Slovak Authorities Aim to Increase National Visa Duration to 120 Days
Key Highlights
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Slovakia Proposes Extending National Visa Validity from 90 to 120 Days
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The Aim Is to Provide Foreign Nationals More Time to Secure Residence Permits
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The Change Could Take Effect in July 2025, Pending Parliamentary Approval
The Slovak government has announced plans to extend the validity of national visas issued to third-country nationals, increasing the duration from the current 90 days to 120 days.
The proposal, introduced by Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok, is intended to ease administrative challenges for foreign nationals by allowing them more time to schedule appointments for residence permits. This move also aims to alleviate overcrowding at foreign police departments.
“The goal is to provide more time for securing appointments via the reservation system, which will become mandatory under the new legislation,” the Slovak Ministry of Interior stated.
The Cabinet approved the proposed amendment on May 21, 2025. If ratified by Parliament, the new regulation is expected to come into force on July 1, 2025.
Thousands of Migrant Workers to Benefit
This change is anticipated to benefit a significant number of foreign nationals, particularly labor migrants. In recent months, Slovakia has taken steps to strengthen bilateral ties and workforce mobility, particularly with countries like China.
Authorities have signaled plans to issue up to 1,000 national visas annually to Chinese citizens and are actively working to simplify visa procedures for Chinese entrepreneurs. The objective is to encourage economic cooperation and attract skilled talent to the Slovak market.
Foreign nationals intending to move to Slovakia for long-term purposes—such as employment—must first acquire a national visa before applying for a residence permit upon arrival.
According to Eurostat, Slovakia issued 642,710 residence permits in 2023. A significant portion of these—225,237 permits—were granted for employment purposes.