Slovak Embassy Washington DC – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Slovakia Schengen Visa

Bordering Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine, Slovakia may not have a coastline, but there is still lots to see and do in this Schengen country. Bratislava is home to wonderful Gothic and Renaissance buildings as well as a historical center. Nitra is Slovakia’s oldest city and it’s a joy to walk around. The countryside is beautiful too with many national parks such as the High Tatras full of mountains, forests, and valleys which are perfect for hiking or winter sports. In this article learn more about how to apply for Slovakia visa at the Slovak embassy in Washington, DC, Slovakia visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Slovakia visa application center, flight itinerary for Slovakia visa, hotel bookings for Slovakia visa, Schengen travel insurance for Slovakia visa application, and Slovakia Visa Application Process at the Washington DC embassy.

Slovakia Schengen Visa

In 2017, there were 41,639 Schengen visa applications received worldwide. 866 were rejected. The Embassy of Slovakia in Washington received 42 applications and issued 100% of them.

Applying for Slovakia Schengen Visa from the United States         

If you are a US citizen and you wish to travel to Slovakia you do NOT need a visa as long as the duration of your trip does not exceed 90 days. If you are planning on going for longer, you will need to apply for a residence permit. See the website of the Embassy of Slovakia in Washington for further information about how to do this.

If you are a non-US citizen permanently living in the US, you DO need a visa to be able to enter Slovakia regardless of how long you are going for, but you can easily do this from the United States.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Slovak embassy and consulate. If you live in the following areas, you may apply to the Embassy of Slovakia in Washington:

1. Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia, and Texas

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Slovak Embassy in Washington DC

There are different types of visas you can apply for and the one you need will depend on the duration of your trip and your reason for traveling to Slovakia.

1. Schengen visa type A: Airport Transit visa – you will apply for this type of visa if you are transiting through a Slovakian airport on the way to a different country. You are not permitted to leave the international zone of the airport
2. Schengen visa type C: Uniform short-stay visa – you will apply for this visa if your stay is for a maximum of 90 days. Schengen visas are issued for the purposes of tourism, business, or visiting family/friends. This visa may be issued for one, two or multiple entries
3. National visa type D: Long-stay visa – you will apply for this type of visa if your stay is for over 90 days. National visas are issued for the purposes of employment, business, study, research and development, family unification, performing military service obligations, or residence. This visa is issued for one or multiple entries

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Embassy of Slovakia in Washington DC

Visa applications are dealt with on a case-by-case basis which means some could take longer to process than others, but turnaround times are generally within 10-15 days. Therefore, you should apply well in advance of your trip, but you cannot apply any longer than 90 days ahead.

To help you apply for your Slovakia visa, here are a few steps to follow:

Step 1: Complete your application

The first thing you need to do is to complete your visa application. Go to the embassy’s website and click on: “Consular and visa information”:

Click on: “Application forms”:

On the next page, you will find the links for the application form for a Schengen visa and Temporary and permanent stay permit (for National visas):

Download and print the form for completion, but do NOT sign it until you visit the embassy for your appointment. It must be signed in front of the visa officer.

Step 2: Make an appointment 

Step 2 is to make an appointment in order to submit your documents at the embassy. All you need to do is to contact them by email at: cons.washington@mzv.sk 

Step 3: Prepare your documents

You must submit all the required documents for your visa application. If you submit an incomplete file, your application will be rejected, so it’s a good idea to take a look at the embassy’s website before you begin this step.

1. Requirements for Schengen visas
2. Requirements for National visas

You must also provide original documents AND photocopies of everything, so don’t forget to do that!

Documents include:   

1. Visa application form – Schengen visa application form/National visa application form
2.  1 recent color passport size photograph
3. Passport or official travel document issued not earlier than in 10 years and valid for at least 3 months past the intended stay in Slovakia. Please make sure that the passport has at least 2 blank pages
4. Valid US residence permit or valid US resident visa (type A, E, F plus endorsed I-20, G, H, I, J plus J1 documents, L, O, R). Must have at least 3 months remaining past your trip
5. Evidence of hotel bookings or travel plans or travel agency voucher
6. Invitation letter with an authenticated signature of the inviting person i.e family member/business partner/ company
7. Reference letter from US employer specifying the nature of the business
8. Proof of participation in conferences, seminars, workshops, cultural and sport events
9. Verification of continued employment and purpose of journey to the Slovak Republic
10. Document (s) proving the purpose of travel and stay in Slovakia such as medical treatment, study visits or special activities shorter than 90 days, etc.
11. Proof of funds – Bank account statements and/or payslips for the last 3 months OR letter stating that all expenses are fully covered
12. Parental consent and financial responsibility proof for minors
13. Return flight/travel reservations or other proof of intended transport and full itinerary
14. Schengen Travel medical insurance for  urgent medical care and/or emergency treatment in the hospital including potential medical repatriation or death for at least €30,000
15. FBI Check
16. Pre-paid, self-addressed envelope for the return of passports

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment, remember to do the following things:

1. Take ALL your documents with you – the embassy will not accept your application if there is anything missing
2. Arrive early – if you miss your appointment, even by just a few minutes, you will have to reschedule it
3. Dress smartly – if you are dressed too casually, it won’t look like you are serious about wanting to get a visa

The visa officer will examine your application and supporting documents and if they need any further information from you they may ask you questions like:

1. What do you know about Slovakia?
2. Is this your first time to the Schengen zone?
3. How will you pay for your trip?
4. Are you meeting anyone there?
5. What is your salary?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

If you get asked any questions, don’t get annoyed. Simply answer them calmly, politely, and honestly.

You will also pay the fee for your visa. You can pay by cash or money order payable to the Embassy of Slovakia.

Slovakia Schengen Visa Fee

If this is your first time applying for a visa, you will have to provide biometric data which is a fingerprint scan and a digital photograph. If you have applied for a visa previously, your data can be reused for up to 5 years.

Step 5: Receive your visa

When the embassy has reached a decision, you can either collect your passport from their office or you can arrange for it to be returned to you.

There are 2 outcomes:

1. Approved – you will find your visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application would have been rejected for a specific reason. You can find out the reason by going to the consulate in person. You have the right to appeal the decision within 15 days

Common rejection reasons include:

1. There was no hotel booking – you must provide proof of accommodation such as a hotel booking
2. You applied for the wrong type of visa – the visa you apply for will depend on the duration of your trip. If your trip is for a duration of up to 90 days, you will apply for a Schengen visa. If it is exceeding 90 days, you will apply for a National visa
3. No parental consent form – if you or anyone in your party is under 18 years old, you must provide a parental consent form
4. Lack of funds – you must prove that you can afford your trip by providing the relevant documents such as bank statements and/or payslips

Contact details for the Embassy of Slovakia in Washington DC

Address: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Telephone: +1 202 237 1054

Email: cons.washington@mzv.sk

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 am – 5.00 pm

Conclusion

All you need to do to apply for you Slovakia visa is:

1. Complete your application
2. Make an appointment
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

Once you have your visa, the next step is to get ready for your awesome trip to Slovakia!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

Worldwide Visa Requirements