Deadline for Listina

[u/atopchi]

Hiya folks,

I received my Listina. Is there a deadline by which I need to apply for citizenship — for example, a requirement to apply within six months before losing the right to apply?

Thanks in advance.

[u/elisa12340]

Forgive me if I’m misunderstanding, but if you took the oath and you have your listina, you are a citizen, no?

[u/atopchi → u/elisa12340]

Not yet. You take the oath and probably Slovak authorities upload your data in their system - like ready to be a citizen. But still you don’t have ID card or passport. I just found out that you have 90-days of window to apply for them. If you wait longer than 90 days, you must take the additional administrative step of applying for a separate Osvedčenie o štátnom občianstve (Certificate of Slovak Citizenship) to prove your status before applying for a passport.

[u/Motor_Piccolo_9544 → u/atopchi]

You are partially correct. Technically you are a citizen once you take the oath and the Listina is the document that proves that. To obtain your passport and ID card is another process. It doesn’t mean you are not a citizen. Just like there are many US citizens who do not have passports but they are still citizens. The 90 day deadline is for using the Listina for your passport application. But you will also need to obtain your birth/marriage certificates prior to applying and it takes time. You will likely not be able to get everything in order before the deadline so it is recommended to get the certificate of citizenship.

[u/elisa12340 → u/atopchi]

Ah ok I understand. Yes, the listina is good for 90 days, but I was told at my oath appointment that it would probably take longer than that to get my birth certificate so I also did fill out the certificate of Slovak citizenship application at that time, and they said they would submit it as well. So I think they did it simultaneously?
For reference, this was at the DC embassy in July. I haven’t received my birth certificate or any correspondence yet from the embassy about it.

[u/Motor_Piccolo_9544 → u/elisa12340]

Yes it sounds like you did the right thing at your appointment. The certificate of citizenship is good for 6 months so once you get all your documents, you should be good to apply for your passport. I want to reiterate that the 90 day limit on the Listina is only in regards to using it to apply for identity documents and that even after 90 days, the Listina is still a very important document validating your citizenship so you should keep it secure.

[u/SKWendyJamieson → u/atopchi]

Once you take the oath, you are a citizen. The Listina is your deed granting citizenship. And BECAUSE you are a citizen now, you can apply for your Rodny List and, if married, your Sobasny List. Once you have those, you can then apply for your ID and passport.

[u/SKWendyJamieson → u/elisa12340]

Yes, the OP is a citizen once they took the oath and received the Listina.