Temporary refuge. Get a work permit, healthcare and other help.

20. September 2023

What does temporary refuge offer?

If you are coming from Ukraine and are interested in staying in Slovakia, you can apply to the Slovak authorities for the status of “Temporary Refuge” and thus gain access to:

labour market of Slovakia,
education,
urgent and necessary health care,
assistance in looking for short-term and long-term accommodation,
material and financial aid.

Who can apply for temporary refuge?

You can apply for temporary refuge in Slovakia if you meet at least one of the following conditions:

You have Ukrainian citizenship.
Ukraine provided you with international protection or equivalent national protection before February 24, 2022.
You do not have Ukrainian citizenship, but you have been granted permanent residence in the territory of Ukraine before February 24, 2022 and you cannot return to your home country under safe and stable conditions.
You are a family member of a Ukrainian citizen or a person who has been granted international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine before February 24, 2022 (in case the family member lived in Ukraine before February 24, 2022). The following persons can apply for temporary refuge:

– your husband or wife,

– your minor children or your husband or wife´s minor children,

– parents of a child under the age of 18 who is a Ukrainian citizen,

– your close relatives who live with you in the same household or are totally or partially dependent on you.

Applying for temporary refuge

Applying for temporary refuge is easy.

Visit Help Centre in Bratislava or department of Foreign Police that accepts applications for temporary refuge. When applying, the staff will scan your biometric data (fingerprints). Therefore, minor children must be present in person too.

You can also apply online at Temporary Refuge Registration. However, the confirmation must be picked up in person. The same applies for minor children.

By being granted the status of ”Temporary Refuge“ you automatically get ”Tolerated residence“, as well as all benefits that will make your life in Slovakia easier.

It is not mandatory to apply for temporary refuge

If you already have permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia, you have applied for asylum, you have already been granted asylum or you have another form of international protection, you do not need to apply for temporary refuge.

Valid in one EU country only

You can only be granted temporary refuge in one country of the European Union.

You can apply for temporary refuge in the Slovak Republic even if this has already been granted to you in another EU member state.

By obtaining temporary refuge in Slovakia, your previous temporary refuge from another country will become void. If possible, apply for the termination of the previous temporary refuge in another country.

Similarly, if you are granted temporary refuge in another EU member state, the temporary refuge granted in Slovakia will become void. However, check in advance whether the authorities in your future country of residence will allow you to submit an application. Not all countries allow this if you have already been granted temporary refuge elsewhere.

Confirmation of temporary refuge

Keep the temporary refuge confirmation safe.
Do not adjust or laminate the confirmation with plastic foil.
Keep all documents regarding temporary refuge. Have them on you all the time. Even if there is an invalid expiry date in the confirmation, the confirmation is still valid.

Validity

Temporary refuge is valid until March 4, 2024.

If the armed conflict continues, its validity may be extended.

In case you have already been granted the status of temporary refuge, its validity has been automatically extended until March 4, 2024. No further action on your part is necessary.

If you want a written confirmation of temporary refuge with a new date, you can apply for it online at Extension of validity of temporary refuge.

Address of residence and how to report it

You can apply for temporary refuge even if you do not have any accommodation yet.

I already have accommodation

If you already have accommodation in Slovakia, add one of the following documents to your application for temporary refuge:

affidavit (signed written statement) of all property owners regarding the provision of accommodation,
or a lease agreement concluded with a property owner/owners,
or a confirmation from the accommodation facility about the provision of accommodation.

Signatures on the above documents do not need to be notarized.

Do not forget that even people with temporary refuge are obliged to report their address at Foreign Police within 3 working days using the form Residence Reporting, in person or by mail.

If you stay in a hotel, hostel, boarding house or lodging house, the accommodation provider must report your stay. They will provide you with more information at the reception.

Moving to another address

In case you move to another place in Slovakia, report the change of address at the municipal office in the place of your new residence.

Moving to another EU state

If you want to move to another state and apply for temporary refuge there, you can do so.

However, do not forget that you can only be granted temporary refuge in one EU country.

Therefore, if you have been granted temporary refuge in another EU member state, the status of temporary refuge issued in Slovakia expires automatically and so do any rights to the above mentioned benefits.

Travelling abroad

Your temporary refuge status remains valid even after you leave Slovakia.

European Union

Temporary refuge entitles you to live in Slovakia, but it is not a permit to travel to other EU countries. If you want to travel to other EU countries, find out under which conditions you can do so in advance.

Countries outside the EU including Ukraine

When travelling to countries outside the European Union, including Ukraine, your temporary asylum status in Slovakia remains valid. Find out under which conditions you can travel to the relevant country before travelling.

Expiration of temporary refuge

Your temporary refuge will expire in the following cases:

The validity of your temporary refuge expires.
You apply for the granting of asylum or the provision of additional protection in Slovakia.
You are granted temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia.
You are granted temporary refuge, asylum or additional protection in another state.
You are granted residence without a time limit in another state.

How to renounce your temporary refuge status voluntarily

You can renounce your temporary refuge status in writing. We recommend that you do so only after you leave the territory of Slovakia.

Download the application form, fill in your personal data marked in yellow, print, sign and send it to the address of Migration Office stated in the header of the application. Find the application form at Download HERE.

Free legal aid

If you do not have a residence permit in Slovakia, but you already live here, we will advise you on what to do next. Contact Human Rights League.

External links

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Accommodation in Slovakia. People granted temporary refuge can apply for free housing.

7. December 2023

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21. November 2023

Healthcare. How it works and what services are available for foreigners in Slovakia.

21. November 2023

Help Centre. A place where they help you familiarise yourself with life in Slovakia.

27. October 2023

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