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The health insurance is not included in the social insurance system in Slovakia. The health care falls under the competence of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic.
Having health insurance in Slovakia is obligatory and a proof of health insurance is required also as a part of a temporary residence granting procedure. Before leaving your country of origin, make sure to be covered by your current health insurance also in Slovakia, or take out new insurance before or after arrival in Slovakia. Particular procedures apply depending on your personal situation, the length of your stay and the terms of your current health insurance. You will either continue to be covered by the health insurance of your home country, or fall under the regime of the Slovak Republic. In both cases, it will be necessary to make specific arrangements for the continued health coverage.
It is not possible to choose a country of your health coverage.
Which country is responsible for your healthcare depends on the employment situation or the place of residence, not the nationality.
Major applicable legislation:
Act No 580/2004 on Health insurance
Act No 577/2004 on the Scope of health care provided by the public health insurance.
Every insured person proves their participation in the health insurance by the health insurance card issued by their health insurance provider.
The insuree can be asked to present the card when visiting a doctor. When changing the health insurance company, the insuree must return the health insurance card to the issuing insurance company within 8 days.
However, the entitlement to the health care itself, which stems from health insurance, is not dependent on presenting the insured person's card but only on the existence of the insurance. Therefore, if yoy as a foreign national need to see a doctor and you have not yet been issued the card, it is sufficient to show a confirmation from the insurance company proving your insurance.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives you access to the medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay (e.g. scholarship stay of students, researchers, business trips of employees), in any EU Member State, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some countries) as people insured in that country. The EHIC will be issued on request by your national health insurance provider.
When using EHIC, the treatment of a person insured by the state social security system in any Member State of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, will be covered by a Slovak health insurance company to the same amount as a Slovak national. The chosen physician must have concluded a contract with at least one health insurance company. The EHIC ensures necessary medical treatment within the system of public health care, including treatment related to chronic diseases, if such need arises, to enable the holder to continue his/her stay without having to return home for the treatment. It does not cover any private healthcare or costs such as a return flight to your home country nor the costs if you are travelling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment.
Watch the VIDEO on benefits of EHIC used in practice HERE
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national employed in the Slovak Republic but residing in another Member State you are entitled (together with yourr dependant family members) to a comprehensive health care (full coverage on the contrary to EHIC) in the country of residence as well as in Slovakia. You need to obtain the portable document S1 (former E106 form)from the health insurance authority in the Slovak Republic upon the submission of the home country residence card and copies of the Slovak work contract. After obtaining the S1 form, you should submit it to a health insurer in the country of your residence and get registered. If your family members live together with you, their entitlement to the health care will be reviewed according to the regulations of the health insurance company in the country of your residence.
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national working in Slovakia and your dependent family members live in another Member State you must apply for the S1 (former E109 form) at a selected Slovak health insurance company. This document must be submitted to a health insurance company in the country of residence of the dependent family members. Upon the S1 form, the dependent family members will be registered for health insurance in their home country and entitled to a comprehensive health care in that country while all expenses will be covered by the selected Slovak health insurance company. Their home health insurance company is in charge of issuing a European Health Insurance Card. The EHIC entitles them to obtain a necessary medical treatment in any EU/EEA Member State and Switzerland.
Dependants of EU/EEA/Swiss nationals residing in Slovakia should also register in a Slovak health insurance company and have the Slovak health insurance card. However, each case is treated individually because the terms vary from case to case. For details, it is highly recommended to contact your home health insurance company before arrival to Slovakia.
There are 3 health insurance companies providing public health insurance in Slovakia:
Information on health insurance for foreigners in English can be found here:
- Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa, a.s. (public health insurance)
- Dôvera zdravotná poisťovňa, a.s.
- Union zdravotná poisťovňa, a. s. (commercial health insurance)
Information about commercial health insurance providers in Slovakia is available on the following websites:
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There are two types of health insurance in Slovakia:
Holders of the mandatory public health insurance are entitled to the health care provision and all related services in compliance with the Act on Health Insurance. Public health insurance covers benefits in full or to a partial extent, depending on specific conditions.
