Slovakia visa requirements for Sierra Leonean citizens
Sierra Leonean citizens need a visa for Slovakia and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Consular fee
- €90
- Minimum passport validity
- 3 months after departure
How to apply for this visa: the step-by-step process →
How long it takes and how far ahead to book →
If it's refused: grounds and how to appeal →
Last verified: 25 September 2026
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Fee
€90
The 90 euros are the short-stay Schengen visa fee, set by Article 16 of the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009) as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415, in force since 11 June 2024. The same amount is paid at any Schengen consulate. Children aged 6 to 12 pay 45 euros and those under 6 pay nothing. Travellers entering without a visa pay no fee.
Processing time
Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged, a period that can be extended to 45 days when the file needs closer examination (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). The application can be lodged no earlier than six months before the trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 days before it (Art. 9).
Required documents
- Passport issued within the previous ten years and valid for at least three months after the planned date of departure from the Schengen area (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a)). EU and Schengen citizens enter with their national ID card.
- A Schengen visa if your nationality requires one, unless you hold a residence permit or long-stay visa from a Schengen State (Art. 6(1)(b)).
- Accommodation booking or letter of invitation, and a return or onward ticket (Art. 6(1)(c) and Annex I).
- Financial means: Slovakia sets 56 euros per person per day (30 for accommodation, 4 for breakfast, 7.50 for lunch, 7.50 for dinner and 7 for expenses) under Interior Ministry Decree 499/2011. An invitation certified by the foreign police replaces that amount.
- Registering your stay: visitors must report their accommodation to the foreign police within three working days of arrival. Hotels do this for you; in private accommodation it is up to you.
Health insurance
Mandatory to apply for the Schengen visa: minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).
Which policies meet the €30,000 requirement →
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓How long you can stay
Schengen rule: no more than 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole area. Days spent in other Schengen States count. There are no border checks with Czechia, Poland, Hungary or Austria, but you must carry your passport or ID card. The border with Ukraine is an external one with full checks.
Calculate your available Schengen days →More Slovakia rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Slovakia page:
Official portal: https://www.mzv.sk/. Destination data verified on 25 September 2026. Sources: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu (European Commission, Annex 25 of the Practical Handbook for Border Guards, version of 1 April 2026: 56 euros a day and its breakdown, Decree 499/2011); EUR-Lex: Regulation (EC) 810/2009 (Arts. 9, 16, 23 and 32), Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415, Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Art. 6), Directive 2007/74/EC (Arts. 8 and 9) and Regulation (EU) 2018/1672; gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/slovakia (UK Government: fine of up to 1,600 euros, police registration within three working days, cash declaration, EES); exteriores.gob.es (travel advice of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Slovakia, updated 30 January 2024: entry with ID card, safety, winter); sanidad.gob.es ("Listado de países") and who.int (WHO): yellow fever; data.unesco.org (World Heritage List). All checked on 25 September 2026.
Insurance for the Schengen visa
The consulate asks for a policy with at least €30,000 of medical cover, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire stay. Check those terms in the policy before you pay.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
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Things to see and do in Slovakia
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Slovakia can get a visa on arrival in Sierra Leone. See the Slovakia → Sierra Leone page.
All 16 passports from Western Africa that VisaRadar tracks need a visa to enter Slovakia. Same result as Sierra Leone: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana and Guinea.
With a passport from Sierra Leone, in the rest of Eastern Europe you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Moldova; you need a visa for Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.
A passport from Sierra Leone ranks 140 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 59 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Sierra Leonean citizens need a visa for Slovakia?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
How long does it take to get the entry permit?
Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged, a period that can be extended to 45 days when the file needs closer examination (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). The application can be lodged no earlier than six months before the trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 days before it (Art. 9).
What minimum passport validity is required?
At least 3 months of validity beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area, and issued within the previous ten years (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a)).
Do I need travel insurance to apply for the Schengen visa?
Yes, to apply for the visa: travel medical insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay, is mandatory (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).
What do Sierra Leonean passport holders need for the countries near Slovakia?
With a passport from Sierra Leone, in the rest of Eastern Europe you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Moldova; you need a visa for Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.
Related pages
See Slovakia requirements for other passports →
See entry requirements to Sierra Leone for other passports →
Every visa-free country for Sierra Leonean passport holders →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.