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Schengen visa, applied for from the UK

Slovakia visa from the UK for non-UK passport holders

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for a Slovakia Schengen visa through VFS Global or BLS International in London or Edinburgh. The visa fee is €90 (£78 at VFS), plus a €45 VFS or £18 BLS service charge. The embassy decides within 15 calendar days of receiving your file.

Checked against official sourcesLast reviewed · sources at the foot of the page
Consulate fee, adult. €45 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6.
€90
VFS Global in London and Edinburgh. Its charge is added at the centre.
2 centres
Standard processing after the appointment.
15 days
The earliest you can apply before you travel.
6 months

Who can apply from the UK

You can apply in the UK if you live here. The embassy asks for UK residence valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, while the VFS and BLS checklists say one month. Plan on 3 months.

VFS asks for proof of your eVisa immigration status and says a share code alone is not sufficient. Right to work and right to rent checks are not accepted.

Slovakia must be your main destination, where you spend most of your time. If your time is split equally, Slovakia must be your first point of entry.

You can use either provider's centre in London or Edinburgh. There is no Slovak visa centre in Manchester.

Documents for a Slovakia visit visa

You provide

  • Passport Signed, issued in the last 10 years, valid for at least 3 months after the visa you ask for, with 2 free pages. Add a copy of the photo page and of any Schengen visas from the last 3 years.
  • UK immigration status Proof of your eVisa immigration status. VFS says a share code alone is not sufficient, and right to work or right to rent checks are not accepted. The embassy wants it valid for 3 months after you leave the Schengen area.
  • Photo One ICAO-standard passport photo, no older than 3 months according to the VFS and BLS checklists.
  • Bank statements Your own British account statements for the last 3 months, updated within a month of applying, with regular transactions and a positive balance. Business accounts and cash are not accepted.
  • Job or study evidence Employees: an original letter on company headed paper with your job, salary, company stamp and manager's signature, dated within 30 days, plus 3 months of payslips. Self-employed: certificate of incorporation, 3 months of business statements, latest self-assessment and an accountant's letter within 30 days. Students: an original school letter dated within 30 days.
  • Invitation from your host Family or friend visits: an invitation in Slovak, signed and verified by a Slovak notary, with a copy of your host's passport and Slovak ID or residence permit. First-time Schengen visitors need an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police instead.
  • Children's documents A separate application per child signed by both parents, a consent letter, both parents' passports and UK status, and the original birth certificate, with an apostille or legalisation if it was issued in a third country.

We provide

  • Application form Completed in English and signed in blue pen. One form per person.
  • Cover letter Sets out your dates, plans, who pays and your ties to the UK. The VFS checklist recommends one.
  • Return flight ticket (fully paid) Slovakia's checklists ask for a fully paid return ticket in your name, in English, not just a reservation. We book it with you.
  • Hotel booking (fully paid) A fully paid hotel reservation for your whole stay, confirmed by the hotel or guesthouse in Slovakia, showing every guest's name and the dates.
  • Travel medical insurance In your name, valid in the whole Schengen area for your whole stay, with at least €30,000 of cover for urgent hospital treatment and repatriation.
  • VFS or BLS appointment We book your appointment with VFS Global or BLS International in London or Edinburgh.

Where and when to apply

Slovakia takes UK short-stay applications through VFS Global in London or Edinburgh. Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before you travel.

The Slovak Embassy in London names two providers, VFS Global first and then BLS International. Each runs a centre in London and one in Edinburgh, you book directly with the one you choose, and their service fees differ (VFS €45, BLS £18).

Appointments in London →Appointments in Edinburgh →

Worth knowing about this consulate

  • Two providers take Slovak applications. VFS Global charges a €45 service fee including VAT, payable by card or cash. BLS International charges £18 including VAT, at 20 St Andrew Street, London EC4A 3AG and 6 Dock Place, Edinburgh EH6 6LU.
  • The visa fee is charged in pounds. VFS lists £78 for adults and £39 for children aged 6 to 12, payable by card, QR code or cash, but not American Express. BLS lists £77 and £39. Fees are not refunded if you are refused.
  • Since 13 July 2026, invitations from a person or a company must carry a notarised signature. A Slovak family member, such as a spouse, can have it notarised at the Slovak Embassy in London (VFS notice of 9 July 2026).
  • Slovakia wants paid bookings: a fully paid return ticket and a fully paid hotel reservation confirmed by the hotel in Slovakia.
  • Documents must be on A4 paper. Screenshots or photos of documents are not accepted.
  • The embassy recommends applying at least 2 to 3 months before you travel. At the border you may be asked to show €56 per person for each day of your stay.

