There are three checkpoints on the state border with Slovakia: Malyi Bereznyi - Ubľa (24/7), Uzhhorod (24/7, but pedestrians are not allowed), Maly Selmentsi - Veľké Slemence (open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.).

You can check the interactive map showing the waiting time. A list of border crossing points between Ukraine and neighboring countries is available at dpsu.gov.ua . If you have any questions please contact the Border Police +421-9610-50701. The situation at the Ukrainian borders is monitored on the website mapotic.com or in a report that is regularly updated . More information here .

You can enter Slovakia with any of the following documents:

• A biometric passport
• Ukrainian ID
• Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents must have a birth certificate.
• Minors crossing the border on their own, must be accompanied to the crossing point by a family member and picked up by another family member on the Slovak side of the border. Both family members must prove the family relationship by relevant documentation. We strongly recommend that the child is picked up by a relative, who can prove the relationship with the child. Otherwise, the child will be considered an unaccompanied minor and will be taken to the nearest Labor, Social Affairs and Family Office by the police and later moved to a children’s home.

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. This video explains what to do after you arrive to Slovakia.

• If you are not a citizen of the EU or a family member of a citizen of the EU, then you are obliged to report your residence in the Slovak Republic within 3 working days of entering the Slovak Republic at the relevant foreigner police department or by post.
• If you are an EU citizen or a family member of an EU citizen, this period is 10 working days.
• If you have secured accommodation in the accommodation facility (hotel, hostel), this obligation will be fulfilled by the landlord.

You can find the application form for download in various language versions here .

You can check out the official page for those who arrive to Slovakia at ukraineslovakia.sk or ua.gov.sk .

The Slovak Railway Company has introduced free transport on all trains for citizens of Ukraine who present a valid passport or ID card. On trains with compulsory seat tickets, transport is also possible without a valid seat ticket.

Several Slovak regions are providing free bus transport. Train and bus connections can be found here .

Until June 31, 2022, citizens of Ukraine can travel for free by all types of transport within the Unified Transport System of the Bratislava Region: public transport Dopravní podnik Bratislava, regional buses ARRIVA Mobility Solutions, as well as regional trains of the Railway Company of Slovakia. It is enough for passengers to show their identity card or passport. In regional buses, the documents should be shown to the driver when boarding the bus. In Bratislava's public transport and ZSSK trains, they must be shown during transport inspections.

Starting from July 1, 2022, the conditions of free transportation for Ukrainians are changing . Ukrainians who repeatedly travel from Ukraine to Slovakia will lose the right to free travel by public transport.

Ukrainians or citizens of other visa-free countries can continue to travel to other EU/Schengen countries for up to 90 days in 180 days. If you don't have a biometric passport, it is recommended to contact the respective embassy of your travel destination to see whether a border is open also for those not having a biometric passport. Rules can be different for traveling by plane, train, bus or car.

Travel options are:

• Free train rides from Kosice 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 .
• Flixbus  goes to many cities in the EU.
• The nearest airport to the Slovak-Ukrainian border is Kosice Airport  with direct flights to London, Prague, Vienna, Warsaw, Liverpool, and Dublin, or check out Bratislava Airport with flights to many other European cities.

You can stay in Slovakia without a visa for 90 days in any 180 days period. Temporary protection is provided until 4 March 2023. The term will be automatically prolonged by an additional 6 months up to a maximum of 1 year.

You can find more information at this website in the section "I want to stay in Slovakia".

Unaccompanied minors entering Slovakia will be escorted by border police and placed in the Medzilaborce centre where they get a temporary guardian, who will be able to speak Ukrainian.
In the centre in Medzilaborce the child will also be provided with the food, accommodation or other necessary help (social support, etc.). The temporary guardian will immediately apply to the court for legal appointment of a guardian and will apply for temporary protection on child's behalf. For more information please visit upsvr.gov.sk .

Currently, there are no Covid-related requirements at the border applicable to people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

You can apply for temporary protection :

• At the police department at the border crossing points in Vyšné Nemecké, Ubľa, Veľké Slemence.
• At any nearest Foreign Police Department .
• At large capacity centres in Humenné, Michalovce, Nitra and Bratislava operating 24/7. You can also register online .
• After filling in the electronic form, you need to go to the Foreign Police Office or a large-capacity center. A temporary refuge certificate will be issued to the foreigner while one waits.

