International arrivals with a visa requirement. Do you need a visa to travel to Slovakia?
Find out about the EU visa policy and click on the map to obtain up to date information
https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy_en
Your student journey starts with your pre-arrival preparation: your visa. You will apply for the so-called the National visa of the Slovak Republic.
The national visa allows the holder to stay in the territory of the Slovak Republic for the period for which the visa was granted (your are not able to apply for residency with a Schengen visa, more information below).
The national visa may be issued min. for 120 days and with maximum validity of 1 year.
If you are coming via the ERASMUS +, or the National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic, CEEPUS ask at your Embassy for the visa national visa based on the Resolution of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 731, for the whole period of your stay.
Application and required documents :
- valid passport; and 3 x 3,5 cm colour photograph
- criminal record statement from your country of origin and from countries in which the applicant has resided for more than 90 days during the last three consecutive years (ENG language Police Clearance: acceptable for visa purposes. Native language Police Clearance: certified translation to Slovak required. Must not be older than 50 days at the moment of the visa application.
- original letter of acceptance from the relevant educational institution
- competed application form for the national visa; via the electronic system: https://ezov.mzv.sk/e-zov/
- document indicating the date and means of transport to the Slovak Republic.
- proof of health insurance upon entry and throughout duration of the visa.
We recommend paying special attention when gathering your criminal record extract, as this document has a limited time validity.
The diplomatic mission shall decide on an application for the granting of a national visa within 30 days of its receipt.
Visa Appointments:
Applicants will be included on special lists by the university and afterwards granted an appointment. You will receive information about your appointment either from the university or the embassy/visa centre. Do not contact the embassy/visa centre directly to get an appointment.
Reservation of the appointment via three routes (depending on the application country):
- BLS Visa Service
- VFS Global appointment reservation system
- Slovak Embassy
Incomplete applications are not accepted. No additional documents can be submitted after the interview.
Need a visa ? What is the difference between a Schengen visa and National visa :
Schengen Visa (Type C) - you are not able to apply for a Residency Permit with this type of visa
- Purpose: Short-term stays (up to 90 days in a 180-day period).
- Scope: Valid for travel.
- Examples of Use: Tourism, Business trips
National Visa (Type D)
- Purpose: Long-term stays (120 days and more according to your stay in Slovakia).
- Scope: Issued by a specific Schengen for the purpose of coming, studying and applying for a temporary residence.
- Examples of Use:
- Studying (e.g., university degree), Residency
Legalization and translation of your documents
Public documents issued abroad must be officially authenticated (apostille, consular legalization).
Get the stamps from home authority & :
- Get the Apostille stamp from your relevant authority if your country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
- Get the Consular stamp from the Slovak Embassy if your country is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
If you Police Clearance statement is in your native language you must start the translation from your home country to sumbit it at your visa appointment.
Documents issued in a language other than Slovak must be translated to Slovak by a certified translator registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic.
The link to find all the official list of Translators
The photocopies of documents must be notarized. Do not submit originals.
Appointment at the visa centre and Slovak Embassy :
Embassies will confirm to the representative of the Welcome Centre, the date of the appointment for submitting the application. The applicant will be then informed by the Welcome Centre of the date.
We understand how important it is for you to start your studies on time and how any delay may cause concern. However, we kindly ask you to understand that the visa processing is managed exclusively by the responsible authorities. The university only assists in getting appointments, but it does not have the authority to speed up or influence their internal procedures. Both the Foreign Police and the Consulate operate under strict regulations and due to current high demand, please start your visa application process as soon as possible.
The final step of your international arrival is the legalization of your residency (see diagram below) once you arrive to Slovakia with a valid visa.