Entry/Exit Requirements

Slovakia is a party to the Schengen Borders Agreement. U.S. citizens traveling for tourism or business can apply to enter the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days within each 180-day period. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your intended date of departure from the Schengen area. We recommend that your passport be valid for at least six months whenever you travel abroad to avoid unintended travel disruptions. You need sufficient funds and a return airline ticket. For additional details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen fact sheet.

All foreigners seeking entry into Slovakia must carry proof of a medical insurance policy that covers all costs for hospitalization and medical treatment in Slovakia. Border police have the right to request evidence showing you have sufficient funds to stay in Slovakia, generally in the amount of $50 per person per day. Visit the Embassy of Slovakia website for the most current visa information.

If you are staying overnight in Slovakia, you must register with the local Border and Aliens Police within three working days. If you are staying at a hotel, you will be registered automatically. Visit the Embassy of Slovakia website for the most current information.

If you want to remain in Slovakia longer than 90 days, you must apply for temporary residency and/or work permits soon after you arrive. You should read the requirements on the U.S. Embassy website and begin preparing your application before you travel, as many required documents are easier to obtain in the United States. For example, U.S. citizens must submit a certificate not older than 90 days showing the results of a fingerprint records check by the FBI. This process can be very time consuming. Under current policy, authorities in Slovakia cannot take fingerprints for this purpose. Some documents, particularly the FBI criminal history record as well as criminal histories from some other countries, usually take three months or more to receive. Please note that Slovak authorities only accept the standard FBI clearance, not the expedited clearances through FBI “channelers.” In addition, Slovakia requires that many documents intended for official use in Slovakia be authenticated (i.e., to have an apostille) and translated into Slovak. The major exception to this is the standard version FBI background check, which the Slovak Government exempted from the authentication requirement for this version only. See our sections on Judicial Assistance and Notarial/Authentication Service for more information on apostilles. Note that official communications from the authorities will be in Slovak, which is the official language of Slovakia.

Since 2012, the Slovak authorities have strictly enforced the residency law as written, and have reportedly been unwilling to make exceptions or special extra legal accommodations that may have been possible in the past. People who stay beyond 90 days without a residency permit are typically forced to leave the entire Schengen area for a period of three months to a year. 

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors. A medical examination that includes an HIV/AIDS test, however, is required for obtaining a residency permit in Slovakia.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website.  For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.