An alternative route would be to obtain a Slovak Living Abroad Certificate, which entitles its holder to a residence permit and where the residence permit is issued as a physical card. The Upshot for Migration ProfessionalsWith an estimated 800,000 members, the United States has the largest Slovak diaspora in the world by far, followed by the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Slovak Passport How To Apply Given the caveats described above, an application at an embassy would require the following documents: 1. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The applicant is also obliged tosubmit the documents within the prescribed time limit in order toensure the proper conduct of the proceedings. As we previously wrote in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Slovak descendants and stakeholders have been carefully following this initially little-noticed citizenship by descent provision with keen interest for more than a year and a half. English commentary. Daily Brief, PROGRAM SELECTION TOOLS We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The embassy/consulate with jurisdiction over Michigan residents is the Slovak Consulate General in New York. Parviz@malakoutilaw.com, www.malakoutilaw.com. The 1910 limit relates to how Czechoslovak citizenship was established. IMI Video employers confirmation of payment of income tax and payment of insurance premiums for public health insurance, social insurance and old-age pension savings. SLA holders that make extraordinary contributions to their respective diasporic communities will be able to apply for Slovak citizenship by descent under the same conditions as those with qualifying ancestors. However, the amendment tothe Act onCitizenship, pursuant toSection 9(17) and (18), provides for exceptions under which such loss does not occur. How to prepare by gathering documents for Slovakia's brand new citizenship by DESCENT program! Of course not all foreign Slovaks whoare granted citizenship will move to Slovakia. Residence permit, certificate of Slovak Living Abroad and state citizenship can be requested at embassies. The amendment regulates three basic issues, namely: it will allow citizens of the Slovak Republic living in the territory of another country for along time toacquire citizenship of that country without losing their Slovak citizenship. Its also possible that you may find your family (great-grandparents) on the 1930 Czechoslovak census (https://www.scitacieharky.sk/zaznamy?Filters%5BYear%5D=2&Filters%5BCountry%5D=&Filters%5BDistrict%5D=&Filters%5BCity%5D=512&Filters%5Btitle%5D=&Filters%5Bfamily%5D=&Filters%5Btype%5D=&Filters%5Bformat%5D=&Filters%5Bstatus%5D=&order=title&by=ASC&limit=100&page=1). There are over one million descendants of Slovaks worldwide, plenty of which arefiercely proud of their Slovak heritage. Foreign nationals are free to visit Slovakia. Lnica gets a home, controls on the Slovak-Ukrainian border will take longer on March 7, and what to do in Bratislava. I fundamentally disagree with the reasoning offered for the automatic extension of Slovak citizenship to descendants of Slovaks. Similarly, former citizens are exempted from the language test/exam. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Just the news last summer of this possible amendment has been enough for 1,100+ Slovaks (including this author) to self-organize into the facebook group Slovak Living Abroad Certificate & Slovak Citizenship where they optimistically discuss plans for spending time in Slovakia post-pandemic. As an American, I have lived in Slovakia for over ten years and hold a permanent residency permit. Vanuatu, Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! I think you start with the premise of someone who is already very motivated to visit Slovakia and then say well they dont NEED citizenship to do that. Essentially, good character means that a person has not been convicted of an intentional criminal offense. For example, if you have never lived or worked in Slovakia and thus havent been subject to Slovak income tax, then the confirmation from the tax office would not be applicable for that reason. birth certificate of parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, marriage certificate, naturalization documents, etc. The second exception is the acquisition of citizenship of acountry in which acitizen of the Slovak Republic had, at the time of acquisition of this citizenship, aresidence permit, registered residence or otherwise registered residence for at least 5 years. As discussed above, potential applicants have the ability to apply for a special residence permit, when submitting their citizenship application at an embassy. Investment Migration Market Eligibility Index, LEARNING TOOLS Application 3. (2) An applicant who has a residence permit in the territory of the Slovak Republic may be granted citizenship of the Slovak Republic without fulfilling the condition specified in paragraph 1 letter. We predict that interest will continue to be most keen amongst Slovaks from non-EU states, (including the newly-single UK) who desire ultimate freedom of movement and to stay in Slovakia and the EU. At the same time, descendants of Slovak citizens are entitled topermanent residence, i.e. The question of who was actually a Czechoslovak citizen in the early days of Czechoslovakia is fairly complex. This forced Slovakia's very large diaspora abroad to then choose to retain and continue seeking naturalization in a foreign land, or to remain a Slovak citizen. Authorities in Slovakia permitted citizenship by descent until the second generation, however, in 2021, there was a new amendment to the nationality law permitting decedents of former Slovak and Czechoslovak