Migrate to Slovenia - Cost Friendly Local Team
Immigrate to Slovenia
Updated on Monday 20th February 2023 Rate this article
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The conditions for immigration to Slovenia can vary based on the nationality of the foreigner who arrives in this country. Thus, the Slovenian law distinguishes between nationals of the European Union (EU) member states, the European Economic Area (EEA) and third country nationals. Our immigration lawyers in Slovenia can present the rules applicable for each category.
Then, a further distinction refers to the duration of the stay and the purpose of the stay – here, foreigners can arrive in Slovenia for transit purposes, for short-term stays or for long-term stays. If you want to migrate to Slovenia, we invite you to request in-depth legal advice on any immigration procedure from our team of Slovenian lawyers.
EU citizens, along with non-EU citizens, relocated to Slovenia have the right to apply for Slovenian citizenship if they want to become citizens and if they comply with the basic requirements imposed in this sense.
In general, citizenship can be obtained after 10 years of stay in this country, but persons married to Slovenian nationals can apply after 3 years of marriage.
In both cases, residency requirements are also imposed. Thus, a foreigner married to a Slovenian national can apply for citizenship after having residency in Slovenia for at least 1 year out of the 3 years of marriage.
For those who need to comply with the standard procedure (10 years), 5 years of permanent residency are required in order to start the application process.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Entry visa requirement (from EU) (YES/NO) | No |
| Entry visa requirement (outside EU) (YES/NO) | Yes (certain visa exemptions can apply for nationals of certain countries arriving in Slovenia for short-term stays) |
| Types of visas available in Slovenia | - C type visa (for short stays), - D type visa (for long-term stays) |
| Time frame for obtaining work visa (approx.) | Approximately 30 days |
| Validity of temporary residence permit | One can immigrate to Slovenia on a temporary visa for maximum 1 year. |
| Temporary residence permit renewal requirements | - identity document, - recent photograph, - proof of residence |
| Documents for obtaining a residence permit | In order to immigrate to Slovenia one must prepare: - the application form, - identity document/travel document, - recent photograph, - proof of health insurance, recognized in Slovenia, - clean criminal record issued in the home country, - proof of having sufficient financial means, - proof of fee payment, - documents attesting the purpose of stay |
| Time frame for obtaining permanent residence (approx.) | Permanent residence can be obtained after 5 years of stay in Slovenia. |
| Investor Visa availability | Residence by Investment Program |
| Start-up Visa Scheme availability (YES/NO) | No |
| Sponsorship requirement to immigrate to Slovenia (YES/NO) | Yes (but it depends on the visa program) |
| Time frame for obtaining citizenship | 10 years (by naturalization), but shorter periods of time are available for certain categories of persons |
| Citizenship/Residency by investment scheme availability (YES/NO) | Only residency by investment |
| Taxation of foreign citizens | The taxes due are calculated based on the residency (non-residents are charged only for the income obtained in Slovenia). |
| Tax benefits for expats | Benefits can arise from the provisions of double tax treaties, claiming local tax benefits and refunds for tax paid in excess. |
How can EU citizens migrate to Slovenia?
The citizens of the EU benefit from the simplest rules for immigration to Slovenia. This is given by the fact that Slovenia itself is a member state of the EU, a structure which guarantees the free movement of persons across its borders. This is why the procedure on immigration to Slovenia as a EU citizen is very simple – the foreigner does not need to apply for a visa, nor for a residence permit. The arrival in the country is limited to simply presenting one’s identity document (be it an identity card or the passport).
As said above, the EU citizen does not need to obtain a residence permit when arriving in Slovenia. But this right is granted if the duration of the stay is limited to maximum three months. In the case in which the stay is longer than this, the EU citizen will have to register for the issuance of a residence permit.
According to the law which regulates the procedures to migrate to Slovenia, EU citizens who know they will stay longer than three months in this country can apply for a residence permit following their arrival in this country, but this is not a mandatory requirement. Our team of Slovenian lawyers can offer more details on other residency requirements.
How can third country nationals immigrate to Slovenia?
The procedures imposed to persons who arrive from third party countries (which define countries that do not have an immigration agreement with Slovenia and which most follow the standard immigration rules) are much more complex and they all involve the issuance of a visa.
The necessity to own a visa upon the arrival in Slovenia is imposed regardless of the purpose of stay. Thus, foreigners who arrive here for business, study, work, family or personal reasons, including for medical treatment or for visiting the country, are required to have a visa issued on their name, for the specific reason that they have arrived here.
Here, there are two main categories of visas foreigners can obtain: the C type visa, issued for short-term stays, and the D type visa, issued for long-term stays. The C type visa defines stays that have a duration of maximum 90 days in a period of 180 days. Our immigration lawyers in Slovenia can offer more details on other types of visas.
When can one apply for a permanent residence permit in Slovenia?
The right to be the holder of a permanent residence permit in Slovenia, as stated by the Government of Slovenia, can be obtained by a foreigner after living in this country for a period of minimum five years. The person must prove that he or she has been living on a continuous basis in Slovenia for five years at the moment when the application is made. If you want to see if you qualify for a permanent residence permit, our team of Slovenian lawyers remains at your disposal.
What is the data on migration in Slovenia?
Those who want to immigrate to Slovenia must know that the country has a positive migration rate, which defines the fact that more people arrived in the country compared to those who left. Below, you can find the data on Slovenian migration, as presented by the Statistical Office:
- in 2019, 27,600 foreigners migrated to Slovenia, as well as 3,800 persons who had Slovenian citizenship;
- with regards to emigration, the data shows that 8,500 foreigners left the country, along with 6,600 Slovenian citizens;
- Slovenian citizens that left the country relocated to other European countries – 22% of them relocated to Germany and 17% of them, to Austria;
- almost 50% of the foreigners who arrived in Slovenia in 2019 were from Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- the internal migration for 2019 increased by 5% compared to 2018 (internal migration defines the action through which a resident moves from a region of the country to another, and registers his or her residency in the new region).
If you need advice on relocating here, we invite you to contact our team of Slovenian lawyers. At our law firm in Slovenia, you can be represented by a team of professionals and through our team, you can complete the immigration procedures knowing that all the steps were completed in accordance with the established rules and regulations.
