Information for Ukrainians entering Slovak republic

Make sure your car has a full tank and is ready for a longer journey to the border.

Always have a charged mobile phone on hand and don't rely on an internet communication.

Have enough cash in Ukrainian currency or other currencies such as euro or US dollar to cover the cost of living for several days. Don't forget your passport or other ID. If you do not have any document, also take invalid or damaged documents or photocopies of documents.

Wear sturdy shoes and warm clothing, including a hat, scarf, winter gloves and a raincoat or umbrella.

Don't forget:

• medicines that you regularly take or need to have available,
• mobile phone charger and, if you have an external battery
• basic hygiene products,
• dry food that can be eaten directly without cooking. Pay special attention to food for small children,
• two liters of drinking water in a plastic container, under no circumstances use a glass container,
• flashlight,
• folding pocket knife,
• blanket,
• do not bring weapons, explosives or drugs.

Please make sure to set your clock 1 hour back. You are in a different time zone.

For the people living in Ukraine who want to come to Slovakia, there are currently 3 border crossings: Ubľa, Vyšné Nemecké and Veľké Slemence.

The police informs that from Monday 02 May 2022 there will be a change in the operating hours of the border crossing Veľké Slemence - Mali Selmenci. At the said border crossing, members of the Police will carry out border control in the regime as before the military conflict in Ukraine, i. daily from 08:00 to 20:00.

As Ukraine has announced mobilization, Ukrainian men aged 18-60 are not entering Slovakia.

At the same time, we would like to point out that if a person crosses the border outside his / her opening hours, he / she commits an offense in the border control area.

More info at https://www.ukraineslovakia.sk/.

The situation on the Ukrainian border is monitored on the website mapotic.com, or in a report, that is regularly updated.

The Ukrainian government infoline +380 934 185 684 is available for people from non-European countries (mainly students from Africa and Asia).

Entry to Slovakia is allowed to all persons fleeing the war in Ukraine.

At the moment, entry is possible for persons who do not have a valid travel document (biometric passport) as well. In such a case, it is necessary to apply for temporary refuge or asylum. If you are traveling with children, it is recommended that you have at least your child's birth certificate with you.

Persons without a valid passport are advised to carry other documents (e.g. ID card, driver's license, residence permit in Ukraine, birth certificates of children, etc.).

In the event that an unaccompanied child crosses the border, the competent authority shall, in cooperation with the police, coordinate the placement of the child in the selected facility.

After crossing the border, every resident of Ukraine will receive humanitarian aid. The Slovak Republic provides a temporary refuge for Ukrainian citizens and their families, which includes accommodation, food, health care, hygiene and access to the labor market.

Governmental and non-governmental organizations will also help and provide humanitarian and basic material assistance to every person who wants to refuge in Slovakia from the war.

After crossing the border, we ask you to visit a large-capacity center, where competent persons can direct you to the destination station in Slovakia after requesting accommodation. There, you will be provided with emergency accommodation. If you decide to look for accommodation "blindly", there is a high probability that we will not have a place to accommodate you due to limited capacity.

Transport from the border crossing to temporary accommodation is coordinated on site. Some municipalities provide free commuter transport for the people of Ukraine. Taxi services are also available.

Some Slovak mobile operators provide SIM cards for calls and internet free of charge at the border.

You can also find a summary of important information in the video entitled: What to do after coming to Slovakia .

To exchange Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH) is currently a problem in Slovakia. This option is available only in limited number of banks. We recommend that you bring cash in EUR or $.
Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH) can be exchanged in Slovakia only in exchange offices. Banks do not currently offer this option. Cash (EUR) can also be withdrawn from ATMs via payment cards.

Some Slovak banks help people from Ukraine to access their finances:

• newly located ATMs near the border crossings (Vyšné Nemecké), from which withdrawals by Ukrainian ATM cards are free of charge (this applies to some banks throughout Slovakia)
• opening free accounts, including issuing payment cards and access to internet banking
• abolition of fees for transfers to Ukraine

CUSTOMS PROCEDURE
If you enter or leave the EU with EUR 10,000 or more in cash, checks without a specified consignee or certain gold items, you must inform the customs authorities whether you are traveling by air, road, rail or sea.