citizens to file an application for citizenship up to a third generation, meaning that persons can apply for citizenship in this . Detailed Resume 4. This means for every citizenship by descent applicant received by Slovak consulates, they would also have to process a needless Slovak residency application as well. Slovakia is currently considering this question via a new amendment to its citizenship law, which includes an exciting citizenship-by-descent provision. Pingback: Slovak citizenship by descent vote delayed until September. Otherwise the person would lose their (Austro-)Hungarian citizenship before Czechoslovak citizenship was created and (Austro-)Hungarian citizenship was considered a prerequisite. If you can prove some tangible value to the State, you will receive provisional residency. Furthermore, allbackground checks and due diligence can easily be completed as part of the citizenship application, just as they are handled in applications for the Slovak Living Abroad certificate. A bit like a college application. Due to the non-existence of a sovereign Slovak state under the Austro-Hungarian empire, some descendants of ethnic Slovaks who never became Slovak or Czechoslovak citizens unfortunately will not qualify for citizenship by descent under the new amendment. The acquirer of the foreign citizenship is obliged tonotify the Ministry in writing within 90 days of the acquisition of the foreign citizenship. The amendment was proposed to ease the conditions of losing one's Slovak citizenship after accepting the citizenship of another state, among other things. Approved CBI Real Estate Developments, DIRECTORIES & LISTS Hence, they would unfortunately not be able to acquire Slovak citizenship. I am unfamiliar with Czech law, but I am aware that Hungary has been bestowing citizenship on individuals, even those without ancestral connections to Hungary. The long discussed residence requirement (applicants must hold a Slovak residence permit to apply) was not removed, despite diasporas petition to the contrary. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Life was hard for them after he passed in Argentina. Unfortunately, only those ancestors born in what is now Slovakia are eligible. Why wouldnt Slovakia want to attract its educated and talented diaspora back to its borders. If over 5 years have elapsed since expungement, such an applicant may be eligible, although such applications are likely to be given extra scrutiny. Slovak members of Parliament are expected to discuss the amendment and possibly make changes. If Slovakia keeps its current, baffling residency requirement, it would be on an island in the Visegrad, and would continue to lose mixed-ancestry applicants to neighboring Czechia and Hungary that open their arms to their diaspora by having a streamlined citizenship process. Interview: Slovakia needs to recognize its diaspora, Five reasons why Slovakia should simplify its Citizenship Amendment. I had to suffer and work hard to get here, so why should you be able to get in without suffering?. In 2010, it was controversially amended, enacting loss of Slovak citizenship upon naturalization elsewhere. First of all, youll need to make sure that your children fit the eligibility criteria, ie. Parviz Malakouti-Fitzgerald is a Los Angeles-based immigration attorney at the Law Office of Parviz Malakouti and an adjunct professor of immigration law at Nevada State College. Alternatively, they may also file this residence permit application in Slovakia, though this would involve a separate trip to the Foreigner Police (oddelenie cudzineckej polcie) prior to the submission of the citizenship application. Now, the parliament passed an amendment that will change it. Czech Citizenship by Descent Verification, Czech Citizenship by Descent Declaration, Slovakias New Citizenship-by-Descent Bill: How To Apply, https://www.scitacieharky.sk/zaznamy?Filters%5BYear%5D=2&Filters%5BCountry%5D=&Filters%5BDistrict%5D=&Filters%5BCity%5D=512&Filters%5Btitle%5D=&Filters%5Bfamily%5D=&Filters%5Btype%5D=&Filters%5Bformat%5D=&Filters%5Bstatus%5D=&order=title&by=ASC&limit=100&page=1. Attracting even a fraction back to Slovakia could prove crucial in helping the region economically. Slovakia for Business? Slovak descendants worldwide (including this author) want Bratislava to streamline the process by ditching the requirement that applicants be in a period of residency when applying for citizenship. From my understanding its difficult to find the Austro-Hungarian US consulate records to determine if my grandfather (or his father) are on record with the Austro-Hungarian US consulate maintaining their passports or any other record on file. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Nevertheless, it is undisputed that any duly resident citizen of the Kingdom of Hungary, who left Slovakia on or after 17 July 1910, became a Czechoslovak citizen (although there are certain exceptions, such as naturalizing in the United States before 1920). Meanwhile, citizens and former citizens of the Czech Republic won't have to meet the requirement of having command of the Slovak language when applying for Slovak citizenship. The liked article on why the date matters says The text essentially says that an applicant must have a residence permit, however, there is no defined amount of time. Removing the residency requirement from the current draft citizenship amendment would be economically beneficial for Slovakia, more efficient, and would reflect the values of a new modern Slovakia continuing to step onto the world stage. You seem to have seen so much red at the idea that citizenship MIGHT became more accessible to people moving forward that youve managed to miss every single point of the articles