Temporary Protection for Men in Slovakia: How Document Submission Works in Practice

From 6 August 2026, new rules for obtaining temporary protection for male Ukrainian citizens aged 18 to 60 have come into effect in Slovakia. Based on submission practices as of 14 August, younger men receive protection with «Reserve+» without a search record, while older men may need a valid departure stamp or grounds listed in «Reserve+».

Men aged 18 to 23

For this age group, an extract from «Reserve+» without a search record is sufficient. Based on observations of actual submissions, such men receive temporary protection on the day of document submission.

Men over 23 and up to 60 years old: two options

If your passport has a Ukrainian departure stamp no more than 90 days old, you can submit with it and immediately receive temporary protection. If you don’t have such a stamp or it’s older than 90 days, you need «Reserve+» with grounds — military exemption, unsuitability, or deferment.

It was previously reported that people with deferment could be referred for additional review lasting up to 30 days, for example in Bratislava. Based on last week’s practice, men over 23 with deferment received temporary protection directly at the police station on the day of submission, without referral for additional review. In other words, in practice, deferment is currently being accepted. It’s worth noting that deferment can be renewed, for example every three months, and doesn’t necessarily remain valid until the end of the war.

Requirements for the «Reserve+» document, not yet confirmed across the country

There is information that a paper extract from «Reserve+» must be generated no earlier than three days before submission. This information has not yet been verified. The document itself is indeed checked: you need a printed paper version of «Reserve+», translated into Slovak by a certified translator. At the police station, you may be asked to scan the QR code on the document with your phone to open the «Reserve+» app and verify the information to confirm the document is genuine.

Minor children: possible new requirement for translation

Previously, an original birth certificate was sufficient to apply for temporary protection for a child. Some locations are reporting that they may require a birth certificate with apostille and translation into Slovak, completed by a certified translator. It is still being verified how widely this requirement will be applied across all police stations.

Overall situation as of 14 August

Men, women and children continue to receive temporary protection; the process is working. Submissions resume on Monday, and more practical information from the police should come in over the following week. If temporary protection is not suitable or cannot be obtained, the next option may be temporary residence permit in Slovakia.