Online check-in is not just a more convenient arrival — it is the way to cover all record-keeping obligations at once with a single submission from the guest: the police report, the guest register and the documentation for the accommodation tax. Here is what it must contain for that to work legally and practically.
Why collect data before arrival
Three legal obligations of a Slovak host rest on the same guest data:
| Obligation | Data needed |
|---|---|
| Reporting foreigners (§ 113(c) of Act No. 404/2011 Coll., within 5 days) | name, date of birth, nationality, document number, dates of stay (asked for by the e-service), purpose of stay (guests from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland), signature |
| Guest register (§ 24 of Act No. 253/1998 Coll., all guests) | name, ID card or passport number, permanent address, length of stay; for foreigners also nationality and date of birth |
| Accommodation tax (§ 41a(2) of Act No. 582/2004 Coll., all guests) | name, permanent address, date of birth, type and number of identity document, number of nights, other records needed to set the tax (e.g. an exemption under the municipal ordinance) |
Reservation platforms typically give you only a name and contact details out of that — the rest you must collect yourself. The only question is when and how: by manually transcribing from the document at arrival, or with an online form in advance. Legally, collecting in advance is fine — the law sets the latest reporting deadline, not the earliest moment of collection.
What an online check-in should contain
- Identification data — name, surname, date of birth, nationality, document type and number, permanent address.
- Stay data — arrival and departure dates, number of persons.
- Purpose of stay — the Act lists it as a report item for guests from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland (§ 111(1)(l)); on the portal.minv.sk report form it is selected from a code list of codes 84–97, which the Ministry of Interior publishes in the e-service user manual (Table 1).
- Documentation for tax exemptions — children’s ages, ŤZP cards, only where your municipality’s ordinance (VZN) grants the exemption; the Act itself does not exempt children or ŤZP card holders.
- Electronic signature — covers the foreigner’s signature on the report form as well as agreement to the house rules.
- Stay rules — house rules delivered before arrival are more enforceable than a noticeboard in the flat.
GDPR: data yes, copying documents carefully
Collect data, not documents: transcribed document data suffice to fulfil the obligations, and blanket copying of ID cards and passports is a risky practice from a data-minimisation perspective — in detail in the article on copying documents. Online check-in also includes informing the guest what the data will be used for (the host’s legal obligations) and how long they are retained.
Language decides completion
The most common reason guests do not complete the form is the language barrier. A foreign guest who receives a form in Slovak puts it off “for later” — a form in their own language gets filled in right away. With international clientele, a multilingual form is the difference between 90% and 30% completion before arrival.
How Best Guest handles this
This is exactly the core of Best Guest: after booking, the guest receives a link to the online check-in in their own language (the form is available in 43 languages), fills in their data including the purpose of stay from the correct code list, and signs electronically. From that single submission, the guest register keeps itself, the accommodation tax is calculated, and the police-report documents are prepared for filing via portal.minv.sk — no transcribing and no chasing guests at arrival.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
Is online check-in legal in Slovakia — does it replace paper forms?
Yes. The law does not prescribe a paper form of guest records — the guest register can be digital as long as it is complete and producible at an inspection, and the data for reporting foreigners can be collected electronically. The foreigner must sign the completed report form; the law does not prescribe the form of that signature — during online check-in the guest signs on screen.
What data must an online check-in collect?
For every guest: name and surname, date of birth, permanent address, type and number of the identity document and dates of stay — required by the guest register (§ 24 of Act No. 253/1998 Coll.) and the accommodation-tax records (§ 41a(2) of Act No. 582/2004 Coll.). For foreigners also nationality and a signature; for guests from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland additionally place of birth, purpose of stay and visa or residence-permit details (§ 111(1)(l) of Act No. 404/2011 Coll.). Plus any entitlement to a tax exemption (for example a child's age or a ŤZP card) — but only if your municipality's ordinance (VZN) provides for it.
Can I ask the guest for a photocopy of their document?
Carefully — the data-minimisation principle under GDPR says: collect data, not documents, if the data suffice. Transcribed document data are enough to fulfil the report and the guest register; blanket copying of documents is the riskier practice. In detail in the article on copying documents.
When should the guest fill in the check-in?
Ideally before arrival. The report for a foreigner must be filed within 5 days of accommodation, and data filled in ahead of time mean your documents are ready on arrival day — instead of chasing guests during their stay. Collecting in advance is also legally fine: the law sets the latest reporting deadline, not the earliest moment of data collection.
What if a guest refuses to fill in the data online?
You need the data either way — the alternative is manual collection at arrival. It helps to communicate that this is a legal obligation (for foreigners, the police report), not marketing. In practice the vast majority of guests complete the online form, especially when it is in their language.
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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.