case. The condition is that the applicant does not pose athreat tothe public order or the security of the Slovak Republic. do I make an appointment with the Slovak Embassy in New York and bring all documents with me? These cookies do not store any personal information. together with the application for Slovak citizenship, they can also apply for the granting of permanent residence for 5 years. I used July 17th (as opposed to the 16th) to avoid ambiguities regarding the counting of time. 3. Original or certified copy of applicants marriage certificate, divorce decree or spouses death certificate (if widowed). Decree of the Ministry of Interior. Or we will provide you with alegal opinion. Slovakias National Council has passed the long-awaited amendment to the Slovak Citizenship Act (no. Theres no need to further burden Slovak consulates worldwide. with no monetary gain). A Slovak passport gives its holder visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a whopping 182 countries. where a Slovak citizen wants to bring their spouse to Slovakia). It is important that he/she has actually resided in the place of this residence for the specified period of time. The law's effective date is April 1, 2022. on Citizenship of the Slovak Republic, comes into force, which in some cases considerably simplifies the acquisition of Slovak citizenship or ensures its preservation in a situation where it would have been lost under the old legislation. documents proving the right tostate citizenship after an ancestor, e.g. Ive often said if the requirement for citizenship in a country was being forced to have a finger removed, and someone said we should get rid of that barbaric practice, youd have a lot of 9-fingered people angrily arguing to keep it in place. They could no longer do both. Write us briefly what kind of matter you need toconsult with our lawyer and we will write toyou whether an hour is enough (EUR 96 incl. Even a couple times googling a country and looking at pictures etc (especially such a picturesque country!) The Passport Index-Index Emotional criticism? IMI Program Pages The new law could be implemented as April 1, 2022. would need a qualifying ancestor. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The second reading of the Citizenship Act amendment in parliament has been postponed again. However, unlike with the Czech citizenship by descent provision, Slovakias new act does not legally entitle its eligible applicants to Slovak citizenship. Persons above the age of 65 pay no fee at all. The residence permit is still not granted. Acquisition of the citizenship of another country without losing the Slovak citizenship, Reacquisition of the Slovak citizenship lost by 31 March 2022, Slovak citizenship for Slovaks living abroad, Slovak citizenship for descendants of former citizens (citizenship by descent), Acquisition of citizenship of the Slovak Republic byUS citizens, The residence permit is still not granted and we decided tochange the accommodation, How toget the residence permit or Slovak citizenship in Slovakia byInvestment, Permanent residence permit in Slovakia, necessary information, Application for aCertificate of No Criminal Record. Sample letters can be obtained at embassies or county authorities in Slovakia (okresn rad v sdle kraja). For persons of Slovak origin, at least after one of their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents, the amendment tothe Act allows them toacquire the Slovak citizenship at their own request. As I wrote about in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the citizenship-by-descent amendment is causing a buzz among Slovak descendants worldwide, as well as spurring an initiative to nudge Bratislava to streamline its citizenship by descent provision. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Dont forget that over the course of the 20th century, regimes stripped many Slovaks of their citizenship without their knowledge or for punitive reasons. Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Czechoslovak citizens from Slovakia will qualify. Draft amendment was in parliament for almost a year. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You may be eligible, although the exact details are not yet clear. Generally, citizenship applicants in Slovakia are required to submit the following: These documents are meant to prove that applicants, who have lived in Slovakia prior to applying, have fulfilled their legal obligations towards Slovakia.The Citizenship Act explicitly states, that non-applicable documents are waived. The Government on Wednesday approved an amendment to the State Citizenship Act according to which Slovaks who acquire citizenship of another country will no longer have to be deprived of their Slovak citizenship. Embedded in this proposed amendment lies a little-regarded provision which may have a big impact on the castle-dotted country of four and a half million, as well as the greater European migration community. Leading the way in advocating for this bills passage on behalf of the Slovak diaspora is One Slovak Family. This group is comprised of Slovak professionals (including the authors of this article) who have galvanized to unite the Slovak diaspora and advocate for the passage of this proposed citizenship amendment. It does not require citizenship. The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Slovakia famously lost one third of its population in the decade before World WarI the most of any country in Europe. Furthermore, it addresses the situation of persons who lost their Slovak citizenship as aresult of the tightening of the law in 2010, so that it can be restored tothem onthe basis of the standard European principles for acquiring citizenship.