Citizenship amendment postponed due to new Hungarian law Last Tuesday, Slovakia's cabinet approved their proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act ( no. This concession would relieve applicants of the burden to undergo a two-part process (residency and then citizenship), as well as eliminate the need for applicants to have physical presence in Slovakia as part of their application. It is also necessary tobe cautious when fulfilling the obligation toreport the acquisition of citizenship of another country or the loss of citizenship of the Slovak Republic, as the failure tofulfil this obligation is considered an offence for which afine of up toEUR 330.00 may be imposed. Its inevitable that this would spur an increase in tourism from Slovaks abroad wanting to explore not only their heritage, but also their new recognized nationality. Other webpages:Post.skSme.skPetit AcademySME v kolePrivacy Policy Copyright 2015-2023 | The Rock, s.r.o., Petit Press, a.s. A Slovak passport gives its holder visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a whopping 182 countries. The law defines the reason for not acquiring the Slovak citizenship as the indication of false facts in the submitted documents or in the questionnaire. Its very unlikely descendants of immigrants, who werent Czechoslovak citizens, will be allowed to apply. The MPs sent it on to a second reading on . Last month, Slovakia's new centre-right government said it was tabling an amendment removing the dual citizenship ban. You may be eligible, although the exact details are not yet clear. Ministry of Interior has amendment of Citizenship Act ready Jan 2013 Pravda Pravda (2013), 'Ministry of Interior has amendment of Citizenship Act ready'. . 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. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. If aforeigner in Slovakia needs torequest aCertificate of No Criminal record, there are two options. It would welcome people who are stripped under previous Slovak regimes that had values not consistent with modern Slovakia. Own Birth Certificate 6. All non-EU documents must be apostilled (or, in certain countries, superlegalized) and translated to Slovak by a Slovak official translator. Lead-up The application for granting apermanent residence for five years will only need tobe documented: Although onthe one hand the legislator eases some of the conditions for acquiring the citizenship of the Slovak Republic, onthe other hand it wants toavoid applicants circumventing or abusing the law. [POSTPONED] Slovak Citizenship Amendment: 2nd Reading - YouTube 40/1993 Coll. if none of the above applies (or if it may seem insufficient), proof of. Acquisition of citizenship of the Slovak Republic by US citizens - AKMV Southern Slovakia is home to roughly 500,000. The background check must be apostilled (or, in certain countries, superlegalized) and translated to Slovak by a Slovak official translator. The amendment stipulates that Slovak citizens won't be deprived of their Slovak passports if they acquire citizenship of their husband's/wife's country while in marriage, if they are adopted by someone from another country or if they acquire foreign citizenship while they're still underage. On 01 April 2022, an amendment to Act No. I believe the underlying truth here is that Americans would like to have a European passport, kind of like winning a golden ticket in a chocolate bar. The Act on State Citizenship limits the dual citizenship of Slovak nationals who acquire foreign citizenship. The citizenship by descent provision is estimated to make up to 800,000 Americans alone eligible for Slovak citizenship, and 1.5 million worldwide. According to Dr. Vetrk, the purpose of the residence permit requirement is to allow for more extensive vetting of potential applicants. The law should become effective as of April 1. Read more in our article: How toretain the Slovak citizenship after acquiring the citizenship of another country. Slovakias draw as a magnet for foreign human capital is not remotely comparable to USAs, with all due respect to the beautiful nation of Slovakia, describing the situation as no different is laughable. It has a population of over five million and an area of about 49,000 square kilometers. The second reading of the Citizenship Act amendment in parliament has been postponed again. Just waiting on President Zuzana aputov's signature will complete the process. Although initially scheduled for a second reading in Parliament earlier this month, the drafts second reading has been postponed to the parliamentary session beginning June 15, 2021. I fundamentally disagree with the reasoning offered for the automatic extension of Slovak citizenship to descendants of Slovaks. Program Comparison and Filter Chart This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In 2010, it was controversially amended, enacting loss of Slovak citizenship upon naturalization elsewhere. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Rules for granting Slovak state citizenship receives green light from Easing dual citizenship would be, in a way, restitution to those descendants. Slovak citizenship (2023) | AKMV Determining finer points of eligibility will require a delicate legal analysis due to the last 110 tumultuous years in the region including a split from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, two world wars, communist dictatorship, and partition from big brother Czechia. Citizenship of the Slovak Republic. In short, I have acted like a true citizen of the State. will increase the likelihood of scheduling a visit exponentially. that have a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent who was a Czechoslovak citizen born in what is now Slovakia. 