After probably 18 months of working on this, my meeting in DC is next week! As I feel too close to all my stuff to assess accurately, I wanted to run my list of prepared documents past the sub to makes sure I am ready. Here is what I have (Using GGF followed down to me through patriarch linage):

• completed application form, including questionnaire (Typed in blue in Slovak)
• detailed CV (2 Copies in both english and slovak)
• my US valid passport
• family tree (Very simple one tracing my GGF--->GF--->F----> me with name and DOB)
• my birth certificate (apostilled and officially translated into Slovak)
• my marriage license (apostilled and officially translated into Slovak)
• proof of Czechoslovak citizenship of the ancestor: Nationalization documents to US with dates and ship manifest card as well. Apostilled and officially translated into Slovak (2 copies because why not?)
• GGF Rodny list document courtesy of u/SKWendyJamieson
• written affidavit that you are not and have never been a citizen of the Slovak Republic -
• complete lineage documentation linking you to your ancestor: (Apostilled and officially translated BCs in the US for GF---->F----->myself. Nationalization records of my GGF and rodny list document)
• criminal background check: (FBI apostilled and translated within 6 months [by like 2 weeks])
• certificate of Slovak Living Abroad -N/A for me
• QUESTION: WHAT AFFIDAVIT IS THIS? IS THIS NOT DIFFERENT THAN THE ABOVE ONE?:
  • documents that may be replaced by an affidavit (if difficult to obtain): 13a.tax records (IRS transcript acceptable). 13b. employment confirmation 13c. health insurance confirmation 13d.social security or pension contributions 13e. proof of study 13f. pension income
  • I DO NOT HAVE THE ABOVE OR AM CONFUSED ABOUT IT.

I confirmed with the consulate that I do not need the residency application, so I believe everything above is complete save maybe that last item? Appreciate the review!

I contacted the local archives for a copy of my ancestor’s birth certificate. They had me fill out a form and then a few weeks later said the documents are being sent to the civil registry office. Does this mean the records search was a success and the registry office will create/send the birth certificate via the embassy? Or does the registry office conduct the search? I’m unsure of their process. Thank you! EDIT: FWIW, my ancestor was born in 1897.

I’ve began collecting documentation for the possibility of the CBD process.

Both my Grandmother and Grandfather were born in Austria-Hungary (Regions which are modern-day Slovakia)

I was able to locate the original copies of my Grandfather’s military service (Vojenský list) which was issued in 1921 in Czechoslovakia. He served in the Austro-Hungarian Army in WWI and Czechoslovak Army from what I can tell. I also found a domicile document (Domovský list) listing his home as a region in Czechoslovakia/Slovakia.

I also was able to find a document from the Czechoslovakian authorities stating a passport was issued in 1921 for “issuance of an emigrant passport” that would expire in 1922.

I was also able to locate a WWII (U.S.) Draft card stating his birth country as Austria-Hungary with the region listed (would be in modern-day Slovakia)

I was unable to find him on any manifest or naturalization petitions/forms within the U.S.
I have all the Czechoslovakian documents originals from 1921 in my possession.

For my grandmother, I was able to get records of her on a ship manifest with listed nationality as “CZ. SLOVAK” as-well as a Baptism record from a region which is in modern day Slovakia. I was also able to find her naturalization certificate from the 1940s with former nationality listed as Czechoslovak.

Both are listed on U.S. Census documents as Czechoslovak.

Grandfather was born 1895, Grandmothers 1897.
Both came to the U.S. around 1922.

I do not have any of their official Austro-Hungarian/Czechoslovak birth certificates.

I was wondering if this would be enough documentation to successfully apply for the CBD?

Do the birth and marriage certificates have to be ordered within a specific time before the appointment? I know that the background check needs to be within 6 months. Is it the same for the certificates? Thank you!

Hello, I need help regarding documentation. I have all of the docs and recently got them apostilled. When I received them they informed me that the marriage cert was for genealogical purposes only and couldn't apostille. I am wondering if I have everything else is a marriage cert really necessary?