More information can be found on the website of European commission.

Slovakia accepts pets at border crossings even without a passport and vaccination. Persons accompanied by such pets are required to fill out a form, which is also available at border crossings.

We remind people coming from Ukraine to be vigilant and to follow the instructions of designated state employees (such as the Police) or non-profit volunteers (such as the Red Cross). Do not hand over your documents, property or use unofficial transportation from anyone else. Always consult with people working at the border.

If you feel threatened, please contact the national non-stop helpline for victims of trafficking (0800 800 818).

STAY WITH VALID BIOMETRIC PASSPORT
If you have a valid biometric passport, you can stay in the territory of the Slovak Republic and the Schengen area for 90 days. In order to be able to stay legally in the territory of the Slovak Republic for a longer period of time, you will have to decide during this period whether you will apply for one of the forms of residence or apply for temporary refuge or asylum.

TEMPORARY REFUGE
Temporary refuge is provided to protect foreigners from war, the consequences of a humanitarian catastrophe or a systematic or mass human rights violation in the country of origin. This is the fastest form of protection provided, which will provide foreigners with access to accommodation, food, health care and enable them to stay and work in the Slovak Republic
Registration for temporary refuge

You can apply for temporary refuge in person at high-capacity registration centers or at selected foreign police departments. Each adult requests temporary refuge in person. In the case of a child, the application for temporary refuge is made by a parent or a legal representative. The child must always be present when making the declaration.

If you can prove your identity (passport, ID card), temporary refuge will be provided to you immediately after registration. If you do not have any documents, your application for temporary refuge will be decided in a short time within approximately 30 days. You will receive accommodation, food, urgent medical care and hygiene needs immediately.

In the current situation, it is more appropriate for the people of Ukraine to apply for temporary refuge status than asylum. If you apply for asylum, you will be able to work only after the decision on granting asylum or granting subsidiary protection, resp. if your application is not decided within 9 months from the beginning of the proceedings.

Any person who has been granted temporary refuge can move freely around the Slovak Republic, travel to another EU country and can even travel to Ukraine and come back to the territory of the Slovak Republic at any time. If you decide to return to Ukraine at any time without planning to return to the territory of the Slovak Republic as a resident, you must explicitly give up temporary refuge, in writing to the address Migration Office of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, Pivonkova 6, 812 72 Bratislava. Upon receipt of this declaration of waiver of temporary refuge, the temporary refuge will cease to exist.

• An overview of institutions, doctors, schools, charities and other important places can be found at umapa.eu.
• On the map of SK4U you will find all available information points in Slovakia.

On 26 April 2022 was launched the first part of the service for authentication of documents - Certificate of granting/extension of tolerated residence for foreign nationals on the territory of the Slovak Republic who have been granted temporary refuge on the territory of the Slovak Republic.

This service is publicly available and is intended for all those who wish to verify the authenticity of the issued document.

Verification procedure

• scan the QR code (indicated in the lower right part of the document) or enter the page www.portal.minv.sk.
• enter the foreigner's identifier and personal number on the submitted document.

You will then see the data from the Certificate of granting/extension of tolerated stay in the territory of the Slovak Republic.

Currently, a second part is being prepared, which will extend the above mentioned service to include the possibility of printing out the document of temporary refuge in the form issued by the Foreigners' Police.

Applying for temporary refuge:

You can apply for temporary refuge in the large-capacity centers designated for this purpose, or in selected departments of the Foreign Police. You can find more information on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic.

More detailed information on the temporary refuge registration procedure can be found on the website of the Ministry of the Interior.

You can apply for Temporary refuge in these registration centers:

• Municipality of Humenné
• Municipality Sports Hall
• Chemlonská 7
• GPS: 48.928481 21.907303

• Municipality of Michalovce
• Municipality Sports Hall
• Športová 31
• GPS: 48.762221 21.916542

• Municipality of Nitra
• Akademická ulica č. 4
• GPS: 48.306142 18.100493

• Municipality of Bratislava
• Bottova 7
• GPS: 48.145394 17.129019

• The large-capacity centers of Nitra and Bratislava handle applicants for temporary refuge during: Monday - Friday from 07:00 to 19:00.
• The Humenné and Michalovce high-capacity centers continue to provide applicants for temporary refuge on a 24/7 basis.

