How Your Slovak Roots Can Give You Citizenship

Slovakia is a country in Central Europe. It has a population of around 5 million people and an area of over 49,000 square kilometres. Slovakia is a landlocked nation bordered to the west by the Czech Republic and Austria, to the north by Poland, to the east by Ukraine, and to the south by Hungary. The capital, Bratislava, is the largest city. Slovakia is a member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, the OECD, and the World Trade Organization. Slovak, a member of the Slavic language family, is the official language.

Slovak citizenship and passport are granted in conjunction with EU citizenship. This enables Slovak people to live, work, and do business in any EU country, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. Foreign citizens who have lived in Slovakia for some years are eligible to apply for citizenship via naturalization. There are, however, alternative methods to obtain a passport in this country, one of which is Slovak citizenship by descent.

Slovakian citizenship and passport are granted in conjunction with EU citizenship

SLOVAK CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT OVERVIEW

Obtaining Slovak citizenship by descent is not difficult, but it's not an inexpensive process; nevertheless, it does involve completing certain requirements, such as having roots in this nation. Even so, proof of kinship with those born here is required. You can seek to have your Slovak citizenship by proving your ancestry and meeting the Slovak government's qualifying standards.

HOW CAN I KNOW IF I'M ELIGIBLE?

Since January 1 of 1993, many persons who were born in Slovakia are eligible to apply for Slovak citizenship through descent.

In essence, there are two main requirements:

• One of their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents was a Czechoslovak citizen;
  
• Such an ancestor was born in the territory of present-
  day Slovakia.

A person who holds an SLA certificate can obtain an SLA-based residence permit in Slovakia. This is the easiest type of permit to obtain if the applicant has Slovak ancestry and can prove it. Therefore, whether the applicant is eligible for citizenship by
descent or not (due to the generational limit), It's recommended to proceed with the SLA certificate, as then you can obtain a residence permit. Having a residence permit is
essential to apply for Slovak citizenship. If the applicant has an SLA certificate, they can apply for Slovak citizenship after three (3) years of continuous residence in Slovakia.

Related article: How Can I Become A French Citizen Through My Parents?

If you don't qualify for the citizenship by descent program, you can apply for a Slovak Living Abroad (SLA) certificate

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applicant's passport must be presented. Also, before submission of the citizenship
application, the applicant should already have a residence permit in Slovakia. You can find more requirements on the government website to fill out the citizenship application form. Once you've filled out the application form, you must prepare the following documentation about yourself to submit with it:

• A brief Curriculum Vitae signed by you;
• Your Birth certificate;
• Proof of marital status (If applicable);
• Document proving a clean criminal record (probity check) that is no more than 6 months old;
• If you are a former citizen, you will need to provide a certificate of release from state bond from the former Czechoslovak Republic, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the Slovak Socialist Republic, or the Slovak Republic, or a naturalization certificate, or proof of attaining foreign citizenship;
• Certificate of a Slovak National Living Abroad (previously Slovak Expatriate Card), if the applicant has been conferred such status;
• Your questionnaire, issued by the Slovak Ministry of Interior.

Related article: How To Obtain Greek Citizenship By Ancestry

You must prove your connection to a relevant Slovak citizen ancestor

PROVING YOUR LINK WITH A SLOVAK CITIZEN

In addition to documentation about yourself, you must prove your link with a Slovak citizen parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent.  It’s essential to prove a direct lineage
from the applicant up to their relevant ancestor. This is done
through birth certificates. If the lineage goes through a
woman, their marriage certificate has to be presented (to verify the name change). Also, a document proving Czechoslovak citizenship of the relevant ancestor (if such a document exists). However, the following papers will be required:

• The birth certificate of your relevant ancestor;
• A pedigree chart- a record of your family's history or lineage;
• The marriage certificate of your relevant ancestor;
• Family records or another kind of family history record-keeping that proves your connection to the relevant ancestor.

Every application document you submit must be translated into Slovak by a qualified translator, with the original document attached. All documents must be apostilled as
well (except the Slovak ones). You will be required to pay certain administrative fees when submitting your application. These expenses vary based on your situation, but they are usually less than €100 ($106 USD).

If you need assistance, our team can help you prepare and submit the required documents to the Ministry of Interior. All you need to do is contact us.

Related content: The Basics Of How To Get A Second Passport Or A Second Residency

Slovak citizenship is deemed to be dominant in all circumstances of dual citizenship

DOES SLOVAKIA ALLOW DUAL CITIZENSHIP?

The Act on State Citizenship does not oblige immigrants receiving Slovak citizenship to relinquish their original citizenship, implying that they may retain their dual citizenship status as long as the legislation of their country of origin does not necessitate it.

The Act on State Citizenship limits the dual citizenship of Slovak nationals who acquire foreign citizenship. A Slovak citizen, in particular, shall lose his or her Slovak citizenship on the date when the person voluntarily obtains foreign citizenship based on a clear statement of will, which can be a request, a declaration, or any act leading to the acquisition of foreign citizenship. However, if a Slovak citizen obtained foreign citizenship by marrying a foreign citizen, the loss of Slovak citizenship will not occur if the foreign citizenship was acquired during the marriage or at birth. Slovak citizenship is deemed to be dominant in all circumstances of dual citizenship.

You don't need to reside in Slovakia to have Slovak citizenship and passport

FINAL THOUGHTS

This small nation in the heart of Europe may have never occurred to you, particularly in terms of becoming a citizen. Until recently, no dual citizenship statute was precluded, even considering the possibility. However, this citizenship by descent program may be a good fit if you trace your Slovak ancestors back three generations. Living there will require you to learn the language since English is not widely spoken, but it offers prospective economic prospects, particularly in Slovakia's city, Bratislava. In Bratislava, most people know the English language, at least at a conversational level. If not, they are happy to help in any way they can.

If you don't want to reside there but want to have Slovak citizenship in your passport portfolio, it's a wonderful alternative for a Tier A passport. It will allow you to live, work, travel across the European Union, and travel visa-free to hundreds of additional countries. A Slovak passport will be worth your time if you've always wanted European citizenship but never had the funds to do it.