The following text includes only the framework information on the conditions of entry and residence of foreigners in the Republic of Slovenia. For detailed conditions, see Foreigners Act - official consolidated version (ZTuj-2) (only in Slovenian)
Entry and departure
If a person enters the Republic of Slovenia at the external Schengen border, entry into and departure from the country are only allowed at designated border crossing points.
The stay of foreigners in the transit area of airports, as well as the stay of foreigners on ships anchored in harbours or ports, shall not be deemed entry into the country.
Obligation to hold a travel document
For the purposes of entering into, departing from and staying in the Republic of Slovenia, foreigners must be in possession of a valid travel document, unless otherwise provided by law or international agreement.
Foreigners who are additionally entered in another person's travel document may enter and leave the Republic of Slovenia only in company with the persons in whose travel document they have been entered.
Foreigners who are in possession of a group passport may enter and leave the Republic of Slovenia only as a group, whereby the persons entered in the group passport must be in possession of a document with a photograph, on the basis of which their identity can be established. The group leader shall be in possession of a personal travel document.
Permit for entry into the Republic of Slovenia
For the purposes of entering into the Republic of Slovenia, foreigners must, in addition to a valid travel document, be in possession of a visa or residence permit, unless otherwise provided by law or international agreement.
Refusal of entry into the Republic of Slovenia
Foreigners may be refused entry into the Republic of Slovenia on the grounds determined in the Schengen Borders Code.
The refusal of entry shall be decided by a border control body in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Schengen Borders Code. Foreigners may appeal against the refusal of entry within eight days. The ministry responsible for internal affairs shall decide on the appeal. The appeal shall not delay the execution of the proceeding.
The refusal of entry shall be indicated in the foreigner's travel document and entered in the record of persons who have been refused entry, in the manner determined in the Schengen Borders Code.
Permitted period of stay of foreigners in the Republic of Slovenia
Foreigners may stay in the country for the period of time determined by the visa, the residence permit, a decision of the Government of Slovenia, or as provided by law or international agreement.
Foreigners who, in accordance with the law, an international agreement or a decision of the Government of Slovenia, are not required to hold a visa to enter or stay in the country, may enter and stay in the Republic of Slovenia for a maximum period of 90 days within a period of six months, starting from the day of first entry, with the same intentions as permitted to foreigners who must be in possession of a visa. The permitted length of a short stay can be calculated by using the Schengen Calculator.
Foreigners must leave the Republic of Slovenia prior to the expiry of this period, if so decided by a competent body.
Departure from the country
Foreigners shall leave the Republic of Slovenia freely in accordance with the law.
Foreigners shall not be allowed to leave the country if criminal proceedings, proceedings on offence or any other proceedings for which their presence is required, and if so required by the body entertaining the proceedings, have been initiated against them.
Visas and the issuing of visas
A visa shall be a permit issued by a competent body of the Republic of Slovenia to a foreigner on the basis of which the foreigner, if no grounds for refusal exist, may enter the country and stay in it for the period determined by the visa; or which ensures transit through the national territory, if the foreigner fulfils the conditions applying to transit.
A visa may only be issued to a foreigner in possession of a valid travel document, whereby the validity of the travel document shall exceed the validity of the visa by at least three months.
A visa shall not grant a foreigner the right to employment or work.
Important notice!Foregners must obtain visas before entering Slovenia. |
Types of visas
A visa shall be issued at the request of a foreigner, if the foreigner is in possession of a valid travel document and the law stipulates no reasons for the refusal of his/her entry into the country. In the request, the foreigner must specify the purpose of his/her arrival in the country, enclose a valid travel document into which the visa may be attached, and, if necessary, documentation to prove the purpose and conditions of his visit.
Visas are issued by diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Slovenia abroad. Types of visas include:
- airport transit visa (Category A Visa)
- short-stay visa (Category C Visa)
- long-term visa (Category D Visa)
More information on visa regimes and visas, including applications for visas and invitation letters, is available on the GOV.SI websites: Entry and residence , Information for foreigners
See also a list of countries with information on visa requirements for entering Slovenia: Visa regimes and visas
Refusal to issue visas
An foreigner shall not be issued with a visa if:
- reasons exist for refusing his/her entry;
- he or she does not, in the request to issue a visa, enclose a travel or other appropriate document or, at the request of a competent body, other necessary documentation;
- he or she fails to report in person at the request of the competent body.
Notwithstanding the existence of reasons for refusal, a foreigner may be issued with a transit visa if his/her transit does not contravene the interests of the Republic of Slovenia, and if he or she provides evidence of admission into the country which he or she will enter upon leaving the Republic of Slovenia.
Annulment of visas
A visa may be annulled if:
- it is subsequently established that at the time of issuing the visa, the foreigner did not fulfil the conditions stipulated by this Act;
- it is established that the foreigner no longer fulfils the conditions for the issuing of a visa;
- the foreigner intentionally provided incorrect information on his/her identity or other incorrect information, or if he or she intentionally concealed circumstances which have a bearing on the issuing of a visa;
- the foreigner is no longer in possession of a valid travel or other appropriate document;
- expulsion or forced deportation from the country has been ordered against the foreigner.
A foreigner whose visa has been annulled and who is staying in the Republic of Slovenia must immediately leave the country.