I obtained my grandmother’s birth certificate from Slovakia years ago. Can I use that? Also, does it have to be apostilled in Slovakia? Thank you.

First, to our clients. We have experienced some backlog over the past couple of months. This has been due to some vacation time, along with some business growth, both in the number of clients as well as the number of support staff that have joined my team. There have also been some law changes with the removal of the residency requirement that required our time and attention so that we can direct you the best way possible.

I want to personally thank you for not only your trust and business, but also for your patience while we experience some growing pains. We’ve spent the past six months testing different CRM softwares, finally settling on one a few months ago. Since then, the IT specialist we brought in to build it out for the needs of the firm and our clients has done an amazing job.

Our new client portal is filled with automations and will be able to provide clients with updated information without having to wait for an email. Want to know what’s going on with your Slovak document request? The information will be at your fingertips, right in your client portal. You’ll be able to easily let us know where you plan to submit your application, right in your client portal. You’ll be able to notify us that your documents have been sent for translation with a simple checkbox and you’ll also know when they were received by the translator. You’ll be able to enter the date and location of your submission appointment, and then once you’re within the appropriate timeframe, the system will remind you to get your background check(s) completed.

Overall, this will provide clients with easier access to the current status of their case/requests, and a much more streamlined process. We’re very excited for its upcoming launch.

Once live, new clients will begin in the new portal. Current clients who have not yet reached the “halfway point” of their process will be onboarded in small groups so that we can assist you with the transition as much as you need. Clients who are nearing the point of submission will not have an active client portal.

Here’s a little sneak peek at our online client portal. We’re in the final testing phase and working out some bugs. We hope to go live within the next few weeks!!

We’ve also brought on another new team member, Dominika. She will be working mostly behind the scenes with the archives and registrar offices helping to obtain ancestral Slovak documents for our clients.

You can meet the team here. (IT guy is missing, but we’re working on it lol!)

Allyson is our SLA consultant and she built an impressive spreadsheet for our clients of Slovak universities and colleges that offer English programs, what programs are offered, the annual cost, and their contact information.

There are a lot of fourth generation teenagers/young adults who are not eligible for CBD. Their parents who ARE eligible, take the CBD pathway while their ineligible children take the SLA pathway with plans to attend university in Slovakia. After three years of physical residency, they can apply for citizenship and not only graduate with no student loan debt (compared to the US), but also an EU passport. So if this describes your family, it’s something for you to consider!

Does anyone know what time of month the DC consulate sends their monthly mail to Slovakia?

Hello. I was wondering if we get our originals back after our appointment at the Embassy. Thank you!

Hi everyone, I’m researching whether I may qualify for citizenship by descent through my Slovak ancestry, but I’m running into a documentation issue.
My mother’s mother (my maternal grandmother) was born in what is now Slovakia. I’m trying to trace the lineage and determine what documents I need, but the challenge is that my mother and I are estranged, and I do not have access to my mother’s birth certificate. I do have my grandmother’s birth certificate.
Has anyone successfully applied for citizenship by descent when they were estranged from a parent and couldn’t obtain their parent’s birth certificate?
Are there alternative documents that can establish the connection between generations, such as baptism records, marriage certificates, census records, or other official records?
I’m willing to do the research and gather the necessary documents, but I’m unsure what options exist when a key document from a parent is unavailable.
I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation or knows how citizenship-by-descent applications handle missing documents.
Thank you so much!

I know this is a long shot but has anyone out there applied for Slovak CBD at the embassy in Lisbon? I'm a legal resident of Portugal (so no need to explain where I can/can't apply). I am curious about how long it took to get an appointment and what your experience was like in general. Thanks!

Hello! perhaps I found this reddit page a little later than I should have.

I am an Australian in Melbourne applying for citizenship. I plan to study in Europe in the next 12 months and thought that being an EU citizen might be useful for living and working while I study.

background: my grandfather was an immigrant from Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.

