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If UK nationals and their family members are already registered as residents in Slovakia, or if they will be lawfully residing in Slovakia by 31 December 2020, their right to work as self-employed persons will stay the same for as long as they remain residents.

As a UK national or a family member of a UK national, your current residence in Slovakia, or the residence which you start before 31 December 2020, will be changed automatically from an EU to a non-EU status. You will need to register your residence and apply for a new Residence Card.

You will get one of the following types of residence status, depending on how long you’ve been living in Slovakia:

  • Five-year residence granted for a period of five years, or
  • Long-term residence granted for an indefinite time period/permanent residence for unlimited time. 

To be registered as resident in Slovakia means to hold a:

  • Registration Certificate (confirmation about the registration of residence) and optionally also the Residence Card (plastic ID card “Pobytový preukaz občana EÚ”) if you are a UK national, or
  • Residence Card (plastic ID card “Pobytový preukaz rodinného príslušníka občana EÚ”) if you are a family member of a UK national.

If you belong to one of the categories of UK national family members who may seek residence in Slovakia after the end of the transition period (after 1 January 2021) and still be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement, you will also enjoy the right to work as a self-employed person. You will be able to join the UK national at any point in time in the future and if you satisfy the relevant criteria, you will obtain residence.

Read more about residence of UK nationals and residence of family members of UK nationals, including how to register your residence, apply for a Residence Card and other important information related to living in Slovakia.

Rights

You can change your status at any time, from self-employed person to e.g. to being a worker or economically inactive. You can also simultaneously hold multiple statuses, e.g. do business and work. And even if you hold a different status before the end of the transition period, you can become a self-employed person at a later stage.

Your right to health insurance and social insurance derived from being self-employed will remain the same. You will be able to access healthcare and social security like you did before the UK´s exit from the EU. As a self-employed person, you will have to pay for your health and social insurance contributions.

Coming to Slovakia after 1 January 2021

Unless you belong to one of the categories of persons who may seek residence in Slovakia after the end of the transition period (after 1 January 2021) and still be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement, if you do not register or start your residence in Slovakia before 31 December 2020, the rights set by the Withdrawal Agreement will not be guaranteed. In order to live and do business in Slovakia after 1 January 2021, you will have to qualify for one of the residence permits and meet all applicable conditions.

If you want to come to Slovakia after 1 January 2021, you can read what you need to do here (as a UK national) or here (as a family member of a UK national).

In general, you will have to apply for temporary residence for the purpose of business. Some other types of residence permits entitle you to do business as well.

Details about doing business as a self-employed person are available here. You can check other options of doing business in Slovakia here.

Find out more:

  • General information on temporary residence – types, procedures and documents you need to apply

Trade

During the transition period (until 31 December 2020) nothing changes for businesses and investors active in Slovakia. Products can be exported into the UK and/or imported to Slovakia and services may be provided under the same conditions as before the UK´s exit from the EU, without additional limitations. There is no impact on customs or taxation during the transition period.

Rules applicable as of 1 January 2021 will depend on the future agreement between the EU and the UK.

Find out more:

Informing businesses in Slovakia about the UK´s exit from the EU is coordinated by the Financial Administration. You can contact them with inquiries about customs and taxation electronically or through the call centre at +421 (48) 4317 222.

Get someone to deal with customs for you (UK Government)

For more information about the impact of the UK´s exit from the EU on trade: