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We are often asked “Why exactly Slovakia”? Let’s talk about temporary residence, about emigration to Slovakia.
The Western Carpathians, vast valleys, mountain creeks and lakes, the powerful Danube, clear air and water are all features of Slovakia. Isn’t it the place you would wanna settle in Europe?
Here one literally lives amongst nature. Small little towns and hundreds of small villages mostly consist of private houses. On the weekends cities empty – most people set out to visit the mountains, country houses, the lakes.
We are often asked “Why exactly Slovakia”? After numerous nights spent surfing the Internet, consultations, calls and inquiries we chose Slovakia as the most plausible European country for an active family in search of new, unusual and interesting.
Why then not the prosperous countries west of the Berlin Wall? Nonetheless life and adaptation to a new country in any case demands certain moral efforts – as one will find differently speaking environment and cardinally different way of life. You can’t underestimate this factor. Slovak is akin to Russian and Ukrainian. This way language integration is carried out more easily. And the openness and sincerity of Slovaks pleasantly surprised us subsequently.
Tatra region hills landscape – Click for image to buy it on Shutterstock.com
Poland amazed us with high prices of doing business and rigid controlling system. It didn’t work out with the Czech Republic since the years 2008-2009. During that time people waited up to 2 months to get the consultation. Then documents were processed up to 3 months and only after that you were accepted at the embassy to get the decision on whether you were granted the visa. Having read forums on the Czech Republic recently, I can say that situation didn’t change. But we’ll talk about that later, I suppose.
So, Slovakia lured us in with the simplicity of starting up our business and the quickness of processing the temporary residence application. I couldn’t believe that you could come to Slovakia with a tourist visa, get all formalities done with entrepreneurship and immediately apply for the residence. We were astonished how everything began to whirl and went as if along finely greased rails.
The only things you needed to open up an entrepreneurship as of the 14th of May 2014 were international passport, lease agreement , sphere of business from this list and 33€. That was all! Next morning you could’ve started doing your business.
Click for image to buy it on Shutterstock.com
For the police on foreign affairs application regarding temporary residence (Slovak “Prechodný pobyt”) the following documents were needed:
1. Valid passport
2. Lease agreement (better to make one for 2 years minimum)
3. Certificate of good conduct with apostil translated to Slovak by a sworn translator (there are several in each town – you can find the list on the Internet)
4. Money on entrepreneurial bank account (4000€) and on private bank account (2400€) (I got by with 4000€ overall transferring the money between accounts and getting the documents testifying the amount of money each time)
5. 2 photos
6. 232€ + 5€
7. Application form
Forest waterfall in Slovak Tatra mountain – Click for image to buy it on Shutterstock.com
We hand all this over to the police and switch to waiting mode. Not in every country can you apply for temporary residence right there, often these things are done at the embassy in your native country. Whether it’s comfortable or not – one has to decide on his own. As for me, I liked it, because you manage to avoid all possible and impossible consultations, to which you have to be admitted by our (Ukrainian) bureaucratic system. You have to wait to get the decision from 5 to 6 weeks. If all documents are in order you get the temporary residence visa based on entrepreneurship for 2 years. It’s the maximum you can get first time. They might do it even for 1 year (considering your lease agreement).
Whether it’s expensive or cheap to live in Slovakia is a relative question, which needs figuring out by each family individually. We’ll tell about our experience in the next posts. Ask as if you need additional info about emigration to Slovakia. We`ll answer with pleasure.