Notes by passport

Pakistani passport holders

  • Slovakia requires Pakistani nationals to submit an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police, whatever the purpose of the trip. VFS says applications without it are not accepted, on the embassy's instructions (notice of 8 May 2026).
  • Your host in Slovakia applies in person at the Foreign Police office for their area and pays a €50 fee. The police decide within 15 days, and the verified invitation must be no older than 90 days when you apply.
  • A private host must be a Slovak citizen with permanent residence, or a foreigner with permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia. Only close relatives can be invited without the Interior Ministry's consent.
  • The embassy also asks you to pay in full for your accommodation and return flight before you apply.
  • Pakistan is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a Slovak airport on the way somewhere else? As a Pakistani national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Slovakia confirms otherwise.

Bangladeshi passport holders

  • Slovakia requires Bangladeshi nationals to submit an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police, whatever the purpose of the trip. VFS says applications without it are not accepted, on the embassy's instructions (notice of 8 May 2026).
  • Your host in Slovakia applies in person at the Foreign Police office for their area and pays a €50 fee. The police decide within 15 days, and the verified invitation must be no older than 90 days when you apply.
  • A private host must be a Slovak citizen with permanent residence, or a foreigner with permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia. Only close relatives can be invited without the Interior Ministry's consent.
  • The embassy also asks you to pay in full for your accommodation and return flight before you apply.
  • Bangladesh is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a Slovak airport on the way somewhere else? As a Bangladeshi national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Slovakia confirms otherwise.

Iranian passport holders

  • Slovakia requires Iranian nationals to submit an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police, whatever the purpose of the trip. VFS says applications without it are not accepted, on the embassy's instructions (notice of 8 May 2026).
  • Your host in Slovakia applies in person at the Foreign Police office for their area and pays a €50 fee. The police decide within 15 days, and the verified invitation must be no older than 90 days when you apply.
  • A private host must be a Slovak citizen with permanent residence, or a foreigner with permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia. Only close relatives can be invited without the Interior Ministry's consent.
  • The embassy also asks you to pay in full for your accommodation and return flight before you apply.

Moroccan passport holders

  • Slovakia requires Moroccan nationals to submit an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police, whatever the purpose of the trip. VFS says applications without it are not accepted, on the embassy's instructions (notice of 8 May 2026).
  • Your host in Slovakia applies in person at the Foreign Police office for their area and pays a €50 fee. The police decide within 15 days, and the verified invitation must be no older than 90 days when you apply.
  • A private host must be a Slovak citizen with permanent residence, or a foreigner with permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia. Only close relatives can be invited without the Interior Ministry's consent.
  • The embassy also asks you to pay in full for your accommodation and return flight before you apply.

Vietnamese passport holders

  • Slovakia requires Vietnamese nationals to submit an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police, whatever the purpose of the trip. VFS says applications without it are not accepted, on the embassy's instructions (notice of 8 May 2026).
  • Your host in Slovakia applies in person at the Foreign Police office for their area and pays a €50 fee. The police decide within 15 days, and the verified invitation must be no older than 90 days when you apply.
  • A private host must be a Slovak citizen with permanent residence, or a foreigner with permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia. Only close relatives can be invited without the Interior Ministry's consent.
  • The embassy also asks you to pay in full for your accommodation and return flight before you apply.

Belarusian passport holders

  • Slovakia requires Belarusian nationals to submit an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police, whatever the purpose of the trip. VFS says applications without it are not accepted, on the embassy's instructions (notice of 8 May 2026).
  • Your host in Slovakia applies in person at the Foreign Police office for their area and pays a €50 fee. The police decide within 15 days, and the verified invitation must be no older than 90 days when you apply.
  • A private host must be a Slovak citizen with permanent residence, or a foreigner with permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia. Only close relatives can be invited without the Interior Ministry's consent.

