Effective July 1, 2025, amendments have been made to Act No. 404/2011 on the Residence of Foreigners. The changes largely affect the residence permit for business purposes.
Changes to the residence permit for business
- Initial applications for this residence permit must now be submitted via the Slovak consulates. Previously the process was possible via immigration police offices in Slovakia;
- This residence permit will now be issued for three years, rather than for no longer than three years as previously.
- A quota has been introduced. The number of applications for 2025 is limited to 700, with available slots different for various Slovak consulates. For example most slots are available in Tbilisi, Georgia (68), Belgrade, Serbia (62), and Hanoi, Vietnam (53). Previously there was no quota for this type of residence permit;
- A new document – a business plan – will need to be submitted in support of the application. This business plan will need to be written using the official template provided by the Ministry of Economy;
- Changing the residence permit purpose to business from another purpose will be allowed only if the resident permit has been valid for at least two years. Previously this term was one year;
- Bank statements for the last three months will no longer be required to confirm proof of financial means. Instead, confirmation of the current balance will be required from two bank accounts (one for personal expenses and one for business operations).
Other changes
- The validity period of the national visa required for applying for residence in Slovakia has been extended from 90 to 120 days;
- The requirement to provide photos for residence permit applications or renewals has been removed;
After submitting a residence permit application the applicant is allowed to legally remain in Slovakia until the decision is made by the authorities.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.
The post Slovakia Introduces Quotas and New Rules for Business Residence Permits appeared first on Erickson Immigration Group.