According to the Act on Health Insurance, compulsory public health insurance applies to every person with a permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic.
Mandatory public health insurance does not apply to an individual with permanent residence in Slovakia if they
- are employed abroad and covered by the health insurance in the country of employment;
- perform a self‑employment activity abroad and are covered by the health insurance abroad;
- are staying abroad for a long‑term (more than 6 months) and are covered by health insurance in that country;
- is a dependant of a person who is a subject to foreign health insurance legislation
Mandatory public health insurance however applies to a person without a permanent residence in Slovakia (unless medically insured in another EU Member State or in a State Party to the European Economic Area Agreement and in the Swiss Confederation (hereinafter a Member State)), which
- is employed by an employer established or with premises in Slovakia (not if he/she performs activities in Slovakia upon an agreement on work performed outside the employment relationship) and receives a monthly salary in the amount of at least the minimum wage (in 2024 it is 750 €), or
- is a student from another Member State or a student from a third country studying at school in the Slovak Republic upon an international treaty binding upon Slovakia
- is a dependent child with a temporary residence in Slovakia whose at least one parents is covered by public health insurance, too
- is a scholarship holder of a specific scholarship programmes f they are awarded the scholarship for a period of more than one month (for details see the "Public Health Insurance to Scholarship Holders" Section, a list of eligible scholarship programmes is available at the website fo the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of SR. )
The compulsory public health insurance coverage begins on the date of occurrence of the facts set out above, or the date of obtaining a permanent residence in the Slovak Republic. Within eight days of this date, the person is required to submit an application for public health insurance in a health insurance company.
With an individual health insurance you are entitled to the health care services stipulated in the agreement with the Health Insurance Provider. Commercial health insurance is provided in compliance with the Civil Code. The scope of the health services is stipulated individually either as basic health care available to foreigners who don't have access to the public health insurance, as a supplementary insurance (beyond a standard health care) or as a combination of both pf them.
Commercial health insurance is compulsory for those foreign residents who do not fall within the scope of the public health insurance.
This concerns:
- researchers who are not employed and perform activities upon a grant or fellowship, and
- students who are not EU/EEA/Swiss nationals, do not have permanent residency in the Slovak Republic, and do not study upon an international agreement binding upon the Slovak Republic.
- A proof of health insurance is required also as a part of a temporary residence granting procedure.
Commercial health insurance can be obtained from any provider, not necessarily a Slovak one. In case it is obtained from a foreign insurance provider, the contract must stipulate its coverage on the territory of the Slovak Republic and it must be translated into Slovak language by an official sworn translator.
Information about commercial insurance companies in Slovakia is available on the Insurance agencies portal.
Health insurance of students/PhD students
Foreign students are obliged to have a health insurance coverage (public or individual) during their stay in the Slovakia in compliance with the provisions of the Act on the Residence of Foreigners.
Public health insurance of Slovak nationals pursuing full‑time higher education studies in Slovakia is paid by the state (if the case of PhD studies for a maximum of standard duration of a full‑time PhD degree programme, the PhD student could not have previously received a PhD degree and mustn't be more than 30 years old).
- If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national insured in another Member State you shall present the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to the health care provider in order to prove your entitlement to the medical treatment upon your health insurance in another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland. See more information on EHIC.
- Students from the EU/EEA/Switzerland who are not medically insured in their home country or students from third countries, who are coming to Slovakia to study within a programme arising from an international treaty that is binding upon the Slovak Republic, are subject to the public health insurance, the Slovak Republic being the payer of such insurance. The student shall submit the necessary documents certifying his/her study at a higher education institution in the Slovak Republic and his/her international status – proved by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic – to the chosen health insurance provider within 8 days from the beginning of the study in Slovakia.
- If you are a third country national without a permanent residence in the Slovak Republic and do not study upon an international agreement binding upon the Slovak Republic you do not fall within the scope of the public health insurance. The commercial health insurance is necessary in yourr case since health insurance (public or commercial) is compulsory for any resident.