The large-capacity center in Žilina was closed on June 29, 2022 and its competencies are taken over by the Alien Police Department of the PZ in Žilina.

Applying for asylum:

Yes. However, with the influx of large numbers of people fleeing the war, the status of temporary refuge is more appropriate for the citizens of Ukraine. At present, the asylum procedure for a large number of foreigners would take a very long time. You can apply for asylum when entering the territory of the Slovak Republic at the police department at the border crossing point or later after entering the Slovak Republic at the police department established at the asylum facility (Humenné Detention Camp).

After crossing the border, representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations will help you with finding an accommodation.

For more information about available accommodation housing visit https://pomocpreukrajinu.sk/.

If you are providing accommodation for residents of Ukraine who came to Slovakia as a result of the conflict, then you will find all the necessary information and documents for the accommodation allowance on the website of the Ministry of Interior.

Residents of Ukraine who have been granted temporary refuge have the same access to the labor market as Slovak citizens (except for civil servants). They can be employed on an employment contract or in the form of an agreement.

The offer of vacancies in the Ukrainian language is available directly on the website of the employment service.

Alternatively, you can also use the portal internet guide to the labor market or this website.

Study material for the examination of professional competence for the performance of epidemiologically important activities in the production, handling and placing on the market of food and meals.

Assistance in material need serves as financial help for those who are unable to secure basic living conditions and are unable to increase their income through their own efforts. At present, persons fleeing the war in Ukraine can also be considered as such persons. The amount of assistance depends on the number of household members and their situation.

Assistance in material need can also be provided to foreigners who prove their identity with a document of residence in the Slovak Republic marked "refugee" or a foreigner's card of temporary refuge.

Assistance in material need can be requested at the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Office, where the foreigner will be provided with the necessary help. The local office for assessing entitlement to assistance in material need, is the office where the foreigner resides.

It is also possible to apply for a subsidy for food for a child. In order to get a subsidy for food, it is necessary to apply when enrolling a child in kindergarten or primary school. The school will guide the parent on how to proceed.
Information about benefits and subsidies

HEALTH CARE FOR YOU, CITIZENS OF UKRAINE IN SLOVAKIA
In case of health problems, you will be treated and receive the necessary health care.

Care provided by status.

You are just passing through Slovakia, but your goal is another country:

• You are entitled to acute and urgent health care provided to you by contracted health care providers with the General Health Insurance. You must pay for other health care.

You apply for asylum or temporary refuge:

• You will be entitled to urgent and necessary indicated health care. This also means such health care that the doctor recommends by examination. There is an emergency service in the relevant region or city, or a central hospital reception. Contacts: www.e-vuc.sk

You have received asylum or temporary refuge:

• You will be entitled to the full health care cover.

In the event of a threat to life, health care is provided immediately to everyone in the Slovak Republic.

DENTAL CARE:

• If you are passing through Slovakia or have applied for temporary refuge / asylum, care is reimbursed in acute cases under the conditions set by the insurance company
• Contacts for dentists in Slovakia who provide free urgent dental health care can be found at www.skzl.sk/stomatologhelp, or also at www.stomatolog.help.

MEDICATION:
You are only passing through Slovakia or gaining temporary refuge status:

• In addition to a specialist, medications can also be prescribed by a general practitioner and will be accepted by pharmacies.
• If you request temporary refuge, you will be entitled to medicines, medical devices and dietetic food at no extra charge.

COVID-19
If you are tested positive for COVID-19, you will receive all necessary examinations and care. If you do not have an insurance, the payment will be made from the state budget.

Important telephone numbers:
Single European emergency number 112, Slovak Emergency medical service: 155, Slovak Police 158, Slovak Fire brigade 150, Health line for Ukraine: +421 221 025 075, General Health Insurance Infoline: 0850 003 003, Infolines for Ukrainian speakers (summary information) +421 513 816 111 / +421 259 765 111, Infoline for patients with HIV and tuberculosis +421 907 923 122.

