Obtaining Slovak citizenship for descendants of emigrants

Obtaining Slovak citizenship for descendants of emigrants

The conditions for obtaining Slovak citizenship for descendants of emigrants are regulated by special legislation, which has been in effect since April 2022. A descendant of an emigrant can obtain citizenship without meeting the condition of continuous permanent residence if the following conditions apply:

• At least one of the parents, grandparents or great-grandparents was a Czechoslovak citizen who was born in the territory of present-day Slovakia.
• The descendant must have a residence permit in the Slovak Republic; however, permanent residence for 8 years is not a requirement as with regular naturalization.
• The applicant must prove the family relationship to the ancestor with birth certificates and provide documents proving the ancestor's citizenship (for example, Czechoslovakian passports, birth certificates, citizenship certificates) and other relevant documents.

This option allows descendants of Slovak emigrants to obtain citizenship based on origin even without long-term residence in Slovakia, with the application being submitted in person to the relevant authorities.

In addition, standard requirements regarding integrity and other legal conditions must also be met.

What to document when applying for citizenship based on ancestry

When applying for citizenship of the Slovak Republic based on ancestry, several key documents are required to prove affiliation and family relationship. These documents include:

• Birth certificates of the applicant and his/her ancestors (parents, grandparents or great-grandparents) proving a direct family relationship.
• Documents of citizenship of ancestors, such as certificates of citizenship of Czechoslovakia, old passports, ID cards or other relevant documents.
• Document proving the applicant's permitted residence in the Slovak Republic (it is not necessary to provide evidence of long-term permanent residence).
• In the case of incomplete documents, additional confirmations may be required, for example from registers or archives confirming affiliation with ancestors.
• Applicant's identity documents (such as passport or ID card).
• Criminal record extract from all countries where the applicant has lived for more than six months, not older than 6 months.
• If the applicant cannot demonstrate knowledge of the Slovak language, it may also be necessary to provide documents proving language skills or take a language exam.

All foreign documents must be properly legalized or apostille certified and translated into Slovak by an official translator.

These documents are necessary for the applicant to be successfully included in the special procedure for granting citizenship based on origin and ancestry.

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