Slovakia
Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV
The categories of restriction are:
- Restrictions on long-term stays which in most cases is defined as over 90 days.
- Unclear restrictions - it is not clear to what extent restrictions apply.
The types of restriction are:
- HIV testing/disclosure required for residence.
Restrictions on entry to Slovakia
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on entry to Slovakia based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Slovakia does not have any HIV-related restrictions on entry.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic provides a list of supporting documents that should be included with an entry visa application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Restrictions on short-term stay in Slovakia
It is unclear whether Slovakia imposes restrictions on short-term stay of people living with HIV.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Slovakia does not have any HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.
The Ministry of Labour does not include information on health certificates among the requirements to obtain a work permit.
According to the IOM Migration information centre of the country office in Slovakia on the application for temporary residence: ‘within 30 days of obtaining the residence card, it is also necessary to submit a document on health insurance in Slovakia and a medical report not older than 30 days confirming that the person does not suffer from any disease which could endanger public health to the Foreign Police.’
The Embassy of Slovakia in Ottawa further specifies that to obtain a temporary and a permanent residence permit: ‘a third country national who was granted temporary residence shall be obliged to submit a medical opinion confirming that s/he does not suffer from any disease which threatens public health to the police department within 30 days from the receipt of the document of residence; A medical opinion confirming that s/he does not suffer from any disease which threatens public health must not be older than 30 days.’
People applying for a temporary residence permit from outside the European Union and the European Economic Area will be requested proof of absence of any disease that could impose a risk to public health.
HIV-positive patients are obliged to report their diagnosis in medical facilities. This stems from legal regulations, and failure to comply could result in penalties for transmitting a harmful disease.
Article 124 of the Public Health Act states that the medical report should be provided by an infectologist and the details on the reported diseases should be regulated by the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic.
This does not explicitly state whether HIV is included.
Restrictions on long-term stay in Slovakia
Sources are mixed on whether Slovakia imposes restrictions on long-term stay of people living with HIV.
UNAIDS reports that there are no HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.
However, according to the US Department of State, a medical examination, including an HIV test, is required to obtain a Slovakian residency permit.
Treatment access in Slovakia
The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Slovakia. There is some evidence that non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.
EU citizens visiting Slovakia for a short stay (such as holidays or visits) are entitled to necessary medical care if they present a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from their home country. For long-term stays, they must register with a Slovak health insurance company to receive full healthcare coverage, just like Slovak residents, and will be issued an EU-designated insurance card.
Non-EU nationals from countries without an international agreement with Slovakia can receive emergency medical care but must cover the full cost. However, Slovakia has bilateral agreements with some third countries, allowing broader healthcare access based on those treaties.
Asylum seekers and refugees in Slovakia are entitled to health insurance, providing them the same healthcare rights as Slovak citizens. Undocumented migrants can receive free emergency care. The quality of treatment meets Western European standards. There are five clinical treatment centres in Slovakia (Bratislava, Banská Bystrica, Košice, Nitra and Martin).
Sources
The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database
Visit the Slovakia page on the Global HIV Criminalisation Database to see more information about known HIV criminalisation laws in this country, an overview of how the laws are used, and any significant advocacy developments.
UNAIDS Global AIDS monitoring data
This information about access to HIV services comes from UNAIDS https://lawsandpolicies.unaids.org/, a platform to view data on HIV-related laws and policies. This is information provided by national authorities and civil society and may contradict other sources.
Migrant populations
| Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | N/A |
| Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | N/A |
| Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | N/A |
| Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | N/A |
| Migrants are able to access HIV services | N/A |
Refugees and asylum seekers
| Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | N/A |
| Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | N/A |
| Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | N/A |
| Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | N/A |
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This site focuses on information about HIV travel. Please also consult your own Foreign Office/Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, or the local consulate of the country you are visiting, to see what restrictions there are specifically for you as a citizen of your country, regardless of your HIV status.
