Slovakia · Citizenship by naturalisation
Retention of Slovak Citizenship on Naturalising Abroad
The punitive 2010 law was substantially softened, though not abolished, by the 2022 amendment. Retention is now possible, but it is conditional on a 90-day notification.
From 17 July 2010, Slovakia automatically stripped citizenship from anyone who acquired a foreign citizenship by an act of will. The rule was genuinely punitive, and it caught many people unaware. The 2022 amendment defused it, but keeping Slovak citizenship is now conditional on filing within 90 days. A client who naturalises abroad after five years' residence and simply fails to notify the authorities risks losing Slovak citizenship.
Qualifying routes
This is permitted when the foreign citizenship comes from marriage, birth or adoption, or after residing in that country for at least 5 years. Notification to the authorities is required within 90 days.
The facts
- Total landed cost
- Not applicable
- Route type
- By residence
- Physical presence
- Not applicable
- Family
- This applies to each individual
- Permanent residency
- Not applicable
- Citizenship
- Not applicable. This concerns keeping citizenship you already hold.
- Language test
- Not applicable
- Dual citizenship
- Permitted
- Requirements
- foreign citizenship acquired by marriage, birth, adoption, or after 5 years' residencenotification to the Slovak authorities within 90 days
- THE 90-DAY NOTIFICATION IS A LIVE TRAP. Keeping Slovak citizenship is conditional on filing it. Mark the deadline the moment a foreign naturalisation is even under consideration.
- The 2010 law is defused, not repealed. Acquiring a foreign citizenship outside the permitted grounds, meaning marriage, birth, adoption, or 5 years' residence, still triggers loss of Slovak citizenship.
- Those stripped of citizenship between 17 July 2010 and 31 March 2022 can reacquire it, but only if the foreign citizenship was obtained after at least 5 years' residence in that country, and only if they hold a Slovak residence permit.