According to Law No. 422/2015 “On the Recognition of Educational Documents and Professional Qualifications,” an apostille or the superlegalization procedure is once again required for educational documents. This change will affect many third-country nationals, particularly Ukrainians, who plan to work in their field or study in Slovakia.
What’s Changing in the Recognition Process
If you intend to apply for nostrifikácia (recognition of diplomas and certificates) or to have a professional qualification issued outside the EU recognized, an official translation [perekladach] alone is no longer sufficient. Slovak authorities will require confirmation of the document’s origin.
To do this, you must obtain an apostille stamp or complete the full legalization process, depending on the country where the diploma was issued. Without this step, authorities will refuse to accept your application for review. More details on legal implementation and consultations can be found on the Human Rights League website.
How to Prepare Documents in Advance
The process of legalizing educational documents takes time, so it’s best to prepare for it well in advance. Key steps for successfully completing the procedure:
Clarify the requirements. Check in advance with the institution where you will be submitting your documents to determine which form of legalization (apostille or superlegalization) is required for your country and the specific type of document.
Obtaining an Apostille. Official Ukrainian educational documents can be apostilled directly in Ukraine through the relevant ministries.
Alternative Abroad. If necessary, you can contact the official offices of the State Enterprise “Document” in Bratislava, which simplifies the handling of bureaucratic matters without the need to travel to Ukraine.
After completing the legalization process and obtaining notarized translations, you can submit a request to the relevant Slovak authorities for further recognition of your professional or academic achievements.
