Slovakia · Business & founder
Temporary Residence for the Purpose of Doing Business
Materially harder since 1 July 2025: an annual national quota of 700 applicants across all Slovak embassies and consulates combined, allocated per post (ranging from 1 to 190 slots), with applications accepted only at consulates abroad and a mandatory business plan.
The 700-slot national quota introduced on 1 July 2025 is the single biggest practical risk in the Slovak business route and is not yet reflected in most advisory material. With per-post allocations as low as one slot, the choice of consulate is now a live strategic variable and the quota can simply be exhausted.
Qualifying routes
Personal account EUR 3,409.56 plus business account EUR 5,682.60, in two bank accounts in the applicant's own name (figures valid 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026)
Personal account EUR 3,409.56 plus business account EUR 28,413 (figures valid 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026)
The facts
- Minimum investment
- €3.4k
- Total landed cost
- EUR 9,092 (self-employed) or EUR 31,823 (s.r.o. executive) in demonstrated funds, plus incorporation and advisory costs
- Timeline
- 3–6 months — Decision within 90 days plus embassy delivery time; permit granted for 3 years
- Physical presence
- Genuine business activity
- Family
- spouseminor childrenvia family reunification
- Permanent residency
- 5 years of continuous residence
- Citizenship
- 8 years of continuous permanent residence under the ordinary route, with a Slovak language test
- Language test
- Slovak language examination under the ordinary route
- Dual citizenship
- Permitted
- Requirements
- one of the 700 annual quota slotstwo bank accounts in the applicant's own name meeting the thresholdsmandatory business planapplication at a Slovak consulate abroad
- HARD NATIONAL QUOTA of 700 applicants a year across all posts, with per-post allocations ranging from 1 to 190. Post selection is now strategic and the quota can be exhausted. Most advisory material has not caught up with this.
- Applications are accepted only at Slovak embassies and consulates abroad — you cannot apply inside Slovakia.
- A business plan is now mandatory and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs opines on whether the activity benefits the Slovak economy (advisory only, but it is a gate).
- The financial thresholds are revised annually (the current figures run 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026) — verify before budgeting.
- Non-EU/EEA nationals may only conduct business on the basis of permanent residence, a TRP for business, family reunification, studies, R&D, Slovak-living-abroad status, or EU long-term residence from another member state.