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. Under normal circumstances, Slovakia offers an enviable passport with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 181 countries, as well as residency and work authorization throughout the European Union (EU). In 2010, Slovakia passed a law that prohibits dual citizenship except in cases of marriage and birth. Now, the law, which went into force in July 1920, was effective retroactively as of October 28th, 1918 hence, there is ambiguity regarding which of these dates (entry into force as opposed to the effective date) is actually relevant. It seems that with the agreement announced by Dr. Vetrk, member of parliament, physical presence in Slovakia is likely not a requirement. Nevertheless, the author of this article believes that applicants should provide documents applicable to the future, especially that they have health insurance and sufficient income and/or funds to sustain themselves, should they live in Slovakia. Many other European countries offer citizenship by descent this is not a new concept. Now, the parliament passed an amendment that will change it. Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Czechoslovak citizens from Slovakia will qualify. 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. He proposes that the amendment be effective from 1 February 2021. The offer of citizenship has no Slovak language proficiency requirement, nor any history or cultural familiarity test. Slovakia should simplify its citizenship amendment for the sake of its own demographic survival. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A parliamentary vote in Bratislava is expected by the end of March and the amendment is expected to be handily approved. Samuel is a native of Bratislava, Slovakia. 5. This also concerns Slovaks who will acquire a foreign citizenship at a time when they've been living in the country in question for at least five years and will be able to provide documents proving this. a) [standard condition of 8 years residence], unless this Act provides otherwise, if. How to prepare by gathering documents for Slovakia's brand new citizenship by DESCENT program! Zatia NIE. Residence permit, certificate of Slovak Living Abroad and state citizenship can be requested at embassies. Looking first to children of its own former citizens is the easy and sensible solution. What should citizens expect? The applicant is also obliged tosubmit the documents within the prescribed time limit in order toensure the proper conduct of the proceedings. The application for the residence permit in Slovakia was submitted in Bratislava. Slovak citizenship, as with citizenship of any nation, comes with duties and responsibilities to the State and must be given the seriousness it deserves. Letter stating the reasons for applying for Slovak citizenship. The obvious first question is how would extending citizenship to foreign nationals living abroad benefit the State? Hi David, At the 11th hour, an unexpected but welcome pathway towards Slovak citizenship eligibility was added for certain exceptional Slovaks living abroad. The draft amendment to the Citizenship Act also allows the acquisition of Slovak citizenship without the condition of specifying the length of stay in the territory of the Slovak Republic in the event that the applicant was not a citizen of the Slovak Republic, and at least one of his parents, grandparents or great-grandparents was a . 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. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Parviz@malakoutilaw.com, www.malakoutilaw.com. Nevertheless, pursuant to a recent court ruling, same-sex marriage or civil unions/partnerships are recognized insofar as the spouses right to a residence permit in Slovakia (ie. This is probably the most bizarre argument on your list. What does that even mean? In your case, it might be the easiest for them to also get the Slovak Living Abroad Certificates, which then allow you to apply for a residence permit with little additional paperwork. The President signed an amendment to the law on citizenship - Domestic 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. IMI Research Unit Most Slovaks see no improvement in anti-corruption fight. Children under the age of 18 pay 150 Euros and children under the age of 15 pay 100 Euros (unless they qualify for a lower fee, as per the above). Thanks for the reply. Nevertheless, the Slovak Ministry of Interior retains virtually absolute discretion in its decision making. onCitizenship of the Slovak Republic, comes into force, which in some cases considerably simplifies the acquisition of Slovak citizenship or ensures its preservation in asituation where it would have been lost under the old legislation. Proof of Ancestor's Czechoslovak Citizenship and Lineage 2. (PDF) Why the act on citizenship is important and how it is related to Not sure which category it might fulfill, but as I am volunteering with a Slovak civic association and can support this with a letter, could it help as long as all the other basics are met? Bratislava, Slovakia Its said that good things come to those who wait. Background check from the applicants country of citizenship (and/or country of former citizenship), as well as from any country, where the applicant had lived in the past 15 years. The ones who stay in their country will naturally look more towards Slovakia for future economic opportunities whether in-person or in our increasingly virtual business environment. Slovakia's Citizenship Act had been stripping thousands of people of their Slovak passports. Technical repository or access used exclusively for statistical purposes. You shouldnt always follow your neighbors lead, but when all of them are going in one direction, you should at least take a look. All that matters is that they were at some point a Czechoslovak citizen. Slovakia's New Citizenship-by-Descent Bill: How To Apply The language of the residence requirement remains in the amendment, but with an enormous hollowing concession made to applicants. Proof of Marital Status (if married, divorced or widowed) 7. An important element is that this qualifying ancestor must have been a citizen of Czechoslovakia at some point.