As Slovakia has signed the Schengen Agreement, it shares a common visa policy with the Schengen Area countries, which have abolished passport control at their mutual borders.
Citizens of Schengen countries are able to travel freely within the borders of the Schengen zone, without the need for a visa or travel authorization. Therefore, residents of Schengen countries do not need an ETIAS to travel to Slovakia or within Schengen borders.
At the moment, citizens of a number of countries outside the Schengen Zone can travel to Slovakia and the other countries in the Schengen zone for up to 90 days without a visa. However, from 2024, these same citizens will be required to obtain an ETIAS Slovakia visa waiver before traveling to the Schengen countries for short stays.
This includes non-European nationals such as citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, as well as European countries outside the Schengen Area.
The ETIAS Europe visa waiver for Slovakia is a multiple entry travel authorization which permits the holder to stay up to 90 days with each entry to the Schengen Zone and is valid for 3 years from the date of approval. It permits travel to Slovakia for purposes of business, transit, tourism, and medical treatment.
Those who are not eligible to apply for a Slovakia ETIAS, or those who wish to travel to Slovakia for purposes such as to work or study, are required to make an appointment to apply for a Slovakia Schengen visa at a Slovakian diplomatic office.
To apply for a Schengen visa for Slovakia it is first necessary to download, print, and complete a Schengen visa application for Slovakia to bring to the visa appointment.
Slovakia visa requirements also state that the applicant should present a valid passport with at least 2 blank pages, as well as a range of supporting documentation which varies depending on the intended purpose of the stay in Slovakia.