Slovakia – the basics

Slovakia in 5 minutes

A small country in central Europe, bordering Czechia, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and Austria. About 5.4 million people live here. The country has 8 regions (kraj).

Bratislava and the other regions: Bratislava has the most jobs in services, trade and IT, but also the most expensive housing. Life in central and eastern Slovakia is cheaper, and fewer people speak English.

Wages: the minimum wage in 2026 is €915 per month gross (before contributions and tax).

How Slovakia works

• Government and ministries – make the rules. Most important for you are the Ministry of Interior (residence) and the Ministry of Labour (work, benefits).
• Foreign police (cudzinecká polícia) – part of the Police Force. Foreign police departments handle residence permits. You book a visit through the Ministry of Interior’s online booking system. Booking is free – never pay anyone for an appointment. More in Residence.
• District offices (okresný úrad) – state offices in each district: trade licences, land registry and other agendas.
• Driving licences and vehicle registration – handled by the police (district traffic inspectorate), not the district office.
• Local government – the town or municipality and the region. Towns handle waste, local taxes, kindergartens and primary schools.
• Police – state police (158) and municipal police (159).
• Courts – independent. They also decide disputes with employers or landlords.
• Health care – based on compulsory health insurance. With insurance, most basic care has no direct charge; some things cost extra (e.g. emergency-service fee, part of the price of medicines, premium services). Without insurance you pay everything yourself. More in Health care.
• Education – the last year of kindergarten (from age 5) is compulsory. School attendance is compulsory for 10 years, including for children of foreigners. More in Education.

Public holidays and days off

Days off in 2026:

• 1 January – Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic
• 6 January – Epiphany
• Good Friday and Easter Monday
• 1 May – Labour Day
• 5 July – St Cyril and Methodius Day
• 29 August – Slovak National Uprising anniversary
• 1 November – All Saints’ Day
• 24, 25 and 26 December – Christmas

Note: in 2026, 8 May, 1 September, 15 September, 28 October and 17 November are working days, even though they are state holidays or memorial days.

Shops closed: 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, 24 December from 12:00, and 25 and 26 December. Petrol stations and pharmacies, for example, may stay open. On other holidays shops may open, often with shorter hours.

Tết: Lunar New Year is not a public holiday in Slovakia. Agree on leave with your employer in advance and excuse your child’s absence with the class teacher.

Customs and etiquette

• Formal address: with strangers, at offices and at work use the formal „Vy“. Address people as „pán“ (Mr) / „pani“ (Mrs/Ms) + surname. Switch to the informal „ty“ only when the other person offers.
• Titles: academic titles (Ing., Mgr., MUDr.) are commonly used – it is polite to include them in letters and at offices.
• Punctuality: arrive on time for offices, doctors and interviews – ideally a few minutes early. Call if you are late.
• Greeting: say „Dobrý deň“ when entering a shop, lift or waiting room. People shake hands when they meet.
• At home: people usually take off their shoes in a flat. Apartment buildings have house rules – night quiet is usually 22:00–6:00.
• Waste: waste is sorted (plastic, paper, glass, bio). Details in Life in Slovakia.
• Restaurants: tipping is not compulsory; 5–10 % is common if you are satisfied.
• Name days: Slovaks also celebrate name days from the calendar – it is customary to congratulate colleagues.

First words: Dobrý deň (hello) · Ďakujem (thank you) · Prosím (please) · Prepáčte (sorry) · Dovidenia (goodbye). More in Learning Slovak.

Official words you will hear often

Practical life – quick overview

Transport, shopping, post, phone, internet, waste and parking are explained in Life in Slovakia. Banking is in Bank, emergency numbers in Emergency numbers. What to arrange right after arrival is in First days.

Travelling in Schengen: with a valid Slovak residence permit and passport you can visit other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. To work or stay longer in another country you need that country’s permit.

Life outside Bratislava

• Bratislava – the capital, with the most jobs, offices, and Vietnamese shops and restaurants. The Embassy of Vietnam is here.
• Trnava – 50 km from Bratislava, car industry, more affordable housing.
• Nitra – car industry and universities.
• Trenčín – west, industry and services, good train link to Bratislava.
• Žilina – north, car industry and logistics.
• Martin – north, industry and a medical faculty.
• Banská Bystrica – central Slovakia, a smaller and quieter city.
• Prešov – third-largest city, east, lower cost of living.
• Košice – second-largest city, east, industry, IT and universities. There is an Honorary Consulate of Vietnam.

The largest Vietnamese community lives in and around Bratislava. Associations, shops and contacts in other cities are in Vietnamese community.

Useful contacts

• Emergency: 112 · ambulance 155 · police 158 · fire 150
• Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam – Dunajská 15A, Bratislava · vnembassy-bratislava.mofa.gov.vn – passports, document legalisation, help for citizens.
• IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC) – free advice for non-EU foreigners (residence, work, social questions, Slovak courses). Hotline 0850 211 478 · mic.iom.sk
• Ministry of Interior – residence of foreigners, foreign police, appointment booking · minv.sk
• Slovensko.sk – central e-government portal · slovensko.sk