Children must be present with you when making the declaration.
You will have to present any proof of identity.

For faster processing of applications for temporary refuge, large-capacity centers have been established in Bratislava, Humenne, and Michalovce, which are open 24 hours a day. Applicants for temporary refuge are transported from the border crossing points to the centers in Humenne or Michalovce, where all documents are processed in one place. At the same time, a shuttle service is provided for processed applicants from the large-capacity centers to the accommodation facilities.

If you do not have any documents with you and do not have an accommodation secured, you need to apply for a temporary refuge at the Asylum Department in Humenne . The application will be processed within 30 days. During this period you can stay at the facility of the Migration Office in Humenné, where you are provided free meals, health care, and hygiene supplies. For more information visit ukraineslovakia.sk .

Once temporary protection is approved, you will receive a document confirming your tolerated stay in Slovakia marked DOČASNÉ ÚTOČISKO (initially, the documents were marked ODÍDENEC).
Official leaflet of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic in English and Ukrainian language is available here .

Beneficiaries of international protection (asylum) cannot return to their country of origin while they are considered a refuge.
If you have received temporary protection, you can return to Ukraine for a short period of time without any negative consequences. Before leaving the country that has given you temporary protection, we recommend that you notify the state social security authorities.
For repatriation assistance, you should contact the embassy/consulate of your country of origin in the EU country where you are currently staying. The national authorities in this country can also help you to contact your embassy/consulate in case you encounter problems and may offer assistance for your repatriation.
If you want to return to Ukraine, then most likely you will have to buy a train or bus ticket with your own money.

Yes, you have the right to travel within the EU for 90 days within a period of 180 days on a visa-free basis, and this applies even during the period of temporary refuge. Leaving the territory of the Slovak Republic does not terminate the temporary refuge. If you are granted temporary refuge in one EU country, you cannot apply for temporary refuge in another EU country, but another EU Member State may grant you another form of protection or residence other than temporary refuge if it chooses to do so. Family reunification is also possible if you have family members in different countries.

You can check out the official website of the EU to get the most recent updates ec.europa.eu/info .

Yes. You can always apply for asylum but you will lose the status of temporary protection. Please note that if you apply for asylum, it is a time consuming and difficult process which will prevent you from returning to Ukraine while you are considered a refugee. Normally, those apply for asylum who have well-founded fears of persecution in the country of origin and cannot or do not wish to return to their country.

You can apply for asylum at the border with police officers carrying out border checks or at any time after entering the territory of the Slovak Republic. To apply for asylum, visit Humenné police station – asylum unit.

During the asylum proceedings, you are not allowed to work, unless you have been previously granted residence in Slovakia. However, if your asylum procedure is pending, you get the right to work after 9 months of the application submission. As an asylum seeker, you are allowed to study and school attendance is mandatory for children under the age of 16.

You can check out the official website of the EU to get the most recent updates ec.europa.eu/info and the official website in Slovakia for Ukrainian refugees Ukraineslovakia.sk .

Temporary residence in Slovakia is tied to a specific purpose, such as employment, business, study, family reunification, etc. Each applicant for a residence permit must demonstrate the purpose chosen. People older than 14 you must submit an extract from the criminal record when applying for temporary/permanent residence. This document must be verified for use abroad (apostille/consular legalization).

For a complete list of available purposes and the legally required documents visit mic.iom.sk . You can get residency advice Migration Information Center by visiting mic.iom.sk or calling 0850 211 478 and +421 2 5263 0023.

There are numerous shops that offer such services. Look for printer shops & copy centers on Google Maps .

You can get your documents translated anywhere in the city you are currenty located. Search for "preklady dokumentov" on Google Search. One of such companies for example.

Citizens of Ukraine can get free SIM cards with credit and data for one month from the following providers:

• O2 : near border crossings and at any O2 store
• Orange : near the border crossings, at the Main Railway Station in Bratislava , in Orange stores
• Telekom : at the Ubľa and Veľké Slemence border crossings, at the Humenné refugee camp and at every store in Slovakia.
• 4ka distributes SIM cards to clients for free at the border, you just need a passport.