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What is temporary residency in Slovakia?
Temporary residency in Slovakia is a status granted to those who enter the country with one of the permits that allow for temporary residency, i.e. not a tourist visa. In many European Union countries, including Slovakia, temporary residents enjoy many rights that European citizens do. Moreover, if you wish, this is the first step towards permanent residency and then obtaining a Slovak passport.
Why is someone with temporary residency entitled to certain rights?
A temporary resident in Slovakia is a person who has been granted a status that allows them to reside in Slovakia and enjoy many rights that are granted to residents and European citizens. Of course, it’s not exactly like having a Slovak passport, but there are a few things you are entitled to as a temporary resident. The status of temporary resident gives you the following rights:
- The right to reside in the country where you have temporary residency. With permanent residency, in principle, you can also live in other places in the European Union, under certain conditions.
- The right to purchase real estate and obtain a mortgage, with up to 90% financing and an annual interest rate starting at 1.5%.
- The right to education for your children.
- The right to health insurance.
- The right to obtain a driver’s license and purchase a car in the European Union.
- The right to free movement between European Union countries.
- The right to conduct business in the European Union.
- No need to leave the so-called Schengen area (i.e. the borders of the European Union) every 90 days, as Israeli tourists are required to do.
All of this, of course, is subject to the conditions of your permit, i.e. working, studying or doing business in Slovakia, which is what allowed you to obtain the status of a temporary resident.
From temporary resident status to permanent residency and obtaining Slovakian passport – all ways
There are three types of permits that can be obtained to obtain temporary residency in Slovakia. These are work visa, student visa, and business visa, which is given for opening a business or investing in the Slovakian economy. In all these cases, you will be a temporary resident until you obtain permanent residency. There are other types of permits, such as a family reunification visa, but these will not be discussed in this article.
Work visa – You can obtain it through the employer you will work for. If it is an international company, for example, that has representatives in Slovakia and needs workers with professional knowledge and English language skills, you may be able to find a job and obtain a visa in this way. The company will need to convince the Slovakian authorities that it needs a worker like you and does not have enough local workers with the same expertise, but this is definitely possible if you have a sought-after profession. The work visa needs to be renewed after a year, and the condition is that you continue to work in the same place. If you are fired, the work visa is canceled, unless you find another job quickly. After five years, you will be eligible for permanent residency status, and after another five years, you can obtain the Slovakian passport.
Student visa – Given to those who study higher education in Slovakia or engage in academic research. It is important to know that your visa will be extended only until the end of your studies. If it is not something long enough (to be a permanent resident, you need to live in Slovakia for 5 years as a temporary resident), you will need to find a job quickly. Education in Slovakia is free for those who study in Slovak, and there is a study fee for those who study in English, but not very high. This visa is suitable for young people who want to settle in Europe and acquire a European education. Even in the case of a student visa, after five years, you will be eligible for permanent residency status, and after another five years, you can obtain the Slovakian passport, and even studying at a high institution in Slovakia may exempt you from the citizenship test.
Business visa – Given to anyone who opens a business (freelancer or self-employed, or authorized trader/company), in Slovakia, with an initial investment of only a few thousand euros. After a year of business activity, you will need to prove that it is profitable, and then your temporary resident status will be extended. The big advantage of this method is that you are not dependent on an employer or a place of study. If you are a self-employed or a freelancer, you know this way of life and love it, it may be suitable because in Slovakia, there are very good conditions for business people, low taxes, and much cheaper living than in Israel. Like the previous visas, this is also a good way towards obtaining the Slovakian passport. Since to open and manage a business in Europe, you need to know the local bureaucracy, taxation rules, and reporting, we recommend that you consult with us at this stage. We will assist you in opening the business and obtaining temporary residency status, and even integrating into the new place, from the idea stage to after the move to Slovakia, as much as you need.
