Residence and work permit for EU nationals in Slovenia

Every EU national has the right to reside on the territory of another EU Member State for an initial period of three months. During this time, they are not required to fulfil any special condition or formality – they only need to have a valid identity card or passport. If they wish to stay longer, the host country may require them to register their residence within a reasonable and non-discriminatory period of time.

If you are an EU national, you may reside and work in Slovenia for 90 days.

However, if your work requires you to stay longer (over 90 days), you must submit the residence permit form, called the Application for a Residence Registration Certificate for EU Citizens, at your local administrative unit. This gives you free access to the labour market, which means that you do not require the consent of the Employment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia. When you receive your residence permit, register the address of your temporary residence in the Republic of Slovenia.

Nationals of the European Economic Area Member States and the Swiss Confederation are subject to the same conditions as EU nationals.

Content

What document do I need to enter Slovenia?
When do I need a residence permit?
Why do I need a residence permit?
Where can I obtain a residence permit?
If you plan to work in Slovenia …
If you plan to study in Slovenia …
How, where, and when can I renew my permit?
How can I acquire citizenship?
Can I work in other EU countries after receiving a residence permit?
What can I do if my residence permit is refused?
Useful links

What document do I need to enter Slovenia?

EU nationals may enter Slovenia with a valid identity card or passport.

When do I need a residence permit?

If you are an EU national, you will need a residence permit if you wish to stay in Slovenia longer than 90 days.

You must obtain a residence permit from the administrative unit in your area of ​​residence in Slovenia. When planning a visit to the competent administrative unit, check whether it is necessary to make a prior appointment.

The residence permit is issued as a permit for:

• temporary residence, which is limited to a specific purpose and a specific time period;
• permanent residence, which is issued without restrictions regarding the duration or purpose of the individual’s stay in Slovenia.

You can find more information about entering Slovenia and the types of residence permits on the infotujci.si portal.

Why do I need a residence permit?

Like nationals of the EEA and the Swiss Confederation, EU nationals need a residence permit in Slovenia for the following purposes:

• employment or work, self-employment, provision of services, seeking employment,
• studies, vocational training or other forms of education,
• reunification with a family member who is a citizen of the EU (i.e. also of Slovenia),
• other reasons, if the conditions for them are met.

Where can I obtain a residence permit?

You can register your residence at the administrative unit in the place (area) where you live.

When planning a visit to the competent administrative unit, check whether it is necessary to make a prior appointment. They might speak only Slovene, therefore visit administration unit with someone who speaks Slovene.

• You must submit the residence permit form, called the Application for a Residence Registration Certificate for EU Citizens, at the administrative unit.
• When you receive your residence permit, register the address of your temporary residence in Slovenia.
• Submit the Application for a Residence Registration Certificate no later than 8 days after entering the country or before the end of your 90-day stay in
• The Residence Registration Certificate is issued to EU nationals for a period of 5 years (for shorter stays).
• The certificate can be renewed under the same conditions as it was issued.

You can apply for a permanent residence permit after 5 years of continuous legal residence in Slovenia. A permanent residence permit has no limitation on the duration and purpose of your residence, provided you meet certain conditions, e.g. on the basis of a temporary residence permit.

More information about the types of residence permits, temporary residence, and permanent residence.

If you plan to work in Slovenia …

If you are an EU national who wishes to stay in Slovenia longer than 90 days for work, you must submit the residence permit form, called the Application for a Residence Registration Certificate for EU Citizens, at your local administrative unit. This gives you free access to the labour market, which means that you do not require the consent of the Employment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia. EU nationals who are employed by Slovenian companies do not require a work permit.

An EU national who works as a self-employed person or provides services in Slovenia can be issued a Residence Registration Certificate if they have:

• a valid identity card or passport;
• proof that they are a self-employed person or service provider;
• a valid work permit, when it is required by the law governing the employment and work of foreigners.

When you receive your residence permit, register the address of your temporary residence in Slovenia at the administrative unit in your area of residence in Slovenia.

Citizens of EFTA countries, i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, may work in the EU, and have the same rights and obligations as EU workers. The EU also has special agreements with other non-EU countries.

If you plan to study in Slovenia …

• You can apply for a residence permit if you are accepted into a publicly valid educational or study programme, if you are upgrading your skills, if you are doing practical training or a specialization, or if you are participating in an international study exchange at any of the relevant educational institutions in Slovenia.
• If you are a student, you may apply for the first permit for study purposes once you arrive in Slovenia.
• A residence permit for study purposes is issued for a period of 1 year.

