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Ministry of Interior of the Slovak republic   Today is 29. March 2024, Friday
 

Information on the stay in the territory of the Slovak Republic in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union (Brexit)

Information on the stay in the territory of the Slovak Republic in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union (Brexit)

For further information please check the website of the UK Government

On 31 January 2020 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland left the European Union. The withdrawal was a controlled process based on a Withdrawal Agreement. In accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement, the Slovak Republic began implementing the declaratory system (Article 18(4)) on the basis of which a new residence procedure is not required for the beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement.

Two important dates:

31 December 2020

  • marks the end of the transition period following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereinafter referred to as the “United Kingdom”) from the European Union

30 June 2021

  • marks the end of validity of all EU residence documents issued to United Kingdom nationals and their family members, unless such documents expired earlier

  • deadline for replacing the existing EU residence document with a new one which is compliant with the Withdrawal Agreement

After the transition period, i.e. from 1 January 2021

If you are a United Kingdom national or a family member of a United Kingdom national, your residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic following the transition period, i.e. after 1 January 2021, will depend on whether the rights arising out of the Withdrawal Agreement apply to you.  

1. All United Kingdom nationals and their respective family members who have legally resided and were registered in the territory of the Slovak Republic before 1 January 2021:

Can continue to reside in Slovakia just as they did before that date,

On 1 January 2021 the residence of all UK nationals will automatically become permanent residence, guaranteeing all rights under the Withdrawal Agreement:

  • if, before 1 January 2021, you resided in the territory of the SR for less than 5 years, you shall have the right to reside in the SR for 5 years, 

  • if, before 1 January 2021, you resided in the territory of the SR for more than 5 years, you shall have the right to reside in the SR permanently,

You are obliged to exchange your original EU residence document for a new non-EU residence document by 30 June 2021, i.e. you must visit the respective department of the Foreign Police (using the registration system) and request a residence document replacement by 30 June 2021. UK nationals will not be fined if they exchange their Residence Card after 30 June, but any non-EU and non-UK family members of UK nationals could incur a fine of up to € 300.

We recommend that you exchange your residence document as soon as possible before the specified deadline to avoid potential complications in daily life. You will still be able to replace your residence document after 30 June 2021. We would like to emphasise that even if you fail to meet this obligation, you will not lose your residential rights guaranteed by the Withdrawal Agreement.

You will be issued a new residence document depending on the new type of residence:

  • A document of permanent residence for 5 years is issued for 5 years

  • A document of permanent residence for an unlimited time is issued for 10 years

In order to apply for a new residence document, you will need to fill in the respective application formand provide:

  1. a valid travel document,
  2. one current photograph (3 x 3.5 cm),
  3. the original residence document, if one was issued to you,
  4. a document confirming your residential address, but only if you did not present such a document with your previous residence registration or if your residential address has changed.

2. All United Kingdom nationals who have legally resided but were not registered in the territory of the Slovak Republic before 1 January 2021

If you wish to stay in the Slovak Republic, you should visit the respective department of Foreign Police in order to register your stay (you should do so as soon as possible);in order to be registered you need to reliably prove that:

  • you have been staying in Slovakia before 1 January 2021

  • and that before 1 January 2021, you have been meeting and you continue to meet the terms of residence as an EU national.

After the registration of your residence, you can continue to reside in Slovakia just as you did before.
The registration gives you permanent residence guaranteeing all rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
You will be issued a permanent residence document.

In order to apply for a new residence document, you will need to fill in the respective application form and provide:

  1. a valid travel document,
  2. a document confirming that you have been staying in Slovakia before 1 January 2021 (e.g. an Employment Contract or a Lease Agreement...)
  3. one current photograph (3 x 3.5 cm),
  4. a document confirming your residential address.

3.Family members of United Kingdom nationals who havenot been registeredas family members of EU nationals residing in the territory of the Slovak Republic

If you wish to reside in the territory of the Slovak Republic as a family member of a United Kingdom national to whom the Withdrawal Agreement applies, you must visit the respective department of Foreign Police in order to register your residence; in order to be registered you need to reliably prove that:

  • your family relationship with the United Kingdom national existed before 1 January 2021 and

  • the United Kingdom national, whose family member you are, had a right of residence or permanent residence before 1 January 2021 or was staying in the territory of the Slovak Republic before January 2021 and had met and continues to meet the terms of registration as an EU national.

The registration gives you permanent residence guaranteeing all rights under the Withdrawal Agreement

You will be issued a permanent residence document

In order to apply for a new residence document, you will need to fill in the respective application form and provide:

  1. a valid travel document,
  2. a document proving that the United Kingdom national you are joining, had a right of residence or permanent residence before 1 January 2021 , or was staying in the territory of the Slovak Republic before 1 January 2021 and had met and continues to meet the terms of registration as an EU national, 
  3. a document proving that your family relationship with the United Kingdom national existed before 1 January 2021 (e.g. a Marriage Certificate or a Birth Certificate ...),
  4. one current photograph (3 x 3.5 cm),
  5. a document confirming your residential address.

