This part aims to give you – university students and PhD students coming to Slovakia – an overview of the formalities towards the national authorities related to your stay in Slovakia. 

NOTE!!!: As of July 15, 2026, amendments to the Act on the Residence of Foreigners have entered into force. One of the key changes is that the decision period for applications for temporary residence for the purpose of study is now 90 days.

Online Navigation App

It will help you identify the entry and residence procedures as well as documents you will need in your specific situation. If you want to know what duties you need to meet to get through the formalities smoothly please follow the sections below. To get customised information, you can also access an online click-through navigation application.

Please note that this text is only informative and was elaborated based on information available and valid for the year 2026; it does not contain exhaustive information about the stay of foreigners in Slovakia in general, and it gives no right for claims or legitimate expectations of any kind. You can find more detailed information in Act No. 404/2011 on the Residence of Foreigners. Please note that the English version might not reflect recent law amendments.

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Centres for Foreigners' Services

International students in Slovakia can receive free support with residence permits, integration, and everyday matters from the Centres for Foreigners' Services. These centres operate in several regions and offer assistance in multiple languages.

The centres are intended for:

• International students

• Highly qualified workers and their family members

• Returnees (citizens of the Slovak Republic returning from abroad) and their family members

They provide individual advice and assistance in the following main areas:

• Residence matters: Support with submitting applications for granting, extending, or changing the purpose of residence

• Employment: Information on legal employment opportunities, working conditions, and navigating the labor market

• Social integration: Advice on housing, education, healthcare, and other aspects of daily life

• Navigation in the public service system: Help with contacting authorities, public institutions, and relevant organizations

 

Where can you find these centres?
The Centres for Foreigners’ Services currently operate at the Foreigners’ Police Departments in the following cities and you can visit them in person:

• Bratislava – Regrútska 4, 831 07 Bratislava

• Žilina – Janka Kráľa 4, 010 40 Žilina

• Košice – Trieda SNP 35, 040 01 Košice

 

Opening hours:

Mon	07.30 – 15.30
Tue	07.30 – 15.30
Wed	07.30 – 15.30
Thu	07.30 – 15.30
Fri	07.30 – 15.30

E-mail: csc@minv.sk

Phone: +421961570333

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BOK activation NOW available without queuing at Foreign Police

Foreigners living in Slovakia are no longer required to visit Foreign Police Departments to activate the personal security code (BOK) on their residence permits. Due to increased demand and long queues, the national police are reminding residents that BOK activation can also be completed at document departmentsof district police directorates and at client centres of district offices across the country.

National authorities are encouraging holders of residence permits with an active BOK to make use of Slovakia’s e-government services. Some services require a qualified electronic signature (KEP), which can be obtained via the eID app. 

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Slovakia launches two-level appointment system for Foreign Police Departments visits

Slovakia has introduced a revamped online reservation system for Foreign Police appointments, with a new two-level model aiming to reduce misuse and streamline the booking process.

The updated system now separates appointments into “authorised” and “unauthorised” categories. 

Authorised services are accessible to foreigners who hold a valid electronic residence permit and are registered in the national foreigners’ database. To access these services, users must activate their personal security code (BOK) — a six-digit code set during the residence permit application or at a later Foreigners’ Police visit or client centres of disctrict offices or document departments of district police directorate. The users need to logg in with an electronic ID and thus book appointments up to 60 days in advance.

Unauthorised users - foreigners without a residence permit — and therefore not included in the national database. These users must manually enter their personal details, such as name, date of birth, phone number, and email address. Appointment slots for unauthorised users can be booked up to 40 days in advance. Cross-border users of Slovakia’s eGovernment services are also classified under this group.

 

Entry Conditions for EU/EEA/Swiss nationals

Entry Conditions for Third Country Nationals

Useful Addresses for Visa and Residence Permits

Authentification of documents