You have a list of rights and procedural guarantees during the asylum procedure.
The EU and Slovak law provide you with the following guarantees to ensure a fair asylum procedure.
You have the right to receive information at the earliest opportunity. Prior to the filling in of the questionnaire, which is a part of an interview and no later than 15 days after the commencement of the asylum procedure, an authorised employee of the Ministry of Interior must instruct you on your rights and obligations, of possible consequences of not complying with or of violating of your obligations. The Ministry of Interior shall also provide you with information about non-governmental organisations working with and providing services to asylum seekers. The instruction and information shall be provided in the language which you can reasonably understand and if possible, in writing.
You have the right to a personal interview. During the interview, you must be given an adequate opportunity to present elements needed to substantiate your asylum application. This includes the opportunity to give explanations regarding elements which may be missing, or any inconsistencies or contradictions in your statements.
The interview must be conducted in a language you are reasonably supposed to understand. To that end, you have the right to receive the services of an interpreter during the interview and in any other cases when the authorities call upon you. You also have the right to have all the written acts and decisions of the Police and Border Guard Board translated into a language that you can understand. If possible, upon your request or for reasons worth special consideration, the Ministry of Interior shall provide for the interview and interpreting to be carried out by a person of the same sex as yours.
You have the right to remain in Slovakia until the Ministry of Interior has made a decision on your asylum application and the decision has become final. The decision becomes final if you have not appealed the decision, or the Regional Administrative Court has dismissed your appeal.
You have the right to communicate with UNHCR or any other organisation providing legal advice or other counselling to asylum-seekers. You must be given the opportunity to consult, at your own cost, in an effective manner with a legal adviser at all stages of the procedure. You also have the right to a victim support service, where necessary, pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Act on Victims of Criminal Offences.
If you have any special needs, you have the right to the required support corresponding to your needs. An applicant with special needs is, in particular, a vulnerable person, such as:
- a minor
- an unaccompanied minor
- a disabled person
- an elderly person
- a pregnant woman
- a single parent with minor children
- a victim of trafficking
- a person with serious illness
- a person with mental health problems
- a victim of torture or rape
- a person who has been subjected to other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence.
All administrative authorities must observe your special needs and consider these systematically and individually during the whole international protection proceedings.
Particular procedural guarantees are provided for unaccompanied minors. Most importantly, unaccompanied minors must be appointed a representative for performing procedural acts. In proceedings involving an unaccompanied minor, the rights and interests of the minor must be taken into consideration above all.
Read about the rights you have in relation to reception conditions.
If you believe that your rights have been violated during the asylum procedure, you may submit a complaint to the Police Department or the Regional Administrative Court.
Read more about how to complain.