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Slovenia is a member state of the European Union and also a member of the Schengen area. This beautiful country on the southern side of the Alpine mountains with access to the Mediterranean Sea is a hidden gem in Europe.
Its strong economy, excellent education, and health care system is on par with its northern neighbor, Austria. This makes Slovenia the hidden gem of the Residence by Investment programs in Europe.
Its proximity to Austria, Germany and Italy and to the eastern European states as well as the access to the Mediterranean Sea makes it an interesting hub for many businesses.
| Temporary residence permit types | – employment, – business, – study, – family reunification, etc. |
Time needed to obtain the temporary residence permit (approx.) | up to three months |
Temporary residence permit validity | 1 year |
| Documents for obtaining temporary residence | – recent photo, – evidence attesting the purpose of stay, – travel document, – health insurance, – evidence on having sufficient financial funds, – proof of address in Slovenia, – other papers that can vary based on the purpose of arrival |
| Mandatory registrations with state authorities (i.e. with the population/municipality register) | With the competent administrative unit in the region where the foreigner has his/ her residence |
| Dependents can join the temporary permit holder | No (it can happen only when the temporary permit is renewed) |
| Temporary or permanent residency for investment purposes | Yes |
| Minimum temporary residence before applying for permanent residence | 5 years |
| Documents for obtaining permanent residence | – identity documents, – proof on the permanent address and on the right to use the respective address (property documents, tenancy agreements) |
| Naturalization requirements | – permanent residency for 5 years and proof of living in Slovenia for 10 years; – tax obligations in Slovenia, – Slovenian language skills |
| Citizenship after permanent residence | It can be obtained in 5 years after becoming a permanent resident, but there are simpler rules for certain categories of individuals. |
A residence permit is an official Slovenian document that authorizes you to stay in the country for longer than 90 days. You can acquire a residence permit if you have a good reason for moving to Slovenia, such as work or study. Eventually, a residence permit will allow you to qualify for citizenship.
Depending on your reason for residence in Slovenia; you can apply for one of the following permits:
| Temporary | Permanent | |
| Duration: | 1-3 years | 10 years |
| Conditions: | You need to have a reason behind your stay. This can be either a work permit or a student visa. | You must have lived in Slovenia with a temporary residence permit for 5 consecutive years. |
| Benefits: | You can work and study in Slovenia until your temporary residence permit expires. | You receive the same benefits as a Slovenian citizen under a permanent residence permit. |
To get a temporary residence permit in Slovenia, you must fulfill the following steps:
The required documents for a temporary residence permit application are:
To extend your Slovenia temporary residence permit, you must apply before the permit expiry date. You are advised to apply one month in advance. The procedure for applying for an extension of a residence permit is the same as the initial application. Additionally, you must meet the same conditions when you first applied for your residence permit.
To get a permanent residence permit in Slovenia, you need to meet the following requirements:
To get your permanent residence, you need to visit one of the administrative units in your region and begin the registration process. After you receive your permanent residence permit, you are required to register your stay within three days. Your stay needs to be registered at the nearest Slovenian Administrative Unit. You can use Land Registry documents if you own a property or a rental contract.
To apply for a permanent residence permit, you must collect the following documents:
A Slovenia residence card is issued to foreigners who apply for either a temporary or permanent residence permit. The residence card is a document that confirms your identity during your stay in Slovenia. With your travel document, the residence card lets you enter and leave the Slovenian border without needing a visa.
You can apply for Slovenian citizenship after living in Slovenia for 10 years with a permanent residence permit— you must have lived continuously in Slovenia during the last 5 years.
You can acquire Slovenian citizenship in several ways, but the most common include:
Setting up a business in Slovenia is a step-by-step process and a great deal of paperwork has to be completed, documents provided, and filed with the relevant authorities. There is also more documentation necessary when applying for a residence permit through investment. At Citizen Lane we understand the many steps of this process and we can be your trusted immigration advisor. With the assistance of our immigration lawyers, we can assist you in this process.
