Changes to the Citizenship Act Effective from 15 July 2026
On 15 July 2026, an amendment to the Slovak Republic’s Citizenship Act came into effect, introducing significant changes to the process of acquiring citizenship by descent.
Removal of the Slovak Residence Requirement
The most significant change is the abolition of the permanent residence requirement in Slovakia for applicants seeking citizenship by descent.
Until the amendment took effect, applicants for Slovak citizenship by descent had to go through two separate proceedings. The first involved applying for permanent residence, a process handled by the Foreign Police. Only after the residence permit had been approved and granted by the police could the second proceeding begin—an application for Slovak citizenship before the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic.
This two-stage process is now being replaced by a single-stage procedure. The proceedings before the Foreign Police for the granting of residence are being abolished.
Only one proceeding remains: the application for Slovak citizenship filed directly with the Ministry of the Interior. Formally, therefore, the residence requirement has been removed: applicants for citizenship by descent are no longer required to obtain residence in Slovakia.
We would also like to address the concerns raised by some media reports suggesting that the substantive requirements for obtaining citizenship by descent are being tightened. This is not the case. The statutory definition remains largely the same, and the existing decision-making practice remains unchanged.
Naturally, a properly prepared application supported by high-quality documentation is the foundation of any successful citizenship application. That, of course, remains unchanged. Applicants have been, and will continue to be, required to demonstrate an unbroken family line and to prove that their ancestor was born in the territory of present-day Slovakia and held Czechoslovak citizenship. These, however, are statutory requirements that were already in place before 15 July 2026.
Electronic Applications for a Certificate of Citizenship of the Slovak Republic
The second significant change concerns the method of submitting applications for a Certificate of Citizenship of the Slovak Republic.
Until now, applications had to be submitted in person. The amendment introduces the possibility of submitting an application electronically or by post, providing considerable relief particularly for applicants who do not have a Slovak diplomatic mission or consular office nearby.
It is important to note that an application for a Certificate of Citizenship should not be confused with an application for the granting of citizenship by descent. Applications for the granting of Slovak citizenship by descent must still be submitted exclusively in person, either at the competent District Office in the seat of a region in Slovakia or at a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Slovak Republic abroad.
