Information about visiting Slovakia

In general, it is not difficult to visit Slovakia. Citizens of many countries require no visa for short stays. Even if you do require a visa, the process is relatively simple, but it is important to take the right steps.

Who Does Not Need Visa to Slovakia?

People living in European Union may travel to other countries of EU without visa. Identity card or passport is sufficient.

The non-EU countries whose passengers do not need visa are listed here:

What Is Schengen Area?

The Schengen area is a part of the European Union, which has free movement of persons, goods, services and capital. There are no checks at internal borders of this territory.

Members of the Schengen area:

Who Needs Visa to Slovakia?

The citizens of the following countries need visa to Slovakia:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (North), Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Midway Islands, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Helena and Dependencies, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tomé and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Foreign passengers, who want to visit the Schengen area and are subject to visa requirement, need to file visa application. There are three types of Schengen Visa:

• Airport transit visa
• Entry visa
• Long stay visa

Read more about conditions for granting of a visa on the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://www.mzv.sk/web/en/consular_info/visa

Want to Work Or Study in Slovakia?

Foreign citizens who intend to work in Slovakia must acquire a Slovak work permit.  If a foreigner wants to work or study in Slovakia, he may be granted a temporary address in Slovakia. Temporary address is granted when the limit for season work is maximally 180 days a year if international contract does not say otherwise. The limit for study is maximally 90 days a half a year if an international contract does not say otherwise.

Limits in Duty Free Shops

When travelling in EU, there are no limits on what to bring and buy in Duty free shops. Alcohols a tobacco are the exceptions. Their approximate limits are:

• Cigarettes – 800 pieces
• Tobacco – 1kg
• Spirits – 10 l
• Aperitif – 20 l
• Wine – 90 l
• Beer – 110 l