4. All United Kingdom nationals who have not resided and were not registered in the territory of the Slovak Republic before 1 January 2021:

  • may apply for any type of residence as nationals of a third country from 1 January 2021, provided that they meet the terms of the Act on Residence of Foreigners

  • they may apply for residence via a Slovak Embassy (e.g. in London) or via the respective department of Foreign Police in Slovakia.

  • British business travellers visiting Slovakia as part of a business trip shall not require a visa if the intended stay duration does not exceed 90 days. They will not require a work permit, unless they perform a gainful activity in Slovakia (in other words, a person salaried in the United Kingdom coming to the Slovak Republic for a visit, a business meeting, or similar shall not require a visa).

  • United Kingdom nationals who are not cross-border workers protected under the Withdrawal Agreement and not wishing to reside in the Slovak Republic, but wishing to temporarily carry out salaried work in Slovakia from 1 January 2021, should follow the general rules of employment of third country (countries outside the EU) nationals published on the website of the International Organization for Migration.

5. United Kingdom nationals and their family members who are vulnerable persons

  • if you are a vulnerable person (e.g. a person with disability, a senior citizen...), if necessary, you can be granted individual treatment depending on the form of your vulnerability and the type of required help or assistance. You can request additional support as a vulnerable person by contacting your local department of Foreign Police

6. Cross-border workers

United Kingdom nationals and their family members who do not reside in the Slovak Republic, but have carried out cross-border work before the end of the transition period, can continue to carry out such work even after the transition period just like EU nationals. The Slovak Republic will not require temporary residence from such persons for the purposes of employment. If such workers wish to obtain a document proving their status of a cross-border worker, they can apply for such document from 1 January 2021 with the respective department of Foreign Police.

You apply for a document of a cross-border worker, they will need to fill in the respective application form and provide:

  • a valid travel document,

  • one current photograph (3 x 3.5 cm),

  • their Employment Contract, a licence to do business as a self-employed individual, or another document using which they can reliably demonstrate that their employment or self-employment as a cross-border worker existed before 1 January 2021, and continues to exist in the territory of the Slovak Republic.

7. Future children

  • a future child shall be a child born after 1 January 2021 to the United Kingdom national or their family member who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement.

  • a future child shall also be a child adopted after 1 January 2021 by the United Kingdom national or their family member who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement, and who (the child) is under 21 years of age or a dependant.

  • the future children shall have the right to join the Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary at any time and enjoy the same rights

8. Right of permanent residence

  • Citizens of the United Kingdom and their family members covered by the Withdrawal Agreement have the right of permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic if they have resided in the territory of the Slovak Republic legally and continuously for a period of 5 years.

  • The continuity of the period of 5 years of legal residence leading to the acquisition of the right of permanent residence under the Withdrawal Agreement is calculated from the moment of the beginning of the legal residence of the person in the Slovak Republic, in accordance with the residence conditions under the Free Movement Directive as referred to in the Withdrawal Agreement. The period of legal residence in accordance with the Free Movement Directive that a person has before 31 December 2020 will be counted for the completion of the period of residence of 5 years necessary to acquire the right of permanent residence.

  • The continuity of the stay is not affected by temporary absences from the territory of the Slovak Republic, unless they exceed a total of 6 months in one year (the year is calculated from the actual beginning of the stay). Absence of longer duration due to compulsory military service as well as absence lasting a maximum of 12 consecutive months due to serious reasons (e.g. pregnancy, serious illness, study ...) is also considered as to not break the continuity of residence.

Charges

There is no charge for issuing a residence document or a document for a cross-border worker - in this case a 30-day time period for issuing the document applies. When necessary, expedited issue or a delivery of such document to an address of your choice can be requested instead of collecting the document at a department of the Foreign Police. Charges apply to these services.

  • Charge for the expedited issue of a document within two business days from the receipt of an application: EUR 24.50

  • Charge for sending the new document to the applicant’s address: € 3.00

General information

  • the visa obligation does not apply to United Kingdom nationals,

  • the family members of United Kingdom nationals are assessed according to the visa obligation of the country of which they are nationals.

For your Attention !!!

United Kingdom nationals and family members of a United Kingdom national who were issued a residence document in 2020 with the designation:„OSOBA S DLHODOBÝM POBYTOM – EU, ČLÁNOK 50 ZEÚ ČL. 18 ODS. 4 DOHODY O VYSTÚPENÍ UK Z EÚ" may exchange this residence document free of charge at the local department of Foreign Police for a document that fully complies with the requirements of the Withdrawal Agreement. The date for exchanging of the document has to be booked through the reservation system: Reservation system 

Last Modify: 15. 6. 2022, 12:45

 

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