Incorrect accommodation can lead to cancellation

Foreigners applying for residence in the Slovak Republic must meet a number of legal conditions. One of the most important is to prove secure accommodationthat meets legal conditions and certain standards. In recent months, our office has been experiencing a sharp increase in revoked residence permits that foreigners are unaware of. This is followed by administrative expulsion. These are cases where applicants give false, non-existent or inappropriate addresses. Often, through no fault of their own. But by unprofessionalism and trading in human destiny by accommodation merchants, which does not meet the legal conditions. The consequences can be severe - often leading to cancellation of the residence granted and administrative expulsion. 

Accommodation is not just a formality

The law clearly specifies that the accommodation submitted as part of the application for residency:

• must be real, habitable a
• must meet hygiene and technical standards accommodation, i.e. it cannot be a space that is not intended for housing,
• there must be no exceeding capacity the property (e.g. if 10 people live in a one-bedroom flat),
• it must be family house, flat, boarding house or other legally recognised accommodation.

The address also serves as a delivery address

A very important aspect is that this address serves also as a correspondence address for communication with the immigration police and other authorities. The foreigner is obliged to collect mail at this address - including decisions to grant, extend or revoke residence. The police may also inspect the accommodation at any time.

If the applicant does not take delivery, the latter after the expiry of the retention period shall be deemed to have been served by the so-called fiction of service. In other words, the office will decide as if it had received the parcel even if it had never actually seen it. In practice, this means that many foreigners they have no ideathat their stay has been cancelled, and they will only find out when they are checked in or try to leave.

Risk with fictitious addresses

Some applicants rely on so-called "proforma" addresses offered to them for a fee by various intermediaries or acquaintances. Often these are:

• non-existent or abandoned addresses,
• addresses without the owner's consent,addresses,
• where the foreigner does not actually live and he doesn't have a chance to go through his mail.

Once the fee is paid, the intermediary often disappears and the applicant is left without help. Consequently, he or she gets into a situation where:

• he is residence cancelled,
• has the problem of submitting a new application,
• he may even be banned from entering to the territory of the Slovak Republic or the Schengen area.

How to protect yourself?

• Check that the accommodation meets legal requirements and capacity limits.
• Make sure written consent of the property owner.
• Make sure that the address above you have access to mail and you can actually go through it.
• Avoid to uncertified intermediaries and illegal offers at the price of a lower fee.
• If in doubt, please contact a lawyer or directly to the police.

Reliable help for applicants

If you are not sure whether your address meets the legal requirements, we can help you with this. We offer verified accommodation that is in in accordance with the law, meets hygiene standards and capacity limits. In addition, we always inform our clients about the delivered parcelsso that they are not placed in the situation of a fiction of service and subsequent cancellation of the residence without their knowledge.

If you have any doubts whether your current address meets all standards and is reliable, we recommend you check directly with the Aliens Police or our office. We will be happy to provide you with expert advice and we will help you arrange accommodation that meets all legal requirements.