As the Slovenian law does not restrict the investor to invest in a business area that the authorities deem especially beneficial to the country it is much easier to apply for an investor visa in Slovenia than in many other European countries. The investor is more free to choose his business venture, in order to apply for a residence permit.
A permanent residence permit is possible after five years of residency in Slovenia and if the company is still running and in a good financial position. In addition, the residence permit applicant must be able to prove, that he can pay his personal expenses.
Residency can also open the path to citizenship. For a resident to become a citizen you must be a legal resident of Slovenia for at least 10 years. You must be able to prove that you can support your dependents without requiring social assistance and you must have adequate Slovenian language skills. You must be of good moral character, which means having no criminal convictions.
Entry and residence in the Republic of Slovenia is possible with valid documents and a residence permit. Slovenia also offers international protection and integration of foreigners into the Slovenian society.
Citizens of the European Union Member States (and of the Member States of the European Economic Area – EEA) may enter the Republic of Slovenia with a valid identity card or a valid passport and do not require a visa or a residence permit. A more favourable treatment for entry and residence is also accorded to their family members.
Third-country nationals must acquire a visa or a residence permit from Slovenia’s diplomatic mission abroad before their arrival in the Republic of Slovenia.
Slovenia provides integration and integration assistance programmes for beneficiaries of international protection and third-country nationals.
A person granted international protection who has concluded a contract on integration activities has the right to:
Foreigners who are not EU citizens are entitled to the following programmes ensuring faster integration into the cultural, economic and social life of the Republic of Slovenia:
Work week in Slovenia consists of 40 hours, divided into 8 hours per day from Monday to Friday and they usually aren’t flexible. Slovenes are hardworking and don’t mind working long hours. Working day usually starts between 7 am and 9 am depending on the sector you work in. Their work culture is often compared to Germans or Austrians, they take their job very professionally.
The business environment is open for expats, providing them with good conditions and opportunities. As an employee, you are entitled to the same conditions of healthcare as nationals, and you have four weeks of holidays. Recently the Slovenian government introduced new benefits like study leave for work-related courses or flexible working hours for mothers. The average annual wage is €26 000 which is fair enough for living a good life.
While living and working abroad it takes some time to overcome homesickness and feel comfortable in the new place. Slovenia welcomes their expats warmly, both in a professional field and private life, so feeling there like a home might appear easier than you think. This affordable country with good work opportunities for internationals and a vivid expat community is a good place to start living and working abroad.
However, Non-EU nationals may only be employed in Slovenia on the basis of a work permit and a residence permit, which must be obtained beforehand.
Work and residence permits are regulated under the Employment, Self-employment and Work of Foreigners Act, which was enacted in 2015. The permits are obligatory for all non-EU nationals who wish to be employed in Slovenia. Unless they can be considered for an exception. Exceptions to the requirements of work and residence permits are the following:
To obtain a long-term work permit, an individual should apply for the Single residence permit for work and residence in Slovenia (The Single Permit). It enables professional immigration to Slovenia. Although this is only one of several ways to obtain a work and residence permit, it is one of the most reliable ones. It provides a fallback in case the individual’s business endures a setback and/or negative projections.
Single Permits are issued by The administrative unit (“Upravna enota”) with the consent of the Employment Service of Slovenia (“ESS”) on the basis the Employment, Self-employment and Work of Foreigners Act and corresponding regulation. After submitting the application for The Single Permit, The administrative unit will automatically begin the process of obtaining consent from the Employment Service of Slovenia. An application for The Single Permit may be submitted by a foreigner or by his employer.
If you need to visit Slovenia in order to become part of an activity related to business, i.e. business meeting, contract signing, the inauguration of a business, a business ceremony, etc., you will have to apply for a Slovene Business Visa.
When applying to obtain a Slovene Business visa, you must provide the following additional documents:
The average gross salary in July 2019 was EUR 1,737.42. It was higher than the average gross earning in the previous month, by 1.1% in nominal terms and by 1.8% in real terms. On average, the highest salaries were paid to employees in the financial and insurance sector.
Seek expert guidance from Coraledu, the leading Overseas Consultant, for your work and settlement in Slovenia, the world’s No.1 destination.
