Slovakia family visit visa and verified invitation

A private invitation can come from a Slovak citizen with permanent residence in Slovakia or from a foreigner holding temporary or permanent residence there. Without special approval the host may invite close relatives only: a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, son-in-law or daughter-in-law. Anyone else can be invited only with the consent of the Ministry of Interior. Companies and licensed traders can also issue invitations, which is covered on the business visa page.

You then apply for a Schengen visa at the Slovak mission competent for your place of residence with the original or a copy of the verified invitation, your passport, a 3 x 3.5 cm photo, travel health insurance and a return reservation. The verified invitation replaces proof of your own funds and accommodation, but the mission can still ask for evidence of your ties to your country of residence or call you for an interview.

A private host proves the ability to cover your costs with a bank statement in their name. The balance must reach twelve times the Slovak subsistence minimum plus EUR 56 for each day of your stay. With the subsistence minimum for one adult at EUR 295.22 a month from 1 July 2026, that is EUR 3,542.64 plus the daily amount; for a 14-day visit the host needs EUR 4,326.64. Companies show a bank statement of the company account.

The host files the official application for verification of an invitation in person at the foreign police department for their address (a company files at the department for its seat). The host attaches documents not older than 90 days that prove the purpose, for example the family relationship; the ability to pay all costs of your stay and departure; and your accommodation, such as an owner’s declaration or a lease. The fee is EUR 50 per invited person.

The police decide within 15 days, after the prior consent of the Ministry of Interior. The confirmation is valid for 90 days from issue, so the visa application should follow soon after.

If you stay in your host’s home, you report your residence at the foreign police within three working days of entering Slovakia. The visa does not allow work. Family members of EU or EEA citizens are treated differently: they receive the Schengen visa free of charge and do not need a verified invitation (see the spouse page).

A refusal can be appealed within 15 days of delivery to the authority that issued it, in Slovak, stating why the decision is wrong. The appeal fee is EUR 120 and is refunded if the appeal succeeds. The embassy can grant the appeal itself; otherwise it forwards it within five days to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which normally delivers its decision within 60 days. An appeal does not suspend the refusal, so a new application is often the faster route once the reason has been fixed.