Slovakia's parliament approved a significant amendment to the Foreigners' Residence Act on June 2, 2026, transposing the EU's single-permit directive and taking effect July 15. The changes touch visa processing speed, digital filing, and — notably — protections for foreign workers who lose their jobs.
- Implementation
- Approved June 2, 2026; in force July 15, 2026
- Country
- Slovakia
- Applies to
- National visa applicants and work-permit holders
- Status
- In force from July 15, 2026
Faster processing, more digital
- National visa validity extended from 90 to 120 days
- Interior Ministry given a 25-day deadline to issue its opinion on applications; Foreign Ministry then has 10 working days to decide
- Some application categories can now be submitted fully electronically, including supporting documents
- Foreign residents can generate a digital residence card via the eDoklady app
New protections after job loss
Holders of employment-based temporary residence permits who lose their job now get a defined grace period to find new work before their residence status is at risk: three months if they've held the permit for under two years, six months if they've held it longer. The grace period can extend further in cases involving suspected exploitative working conditions.
Also addressed: Ukraine temporary protection wind-down
A separate part of the law gives people currently under temporary protection linked to the war in Ukraine a one-year transition period after that scheme ends, during which they can apply for a standard residence permit — employment, study, business, or family reunification — based on at least six months of relevant activity in Slovakia.
Slovakia isn't a live Globaris pathway today, but this amendment brings real worker protections — clear job-loss grace periods, faster decision deadlines — that put it ahead of several countries Globaris already places candidates in. Worth tracking as a possible future addition to the pathway list.