Useful links:

• General information for healthcare provision
• List of outpatient doctors in Slovakia
• Informed consent to medical services in the Ukrainian language
• Dialysis centers that can be used by Ukrainian refugees
• 5 principles in COVID-19 - a guide for the patient and loved ones
• National Mental Health Support Line in Ukrainian: 0800 193 193

Without the recognition of professional qualifications, a medical professional with a qualification obtained in Ukraine cannot work as a medical professional on his own (without supervision).

The process of recognizing medical qualifications obtained in Ukraine can be found in the leaflet for health professionals or on the website of the Ministry of Health.

Your children can attend Slovak schools. In Slovakia, school attendance is compulsory for children under the age of 16, so they will be allowed to study at schools in your place of residence or in another designated place.

To place your child in school, you need:

• ask for temporary refuge or asylum for your child,
• visit kindergarten, primary or secondary school (where you want your child to be educated),
• present to the Director a document proving that proceedings have been instituted to grant temporary refuge or asylum,
• subsequently, according to the level of education and level of command of the Slovak language, your child will be included in the relevant class and the child will receive language course.

More information can be found on the website of the Ministry of education.

Kids, youth and athletes from Ukraine who came to Slovakia due to the conflict and applied for a temporary refuge can submit an application to join sports clubs. Find out more information about available sports opportunities near your place. For children, parents or custodians in Slovakia can fill in the form.

In case of interest, please fill out form I would like my child to join a sports club

If a child or an athlete is included in the training process, please by filling in the questionnaire for the parent / guardian about the successful placement of the child in the sports club.

List of sports clubs

The office of the Slovak Government representative for youth and sport
Contact: uasport@vlada.gov.sk,
Coordinator: 00421 220 925 114

Office hours of the contact centre:
Monday – Friday
8:30 hod. – 15:30

You can find all the important and up-to-date information about the COVID-19 disease and restrictions in Slovakia at korona.gov.sk

All foreigners from Ukraine with temporary refuge in the Slovak Republic are entitled to move and travel within the Member States of the European Union, if they meet the conditions for entry into their territory.

However, if an foreigner with temporary refuge has decided to live in the territory of another Member State and that state has provided him with temporary refuge or other form of protection, the temporary refuge in the territory of the Slovak Republic will cease.

In this context, we point out that if foreigners with temporary refuge intend to travel from the Slovak Republic to countries outside the European Union (for example, for summer vacation), they must hold a valid passport, which entitles them to cross the so-called. external border of the European Union.

For the each trip abroad, it is necessary to verify the current conditions of entry into the destination country, e.g. required travel documents, visa requirements, possible measures against the spread of COVID-19, mandatory vaccinations and other possible restrictions.

The validation of temporary refuge document and its possible printing. The service is intended to validate the authenticity of the issued document and, if necessary, to print it (e.g. in the case of relocation).

The procedure of validating and printing the document:

• Scan the QR code (indicated at the bottom, on the right side of the document) or enter the website www.portal.minv.sk
• Enter the identifier and personal number of the foreign national as given in the submitted ID. Then, you will see the data from the Confirmation of granting/extension of tolerated stay in the territory of the Slovak Republic. Printing of the temporary refuge document in the form in which it is issued by the Immigration Service Police Department by clicking on "View in PDF"

The confirmation issued by the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic website (attachment) is different in the following parts:

• In the lower left part, the following information is provided
  "The confirmation of residence was generated electronically at www.portal.minv.sk.
  Please use the same service to verify this confirmation.“
• On the right side, in the signature and stamp section, the following text appears
  "stamp imprint"
  "Director of OCP PZ"
  (OCP PZ = Immigration Service Police Department)

The League for Human Rights
Non-governmental organization that provides information to foreigners and refugees about stay, visas and asylum in several languages.
Phone (hot line) for people from Ukraine: +421 918 366 968
Email: ukrajina@hrl.sk
More information: http://ukraineslovakia.sk

Help with searching for people in Ukraine
Slovak Red Cross - Connecting families
If you have lost contact with your family, loved ones or relatives, you can use the service of the Slovak Red Cross - Family Reunion. For more information, visit the redcross.sk website.