Obligations of carriers
A carrier may bring a foreigner onto the national territory of the Republic of Slovenia by land, air or sea only if the foreigner is in possession of an appropriate travel document or entry permit, which he or she is required to have as a national of a certain country.
If the foreigner is refused entry to the Republic of Slovenia, the carrier who brought the foreigner to the border crossing by land, air or sea, shall immediately resume care of said foreigner and take him or her out of the country at its own expense.
When a carrier is unable to take a foreigner out of the Republic of Slovenia, it shall immediately, at its own expense, find another carrier to do the deed.
Residence permit
A foreigner who wishes to stay in the Republic of Slovenia for a period of time longer than the period allowed on the basis of the visa, or who wishes to enter and stay in the Republic of Slovenia for reasons other than those allowed on the basis of the visa, shall be in possession of a residence permit.
A residence permit shall mean a permit to enter the Republic of Slovenia and to reside for a fixed period of time and for a specific purpose, or to reside for an indefinite period of time. A permit for residence in the Republic of Slovenia shall not be required for those foreigners and in those cases for which the law or an international agreement so determine.
More information on residence permits, conditions and procedures of obtaining a residence permit is available on the GOV.SI website: Entry and residence
Registration and renunciation of residence of foreigners
Registration and renunciation of residence of foreigners shall be carried out in the manner and under the conditions determined by the Residence Registration Act, UPB1 (Official Gazette RS, No. 59/2006) and the Act Amending the Residence Registration Act (Official Gazette RS, No. 111/2007). For more information see the government website Registration of residence
Proof of identity of foreigners
Foreigners shall prove their identity by means of a foreign travel document, a personal identity card or other suitable document which is prescribed in the foreigner's country and which proves the identity of the foreigner, with a travel document for foreigners, a personal identity card for foreigners, a cross-border identity card, or another public document issued by a state authority which includes a photograph and on the basis of which it is possible to prove the identity of the foreigner.
At the demand of a police officer, foreigners shall prove their identity. At the demand of a police officer, foreigners shall also produce a permit demonstrating the legality of their entry into and residence in the Republic of Slovenia.
Foreigners may not lend their documents to another person and may not use a foreign document as their own.
Foreigners shall report missing, lost, stolen or otherwise misappropriated travel or other documents to the police immediately, or at the latest within 24 hours after discovering such fact. Foreigners shall be issued with a receipt by the police.
Foreigners who lose travel or other documents issued by a competent body of the Republic of Slovenia while abroad shall immediately report this to the nearest body of the Republic of Slovenia abroad, responsible for diplomatic/consular affairs there.
Illegal residence
Foreigners who reside in the Republic of Slovenia illegally shall leave the country immediately or by an appointed deadline.
An foreigner shall be deemed to be illegally residing in the Republic of Slovenia if:
- he/she entered the country without permission;
- his/her visa was annulled or the period of validity for which the visa was issued has expired, or he/she resides in the Republic of Slovenia in contravention of the entry address or if the validity of residence in the Republic of Slovenia has expired on the basis of the law or an international agreement has expired;
- he/she has no residence permit or the validity of the permit has expired.
A foreigner who has filed in due time an application for the extension of the residence permit or for the issuing of a further permit may stay in the country until his/her application has been decided upon, and shall be issued with a special receipt which shall serve as a temporary residence permit until his/her application has been decided upon.
In determining the deadline by which a foreigner must leave the country, the body which issues the decision shall take into account the deadline by which the foreigner is able to leave, whereby the deadline may not exceed three months.
Annulment of residence
Residence may be annulled with respect to a foreigner who is in possession of a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Slovenia if:
- he/she was convicted in a court of law of a criminal offence and given an unconditional prison sentence of more than three years;
- there are well-founded reasons for believing that the foreigner concerned may pose a threat to national security, public safety or peace.
With the exception of the reasons stipulated in the preceding paragraph, residence may be annulled with respect to a foreigner who otherwise legally resides in the Republic of Slovenia if:
- he/she is residing in the country in contravention of the purpose for which the permit was issued;
- he/she refuses to comply with the decision of state authorities;
- he/she was convicted of a criminal offence and given an unconditional prison sentence of more than three months;
- he/she runs out of funds to support him/herself and does not secure any other means of support for the duration of his/her stay in the Republic of Slovenia.
Voluntary departure and removal of foreigners
The police shall issue a return decision to a foreigner who is staying illegally in the Republic of Slovenia, except in the cases referred to in Article 64(1) of the Foreigners Act. The return decision shall set the deadline for voluntary departure. A measure of removal pursuant to Article 69 of the Foreigners Act and an entry ban pursuant to Article 67 of the Foreigners Act are also imposed on a foreigner, which shall not be enforced if the foreigner leaves the country within the deadline. A deadline for voluntary departure shall not be set for a foreigner who poses a risk of absconding or for a foreigner whose residence in the Republic of Slovenia represents a threat to public order, public safety or national security. A foreigner may lodge an appeal against a return decision within five days of the service of the decision. A foreigner who has been issued with a return decision shall have the right to free legal counselling which shall be provided by independent contractors.
A foreigner must leave the Republic of Slovenia and the territory of EU Member States and the territory of the States Parties to the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985 within the deadline set for voluntary departure imposed on him or her under this Act, failing which the police shall act in accordance with the provisions of this Act relating to the removal of the foreigner.
Related content
Foreigners Act (only in Slovenian)