Extending it would seem like a standard procedure in a country where over 120,000 foreign nationals work . Yet after several months of unsuccessful attempts to book an appointment at the Foreigners’ Police in Bratislava, I realised nothing about this process is standard. A system meant to protect the rights of legal residents often turns into a fight to prolong one’s legal stay inside the country. Black markets for appointments, chaotic communication, and new legislative hurdles leave many foreigners feeling vulnerable, even when they are acting lawfully. On Telegram, there were paid bots that would supposedly hack the appointment system; on Facebook, intermediaries promised to “secure” an appointment – for a hefty fee.