On April 14, 2026, as the Slovak Government sent its amendment to the Citizenship Act to the Parliament, The Slovak Spectator published “Slovakia reforms citizenship-by-descent rules after four years, alongside broader law changes,” an article by Ján Falath, Founder & Managing Partner of FALATH & PARTNERS, on what the changes mean for Slovaks living abroad and for people applying for Slovak citizenship by descent.
What changes for descent applicants
For Slovak citizenship-by-descent applicants, two changes stand out. The first is the removal of the requirement to hold a Slovak residence permit. Most applicants live abroad and have no intention of relocating, and the Government accepted that the requirement served neither them nor the authorities. With it goes the preliminary review by the Immigration Police: the Ministry of the Interior now assesses applications directly and exclusively.
The second change is that the requirement to prove the ancestor’s Czechoslovak citizenship, which always existed but was applied unevenly, is now written into the law. Documentation gaps that might once have been resolved with an explanatory letter, and applications built on the assumption that earlier approval in a similar case guarantees approval in another, may no longer pass.
How citizenship documents are issued
Ján’s piece walks through each change in detail. To find out more, read the full article in The Slovak Spectator.
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General information on Slovak citizenship law, current as of publication. Not legal advice, and not a substitute for advice on your own circumstances. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.