A friend asked me whether he could claim Slovak citizenship through his mother, who was ethnically Slovak and born in Bratislava. She was born in 1909, before Czechoslovakia or Slovakia existed, and later emigrated to the U.S., married, and died there. My friend was born in the U.S. in the 1950s. I read that Slovakia is generous in allowing citizenship to its former residents, but does anyone know if the extends to the child of a former resident? Thanks!

 

Thanks! I found out that for a person to inherit Slovak citizenship, at least one parent must have been a Czechoslovak citizen (of Slovak ethnicity) at the time of the child's birth. There is also another route to citizenship that is allowed to persons of Slovak descent (of whatever degree) who have maintained cultural ties to Slovakia, through language, customs., etc. This would allow such a person to live and work in Slovakia and apply for full citizenship after 3 years.