Temporary Protection in Slovakia for Men: Documents, Reserve+, Exit Stamp and Checks

Who is affected by the new rules

Starting August 6, 2026, Slovakia applies separate requirements to Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 who file a new or repeat application for temporary protection. The applicant must prove they are complying with their military duty obligations in Ukraine, and the burden of proof rests on the applicant (Slovak Ministry of Interior).

The procedure for women has not changed. Children still receive protection, but a new translation requirement may apply to their documents — covered in the risks section below.

On August 12, 2026, the Slovak Ministry of Interior published clarifications on how the rules apply. They concern only men aged 18–60 and split them into two age groups with different sets of evidence:

• Ages 18–22 inclusive (i.e., until turning 23) — it's enough to confirm registration in Reserve+;
• Ages 23–60 — a recent exit stamp from Ukraine is required, or a Reserve+ extract with a ground that exempts from or defers service.

Police check not only the protection-related documents but also the legality of the person's stay in Slovakia and the circumstances of their exit from Ukraine. Practice is still evolving, and requirements may differ between police departments, so everything described below is current as of August–September 2026. For details on how the procedure changed and what the clarification says, see the article on the new rules effective August 6, 2026.

Which documents to prepare depending on age

The set of evidence depends on the applicant's full age at the time of application.

The stamp must specifically be an exit stamp from Ukraine, not an entry stamp to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, or Romania. A neighboring country's stamp does not confirm a lawful exit from Ukraine.

For men aged 23–60, mere Reserve+ registration and the absence of a "wanted" flag are no longer sufficient — what matters is the exact content of the document. The Slovak clarification refers to actual exemption from military duty or removal from the relevant register. The EU Council decision is worded more broadly: it mentions exemption from military duty or proper fulfillment of or compliance with it.

As of August 13, 2026, when documents were properly prepared, police accepted Reserve+ extracts confirming unfitness, exemption from military duty, or an active deferral. A breakdown of discrepancies between the clarification and actual practice is available in the article on tighter checks for men.

How to prepare a Reserve+ extract

A screenshot or photo of the app is not accepted: police require a printed extract with an official translation.

1. Generate the extract in Reserve+ and print it out.
2. Order a Slovak translation from a certified court translator. Police also accept an official English translation.
3. Check the content: for ages 18–22 — no "wanted" flag; for ages 23–60 — a clearly stated ground (unfitness, exemption, deferral).
4. Bring your phone with access to your Reserve+ account when applying.

If the extract isn't certified by a Ukrainian consulate, the applicant must be able to open their Reserve+ account directly on their phone and let a police officer verify it in real time. In practice, police may ask to scan the QR code on the printed document to cross-check the data and confirm authenticity.

Whether the extract must be generated no earlier than three days before applying is not officially confirmed as of September 2026; this requirement has been reported based on the practice of certain departments. To avoid depending on how a particular department interprets this, it's simpler to generate the extract shortly before applying and have it translated right away. Details from real applications are covered in the article on how the application process works in practice.

How the application process works at the police station

Applications for temporary protection are filed at the police station. For men aged 18–60, the process involves several checks, and the outcome depends on whether the full package of documents is at hand.

1. The applicant arrives with a valid passport, a printed Reserve+ extract with translation (or a passport with a recent exit stamp), and a phone for app verification.
2. Police check the legality of the person's stay in Slovakia: whether the allowed period has been exceeded and whether there are other violations.
3. Police assess the circumstances of the exit from Ukraine — based on the stamp, Reserve+, or consular confirmation.
4. If a Reserve+ extract is submitted, an officer may cross-check it against the app via a QR code.
5. If the documents meet the requirements and there are no other obstacles, protection can be granted immediately at the appointment. Otherwise, the case is referred for additional review or individual assessment.

Based on application practice as of mid-August 2026, men aged 18–22 with a Reserve+ extract without a "wanted" flag received protection on the day of application. Men aged 23–60 with an exit stamp no older than 90 days also received protection immediately.

Since practice may vary between departments, having all available evidence on hand — both a passport with a stamp and a translated Reserve+ extract — is more reliable than relying on just one document.

What to do about a deferral or a stamp older than 90 days

As of mid-August 2026, a deferral shown in Reserve+ is accepted. Initially, it was reported that applicants with a deferral might be referred for additional review lasting up to 30 days, including in Bratislava. However, based on application practice from mid-August, men over 23 with a deferral received protection directly at the police station on the day of application, without such a referral.

This practice may change: the Slovak clarification formally refers only to exemption from military duty or removal from the register, not to deferral. In addition, a deferral may need to be renewed, for example every three months, and doesn't necessarily remain valid until the war ends. At the time of application, it must be current and reflected in a recent extract.

An exit stamp older than 90 days no longer meets the condition for simplified confirmation. This does not mean an automatic denial, but other evidence is then needed:

• a Reserve+ extract with a ground — unfitness, exemption, or an active deferral;
• confirmation from a Ukrainian consulate;
• readiness for additional review or individual case assessment.

If there's no stamp at all, the same path applies — through a Reserve+ extract with a ground. As of September 2026, a man aged 23–60 who has neither a recent stamp nor a valid ground in Reserve+ has no way to confirm eligibility for protection under the simplified scheme.

What risks to consider and what to do if you don't meet the conditions

Violating visa rules has become a separate risk. If a person has overstayed their allowed period or is staying in Slovakia unlawfully, applying for protection may result not only in a denial but also in detention and the start of administrative removal proceedings. In such a situation, clarify your status before going to the police.

Other circumstances that may pose obstacles:

• protection in another EU country — if a person has already received temporary protection in another EU state, this may be an obstacle in Slovakia; how this will apply to women and children remains unclear;
• children's documents — previously, an original birth certificate was enough to register a child for protection; some departments now report requiring an apostille and a Slovak translation by a certified court translator. Whether this applies nationwide is not confirmed as of September 2026, so it's best to have both the original and a translated, apostilled copy for a child.

If a man doesn't meet the conditions for temporary protection, legal residence in Slovakia is possible on other grounds — through a residence permit:

• employment;
• own business or entrepreneurial activity;
• studies;
• family reunification.

Each of these grounds has its own requirements and procedure, separate from temporary protection. For more on the risks during the application process, see the article on checks for men in Slovakia.