Citizenship of Slovenia

The status of a citizen of the Republic of Slovenia provides visa-free access to 184 countries, including unrestricted travel throughout Europe. Additionally, citizenship grants the right to reside, work, and study without limitations in any of the 28 EU member states.

Ways to Obtain Citizenship

To obtain Slovenian citizenship, one must meet the qualification requirements of one of the following programs.

Citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia can be obtained by meeting the following main conditions:

• The individual has resided in Slovenia for 10 years, of which 5 years have been continuous (prior to submitting the application).
• The applicant has a basic proficiency in the Slovenian language, confirmed by a certificate of successful completion of the language exam.

Additional conditions include:

• Being 18 years old or older.
• Not holding previous citizenship.
• Having the means to financially and socially support oneself and family members.
• Providing evidence of a clean criminal record.
• The right of residence in the country is not annulled.
• Granting citizenship to the applicant does not pose a threat to public order, security, or defense of the country.
• Proof of no outstanding tax liabilities.
• Taking an oath based on the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia.

By birthright

If a child is born in Slovenia and at least one parent is a citizen of the country, the child automatically acquires Slovenian citizenship.

A child born outside the Republic may be considered a Slovenian citizen if:

• Both parents are Slovenian citizens.
• One parent is a Slovenian citizen, and the other is stateless.
• The child does not hold citizenship of another state.

If a child is adopted by a citizen of the Republic, they also acquire Slovenian citizenship.

By origin

An applicant can be considered a person of Slovenian descent if they have relatives (up to the second generation) who are citizens of the Republic. In this case, it is possible to obtain citizenship by origin. To do so, an application for registration as a citizen must be submitted before reaching the age of 36.

Important

At the same time, it is necessary to provide documents confirming the Slovenian citizenship of close relatives.

By naturalization

The citizenship program of the Republic of Slovenia through naturalization offers several options for participation:

Standard naturalization

The right to apply for citizenship is granted after residing in the country with a residence permit for at least 10 years, with 5 of them being continuous. Applications can be submitted at the administrative unit that issued the permanent residence permit. The state fee is €194.

At the same time, the program requires compliance with additional selection criteria:

• Confirmation of financial stability for residing in the country.
• Proof of knowledge of the Slovenian language. The basic level is sufficient.
• Submission of certificates of no criminal record and no tax liabilities.
• Taking an oath.

Extraordinary naturalization

The applicant is eligible if they have made significant contributions to the country in the economic, social, scientific, or cultural field. The applicant must be an adult and have lived in the Republic for at least one year at the time of application. The application is submitted to the administrative unit at the place of residence or to the Ministry of the Interior. A fee of €185 applies.

Exceptional naturalization for emigrants and their descendants

A foreigner can obtain Slovenian citizenship under this program if they are a descendant of emigrants who moved to the country under extraordinary circumstances, such as having refugee status. In this case, evidence must be provided to confirm the ancestors’ Slovenian citizenship obtained under these conditions. The application can be submitted at a Slovenian embassy abroad or at the administrative unit at the place of residence. The administrative fee is €185.

Marriage with a Citizen

You can apply for citizenship if you have a spouse who holds local citizenship. To qualify, you must have been married for at least 3 years and have lived together in the country with your spouse for at least 12 months. The marriage must be valid at the time of application.

Advantages of Slovenian Citizenship

Obtaining Slovenian citizenship offers attractive opportunities:

• Official employment and legal residence in any EU country.
•  Visa-free travel to 184 countries worldwide.
• Opportunities to utilize the secure EU banking system, including loans and mortgages with interest rates of 2-3%.
• Opportunity to receive European education on favorable terms.
• High-quality healthcare services covered by a unified insurance policy.
• No restrictions on purchasing residential and commercial real estate in Europe.
• Simplified process for starting and running a business without additional taxation.

Dual Citizenship

Slovenia has a strict policy on dual citizenship. After obtaining Slovenian citizenship, one is required to renounce their previous citizenship. However, there are exceptions.

Conditions that exclude the requirement to renounce citizenship:

• Evidence exists that the country granting the first citizenship does not allow renunciation of its passport.
• It can be proven that the previous citizenship is automatically revoked upon acquiring Slovenian citizenship.
• There is proof that the native country does not accept an application for renunciation of citizenship.

