Major changes to Slovakia’s migration legislation will come into force on July 1, 2025. The Government has approved amendments to Law No. 404/2011, which radically change the approach to issuing entrepreneurial residence permits. The innovations are designed to relieve the burden on migration police departments and strengthen control over business immigration in the country.
The main blow is the introduction of strict quotas for entrepreneurial residence permits. If 10,256 people received them in 2024, then from July the limit will be only 700 applications for the whole world. The 15-fold reduction speaks for itself. At the same time, the quotas are unevenly distributed. The Ministry of Economy has been given the right to evaluate each application in terms of benefits for the Slovak economy.
Mandatory business plan and new requirements
Now it is impossible to obtain an entrepreneurial residence permit without a detailed business plan. The document should contain economic calculations, a description of activities, sources of financing, an analysis of the market and partners. All documents require an official translation into Slovak.
Changes in deadlines and procedures
Positive changes:
- The validity period of the national type D visa has been extended from 90 to 120 days;
- An entrepreneurial residence permit is now issued immediately for 3 years instead of the previous “up to 3 years”;
- Cancellation of the requirement for color photographs when applying for and extending all types of residence permits and permanent residence;
- To simplify the confirmation of financial viability, a certificate of the balance in the bank account is sufficient.
Restrictions:
- Changing the basis of an already obtained residence permit to an entrepreneurial one is possible only after 2 years;
- The Migration Police’s booking system becomes mandatory.
Expert assessment of the situation
According to migration lawyers, it will be more difficult to obtain this type of visa due to the provision of a business plan, as well as a limited number of quotas. Slovakia used to be one of the most accessible destinations for business emigration to the EU, but now the situation is changing dramatically.
The main problems for applicants:
- Drastic reduction in program availability;
- The need to travel to the country of citizenship or residence in order to submit documents;
- High requirements for business plans;
- Unpredictability of approval from the Ministry of Economy.
The innovations reflect the pan-European trend of tightening migration policy. Slovakia is following the example of other EU countries by introducing a more selective approach to business immigration. A significant redistribution of migration flows is expected. Applicants who previously considered Slovakia as an affordable option are now forced to look for alternatives among other European jurisdictions.
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If you are considering obtaining a residence permit through starting a business in a new environment, our migration lawyers are ready to provide consulting services. We will help you choose the best option, taking into account all changes in legislation. Leave a request for a consultation.
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