There are two basic routes for individuals with Slovak heritage to obtain citizenship in Slovakia: citizenship by descent (CBD) and citizenship based on a Slovak Living Abroad Certificate (SLAC).
- Citizenship by descent (CBD) (Orange route) is granted if at least one of an individual’s parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents was a Czechoslovak citizen born in the territory of the Slovak Republic.
- Citizenship based on an SLA Certificate (Green route) is granted to individuals who preserve national awareness and have a direct ancestor who was of Slovak nationality which is usually proven with census records.
The third path (Blue route) to Slovak citizenship exists for some usually whose parents were former citizens. They might be eligible for immediate certification of their citizenship.
The picture below shows three basic routes to citizenship for people with Slovak ancestors. The graphic below depicts the process for each one of them. The Orange and Green routes can be combined, e.g., first, obtain SLAC to simplify the residency permit procedure, and then apply via the Orange route.
Here are additional answers to the most frequent questions.
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Below, we explain the top 5 questions.
1. Who exactly qualifies for citizenship by descent according to the new rules valid from April 2022?
Try our online tool to find out if you are eligible.
There are two basic routes: The Green option: for individuals with a Certificate of a Slovak Living Abroad, and the Orange option: for individuals without the SLA Certificate. Although both routes have different legal requirements for ancestors and applicants, they substantially overlap. Many people with Slovak heritage will be eligible for citizenship through both routes. However, there are cases where only one of the routes is available to applicants (eg too distant ancestors). If your goal is to gain EU citizenship, you might be eligible for Czech or Hungarian citizenship.
The Orange option concerns individuals whose parents, grandparents or great grand-parents were at some point Czechoslovak citizens and were born in today’s territory of Slovakia. The law does not require that they were citizens or lived in Czechoslovakia their entire life. The fact that they gained citizenship at any point in their life will suffice. If your ancestors do not qualify (eg because they were born outside the territory, or were not Czechoslovak citizens), you can still gain citizenship through a certificate of Slovak Living Abroad.
The Green option exists for individuals with a certificate of Slovak Living Abroad Certificate (SLAC) who can convert it into Slovak citizenship after three years of residency. In order to obtain a SLAC, you have to fulfil different requirements for ancestry. Generally, your direct ancestor must have self-identified as being of Slovak nationality. There is no explicit requirement that your ancestors were citizens, or that they ever lived in Slovakia or Czechoslovakia. But you must have proof of their self-identification, such as through census documents.
2. Is residency in Slovakia a requirement for Slovak Citizenship by Descent?
No. According to the administrative practice, physical presence in Slovakia is not necessary for applicants. Each applicant will be registered for administrative residency in a city of choice without specific address, however, only if his/her ancestors emigrated after 1918.
3. How long is the citizenship application process?
By law, it can last a maximum of 24 months, unless the authority needs to consult different authorities on your case. During this period, all applicants must have at least temporary residence in Slovakia, which usually means they have to spend at least 183 days per year in the country. However, individuals with pre-existing residence in another EU state have a more advantageous regime. Again, exceptions might apply. The experience so far shows that the processing time take around one year. This can change in the future.
4. Who exactly qualifies as a Czechoslovak citizen?
This is a complex question, which usually requires reviewing your particular circumstances. Here are three simple rules of thumb:
- If at least one of your direct relevant ancestors (parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents) remained in Czechoslovakia after July 1920, your chances are really good.
- If at least one of your direct relevant ancestors emigrated after July 1910, your chances are still really good but the tricky part will be finding the evidence.
- Finally, if all your direct relevant ancestors emigrated before July 1910, your chances are limited and mostly confined to various exceptional situations.