A proof of health insurance must be submitted to the foreign police in compliance with the duties related to the temporary residence granting procedure.
Health insurance of employees with a regular or irregular income
Any foreign person employed upon a work contract or a self‑employed person performing activities in Slovakia is subject to mandatory public health insurance in the Slovak Republic. The contributions are paid both by the employee and the employer (or self‑employed person) and deducted automatically by the employer. In general, the employee pays the contributions in the amount of 4% of the basis of assessment (usually equal to the gross wage) and the employer in the amount of 10%.
A person insured in another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland must present the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to the health care provider in order to prove his/her entitlement to the medical treatment on the basis of this health insurance.
If the person does not fall within the scope of the public health insurance (for instance in the period between the entry into Slovakia and the beginning of employment), commercial health insurance is compulsory. A third country national is obliged to provide the foreign police in Slovakia with a proof of a concluded health insurance in compliance with the duties related to the temporary residence granting procedure.
Health insurance of researchers/university teachers without an employment contract
Researchers and teachers without an employment contract in Slovakia are usually not considered to be unemployed, but as individuals having an employment contract or self‑employment activities in another state. At the same time, they may move to Slovakia upon an invitation from a hosting organisation (e. g. per diems are paid) or with external funding (e. g. granted scholarship) of their activities.
Health insurance is mandatory when staying in Slovakia. Before leaving your country of origin, make sure to be covered by your current health insurance also on the territory of Slovakia, or take out new insurance before or after arrival in Slovakia. Third country nationals (outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland) are obliged to provide the foreign police in Slovakia with a proof of concluded health insurance with regard to the duties related to the temporary residence granting procedure.
Nationals of the EU/EEA Members States or Switzerland who are insured in their home country shall present the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to the health care provider for entitlement to the medical treatment in Slovakia.
Commercial health insurance is compulsory for everyone who does not fall within the scope of the public health insurance. This concerns researchers who are not employed/self‑employed (they perform activities e.g. upon awarded scholarship) on the territory of the Slovak Republic, do not have a permanent residence in the Slovak Republic and do not study upon an international agreement binding upon the Slovak Republic.
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As of January 1, 2023, the Slovak parliament has approved an amendment to the Act on Health Insurance No.580/2004 Coll., regulating the public healthcare insurance for general healthcare provision in Slovakia.
Scholarship holders of several scholarship programmes (incl. the National Scholarship Programme, CEEPUS, Erasmus+ and few other), residing on the territory of Slovakia are entitled to full coverage within the public health insurance if they are awarded the scholarship for a period of more than one month.
Pursuant to Section 3, paragraph. 3, (l).:
“the insured person of the state is a foreigner (if not otherwise insured) who resides on the territory of the Slovak Republic, is a scholarship holder within a scholarship programme aproved by the Government of the Slovak Republic or a programme arising from the international agreement, or within the framework of a program of the European Union if such natural person is awarded the scholarship for a period of more than one month”.
The information and a list of eligible scholarship programmes is available at the websites of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of SR.
The health insurance is for scholarship holders for free (paid by goverment).
Since the process is new the insurence companies has not fully addapted yet for that. Therefore it is better to directly contact chosen health insurance company and inform yourself how to proceed and what documents you need to bring with you as it may differ to each company. Here is a list of the insurance companies offering this free insurance:
- Dôvera – application in Slovak language only or available at the insurance office
- VsZP (Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa) - application form in Slovak language only (see below), online application in Slovak language (see below) or at the insurance office
- Union – application online in English - https://www.union.sk/online-registration-uzp/#/selection-of-insured-person, or at the insurance office
If you would like to try the application form in Slovak language with VsZP - here are options:
- Download Pdf https://www.vszp.sk/poistenci/tlaciva/, print and fill, sign and bring it to the insurance office. You can download translation with comments here.
- Online: https://www.vszp.sk/poistenci/chcem-poistit/