Slovakia introduces new requirements for granting temporary protection to Ukrainian men

Slovakia has implemented new rules for granting temporary protection to Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 who submit a new or repeat application. The changes follow an EU Council Implementing Decision published on 4 August 2026, which extends temporary protection and introduces additional eligibility requirements.

Under the new rules, applicants must demonstrate that they are fulfilling their military obligations in Ukraine. The burden of proof remains with the applicant.

Military compliance can be proven by:

• A valid travel document bearing an exit stamp from Ukrainian border authorities dated no more than 90 days before the application; or
• An electronic military registration document from the Ukrainian “Reserv+” application, submitted in paper form.

If the Reserv+ document is not officially certified by a Ukrainian diplomatic mission, applicants must allow Slovak foreign police officers to verify the account live within the application on an electronic device. Screenshots, photographs, or printouts alone are not accepted.

The Reserv+ document must be accompanied by an official translation into Slovak or, alternatively, into English.

Requirements differ by age:

• Men aged 18 to 22 only need to prove registration in the Reserv+ system.
• Men aged 23 to 60 must provide evidence that they have been officially exempted from military obligations or removed from military records. Registration in Reserv+ alone is not sufficient for this age group.

The Slovak police advise applicants affected by the changes to prepare all required documents and certified translations before submitting their application.