Central Europe · Schengen area
Tailored for Slovakia · Tourist (Schengen C)
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Directive 2004/38/EC.
Charged per applicant in addition to the consular fee; check the current amount on the centre's website when booking.
Consular fee is the harmonised Schengen fee; the visa centre charges its own service fee on top.
Schengen (type C) applications must be submitted at a visa application centre run by VFS Global or BLS International in London or Edinburgh — not at the Slovak Embassy.
Book the appointment directly with VFS Global or BLS International online; the embassy does not arrange slots. Biometrics are captured at the centre and a partner service fee applies on top of the consular fee.
Standard processing is 15 calendar days from the date the application is admissible, extendable where extra checks are needed. British and EEA citizens do not need a Slovak short-stay visa.
The move to outsourced centres is recent (confirmed on the London embassy page in February 2026) — older guides that tell you to apply at the embassy in Kensington Palace Gardens for short stays are out of date.
Your nationality decides whether you need a visa; where you legally live decides where you apply. Applications for Slovakia are handled by its embassy, consulate or visa centre covering your country of residence — you cannot normally apply in a country you are only visiting.
Addresses where applicants of any nationality living in the UK hand in Slovakia visa documents and give biometrics. Applying from elsewhere? Use the official links below to find the Slovakia mission covering your country of residence.
25 Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QY
National (type D) visas and temporary residence permit applications only — short-stay Schengen applications go to VFS Global or BLS International.
Official pageAddress published on the provider's site — check the link below.
Schengen (short-stay) applications for Slovakia; book online before attending.
Official pageAddress published on the provider's site — check the link below.
Schengen (short-stay) applications for Slovakia in Scotland.
Official pageAddress published on the provider's site — check the link below.
Alternative outsourced centre for Slovak Schengen applications.
Official page