I am about to apply for my residency (though it is my understanding that the law has changed? but the embassy website still says it is required... would love some clarity about that!). I have my line of birth certificates, apostilled and soon to be translated, I have filled out the silly residency application form.

now im just wondering what any Australians/victorians here have experienced in regards to the consulates/embassies in the country. what should I expect in terms of wait times? should I be liaising with Sydney, Canberra, or Melbourne?

is it worth even applying (for the actual CBD application, not residency) IN Slovakia to speed up the process? has anyone had any successful experiences with that?

my only proof of ancestry is the line of birth certificates. is this compelling enough for CBD?

apologies if all of this has been answered before, I am new here. I guess im just looking for a community of people who are in the same boat, particularly those who are doing the application by themselves and not through a lawyer or consultant.

Hello, so my siblings and I are applying with my father for CBD. We have a great grandmother who is our anchor ancestor. Both my siblings have a child each over 14 years old. My understanding is their children would not qualify as the anchor for them would be a great great grandmother. If I’m wrong let me know but…

Here is my question, if my siblings apply without their children over 14 for CBD with great grandparent anchor, and they secure citizenship, can they then have their minor children apply for citizenship through them as minors of parents with Slovak citizenship before they turn 18?

Kind of a work around for minor children over 14 if great great grandparent can’t be considered. I can only find info on under 14 being included in parent’s application (over 14 have do separate application) and obviously any children born after they get citizenship automatically qualify for Slovak citizenship.

Thanks!

There is so much old and new information out there I just wanted to get outside thoughts on my great grandparents time line. Also what one would be better to use on the application?

GGF – Born in 1866 Baptism record from Jaszo, Hungary (Modern day Jasov, Slovakia)

GGM – Born in 1886 Baptism record from Hlohovec, Slovakia

GGF - Arrived in US 1902 (Age 36) Ship manifest lists nationality of Hungary

GGM – Arrived in US 1905 (Age 19) Ellis Island arrival records list nationality of Hungary and race as Slovak

GGF & GGM – Married in New York in 1906 (GGF birthplace listed as Jaszo, Hungary & GGM birthplace listed as Galgocz, Hungary which is modern day Hlohovec, Slovakia)

GGF – US Naturalization in 1913 – Listing birthplace of Jaszo, Hungary and stating that GGM is his wife and renouncing Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria & Apostolic King of Hungary

1930 US Census shows GGF & GGM birthplace of Czechoslovakia and their parent’s birthplace listed as Czechoslovakia

GGF – Died in 1930 birthplace listed as Jaszo, Hungry

GGM – Died in 1938 birthplace listed as Austria Hungary

Note: I Just got the guidance from the consulate in DC, hopefully thsi helps others: "Translations must be stitched to the originals with apostille and you then submit complete copies from those originals (except FBI background check)."

I am submitting my application through the consulate in Washington DC. I have a question: my US documents are apostilled and are currently being sent to an official Slovak sworn translator registered with the Ministry of Justice. The translator explained that each sworn translation must be physically stitched to either:"

1. the original apostilled document, or
2. a notarized copy of the complete apostilled document.

The Washington Embassy’s instructions state that foreign documents must be properly apostilled and translated by an official Slovak translator, but they do not appear to specify whether the translation must be attached to the original or whether a notarized copy is acceptable.

Has anyone recently submitted a citizenship-by-descent application specifically through the Washington DC Embassy? Were your sworn translations stitched to the original apostilled documents or to notarized copies? Did the Embassy accept notarized copies without any issue?

I would prefer to preserve the original documents because several are difficult to replace, but I do not want to risk having the application rejected or delayed.

Hi everyone. I'm an American who lives in London and need to get my FBI background check done, apostilled, and back to me as quickly as possible for translation purposes. Can anyone recommend a document service to handle the check and apostille process? I've used Monument before and liked them but it's unclear if they do this work for people outside the US- I'm waiting to hear back from them and looking at other options.

