for permanent residence.

For the guaranteed granting of citizenship, a business must bring a decent profit. So, after deducting taxes, the income should be provided by the entrepreneur himself and his family members.

Is dual citizenship possible

The Slovak Constitution allows migrants to have a second passport with citizenship of another country. However, for Russians, dual citizenship is unacceptable, and here's why:

1. The USSR and Slovakia signed an agreement, the terms of which prohibit Russians from using a Slovak passport as a second document;
2. The document was issued in 1981. Despite this, Russian citizens still cannot obtain passports of Slovakia without renouncing their original citizenship.

That is, in the issue of dual citizenship, it is important to take into account the laws of both countries. Even if the Slovak authorities are loyal, it may be necessary to give up the old passport.

Citizenship process

The procedure begins with the collection of a complete package of papers. The applicant needs to prepare:

• Written application for the acquisition of citizenship in the Slovak language;
• Residence permit and permanent residence cards to prove legal life in the country;
• Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, supplemented with copies of all pages;
• 4 photos on a white background 3.5x4.5 cm;
• A medical report from a hospital in Slovakia that the applicant does not have dangerous diseases;
• Proof of legal income (for an adult, the minimum annual income must be 2377 euro, per child - 1188 euros);
• Document confirming the presence of your own or rented apartment;
• Certificates from the tax service and the police department that the citizen has no problems with the law and debts;
• Certificate of withdrawal of Russian citizenship.

In addition, the Immigration Department has the right to request additional papers. They can be anything at the discretion of the officer.

Important! Copies of all documents must be translated into the national language.They also require notarial authentication.

Interview

The applicant will be asked to pass an interview, which will take no more than half an hour. During a conversation with a migration officer, a foreigner must:

1. Confirm excellent knowledge of spoken Slovak;
2. Pass a written exam to prove your knowledge of local grammar and vocabulary;
3. Answer questions about national history, culture, geography.

The migrant will be asked to read the text in Slovak and then retell and write a summary based on it. Children under 14 years of age and persons who have special merit to the Slovak government are exempted from such an exam.

Where to submit documents

The applicant must submit an application for the conferment of citizenship in person. Sending documents by power of attorney is only possible if the applicant for citizenship is incapacitated.

An application from a migrant is considered in turn by several instances:

1. ATC at the place of residence: all papers are submitted here;
2. Interior Ministry officer;
3. The Minister of the Interior: he must have the final decision.

Cost and terms of consideration

An application from a migrant is considered on average for about six months. The foreigner will be informed about the adoption of a positive decision in writing. After that, a solemn ceremony of taking the oath is initiated, at which the new citizen will be presented with a passport.

The state fee for opening citizenship will be the same for all categories of applicants. Both children and adults will have to pay 700 euros each... However, there are exceptions: refugees, members of their families, former citizens of Czechoslovakia. For them, the design will cost 20 euros.

Why they may refuse, and what to do

In rare cases, instead of a positive answer, a negative one may come. A migrant may be denied citizenship if he:

• Has committed a crime and has an outstanding conviction in any country;
• Has not confirmed the availability of the required amount of income, or there are doubts about their legality;
• Has repeatedly violated public order or the immigration laws of Slovakia;
• Provided an incomplete package of papers.

Migration officers always explain what caused the refusal. A foreigner may be offered to submit documents again if the errors are not serious. In addition, the migrant has the right to appeal the decision within two months. To do this, he goes to court.

Slovak citizenship gives a foreigner the opportunity to become a European citizen on quite acceptable conditions. Obtaining a national passport is much easier than obtaining German or US citizenship, since the Slovak authorities are interested in attracting foreigners. But migrants must have a good profession or invest a large amount of money in the country's economy.