You can also keep your previous passport and obtain dual citizenship in the following cases:

• Marriage to a Slovenian citizen.
• Holding refugee status.
• Loss of Slovenian citizenship through voluntary renunciation.
• Being born in Slovenia and living there your entire life.
• Having ancestors who were citizens of Slovenia.

If a minor obtains Slovenian citizenship, he or she must choose between his or her previous citizenship and Slovenian citizenship when he or she reaches the age of 18.

Citizenship by Investment Program

Slovenia offers a unique pathway to citizenship through an expedited extraordinary naturalization process, allowing applicants to obtain Slovenian citizenship if it aligns with the country's national interests.

Important

The law does not establish a minimum investment amount, but in practice, the minimum investment is €50,000 in a Slovenian company or €10,000 in a startup company. The investment must be made in a company registered in Slovenia that has been operating for at least six months. Additionally, the investor must have a valid residence permit and have lived in Slovenia for at least one year.

Family members can also be included in the citizenship application.

Under general rules, Slovenian citizenship through investment can be obtained after 10 years of continuous residence in the country.

Obtaining Slovenian citizenship through business investments via the naturalization process can be significantly expedited. One of the options is to demonstrate to the country's authorities the intention and capability to make a substantial contribution to the economy. This requires an investment of at least €1,000,000 in a personal business, creating a minimum of 15 jobs. The existence of an "exceptional contribution" is determined by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia based on a conclusion provided by the Ministry of Economy.

Recent Reforms to the Citizenship Program

In mid-2023, the government of Slovenia implemented a series of amendments to the Foreigners Act, simplifying the procedures for obtaining residence permits for citizens of non-EU countries. According to the changes, foreigners are granted the right to obtain a residence permit more quickly and to study the Slovenian language for free.

Information

It has also been established that relocating individuals applying for citizenship through the family reunification program will be required to provide Slovenian language test results at the A1 level. This requirement will also apply to all those applying for permanent residence as of November 1, 2024.

Step-by-step application process

Documents collection and application submission

Submitting an application for Slovenian citizenship is easiest and fastest at the administrative unit of your place of residence. However, before submitting the application, administrative fees must be paid.

List of required fees:

• Issuance of a single residence permit – 70 EUR
• Issuance of a temporary residence permit (TRP) – 50 EUR
• Issuance of a permanent residence permit (PRP) – 90 EUR
• Residence card – 15 EUR

All documents attached to the applicant's dossier, issued abroad, must be translated and apostilled in accordance with local legislation. When applying for citizenship for minors, parental consent must be provided. For children under 14 years old, the application can be made without their consent, but for children over 14, it is required to submit their written statement.

List of Documents

When applying for citizenship of the Republic, the following documents and their certified copies are required:

1. Valid foreign passport
2. Birth certificate
3. Proof of residence in the country for at least 10 years with permanent residency rights
4. Applicant's questionnaire with autobiography
5. Lease agreement or proof of ownership of real estate
6. Proof of sufficient means for living without social assistance
7. Marriage certificate (if applicable)
8. Photographs
9. Certificate of no criminal record
10. Health insurance policy

Depending on the participation program and government agency requirements, additional documentation may be required.

Consideration and Decision

On average, the processing time for the applicant's file and decision-making is 3 to 12 months. The main reason for a refusal in granting citizenship is the absence of the required documents, their incorrect processing, or the applicant's non-compliance with legal requirements.

Important

Permits issued may be revoked if document forgery or threats to national security are discovered. In addition, the citizenship status may be revoked if it is found that the applicant has not renounced their previous citizenship.

Disadvantages of Slovenian Citizenship by Investment

The main disadvantage of the Slovenian "Golden Visa" program is the lack of clear criteria for granting citizenship, meaning there is no official program.

While the cost and conditions for participation in the program are quite reasonable, the need to go through the standard naturalization stages with the required residence period of up to 10 years completely undermines the interest of ordinary investors.

Information

The expedited procedure for granting citizenship through investment requires significant funds (starting from $1 million) that are beyond the means of most investors, along with additional approval from the relevant government authority.

Due to these facts, it would be more advisable for a potential investor to consider other programs that provide faster access to European citizenship.