One of the crucial points of living in Slovakia is buying a property. There are no legal restrictions on buying buildings in Slovakia, but you are restricted if you want to buy agricultural or forest land. Note that houses use the number of rooms, not bedrooms, for sale descriptions. Be sure you understand everything before you sign anything — if necessary use the services of a translator. These are the usual steps to follow: (more…)
If you’re asking yourself “do I need visa to go to Slovakia?” the answer may depend on where you’re coming from. If you’re coming from the EU country then most likely you’ll need just your ID. More details about registering essentials are provided below.
You need to apply for registration of residence within three days of entering Slovakia. Applications for registration are submitted in person at the nearest Foreign Police Department . You will need:
In Slovakia they speak Slovak, which is the official language, although a significant minority speak Hungarian or Czech. Slovak uses the Latin alphabet.
Most people under the age of about 35 will be able to speak at least some English — and may be eager to practise it. In the larger cities and tourist areas, English will be understood by many of the workers. In rural areas, Russian or German may be spoken by the older generation. They will appreciate our attempts to try out Slovakian.
If you don’t want to be driving in Slovakia, you’ll be glad to know that it offers buses, trains and taxis. In Bratislava and Kosice there are trams, and also trolleybuses in some towns. There are regular trains and buses with neighbouring countries, and taxis are available in every town. (more…)
Although Slovak State healthcare is poor and may not be easy to access everywhere, attempts are being made to improve the service. Meanwhile, expats should get private medical insurance, or even use neighbouring Vienna for healthcare. If you move to Slovakia without a job you must produce proof of private health insurance in order to obtain a residence permit. Foreign pensions in Slovakia will not cover private or public medical care and you must make most arrangements yourself. (more…)
Twelve of Slovakia’s 4 000 caves are open to the public, including the Domica cave where you can take a boat ride along the Styx, the river that leads to Hades in mythology. The caves have sheltered people throughout the ages, from prehistoric times, right through to the World Wars. There is even a treatment called Speleotherapy for allergies especially in children, which involves extended stays underground. Caves are definitely one of the ‘upsides’ of moving to Slovakia.
The Bystrianska cave is where you’ll find Hell. This 2km long cave has 550m of winding corridors which you can explore. Paradise is elsewhere — but is somewhere in the caves underlying Slovakia.