Russian passport holders

  • Slovakia requires Russian nationals to submit an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police, whatever the purpose of the trip. VFS says applications without it are not accepted, on the embassy's instructions (notice of 8 May 2026).
  • Your host in Slovakia applies in person at the Foreign Police office for their area and pays a €50 fee. The police decide within 15 days, and the verified invitation must be no older than 90 days when you apply.
  • A private host must be a Slovak citizen with permanent residence, or a foreigner with permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia. Only close relatives can be invited without the Interior Ministry's consent.
  • Russia appears on VFS's May 2026 list but not on the embassy's own list, so confirm with VFS before you apply.

Nigerian passport holders

  • Nigeria is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a Slovak airport on the way somewhere else? As a Nigerian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Slovakia confirms otherwise.

Sri Lankan passport holders

  • Sri Lanka is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a Slovak airport on the way somewhere else? As a Sri Lankan national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Slovakia confirms otherwise.

Ghanaian passport holders

  • Only changing planes at a Slovak airport on the way somewhere else? As a Ghanaian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Slovakia confirms otherwise.

Gambian passport holders

  • EU restrictions on The Gambia (Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Somali passport holders

  • EU restrictions on Somalia (a Council decision of 25 June 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Guinean passport holders

  • EU restrictions on Guinea (a Council decision of 10 July 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

How a Slovakia application runs, day by day

  1. Day 0Eligibility and checklistA yes, a no or a “not yet, because”.
  2. Days 1–5File builtYou send documents on WhatsApp; we do the rest.
  3. VariesAppointment waitWe watch releases daily and book the first that fits.
  4. 15 daysConsulate decisionFingerprints at VFS Global, then we track the file.
  5. DonePassport backThen we confirm your real flights and hotel.

What it costs, and who you pay

Separate payments to separate people. Only ours is set by us, quoted in writing before you commit.

Consulate visa feePaid to the consulate. €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Not refundable if refused.
€90
VFS Global service chargePaid at the centre. VFS Global sets the amount, and we confirm it in your quote.
Fast Travellers, file and appointmentEverything from eligibility to decision, quoted in writing before you commit.
Fast Travellers, urgent or after a refusalAdds a daily slot search and a refusal review, quoted in writing before you commit.

Slovakia visa questions from UK residents

Can I apply for a Slovakia visa on a BRP?

BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. VFS asks for proof of your eVisa immigration status and says a share code alone is not sufficient. The embassy wants your status valid for 3 months after you leave the Schengen area.

Where do I apply for a Slovakia visa in the UK?

At VFS Global or BLS International, in London or Edinburgh. Both act for the Slovak Embassy in London, and there is no centre in Manchester.

Do Pakistani or Bangladeshi applicants need a police-verified invitation for Slovakia?

Yes. Slovakia requires Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals to submit an invitation verified by the Slovak Foreign Police, whatever the purpose of the trip. VFS does not accept applications without it.

How long does a Slovakia visa take from the UK?

The embassy decides within 15 calendar days of receiving your file, extendable to 45. VFS counts 15 working days from receipt at the embassy, and BLS's checklist says about 10 days.

How much is a Slovakia Schengen visa from the UK?

The visa fee is €90 for adults (£78 at VFS, £77 at BLS) and €45 (£39) for children aged 6 to 12. Children under 6 pay nothing. VFS adds a €45 service charge and BLS adds £18.

Does my Slovakia invitation letter need to be notarised?

Yes. Since 13 July 2026 the inviting person's or company's signature must be notarised. For family visits the invitation must be in Slovak and verified by a Slovak notary.

Will my passport be stamped when I enter Slovakia?

No. Since 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System records your entries and exits digitally instead of stamping your passport. As a visa holder, the system stores a photo of your face taken at the border; your fingerprints are already on file from your visa application.

Can I visit other Schengen countries on a Slovakia visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180, as long as Slovakia is your main destination.

Where these facts come from

Fees and rules are checked against official and visa-centre pages. Last reviewed . Rules change: we confirm everything again before you pay.

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