[EN] TEMPORARY REFUGE
As of 1 March, Slovakia provides a special form of protection – temporary refuge status – to people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The provision of temporary refuge grants a tolerated stay permit in Slovakia, the right to work or study, and access to healthcare.
Who can apply for the temporary refuge:
Ukrainian citizens and their family members who resided in Ukraine before 24 February 2022:
- wife / husband of a Ukrainian citizen
- minor children of a Ukrainian citizen or minor children of their spouse
- parents of a minor child, who is a Ukrainian citizen
- dependent members of their households
As of 17 March 2022, the temporary refuge is also provided to non-Ukrainian citizens meeting one of the following conditions:
- They were granted permanent residence in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 and cannot return safely to their country/region of origin.
- They were granted asylum or international protection by Ukraine before 24 February 2022. Their family members (spouse, minor children, dependent members of their household) residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 can also apply for a temporary refuge status.
Where to submit temporary refuge applications:
- large-capacity centers in Humenné, Michalovce and Nitra operating 24/7
People who crossed the border and wish to apply for temporary refuge are transported from border crossing areas to the centers in Humenné and Michalovce, where they can submit all documents required. After submitting the applications, they are provided shuttle transportation to designated accommodation facilities.
- any nearest Foreign Police Department (Foreign Police currently operates 7am-7pm.)
Temporary refuge will not be granted automatically, you must apply for it either at a border crossing point as you enter the Slovak Republic or at any nearest Foreign Police Office. Minors must also be present when applying for purposes of biometric data acquisition.
You can also register electronically using a QR code or via the website Ministry of Interior.
After filling in the electronic form “Registration of temporary refuge”, you need to go to the Foreign Police Office or a large-capacity center. A temporary refuge certificate will be issued to the foreigner while one waits.
↗ For information and registration form visit SK / UK / EN .
As the police collect biometric data of all the applicants, they need to submit their applications in person. Minors must be present as well.
For faster processing of applications for temporary refuge, large-capacity centers have been established in Bratislava, Humenne and Michalovce, which are open 24 hours a day.
Applicants for temporary refuge are transported from the border crossing points to the centers in Humenne or Michalovce, where all documents are processed in one place.
At the same time, a shuttle service is provided for processed applicants from the large-capacity centers to the accommodation facilities.
- If you have your travel, ID or other required document with you, the temporary refuge will be granted on the spot (the waiting time depends on the workload of the given Foreign Police office)
- If you do not have any documents with you, but have an accommodation secured in Slovakia, you can submit your application at any Foreing Police Department.
- If you do not have any documents with you and do not have an accomodation secured, you need to apply for a temporary refuge at the Asylum Department in Humenne. The application will be processed within 30 days. During this period you can stay at the facility of the Migration Office in Humenné, where you are provided free meals, health care and hygiene supplies.
Temporary refuge shall be granted until 4 March 2023 and shall be automatically extended for 6 months, up to a maximum of one year, unless the Council of the European Union decides otherwise.
Once you have been granted temporary shelter, you will be issued with a TOLERATED STAY DOCUMENT (sample). Keep the document for the use of your landlord, employer or school.
RIGHTS GUARANTEED BY THE TEMPORARY REFUGE STATUS:
- Tolerated stay permit for a displaced person (“ODÍDENEC”)
- Right to work without a work permit
- Access to education (school attendance is compulsory for all minor children)
- Access to healthcare (provided to those who can present an ID issued to temporary refuge applicants or a document proving that a person has been granted a temporary refuge and a tolerated stay)
- Accommodation
- Material Need Benefit and other specific allowances
TEMPORARY REFUGE AND TRAVELING
If you have been granted temporary refuge in Slovakia, you have the right, but not the obligation, to stay in Slovakia. If you have Ukrainian citizenship, you have the right to travel within the EU for 90 days in one half-year (180 days) on a visa-free basis, and this applies even during the period of temporary refuge. You need to check these 90 days in one half-year period yourself. Leaving the territory of the Slovak Republic does not terminate the temporary refuge. If you are granted temporary refuge in one EU country, you cannot apply for temporary refuge in another EU country, but another EU Member State may grant you another form of protection or residence other than temporary refuge if it chooses to do so. Family reunification is also possible if you have family members in different countries.
TEMPORARY REFUGE AND MINORS
If a minor is not accompanied by their legal guardian and is staying in Slovakia with a relative or acquaintance, these persons must contact the relevant authority governing social and legal protection of minors – the Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family – to resolve the custody of the minor child. The Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family provides them the assistance needed, e. g. helps draft a guardianship petition for a court proceeding, as the guardianship is necessary for a child's access to healthcare and education. As a result, the child can only apply for a temporary refuge after a court appoints their guardian.
ACCOMMODATION ADDRESS AND ITS REPORT:
You can apply for temporary refuge and it will be granted to you even if you do not yet have a secure address in Slovakia.
If you have already secured accommodation in Slovakia when applying for temporary refuge, you must provide one of the following documents when applying for temporary refuge:
- a declaration of all property owners on the provision of accommodation or,
- a lease agreement signed with the owner (s) of the property.
The signatures on these documents do not have to be certified.
We remind you that even a foreigner with temporary refuge is obliged to report his/her address to the locally relevant department of the Foreign Police within 3 working days via this form in person or by post.
In the event of a change of address, it is necessary to report this change to the locally relevant department of the Foreign Police of the Police Force.
INFORMATION LEAFLET OF THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR OF THE SR (SK / UK / EN)
Manual on how to request temporary refuge (SK)
Request for temporary refuge (SK / UK / EN) – to be completed in Latin