Slovakia remains on the list of countries where many Ukrainian refugees are moving to in search of protection from Russian armed aggression. This European country provides Ukrainians with a number of rights and benefits, including the possibility of obtaining temporary protection. Find out about the current requirements and updated rules for obtaining temporary protection status in Slovakia in 2024.

An insurance policy is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside of Ukraine

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Temporary protection in Slovakia is called Dočasné útočisko and provides Ukrainian refugees with access to Slovak education, healthcare, labor market, etc. We have collected relevant information on the rules for moving to Slovakia in 2024 and social support for Ukrainian refugees in the material below.

Rules for entering Slovakia in 2024. What has changed?

The main changes in obtaining temporary protection in Slovakia from August 6, 2024 relate to the form of the preliminary application for this status, as reported on the official website of the Ministry of the Interior of Slovakia. From now on, registration for temporary protection requires a preliminary application made online. After that, you can apply to any police department in Slovakia with a corresponding application for the status. We recently wrote about how to do this correctly in this article.

Currently, there are 3 checkpoints on the state border with Slovakia: Maly Berezny (round-the-clock), Uzhhorod (round-the-clock, but pedestrians are not allowed), Mali Selmentsi (open from 09:00 to 21:00).

To cross the border with Slovakia, a biometric passport is not required for entry as a refugee, but Ukrainian citizens can enter the territory of Slovakia with biometric passports under the visa-free regime with the EU and stay there freely for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days.

It is important to remember that after the 90-day period of stay in Slovakia expires, you need to obtain temporary protection status.

To enter Slovakia as a refugee, you need the following documents:

- a foreign biometric passport;

- internal passport of a citizen of Ukraine;

- another identity document (diplomatic passport, service passport, sailor's passport);

- For children, it is enough to have a birth certificate and a corresponding permission to cross the border from their parents if they are not crossing with their parents.

Everything Ukrainians need to know about entering Slovakia is available in Visit Ukraine's country guide.

Please note that there are currently no quarantine restrictions in connection with the COVID-19 epidemic in Slovakia.

Where to apply for temporary protection in Slovakia?

Previously, an application for temporary protection status (Dočasné útočisko) could be submitted immediately upon arrival in Slovakia, but today the application must be submitted in advance in an online form. The Assistance Center in Bratislava at 7 Bottova Street will no longer provide these services.

In the future, the status of temporary protection in Slovakia will provide you with access to the Slovak healthcare, education and labor market, as well as housing, food and humanitarian assistance.

Documents are accepted at special registration centers and at police stations for foreigners. More information is available on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic.

Please note: Leaving the territory of the Slovak Republic, temporary asylum does not expire, and persons granted this status are allowed to travel to Ukraine and back.

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What opportunities does temporary protection in Slovakia provide for Ukrainians?

1.Financial assistance to refugees in Slovakia

The amount of financial assistance in Slovakia depends on the number of family members and their age. However, the amount cannot exceed 380 euros per family per month.

The amount of payments per month:

- €80 for an adult;

- €160 for children under 3 years of age;

- €60 for children from 3 to 18 years old.

Families with a person with a disability may receive additional funding.

Financial assistance is not available to persons and their families who are employed in Slovakia.

The application for financial assistance is submitted together with the application for temporary protection status.

Slovakia has also introduced an additional payment for winter needs. This will be a one-time transfer of 150 euros per person, up to a maximum of 400 euros per family. Every registered refugee whose data is in the UNHCR database will automatically receive winter cash assistance and will not need to apply to the places of registration.

We wrote about the new payments for Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia here.

2. Housing assistance in Slovakia

Slovakia provides Ukrainians with temporary housing under certain conditions. You can be accommodated in a hotel or with a Slovak family. You can find a list of public, hotel and private housing on the Pomoc pre Ukrajinu platform.

3. Where to look for a job in Slovakia?

According to Slovak law, Ukrainians who have been granted temporary protection status can work, but are not allowed to conduct entrepreneurial activities.

The Istp.sk portal allows you to find a job quite quickly. You fill out a questionnaire in which you indicate in which city or district you would like to work in Slovakia. The data will be transferred to the Slovak Employers' Association, the Migration Office, and registered employers on the ISTP website.

If you speak English or Slovak, you can try to find a job on Linkedin or Upwork.

4. Education in Slovakia for Ukrainian children

Ukrainian children who come to Slovakia with their parents have the right to attend educational institutions, just like all Slovak children.

Preschool education is compulsory for children who have reached the age of 5. You can find a kindergarten in Slovakia here.

Primary and secondary education in Slovakia is free. Children attend school from the age of 6 to 16. The list of schools in Slovakia is available here.

To register, you need to contact the kindergarten or school of your choice directly.

5. Medical services for refugees in Slovakia

Ukrainians who have been granted temporary protection status in Slovakia are entitled to free emergency medical care, but are limited in many other basic medical services that are provided on a paid basis. Therefore, please note: if you are not applying for temporary protection status in Slovakia, but are planning a trip to this country, you should take care of your insurance policy, as it is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside Ukraine. If you have a temporary protection status, but you want full medical care in Slovakia to avoid any troubles and be calm for yourself and your loved ones, Visit Ukraine recommends taking out health insurance online.

Consultations with doctors in Slovakia in Ukrainian:

- +421-2-21025075 is available daily 7:00 - 19:00. The consultation is free of charge.

- ua.diagnose.me

6. Free travel in public transport in Slovakia

Citizens of Ukraine can travel free of charge in Slovakia on trains and buses of the Unified Transport System of the Bratislava Region (IDS BK). However, to do so, you need to present a "Slovak help" document with a red stamp, which you will receive after crossing the border, or a temporary asylum document.

Citizens of Ukraine can travel free of charge on regional bus (ARRIVA Mobility Solutions) and rail transport in the Bratislava region with the above documents on the day of receipt of the document and for the next 4 days.

We advise you to find out on the spot information about the conditions of public transportation in a particular region of Slovakia.

If you still have any questions about entering and staying in Slovakia, or if you just need help with the preparation of documents for traveling abroad to another country, you can contact Visit Ukraine's migration lawyers at any time for advice, who provide 24/7 legal support to our compatriots around the world.

How to enter Slovakia by car?

Traveling by car to Slovakia, as well as to Europe as a whole, does not require special preparation, but a prerequisite is car insurance under the Green Card. In addition, to cross the border by car, you need to have a technical passport and a driver's license. You can buy a Green Card insurance policy for traveling abroad in your own car here.

Read more about the rules for using your own car in Slovakia here.

Just to remind you! You can also apply for refugee status in Slovakia, but it has a number of restrictions.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

In order to organize a trip, ensure a safe move and successful employment in a new country, I advise you to contact a specialist. My colleagues, qualified specialists with legal education, will help you avoid unpleasant situations when traveling abroad.

Do you have additional questions? Contact the Visit Ukraine hotline (Telegram | WhatsApp).

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

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Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

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