What is online check-in?
Online check-in is the collection of guest data through an electronic form before arrival — the guest fills in their name, document details, dates of stay, and purpose of stay, and signs electronically, typically from a mobile phone after the booking is confirmed. Slovak law allows the electronic form: the accommodation register (kniha ubytovaných) does not have to be on paper, and the law sets the latest deadline for reporting, not the earliest moment for collecting data.
Why before arrival
Booking platforms typically give the accommodation provider only a name and contact — the document number, nationality, or purpose of stay that foreigner reporting and the accommodation register require must be collected from the guest. Online check-in moves this ahead of arrival: the documents are ready on check-in day, which is key given the 5-day reporting deadline and for contactless key handover.
Why it matters
A single completion of the form covers three obligations at once (the report, the register, the accommodation tax), and a multilingual form dramatically increases the share of guests who actually fill it in. From a GDPR perspective, it is clean practice to collect data, not copies of documents.
Informational only
This page is provided for general information and is not legal or tax advice. Rates, deadlines and exemptions are set by law and municipal ordinances and can change — always verify current requirements with your municipality or a qualified advisor.