National D visas for international truck drivers - conditions, procedure, and benefits for transport companies

National D visas for international truck drivers represent one of the fastest legal ways to get a foreign driver behind the wheel of a truck in Slovakia. While a regular temporary residence permit currently takes 2–4 months, a national visa is issued within the statutory period of 30 days — and without the obligation to submit criminal record extracts, which significantly simplifies the entire process. For transport companies in Slovakia, which are struggling with a long-term shortage of drivers, this is a tool worth considering. Not every Slovak transport company is legally entitled to apply for these visas. Government Regulation No. 113/2023 Coll. (as amended by Amendment No. 404/2025 effective from January 1, 2026) sets strict criteria for employers — and this is where many companies stop. It's not enough just to want to employ a driver from a third country. You must meet the conditions that qualify you for the system approved by the ministries.

In this article, we will go through what exactly D visas for drivers are, who they apply to, what conditions your company must meet, how the entire process works, and where the most common pitfalls are. If you are an owner or manager of a transport company in Slovakia and are considering recruiting drivers from abroad, this overview is for you.

What are national D visas for drivers and what distinguishes them from temporary residence

A national D-type visa is a long-term residence and work permit in Slovakia, granted in the interest of the Slovak Republic based on a government regulation. For the profession of international truck driver (international road transport, category C+E), this is a special regime — the state has explicitly recognized that truck driving is a shortage profession and has created an accelerated path for both employers and applicants.

Key difference compared to temporary residence for employment:

The D visa thus allows a driver to start work significantly faster — which is a decisive advantage given the current driver shortage on the Slovak market. In addition, drivers included in the system receive priority appointments at Slovak diplomatic missions abroad — which further shortens the waiting time compared to regular applicants.

Citizens of which countries can obtain a national D visa

Not every foreigner can apply for a D visa for drivers. The government regulation precisely defines the countries whose nationals are eligible. Currently (as of Amendment No. 404/2025), these are the following states:

• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Philippines
• Georgia
• India
• Indonesia
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Moldova
• Nepal
• North Macedonia
• Serbia
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Ukraine
• Uzbekistan
• Montenegro

For transport companies in Slovakia that cooperate with drivers from countries outside this list, the D visa according to Regulation No. 113/2023 is not available. In such a case, the standard route is temporary residence or other visa regimes.

Criteria your company must meet — conditions of the government regulation

This is where most carriers find out if D visas are a realistic option for their company. Government Regulation No. 113/2023 Coll. (§ 2) sets out the following mandatory conditions for the employer:

1. The carrier must have been established in Slovakia for at least 10 years. This is a key condition — newly established companies or companies with a shorter history are not eligible for a D visa.
2. No personal or property connection to a foreigner or foreign legal entity in the last 10 years.

   What this means in practice: Neither the executive nor the partner (owner) of the company may be a foreigner (i.e., a person who is not a citizen of the Slovak Republic) — for the entire last 10 years. Likewise, there must be no property connection to a foreign legal entity (e.g., a parent company based abroad). This condition is intended to prevent the abuse of the system by fictitious or "shell" companies with foreign owners.

3. The company must not be in bankruptcy, liquidation, or restructuring.
4. The company must not have outstanding debts to the state — taxes, contributions, customs obligations. This is verified as of the date of submission of the list of drivers.
5. The list of proposed drivers is submitted by the employer to the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic electronically via the central portal. The Ministry of Transport verifies the fulfillment of the conditions and forwards the list to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.

In summary: if your transport company is older than 10 years, is in good standing, without foreign property ties and without outstanding debts — D visas are a real possibility. If you are unsure, a free consultation with us will answer this question within 24 hours.

How the D visa process works step by step — from driver selection to onboarding

The entire D visa process for an international truck driver has several phases. It is important to understand that the company does not apply for the visa directly — the entire procedure goes through the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic, which, after verifying the conditions, forwards the list of drivers.

1. Driver selection and document verification — online interview, CV, verification of C+E driving license and driver qualification card (KKV / harmonized code 95).
2. Submission of the list to the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic — the employer submits a draft list of drivers electronically via the central portal. The Ministry of Transport verifies the fulfillment of all conditions and forwards the list to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.
3. Assignment of a priority appointment at the embassy — drivers included in the approved list receive priority appointments at the Slovak diplomatic mission in their country. This is one of the key advantages of the system — regular applicants wait much longer for an appointment.
4. Submission of visa application — the driver personally submits the application at the relevant Slovak diplomatic mission. The statutory period for issuing a decision is 30 days.
5. Driver's arrival in Slovakia and start of work — after the visa is granted, the driver can immediately start employment with the approved employer.
6. Application for temporary residence during visa validity — the D visa is valid for a maximum of 1 year and cannot be granted repeatedly. During this time, it is necessary to apply for temporary residence at the Foreigners' Police Department of the Slovak Republic so that the driver can stay long-term.

What documents an international truck driver needs when applying for a D visa

Unlike temporary residence, a D visa for a driver does not require a criminal record extract — this is one of the biggest administrative reliefs. According to Government Regulation No. 113/2023 Coll. and the procedure of the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic, the following documents are submitted with the application:

• Valid passport
• Completed national visa application (official form)
• Confirmation of inclusion in the list of drivers approved by the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic
• employment contract — proves the purpose of stay
• Proof of C+E category driving license (European or international driving license)

What is not required (unlike temporary residence):

• Criminal record extract (not even apostilled)
• Confirmation of accommodation in Slovakia
• Driver Qualification Card (KKV / code 95) — not a condition for the visa itself

Note: The KKV card is a condition for legal performance of the international truck driver's work, not for the issuance of the visa. We recommend addressing it in parallel.

Visa validity and quotas — what applies from January 2026

As of January 1, 2026, the amendment to Government Regulation No. 404/2025 came into effect. It brought an important change that directly affects transport companies in Slovakia:

• The validity of the D visa is a maximum of 1 year from its granting. It cannot be granted repeatedly — after its expiration, the driver must have another type of residence (temporary residence).
• The total number of issued visas for drivers is a maximum of 5,000 in a calendar year.
• The validity of the entire system is until December 31, 2026 — the government of the Slovak Republic continuously renews it for further periods.

Since the quota is limited, we recommend not delaying. An official source with current regulations can be found directly on the website of ÚPSVaR — National visas, employment of third-country nationals in the interest of the SR.

D visa or temporary residence — which is better for your company

For many transport companies in Slovakia, the ideal combination is: onboarding via D visa, then applying for temporary residence during its validity. We assist with the entire process — from verifying conditions to submitting to the Foreigners' Police Department — as part of our services for transport companies.

Most common mistakes that delay or block a D visa

1. Insufficient company history — the company has existed for less than 10 years or proof of market operation is not sufficiently documented.
2. Foreign executive or foreign owner — if the executive or partner is a foreigner (not a citizen of the SR), the company will not meet the condition. The same applies to a foreign parent company.
3. Outstanding debts to the state — tax or contribution arrears block inclusion in the list. A clear record is required as of the date of submission.
4. Incorrect or incomplete driver documentation — missing C+E driving license or invalid identity document.
5. Inappropriate country of origin for the driver — the company cooperates with drivers from countries not covered by the regulation.
6. Quota missed — the total number of 5,000 visas per year is limited. Companies that wait may end up without an allocated slot.

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Frequently Asked Questions