International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Information and advice on entry and stay in Slovakia.
Info line: 0850 211 478 (from the territory of the Slovak Republic)
From abroad: +421 252 630 023, +421 556 258 662

Telegram and Signal applications: +421 908 767 853 (voice services only)
Email: mic@iom.int
Further information: www.mic.iom.sk

SOS Ukraine Slovakia - Ukrainian community in Slovakia
Hotline +421 911 201 889
Email: ukrajina.sk.sos@gmail.com
Facebook: Ukraine-Slovakia SOS

As part of Advocacy Day (April 27, 2022), the Slovak Bar Association organizes the provision of free legal advice to citizens. The event will also ensure the presence of lawyers who communicate in the Ukrainian language.

List of lawyers, who provide "Pro BONO legal aid to Ukraine":

If you are interested, you can sign up through this form online.

Those interested in legal aid will be able to consult with lawyers on April 27, 2022, between 9:00 and 14:00. at the following places:

• BA: Slovenská advokátska komora, Kolárska 6, Bratislava
• TT: Právnická fakulta Trnavskej univerzity, Kollárova 10, Trnava (dostupnosť ukrajinsky hovoriacich advokátov)
• PO: Mestský úrad  Prešove, Hlavná 73, Prešov (dostupnosť ukrajinsky hovoriacich advokátov)
• ZA: Mestský úrad v Žiline, Námestie obetí komunizmu 1, Žilina (dostupnosť ukrajinsky hovoriacich advokátov)
• KE: Slovenská advokátska komora, Regionálna kancelária v Košiciach, Floriánska 19, Košice (dostupnosť ukrajinsky hovoriacich advokátov)
• TN: Mestský úrad v Trenčíne, Mierové námestie 2, Trenčín
• NR: Mestský úrad v Nitre, Štefánikova trieda 60, Nitra
• BB: Mestský úrad v  Banskej Bystrici, Československej armády 26, Banská Bystrica
• PP: Mestský úrad v  Poprade, Nábrežie Jána Pavla II. 3, Poprad

Ukrainian-speaking lawyers will also be available in Nitra, Poprad and Banská Bystrica, but to a lesser extent.

Temporary refuge is provided for the purpose of protecting foreigners from war, the consequences of a humanitarian catastrophe or a systematic or mass violation of human rights in the country of origin. By decision, the Government of the Slovak Republic determined the beginning of March 1, 2022 for the provision of temporary refuge for people from Ukraine.

Asylum is a form of international protection that is granted to a person because he or she has a well-founded fear of persecution on racial, national or religious grounds, because of certain political opinions or membership of a particular social group, and cannot or does not want to return because of those concerns. to the country of origin.

Complementary protection is a form of international protection granted to those asylum seekers who do not qualify for asylum, but there are serious grounds for believing that they would be exposed to a real threat of serious injustice if they return to their country of origin and therefore they cannot return.

In Slovakia you can use bus transport, train transport and air transport. We have introduced free transport for Ukrainian citizens on all trains and long distance buses.

Basic rules regarding free transport valid from 1 July 2022
Employer's confirmation of employment

Trains from Košice to:

• Bratislava,
• Vienna,
• Prague,
• Budapest.

An overview of emergency measures in trains can be found directly on the website of the Railways of the Slovak Republic.

The nearest airport to the Slovak-Ukrainian border is Kosice Airport with direct flights to London, Prague, Vienna, Warsaw, Liverpool and Dublin.
More information: https://www.airportkosice.sk

Overview of contact details of consulates and embassies in the Slovak Republic, which you can contact if necessary, for example while returning to homeland.

Czech republic: https://www.stojimezaukrajinou.cz
https://www.nasiukrajinci.cz/en/
Poland: https://www.gov.pl/
Austria: https://www.bmi.gv.at/
Situation in other countries: https://ukraina.guide/