An EU national who wishes to study, receive vocational training or participate in other forms of education in Slovenia is issued a Residence Registration Certificate if they have:

• A valid identity card or passport.
• Proof of admission into a study programme, vocational training or another form of education issued by an educational institution, a certificate issued by a state authority responsible for the implementation of an international or bilateral agreement, or a certificate issued by a state-authorized organization responsible for the implementation of a particular programme.
• Sufficient means of subsistence, the determination of which must take into account the personal circumstances of the EU national, whereby the monthly means must not be lower than the level determined for obtaining the right to financial social assistance in accordance with the law governing social welfare benefits. The student’s statement constitutes sufficient proof of sufficient means of subsistence.
• Adequate health insurance that covers at least emergency medical services on the territory of the Republic of Slovenia.

You can find more information in the online guide on studyinslovenia.si, which will help you integrate into the Slovenian environment and study at the Slovenian university of your choice.

How, where, and when can I renew my permit?

You must submit the application for the extension of your permit before your residence or work permit expires, and under the same conditions as it was issued. We recommend that you submit it 1 month before the permit expires.

If you meet the necessary conditions, you may be able to switch between permits, although you will be required to hold a valid temporary residence permit at all times.

EXAMPLE: You come to Slovenia to study. You finish your studies in due time, and wish to get a job. Before your residence permit for study purposes expires, and on the basis of a concluded employment contract, you submit an application for the issuance of a further residence permit for employment purposes at an administrative unit.

How can I acquire citizenship?

An individual can acquire Slovenian citizenship at birth or through naturalization, if they actually and continuously live in Slovenia for a prescribed period of time, or through extraordinary naturalization, which enables the acquisition of Slovenian citizenship under less strict conditions when this may also benefit the country – especially when there are well-founded reasons for it, e.g. scientific, economic, cultural, national or similar reasons.

Acquiring citizenship through naturalization

Slovenian citizenship may be acquired through naturalization, in which case the individual must meet the condition of actually and continuously living in the Republic of Slovenia for a certain period of time, as well as other legally defined conditions:

• They have lived in Slovenia for at least 10 years, of which 5 years before submitting the application have been continuous.
• They have been married to a Slovenian citizen for at least 3 years, and have actually lived in Slovenia continuously for at least 1 year before submitting the application.
• They have lost Slovenian citizenship on the basis of termination or renunciation, and have actually lived in Slovenia continuously for at least 6 months before submitting the application.
• They are a Slovenian emigrant or the direct descendant of a Slovenian emigrant up to the fourth degree, and have actually lived in Slovenia for at least 1 year before submitting the application.
• They are stateless, and have, as a stateless person, actually lived in Slovenia continuously for 5 years before submitting the application.
• They have a recognized refugee status, and have actually lived in Slovenia continuously for 5 years before submitting the application.
• They have attended and successfully completed at least higher education in Slovenia, and have actually lived in Slovenia for at least 7 years, of which at least 1 year before submitting the application has been continuous.
• They were born and have actually lived in Slovenia since birth.
• They are a minor, they live in Slovenia, and their parents, who have acquired Slovenian citizenship, have applied for them to acquire Slovenian citizenship.

There is also the option of extraordinary naturalization, which enables the acquisition of Slovenian citizenship if it brings benefits to the country in a certain area of ​​social life: scientific, economic, cultural, national or similar. Extraordinary naturalization entails less strict conditions for obtaining citizenship, as the individual must prove that they have actually lived in Slovenia for at least one year, and that they have a settled status of a foreigner. If these conditions are met, the individual may keep their current citizenship.

Can I work in other EU countries after receiving a residence permit?

Nationals of any EU Member State have the right to seek employment in another Member State in accordance with the regulations that apply to workers in the Member State in question.

Nationals of EFTA countries, i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, may work in the EU, and have the same rights and obligations as EU workers. The EU also has special agreements with other non-EU countries.

What can I do if my residence permit is refused?

Administrative bodies make decisions in accordance with the Act on Administrative Procedure. A decision or order is issued to the client, in which they are informed about the legal remedy, and on whether they can file an appeal against the decision or start an administrative dispute or another procedure before the court. This depends on the individual case and on the stage of the procedure.

Useful links

• Infotujci.si: governmental portal with information for foreigners.
• e-uprava gov.si: Osrednje spletno mesto državne uprave s predstavitvenimi vsebinami vlade, ministrstev, organov v sestavi, vladnih služb in upravnih enot.
• EURES: European cooperation network of employment services, designed to facilitate the free movement of workers.
• SOLVIT: Problem-solving network that deals with problems between individuals or companies and the authorities in another country, in cases where there is a possible misapplication of EU law.
• EFA-PEARLE*: Cookbook – Visas for third country national artists travelling to the Schengen area (pdf).

This article was written in cooperation with PIP Institute.