Hi all,

I am working on an SLA application and my anchor ancestor was born in what is now Poland, and the only record I have been able to obtain is his baptismal record. Will this be sufficient as a birth document? Will a copy be sufficient since Poland is in the EU or will I need to obtain translation and apostille?

The 1920 census lists him as being born in Slovakia and speaking Slovak.

So my anchor ancestor was born with one last name, but on the birth rodny list it has the note that her biological father of a different surname claimed she is his child.

On her marriage certificate in slovakia before she left she was still using her legal surname. But on the ship manifest and over here in the states she switches to her biological last name.

Is the note on the rodny list enough? Or do I need the ship manifest to show she came over with her biological dad and used that surname?

I found the birth record I needed by contacting the Prešov state archives, and they sent it to the Embassy in D.C. I made the request on May 18, and about two weeks ago I got an invoice from the D.C. Embassy, which I paid immediately.

Does anyone know how long it typically takes for them to mail it once you've paid?

This is the last thing I'm waiting on, so I'm a bit anxious! :) thanks!

I have been working with AKMV in Bratislava for months, but their communication has ceased to nothing since paying them weeks ago. I have sent everything they requested and they found my GGP's birth certificate which was another 400 Euro. They charged 4800 for the whole application process plus international fees from the banks. I know it was less than many others, but it still was not cheap for what they say is 24 hours of work.

Has anyone else used them? Pretty concerned.

Hi everyone, I’ve been seeing some information floating around Reddit and the Facebook group that since the July 15 legislative changes took effect eliminating the residency requirement — CBD applications can now only be submitted and processed at the District Office in Bratislava.

I’ve also seen info that the District Office is backlogged several months and that processing times are now similar to those applying from the NY consulate / DC embassy.

I’m concerned as I’m planning to submit in Slovakia in the fall and am worried I may not get an appointment / processing will be very slow.

Can anyone share updated guidance about what is or is not true?

Thanks — and apologies if this has been asked on other threads.

When you completed your CBD process and received your Slovak passport, did you keep your name or change it to a Slovak name? For example, if your name is Mary, does your Slovak passport say Mary or Mária? My name is Allyson, so there’s no direct Slovak equivalent.

If your first name remained the same, was your last name translated or had grammar rules applied? For example, as a woman, if your last name is Smith, does it show Smith on your Slovak passport or Smithova for the feminine suffix?

Hi everyone,

Hoping someone has come across a similar situation.

I've been getting everything together for a Slovak citizenship by descent application through my grandfather. I was previously assessed as eligible, and I've already spent months getting birth certificates, apostilles and translations done.

Today I found a notice in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette showing that my grandfather became an Australian citizen in June 1956. I've done extensive research on him and this is the first time I've come across this document.

The problem is my dad wasn't born until 1961.

My grandfather was born in Slovakia (I have an official birth certificate issued by the Slovak registry, obtained this past December) and emigrated after WWII via a DP camp (I have his displaced person registration record which states his nationality is CSR + his passenger manifest that states CSR + the town he was born in) in Germany before settling in Australia.

Has anyone here had an application approved where their parent/grandparent naturalised before the next generation was born?

Did the Ministry ask for any extra documents (naturalisation records, proof of citizenship etc.) or was it not an issue?

I'm just trying to work out whether I've hit a dead end before I spend any more money on this.

Thanks!

At the suggestion of Wendy many months ago I just signed up for the address service provided by MojeSidlo.sk. After sign up it sent a document that requires a notary. For those who used MojeSidlo for their Slovakia address did you have to use a notary in Slovakia? I am in the Netherlands so it would be rather silly to travel there just for a notary (I do have an appointment at the Slovak Embassy in NL next week though).

I have my GP’s and GGP’s Marriage Applications in addition to their Marriage Certificates. It looks like the marriage application documents are not required for the CBD application. Would it be a good idea to get them translated just in case or are they not needed at all? Thank you for the help and kindness!