Trvalý pobyt (permanent residence permit) in Slovakia exists in three forms, and this is where most applicants get confused. A 5-year permit is given to relatives of Slovak citizens and people on humanitarian grounds. Those who have already worked here for five years on a temporary residence permit (VNZh) apply for something different — dlhodobý pobyt (long-term residence), the status of an EU resident. Mixing them up costs at least several months.
The difference is not cosmetic: the type of status determines the list of documents and how much money you must show in your account — for a 5-year permit, it is 3,287.88 €.
What types of permanent residence exist?
Slovak legislation provides three main forms of permanent or long-term residence:- Permanent residence for 5 years (Trvalý pobyt na päť rokov)
- Permanent residence for an unlimited time (Trvalý pobyt na neobmedzený čas)
- Long-term residence – EU resident status (Dlhodobý pobyt)
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Permanent residence for 5 years (Trvalý pobyt na päť rokov)
This is the basic type of permanent residence (PMJ), which can be obtained under the following conditions:- You are the husband or wife of a Slovak citizen
- You are a child or dependent of a person with permanent residence
- You are a descendant of a Slovak citizen or a person who had such citizenship
- You are in Slovakia for humanitarian reasons or in the interest of the state
What you need to prepare:
- Completed application (žiadost o udelenie trvalého pobytu)
- Foreign passport
- Photo 3×3.5 cm
- Certificate of no criminal record from Ukraine and other countries where you lived
- Proof of income — you must have an amount equal to 12 times the subsistence minimum in your account. This is 3,287.88 euros (12 × 273.99 €)
- Proof of secured housing (registration or proof of ownership)
- Medical certificate (not older than 30 days)
More details can be read at: AKMV.sk – Trvalý pobyt
Permanent residence for an unlimited time (Trvalý pobyt na neobmedzený čas)
This is the next stage after the 5-year permanent residence. If you have lived on the basis of the permit Trvalý pobyt na päť rokov for at least 4 years, you have the right to apply for an unlimited residence permit. This status is convenient for those who have already integrated into Slovakia and want to live here permanently without the need to renew documents every few years.Example: If you are the husband or wife of a Slovak citizen and received a 5-year permanent residence permit on this basis, then after 4 years you can apply for unlimited permanent residence. Or if you are a child of a person with permanent residence and received your permit in childhood — you also have this right after 4 years.
This status allows you to:
- live permanently without the need to renew documents
- work without a separate permit
- have the same rights as Slovak citizens (except voting rights)
Long-term residence (Dlhodobý pobyt)
This is a special EU resident status that allows a foreigner to live and work permanently in Slovakia after at least 5 years of legal stay based on a temporary permit (for example, for employment).Who it suits:
- Those who have lived in Slovakia with a temporary residence permit for employment (zamestnanie) or for entrepreneurship (podnikanie) continuously for 5 years
- Students
- Seasonal workers
- Temporary protection holders (odídenec)
- Diplomats and international organization officials
- Right to permanent residence
- Ability to work in other EU countries (under certain conditions)
- Access to almost all rights like citizens (except voting rights)
Dlhodobý pobyt ≠ Trvalý pobyt na neobmedzený čas
- Dlhodobý pobyt is granted after 5 years of temporary residence permit (e.g., for workers)
- Trvalý pobyt is granted after 5 years of permanent residence only for relatives of citizens or humanitarian cases
How to switch from temporary residence permit (prechodný pobyt) to permanent residence (PMJ)?
If you have a temporary residence permit (for example, for work or entrepreneurship) and have continuously lived in Slovakia for more than 5 years, you can apply for long-term residence (Dlhodobý pobyt) — the status of an EU resident.Important: this option is not "Trvalý pobyt na päť rokov" — only relatives of Slovak citizens or humanitarian cases can apply for that.
Remember: you must submit documents for the new status no later than 60 days before your current permit expires to stay legally in the country during the application process.
Case: a student who starts working in Slovakia
Many Ukrainians come to Slovakia as students. After finishing studies, you can switch to a temporary residence permit for work.- During studies you have a temporary residence permit for study purposes (prechodný pobyt na účel štúdia).
- If you find a job in a Slovak company, you will get a new temporary residence permit (prechodný pobyt na účel zamestnania).
- After 5 years of such temporary residence permit → you have the right to long-term residence (dlhodobý pobyt).
Slovak citizenship is the next step after permanent residence, but it is a separate procedure: its own counting of years, Slovak language exam, and its own administrative fee. You can apply only when permanent or long-term residence is already granted. We covered naturalization conditions, document list, and processing times in a separate article.
⭐️ If you need a detailed consultation or support when applying for permanent residence or citizenship - write to us on Telegram - we will recommend a reliable specialist who can help you with this
