Proposed changes for Slovak residency rules

The police should no longer be obliged to issue a certificate for staying in Slovakia to every foreigner. Instead, this obligation should become optional. Specifically, those who are merely transiting through Slovakia to reach another country should not receive such a document. This amendment to the Act on Residence of Foreigners was approved by the Government on Wednesday.

The Cabinet is responding to the growing issue of illegal migration with this change and proposes that Parliament fast-track the legislative procedure to discuss this document.
Currently, in specific cases, a police department must issue a certificate to a third-country national who cannot be expelled due to an obstacle to their administrative expulsion. According to the Ministry, this practice attracts illegal migrants traveling along the Balkan route.

Prime Minister Ludovit Odor stated that illegal migration does not pose an immediate threat to Slovakia, and the situation is under control. He added that no serious incidents have been recorded. According to the premier, the state of emergency declared in connection with COVID-19, which limits some police actions, could be lifted next week.

Deputy Interior Minister Martin Kralovic mentioned that they are working to significantly reduce the number of migrants in the detention center in Velky Krtis, southern central Slovakia. As of Tuesday (September 5), there were approximately 700 of them. Kralovic said: "We managed to relocate a large number of people and distribute them to foreign police departments throughout Slovakia”.